GALLIPOLI, TROY, PERGAMON, EPHESUS, PAMUKKALE, ANTALYA

6 Days & 6 Nights

Everyday departure bus tours from Istanbul

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Day 1 :  Istanbul - Gallipoli - Canakkale (L)

Pick up from Istanbul hotel early in the morning at around 06:30 am arriving in Canakkale by bus at around noon time.
Half day afternoon Gallipoli tour including transfers, entrance fees, guide and lunch box.
Visiting - Kabatepe Museum, ANZAC Cove, Lone Pine Australian Memorial, Johnston's Jolly (Turkish and Allied trenches and tunnels), The Nek, Chunuk Bair New Zealand Memorial)
Hotel accommodation in Eceabat / Canakkale. Private rooms with air condition and bath/WC

Day 2 : Troy - Pergamon - Kusadasi. (B)

Breakfast in your hotel included
Half day morning tour of Troy. Lunch included.
Drive on to Kusadasi, visiting Pergamon along the way, including Acropolis, Library, Theater etc.
Hotel accommodation in Kusadasi

Day 3 : Ephesus Tour - Hotel in Kusadasi (B/L)

Breakfast in your hotel included.
Full day tour of Ephesus and House of Virgin Mary, including transfers, entrance fees, guide.Lunch during the tour is included
From Kusadasi, you travel north to St. John’s Basilica, passing the Byzantine fortress at Selcuk and the ruins of the Temple of Artemis. Continue to Ephesus Open Museum then up to the House of Virgin Mary located in Bulbul Mountain. After the visit head for the upper gate of Ephesus. By the end of touring Ephesus, return to Kusadasi.
Hotel in Kusadasi included

Day 4 : Pamukkale & Hierapolis Tour - Evening bus to Antalya (B/L)

Breakfast at hotel included
Pamukkale & Hierapolis tour including transfers, entrance fees, guide.
A miracle of Nature (Pamukkale) and one of the most prominent city of ancient times (Hierapolis) are just next to each other waiting to be discovered by you. You must not miss this ! Visiting the amazing white colored travertines, hot spring pools and water terraces have been created by nature in millions of years on the mountain slopes of Pamukkale and the ancient city of Hierapolis which has the biggest ancient Necropolis in present Turkey with 1200 gravestones.
Lunch during the tour is included.
Evening bus to Antalya at the end of the tour (apprx 4-5 hours)
Hotel accommodation in Antalya. Private rooms with air condition and bath/WC.

Day 5 : Antalya Tour & Overnight (B/L/D)

Breakfast in your hotel included
Full day tour of Perge, Aspendos, Side and Manavgat or Kusrusnlu Waterfall, including transfers, entrance fees, guide.
Lunch during the tour is included.
Dinner in your hotel included.
Hotel in Antalya

Day 6 : Antalya Tour - Overnight Bus to Istanbul (B/L)

Breakfast in your hotel included
Full day Myra, St. Nicolas Church + Kekova boat tour including transfers, entrance fees, guide.
Lunch during the tour is included.
Overnight bus to Istanbul with non-smoking new model long distance coaches with air-condition and flexible seat-backs suitable for taking a nap. There will be reasonable breaks along the way for food, drinks and personal needs.

Day 7 : Morning Arrival in Istanbul

End of our tour upon your arrival in Istanbul bus terminal early in the morning.
 

PS: The order of Antalya tours can be interchanged, and minor changes are likely in tour programs.

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INFORMATION

Gallipoli
This area is known for the war cemeteries and memorials for the Turkish and foreign soldiers killed during the World War I, around Canakkale Province in 1915. There are sunken ships, trenches, castles, towers and hundreds of remains of the war. In total, there are graves and memorials of around 250,000 Turkish soldiers, and 250,000 from Australia, New Zealand, England and France. Thousands of people visit the war cemeteries every year, and it is one of the most famous sites in Turkey.

Troy
Ancient city of Troia (Troy), which was immortalized in Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey epics. According to archaeologists, Troy is only one of nine cities which were built on top of each other, the oldest of which dates back to 3000 BC. Its history covers an area beginning from the north side of the Edremit gulf, and reaches the southern shores of the Marmara Sea. To the south is Kazdagi (Ida Mountain), an attractive area to visit 30 km. away from Canakkale, in Hisarlik. Archeological excavations revealed the different time periods of various settlement areas, city ramparts, house basis, a temple and a theater. A symbolic horse made up of wood reminds the big Trojan war. Historical port, Alexandria - Troas was constructed during 3rd century B. C. St. Paul had visited here two times, and his third missioner voyage to Assos was started from here.

Ephesus
During both the Hellenistic and Roman periods Ephesus was the most important port and cultural center of the eastern world. The remains of the city are still spellbinding today. Of all the ancient cities of Turkey, Ephesus is the best preserved and most visited in all ages and is as popular as it was in ancient times. This is due to the miraculous discovery of the House of the Virgin Mary. The city had splendid buildings and was dedicated to the Goddess Artemis, whose temple was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The main monuments that we will see during the visit of this fascinating city are: the street of Arcadiane, the majestic theatre, marble road, library of Celsus, market place street of the Curettes, baths of Scholastic state agora, prytaneion, odeon. The town of Seljuk, is dominated by a Byzantine citadel close to the basilica of St. John built in the 5th century, on the site of tomb of the Apostle. Seljuk has also an exceptionally fine archaeological museum.

The Artemis Temple was destroyed in 356BC, and when Alexander the Great passed through in 334 BC he offered to pay for the cost of a new construction, provided it was dedicated to him. The Ephesus people declined, and rebuilt it with great success.

When the Romans made Ephesus their provincial capital, it became a busy town with great commercial, trading and political importance, and a population that grew to around 250,000. A significant Christian community grew, and the city was visited by St John the Evangelist in the 1st century, then by St Paul, who was there between 51-53 AD and wrote some of his epistles. It was also the venue of two Ecumenical Councils.

But the success of Roman Ephesus began to dwindle, mainly because of problems connected to the harbour, which was the main source of trade. The Cayster River was pushing silt up the harbour and despite attempts to dredge it and rebuild the harbour, the sea was pushed back to Pamucak, 4km away, and therefore Ephesus lost its source of wealth. By the 6th century, the city was unliveable and was shifted near to St John’s Basilica, and by 1090 it was taken over by the Turks.

Pamukkale & Hierapolis
Pamukkale is one of the most enchanting and remarkable sights in the whole of Turkey with the great dazzling white plateau, almost 400 feet high, rising in a curtain of stalagmites and shallow pools, giving one into another on hundreds of different levels, and ancient city of Hierapolis located on this plateau. The great baths were constructed in the second century and are so well-preserved that they now serve as a museum. The impressive and recently restored theatre, the Martyrium of St. Philip the Apostle of the 5th century – a colonnaded street erected by Domitian, a monumental gate of the same period, another bath stretching on for over a Mile, the necropolis with a fascinating variety of tombs and sarcophagus are the famous monuments of this antique city.

Antalya
Antalya is one of the best of Turkish cities perfectly combining historical, natural beauties also known as Turkish Riviera with many neighborhood sandy beaches and vivid night life. There are many well preserved significant ancient sights around the city which you must definitely see if you happen to visit Turkey.

Perge: Situated 18 km east of Antalya, Perge is in the city limits of Aksu Bucagi. Because of its location on the Cilicia - Pisidia road, it was a vital part of the province of Pamphylia, and was founded around the same time as the other cities in the area (7th century BC). It was an important city for Christians of Perge who had worshipped the mother goddess Artemis. St. Paul and Barnabas visited the city and wealthy benefactors like Magna Plancia had a number of important memorials built here.
Aspendos:  This antique city established in the Early age is 48km east of Antalya. Its most important feature is its theatre. The theatre and its stage are the best preserved of the Roman theatres in Anatolia still being used for music concerts and opera shows during festivals. The most popular of these festivals are the Aspendos International Opera and Ballet festival. 15000 spectators can sit in the theatre. It was built during the reign of Emperor Antonius Pius (134 - 164) by architect Zenon.
Side: In the ancient town of Side, there are inscriptions, weapon embossing from Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine Periods, sculptures which are Roman Period copies of Greek originals, torsos, temples, tomb steles, portraits, ostotecs and column pedestals on exhibition in the museum.  PS: Please note. Side is pronounced something like 'see-dah', fairly different than the English world 'side')
Myra: It is now called Demre it was one of the most important cities of the Lycian civilization. 25km west of Finike and 48km east of Kas, Demre was a place of settlement from the 5th century BC. The city was deserted in 9 AD after the invasions of the Arabs. Rock tombs, theatres and the Church of St. Nicholas (said to be the original Santa Claus) are the most interesting sites in the town today.
Kekova: It is by the cost of Antalya province between Kas-Demre towns. It is an ancient city submerged and now partly under sea water, but can be seen from outside.
St. Nicholas Church: Saint Nicholas giving its name to the church in Demre (Myra) is claimed to be the original Santa Claus