General

DAY 1 Flight to Istanbul
Arrival at Istanbul Ataturk Airport. Meet by PAKERO TRAVEL representative and transfer to the hotel. Welcome meeting, dinner and overnight at the hotel at Taksim Square, the center of new town. (D)

DAY 2 Full Day Istanbul City Tour
We begin our day with a tour of the Sultan Ahmet square, located at the heart of the “Old City” from where the Byzantine and the Ottoman Empires were ruled from. We will walk the Hippodrome square, which was the epicenter of the sportive events and political activities of Constantinople in Roman and Byzantium periods. We will see and talk about the histories of the Obelisk of Theodosius, the Serpentine Column and the German Fountain of Wilhelm II. Then take a short walk to the Blue Mosque, famous with its blue Iznik tiles and with its unique 6 minarets, built in the early 17th century. Next we visit Hagia Sophia, one of the greatest marvels of the art & architecture history, constructed as the Patriarchate Cathedral in the 6th century AD by Emperor Justinian. Lunch in a local restaurant. After lunch our next stop will be the Topkapi Palace complex with its beautifully decorated gardens and impressive examples of Turkish architecture which used to house the Ottoman Royalty and their unprecedented collections of imperial treasury, Chinese porcelains, weapons, calligraphy, and holy relics. Next we stroll through the narrow alleys of the Grand Covered Bazaar for exploring its maze of 4000 shops for an authentic oriental shopping experience.

Day 3 Istanbul – Cannakkale, Gallipoli, Troy
After the breakfast, we will begin our scenic drive along the sea of Marmara down to Gallipoli, historically famous for being the site for the epic battles of Gallipoli and Dardanelles during WWI. Following a lunch break, we will cross the strategic waterway of 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 such as Agamemnon, Achilles, Ulysses, and Nestor on the Greek side and Priamos, Hector, and Paris on the Trojan side. We will check-in to our hotel in Canakkale for dinner and overnight. (B, L, D)

Day 4 Canakkale – Pergamon – Kusadası
Depart for Kusadası, Our first visit will be to the 3rd century B.C. acropolis of Pergamon, the site of the renowned altar of Zeus, the Temple of Trajan and the great theater overlooking the plains of Bergama. Visit a local workshop to see the demonstration on the process of weaving handmade Turkish carpets and the most beautiful and rich collection of them. Free time will be allocated for shopping. Lunch in a local restaurant. Then the final stop of the day; the Ancient Medical Center of Asclepion where the father of modern medicine ‘Galenus’ practiced for many years. Dinner and overnight in Kusadasi. (B, L, D)

Day 5 Kusadası – Ephesus
Following breakfast we drive to Selcuk to visit the House of Virgin Mary located on top of Mt. Coressos. Then visit to Ephesus, one of the greatest cultural and commercial metropolises of the ancient world and one of the Seven Churches of the Revelation. We take a full tour of the archaeological site walking through the largest ancient Roman theater, gymnasium, agora and baths, as well as the library of Celsus and the former site of the Temple of Artemis (One of the Seven Wonders of the Antiquity). Lunch break in a local restaurant followed by a visit to the remains of the Basilica of St. John, the largest church of the western Asia Minor dating back to 6th century AD which is also the burial place of St. John.  Dinner and overnight in Kusadası. (B, L, D)

Day 6 Kusadası – Priene – Didyma
We drive to famous local production center for leather garments whereby after a live Fashion Show, time will be allocated for shopping. Drive to Priene, the ancient Greek city which had the least Roman touch, beautifully laid out on a hill side according to Hippodomus city planning, stop for lunch in a local restaurant. Visit Didyma, the center of Apollo Prophesy in Asia Minor, the largest remain of an ancient temple Turkey. Dinner and overnight in Kusadası. (B, D)

Day 7 Flight to Home
Transfer to Izmir airport. Flight back to Scandinavia via Istanbul.

“For price and more planning details contact to Pakero Travel”