General

Day 1 Flight To Istanbul
Arrival at Istanbul Atatürk Airport. Meet PAKERO TRAVEL representative and transfer to the hotel at Taksim Square located in the center of the new town. Welcome meeting, Dinner and overnight. (B, 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. Dinner in a local restaurant. Overnight in Istanbul. (B, L, D)

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 the richest 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.

Day 6 Kusadası – Pamukkale
After the breakfast we will visit a local production center for leather which the region is famous for their production as well as designing them. After a live Fashion Show, time will be allocated for shopping. Then continue to Pamukkale. Your tour in Pamukkale will include visits both to the Ancient city of Hierapolis with its staggering ancient necropolis and the picturesque cotton-white cascades of hot springs. Arriving to the hotel after a series photo breaks.
Dinner and overnight in Pamukkale. (B, L, D)

Day 7 Pamukkale – Konya – Cappadocia
Following an early breakfast we will drive through a beautiful pastoral landscape viewing the rural life of Turkey.  Lunch en route before arriving in Konya. Konya was the capital of the Seljhuk Empire in the 12th and the 13th centuries and was also the hometown of Mevlana the founder of ‘Sufi’ wisdom and his Whirling Dervishes. After visiting the Mevlana Museum, we will continue driving to Cappadocia via Sultanhani where we will visit a magnificent example of a 13th century Seljhuk inn built for accommodating the caravans.
Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia. (B, L, D)

Day 8 Full Day Tour in Cappadocia
Today we visit one of the largest underground cities of Cappadocia: Kaymakli. This magnificent underground city is dating back to 3000 BC and eight storey deep. Thousands of early Christians had lived and took refuge in Kaymaklı to survive against the persecution by the Romans. After a few panoramic picture stops will arrive at the Uchisar Rock-Carved Castle over looking the valleys and fairy chimneys of Cappadocia. Then proceed to the Open Air Museums of Goreme and Zelve Valleys to visit the rock carved churches hollowed out of volcanic ash, dating back to the IV-XIII centuries. Lunch will be at a local restaurant. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia. (B, L, D)
Optional: Belly Dance show at Cave Restaurant.

Day 9 Cappadocia – Ankara
Today with an early start to the day you may join to an optional Hot Air Balloon ride which is by far the best way to savor the fantastic views of the landscape of Cappadocia. Then drive to Ankara; the modern capital city of Turkey. Visit the Mausoleum of Atatürk (1881-1938) the founding father of the Turkish Republic which is at the same time a museum of Turkish Independence War and Revolution. After lunch visit one of the most impressive archaeological museums of the world: The Museum of Ancient Anatolian Civilizations with its unprecedented collections of Hittites, Assyrians, Urartians, Lydians as well as rich exhibitions of prehistoric artifacts.
Dinner and overnight in Ankara. (B, L, D)

Day 10 Flight to Back Home
Transfer to Ankara Esenboga Airport. Flight back to Scandinavia via Istanbul.

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