Aegean And Mediterranean Waves
1st Day : ISTANBUL
Arrival at Istanbul International Airport. After customs clearance, reception of the group, transfer to your hotel in Istanbul for two nights.
2nd Day : ISTANBUL
Plunge to the heart of the history of Constantinople/Istanbul and discover its principal Byzantine and Ottoman monuments: St. Sofia Museum, the sixth-century church built by the Emperor Justinian crowned with its awesome dome, the Ancient Hippodrome, the Blue Mosque named for the beautiful blue Iznik ceramic tiles, the mosque of Suleyman the Magnificent, a masterpiece of Ottoman architecture and Topkapi Palace, the residence of the Ottoman sultans.
Return to your hotel.
3rd Day : Istanbul - ÇANAKKALE
Cross the Thracian plain, the European land part of Turkey as you head for Çanakkale. Ferry across the Dardanelles Strait to the Asian side to explore Troy where Greek and Trojan heroes fought for the beautiful Helen. In many ways, a visit to Troy is a spiritual pilgrimage to the beginning of Western literature.
4th Day : Çanakkale - KUSADASI
While heading south toward the Aegean region, stop at Pergamum, one of the greatest cities of the Mediterranean basin, for its commercial and cultural achievements. When there was a rivalry between Egypt and Pergamum concerning their libraries, the Egyptians stopped the export of paper to Pergamum, and Pergamians invented parchment. Explore the famous Acropolis of Pergamum rebuilt using the Acropolis of Athens as a model and the Asklepeion, one of the first hospitals in the world, named after the Greek God of healing, Asklepios. Continue south on the Aegean coastal road via Izmir, ancient Smyrna, towards Kusadasi..
5th Day : KUSADASI
Explore Ephesus today and feel the presence of ancient emperors and merchants who once inhabited this superb archeological site. A visit to the Ephesus Museum where many precious items are displayed, the House of Virgin Mary and the Basilica of St. John will complete your tour of Ephesus.
6th Day : Kusadasi - BODRUM
Set out to Bodrum, ancient Halicarnassus, and site of one of the wonders of the ancient world on the Aegean coast. Delve into medieval chivalry at the Castle of St John set romantically on the Aegean Sea with a view of the harbor. The Knights of Rhodes built it in the 15th century and now houses a fascinating Underwater Archeological Museum.
Dinner and overnight at hotel in Bodrum.
7th Day : BODRUM
Free day to relax by the sea or shop for souvenirs in Bodrum.
8th Day : Bodrum - FETHIYE
Departure to Fethiye. En route an excursion by boat to explore the ruins of Caunos in ancient Caria across the placid lake of Koycegiz to the estuary, which leads to the sea.
Continue to Fethiye.
9th Day : FETHIYE
Visit Fethiye (ancient Lycian Telmessos), famous in antiquity for the seers and diviners who resided here and its typically Lycian rock-cut tombs.
Free time in the afternoon.
10th Day : Fethiye - KAS
On the way to Kas, visit the ancient Lycian capital of Xanthos, twice the site of mass suicide, when the people put freedom before their own lives, leaving a symbolic fire to burn in their memory. We will stop in Patara, where the world saw its first example of representative democracy. Today Patara is delineated by a fine sandy beach where the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas meet.
11th Day : KAS
Enjoy a boat trip to Kekova over the crystalline water of the Mediterranean to peer over the boat’s edge to view the remains of a city that is partially sunken into the sea.
Return to Kas.
12th Day : Kas - ANTALYA
Along this stretch of coastline toward Antalya, the Mediterranean Sea will always be close by. A stop will be made in Myra to admire its theater, rock-cut tombs, and the Church of St. Nicholas. Then, visit the ancient port of Phaselis, a truly idyllic site hidden in a pine forest.
13th Day : ANTALYA
Explore ancient Pamphylian coastal cities. Visit an amazingly well-preserved Roman Theater at Aspendos, and continue to the nearby ancient cities of Side and Perga in the morning. Return to Antalya to take in the Antalya Museum with its rich collection of sculptures from Side and Perga and enjoy a walk in the old city of Antalya.
14th Day : Antalya – Flight to ISTANBUL
Take the morning flight to Istanbul. Visit the Egyptian Bazaar. Then, you will have an excursion on a private boat on the Bosphorus. This strait, a marvel of nature, is a bit longer than thirty km and is located between the hills of Asia and Europe, connecting the waters of the Black Sea and the Marmara Sea. It is lined by yalis: seaside mansions. Especially the wooden yalis built in the 18th and 19th centuries are exceptionally beautiful.
Visit the St. Savior in Chora Museum and see the awesome mosaics and frescoes. Free time for shopping at the Grand Bazaar.
15th Day : Departure
After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to Istanbul International Airport.