Day

Itinerary

Lodge/Board

1

Sat

ISTANBUL

Arrival at Istanbul airport , you will be met and transferred to your hotel. A short briefing and Welcome Cocktail in the evening.

D-Hotel

O/N Istanbul

2

Sun

ISTANBUL

Our morning starts with a visit to the aromatic Spice Bazaar, where the smells of cinnamon, cloves and thyme, rise from hundreds of colorful muslin bags at every store-front. We then board our ferry boat for a relaxing cruise along the shores of the legendary Bosphorus, the natural gateway that divides Asia and Europe. As you sit back and enjoy Turkish coffee or well-brewed tea from traditional small cups, numerous summer palaces and palatial homes will pass by on either side. Disembarking at the northern end of the Strait, we proceed to a restaurant for a tasty meal of local fish. Following lunch we will travel by coach to the Suleymaniye Mosque, built by master architect Sinan during the reign of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent, the Lawgiver. The last stop will be Grand Bazaar with nearly 4000 shops of antiques, jewelry, gold, carpets and leatherwear.

B-Hotel

L-Local

O/N Istanbul

3

Mon

CANAKKALE / TROY / ASSOS

After an early breakfast, we will begin our scenic drive down to Gallipoli, historically famous for being the site of many battles during XXI. Following a lunch break, we will cross the second strategic waterway, the Dardanelles, and land in Asia and proceed to Troy. Referred to in Homer's "Iliad" and "Odyssey", Troy has in fact nine cities superimposed one upon another. Troy VI pertains to the famous Trojan War of Homer where the legendary heroes included Agamemnon, Achilles, Ulysses and Nestor on the Greek side and, Priam, Hector and Paris on the Trojan side. We will check-in to our hotel in Canakkale for the evening.

B-Hotel

L-Local

D-Hotel

O/N Assos

4

Tue

PERGAMON / IZMIR

On our journey to Izmir we will stop by the hauntingly beautiful Pergamon. Among the impressive structures of this city, dating from 399 B.C., we will see the Altar of Zeus, Temple of Dionysus and the 200,000 volume library which was surpassed only by that found in Alexandria at the time. The Asclepieum of Pergamon was a famous health center where methods of treatment included blood transfusions, music therapy and meditation. Leaving Pergamon behind us we settle at our hotel in Izmir.

B-Hotel

L-Local

D-Hotel

O/N Izmir

5

Wed

IZMIR/ ISTANBUL                                   

Following breakfast, we drive to Selcuk to visit the House of Virgin Mary on top of Mt. Coressos. Leaving there, our memorable visit to Ephesus will begin as well as viewing one of the Seven Churches of Revelation, the Temple of Artemis (One of the Seven Wonders of Antiquity) from a distance and the Basilica of St. John, followed by lunch in the township of Selcuk. After lunch, we will visit the famous local production centre for leather garments whereby after a live Fashion Show, time will be allocated for shopping and then arrive at Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport for our evening Istanbul flight.

B-Hotel

L-Local

D-Hotel

O/N Istanbul

6

Tue

ISTANBUL

Free until transfer time. Transfer to Istanbul Atatürk Airport for flight back to home.

B-Hotel

Departure Dates from Istanbul (Saturdays)

PER PERSON (US$)

Sharing a twin

Sharing a triple

Single room

499

475

615