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HI - LITE TURKEY
(10 Days / 9 Nights )
Guaranteed
Weekly Departures
Every Friday
Day
1:
ISTANBUL
Arrival in
Istanbul
. Transfer to the hotel. The rest of the day free at
leisure.
Day
2:
ISTANBUL
In the morning visit Suleymaniye Mosque, Byzantine Hippodrome, in which
stand the obelisk brought from Egypt by Theodosius and the Serpent Column
taken from Delphi by Constantine.The Blue Mosque, which has six minarets
and a middle dome of 109 feet, is the next stop before St. Sophia, an
originally Christian Basilica, conceived by Constantine and rebuilt by
Justinian, then turned into a mosque in 1453 by Sultan Mehmet the
Conqueror. In 1920s Ataturk made it a museum for all regardless of creed.
Lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon visit Topkapi Palace (*)
which served as the home of Ottoman Sultans for 400 years and now serves
as a museum with a exquisite collection of Chinese porcelain. Before
returning to your hotel visit the Grand Covered Bazaar dating back to XVth
century. It covers over 2,000 shops. Overnight. (BL)
(*) Only general admission is included.
Day
3:
CAPPADOCIA
Transfer to the airport for an early flight to
Ankara
, the capital of
Turkey
and one of the fastest growing cities in the world with a history that
can be dated back 3000 years. Upon arrival visit the
Anatolian
Civilisations
Museum
, which also exhibits the remains of Catalhoyuk, the Neolithic village
dating back to 6500 BC Then visit the Mausoleum of Ataturk, the founder of
modern
Turkey
. After lunch at a local restaurant in
Ankara
, destination is the mysterious
Cappadocia
. (BLD)
Day
4:
CAPPADOCIA
Sightseeing in this unique corner of the world. Goreme Open-air Museum is
full of pink, rose and white tapering columns. These tall free standing
cones of stone curve and twist as if pulled from earth like taffy. Others
are tall like fairy chimneys .The caves were settled in the 4th century
as monasteries. Visit some caves in cliffs to see Byzantine frescoes
decorating early Christian churches.
Among them are frescoes of St. Helene, who discovered the true cross at
Jerusalem
and of saints slaying the dragon, symbol of ancient
religion. Lunch at a typical restaurant of the region. In the afternoon,
first visit to
Kaymakli
Underground
City
; carved out of rock and completely self contained. More
than 200 people lived on each of seven floors with the last one 250 feet
underground. It is connected to Derinkuyu Underground city by six miles of
tunnel. The tour of the region also includes the natural citadel of
Uchisar and
Pasabag
Valley
. (BLD)
Day
5: KONYA, PAMUKKALE
Transfer to
Konya
.
On the way to
Konya
, visit 13th century Selcuk caravanserai
"Sultanhan". Visit
the tomb of Mevlana, the great mystic poet and Islamic spiritual leader,
who founded the sect of ''Whirling Dervishes''. After lunch continue to
Pamukkale, the cotton fortress, which rises above the fertile
Menderes
Valley
. Hot mineral waters burst from the earth and cascade
over steep cliffs forming pools, channels and stalactites. The therapeutic
waters here were known to founders of the cure city of
Hierapolis
in 190 BC (BLD)
Day
6: KUSADASI
Stroll through the ruins of ancient
Hierapolis
, the Roman city, and transfer to Kusadası. En route
lunch at a local restaurant and visit Aphrodisias, the ancient city
dedicated to the goddess of love, Aphrodite. Arrival, dinner and
overnight. (BLD)
Day
7: EPHESUS
Visit the ruins of
Ephesus
,
which played a major role in the development of architecture, religions,
governmental and economic systems and arts. The
temple
of
Artemis
was one of the Seven Wonders of ancient world and centre
of pagan religion for 15 centuries. Here Marc Anthony and Cleopatra once
rode in procession,
St. Paul
preached in the Great Theatre and in a little house outside the city the
Virgin Mary spent her last days. (BLD)
Day
8: PERGAMON, TROY
In the morning visit
Bergama
(ancient Pergamon). Parchment was invented here. This was the hometown of
Galen, renowned doctor and surgeon and site of his temple devoted to
healing, the Asclepion. The library once held 200,000 books; all
parchment. Lunch at a local restaurant in
Bergama
and in the afternoon drive to
Troy
, the immortal city of the legendary Helen of Troy and Trojan Horse, which
was destroyed and rebuilt nine times. (BLD)
Day
9:
ISTANBUL
In the morning drive to
Istanbul
by crossing the
Dardanelles
Strait
. Lunch en route. Arrival to
Istanbul
and transfer to your hotel. Rest of the day free at
leisure. (BL)
Day
10:The tour is over! Come back
again! Transfer to the airport and departure.
Bon voyage…(B)
Including:
Four Star hotels: Kent/Istanbul, Peri Tower/Cappadocia, Lycus River/Pamukkale, Pine Marina/Kusadası
and Akol/Canakkale or similar.
* Meals: Buffet Breakfasts Daily 8 lunches and 6 Dinners.
* Sightseeing as per itinerary, all Entrance Fees and Guidance.
* Domestic Airfare, All transfers, Meeting and Assistance, Service Charges, Tips & Porterage.
Package Prices:
Group size: in Double per person
1 passenger: $1191
2-3 Passenger: $1114
4-5 Passenger: $1090
6-9 Passenger: $1053
Single Supplement For Group: $377
Important Information: The above given rates are in USD, per person sharing twin, 18%
VAT included.
Rates include domestic air. Any increase in taxes will be reflected to the prices. No free for 8-14 pax. Half twin free for minimum 15 paying
pax. For the groups between 8 -10 pax A/C'ed 25 seater midibuses will be used. For the groups over 10 pax A/C'ed 46 seater coaches will be used.
My Impressions of Turkey
by Angie Vick (pastors wife)
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