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DAY 1 ARRIVE İSTANBUL
Arrive at İstanbul Atatürk International Airport
where we meet our professional Turkish guide and
driver. After an introductory tour, we will be
transferred to our hotel for a welcome meeting,
dinner and overnight. (D)
DAY 2 İSTANBUL - ANKARA –
CAPPADOCIA
Early breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the
airport for our Turkish Airlines flight to Ankara,
the administrative capital of Turkey. We visit the
award winning Museum of Anatolian Civilizations with
its rich collection of artifacts dating as far back
as the Stone Age. After lunch, proceed by coach for
the start of our tour through Anatolia to
Cappadocia, the fairy chimney wonderland. We
check-in to our hotel for dinner and overnight. (B.D)
DAY 3 CAPPADOCIA
After a breakfast at the hotel, we visit Camel
Valley and Paşabağ where one can best see the fairy
chimneys. We will explore this spectacular landscape
incorporating Göreme’s Open Air Museum with its cave
churches and abundance of frescoes, and then the
pottery town of Avanos. Return to Ottoman House for
dinner and overnight. Tonight a Turkish Folk night
with dinner . (B.D)
DAY 4 CAPPADOCIA – ADANA
After breakfast we visit the amazing underground
city of Kaymaklı. Departure leads us further into
biblical times as we visit Tarsus, the birthplace of
St Paul (also claimed to be the meeting place of
Cleopatra & Mark Antony). In the surrounds we visit
Cleopatra’s Gate, the Well of St Paul, Tarsus
waterfalls and the Cave of the Seven Sleepers.
On arrival in Adana, check-in at Seyhan Spa Hotel
for dinner and overnight. (B.D)
DAY 5 ADANA – HATAY
(ANTIOCH)
After breakfast, before our drive to Hatay
(Antioch), we visit the Sabancı Mosque, a fine
example of modern Turkish architecture. Our visits
today will include the St Peter’s Grotto where, in
this natural cave, St Peter gathered the first
Christian community around him; the Archaeological
Museum, famous for its important collections of
mosaics including those from Zeugma, then a drive to
Seleucia ad Piera to see the massive diversion
tunnels dug by the Roman emperors Titus and
Vespasianus to protect both the harbour from silting
up and also to protect the fertile plain from being
flooded by the waters of the Orontes River.
Late afternoon we explore the old streets of Antioch
before dinner and overnight at Büyük Antakya Hotel.
(B.D)
DAY 6 HATAY - KAHTA
After early breakfast we commence our drive to Kahta
where we check-in to our hotel. En route we pass the
still in use, Roman, Cendere Bridge and Karakuş,
said to be the funeral mound of Antiochus’s wife.
From Kahta we drive to the top of Nemrut Dağ where
the colossus of the gods of antiquity lie scattered
at the artificial summit, a legacy of King
Antiochus’s delusions of grandeur. We watch the
sunset from Nemrut’s summit - a coat, blanket and
torch will be necessary for increased comfort.
A late dinner and overnight at Zeus Hotel. (B.D)
DAY 7 KAHTA – ŞANLIURFA
Following breakfast at the hotel, we drive to
Şanlıurfa. En route we visit the village of Harran
with its beehive-like dwellings. The location has
strong biblical links as, according to the book of
Genesis, the prophet Abraham lived in Harran on his
way from Ur to Canaan. In Şanlıurfa visits to the El
Rahman Mosque with its fabled carp pools and the
Castle for great views are included. We’ll also
stroll through the colourful Urfa Bazaar (Bedesten).
Dinner and overnight at the El-Ruha Hotel. (B.D)
DAY 8 ŞANLIURFA - MARDİN
Breakfast at the hotel. Today we travel on to Mardin,
Turkey’s most Arab influenced city and the centre of
an important community of Syrian
Orthodox Christians, the Jacobites. Church services
here are still conducted in Aramaic, the language
Jesus spoke. We visit the Syrian Orthodox monastery
complex of Deyr-ul-Zaferan, the seat of the Syrian
Orthodox Patriarch until the 1920’s. In the
afternoon we will visit Sultan Kasim Medrese. It was
built in 1385 and is one of the best examples of
Artukid craftsmanship. On to the Ulu Cami (Grand
Mosque) and Mardin’s current Post office – a fine
example of a recently abondoned extended family
home. Dinner and overnight at Erdoba Evleri. (B.D)
DAY 9 MARDİN – DİYARBAKIR
Today we travel to Midyat where we see silver smiths
at work in the old town.Then a visit to Mar Gabriel,
a working Syrian Orthodox Monastery before
continuing on to stunning Hasankeyf on the banks of
the Tigris river. Here the Tigris river passes
through a narrow defile and is under threat of being
dammed and Hasankeyf, consequently, flooded. We
visit the 15th century Zeyn El-Abdin Turbesi, said
to be the most Persian influenced monument in Turkey
with its turquoise glazed tiles and red brick.
Onwards through northern Mesopotamia to Diyarbakır,
one of the oldest cities on earth, situated on the
Tigris flood plain. Here we visit Ulu Cami,
constructed in 639AD making it one of Turkey’s
earliest Muslim places of worship. We see a section
of the 6km long, basalt, city walls overlooking the
Tigris. These walls are second in length only to The
Great Wall of China. Finally we see the Dört Ayaklı
Minare (Four-Legged Minaret), the last Akkoyun
monument before the Ottomans reign, and the Armenian
Keldani Church.
Dinner and overnight at Dedeman Hotel (B.D)
DAY 10 DİYARBAKIR – VAN
An early start sees us on our way to Van, Turkey’s
largest lake, via Silvan, Bitlis and Tatvan. We pass
the beautiful Artukid built Malabadi Bridge with its
enormous single arch and built-in rooms used for
stopovers by Caravansary. A visit to the expansive
Seljuk cemetery at Gevaş with its fine examples of
Seljuk headstones.
Dinner and overnight at Şahmeran Hotel. (B.D)
DAY 11 VAN
After breakfast at the hotel we visit Van Castle the
headquarter of the Urartians – a good opportunity to
see an authentic Carpet Weaving village .We then
have a 45 minute drive and a 2km boat trip on Lake
Van to visit the Church of the Holy Cross on
Akdamar Island. Dinner and overnight at Şahmeran
Hotel. (B.D)
DAY 12 VAN – DOĞUBEYAZIT
Following breakfast at the hotel, we drive to
Doğubeyazıt. On the way we get views of Mt Ararat (Ağrı
Dağı). Few mountains west of the Himalayas have as
compelling a hold on western imagination. We visit
İshak Paşa Palace nestled in a high valley above
Doğubeyazıt and then continue on to the second
largest meteorite crater in the world. Enjoy the
spectacular view of Mt Ararat from our hotel.
Dinner and overnight at Doğubeyazıt’s Sim-Er Hotel.
(B.D)
DAY 13 DOĞUBEYAZIT – KARS
After breakfast we will set out for Kars with its
Russian influenced architecture and city plan. The
distance is comfortable and we will visit the
ancient city of Ani on the Armenian border before
checking-in to our hotel.
Dinner and overnight at Sim-Er Hotel. (B.D)
DAY 14 KARS – ERZURUM
Following breakfast at the hotel we drive to the
almost 2000m above sea-level city of Erzurum
(Turkey’s highest). We visit the Çifte Minare
Medrese built in 1253 by the Seljuk Sultan as a
koranic academy; the Ulu Mosque constructed in 1179
and rebuilt in 1939 after an earthquake; Yakutiye
Medrese as an example of the Mongol influence dating
back to 1308; and the Lala Mustafa Paşa Mosque built
in 1563 at the time of Suleiman the Magnificent and
said to be designed and constructed by the most
famous of all Turkish architects, Mimar Sinan. We
also visit the citadel which originally was
constructed by the Roman Emperor Theodosius I
(378-395AD).
Dinner and overnight Palan hotel. (B.D)
DAY 15 ERZURUM – TRABZON
Breakfast at the hotel. Drive to Trabzon via Bayburt
and visit the Sumela Monastery, clinging to the
almost perpendicular cliff some 273m above the
Altındere valley near Maçka. Trabzon (or Trebizond)
lies in the Eastern Black Sea Region. Founded in the
8th Century BC, it was one of the most prominent
active Byzantine Christian worship centres in
Turkey. Trabzon is full of ancient history and
places of invaluable historical importance. We have
time to visit the romantically set, Byzantine,
Church of Haghia Sophia with its wealth of frescoes
that will delight all.
Check in at Zorlu Hotel for dinner and overnight. (B.D)
DAY 16 TRABZON - İSTANBUL
After breakfast transfer to Trabzon airport for our
Turkish Airlines flight to İstanbul. On arrival we
proceed to our hotel for check-in. Today we explore
on foot, Sultanahmet’s famous and ancient monuments
from the Byzantine and Ottoman period. Our visits
include the world famous Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome
once a place for chariot races, Yerebatan Cistern
and Haghia Sophia the biggest church in Christendom
until 1453 .The Grand Bazaar a dizzy atmosphere with
many shops and the Spice Bazaar with its abundance
of Turkish Delight and aromatic spices.
Return to the hotel Yaşmak Sultan. Dinner at Masal
Restaurant (B.D)
DAY 17 İSTANBUL
Following breakfast we take a cruise between the
shores of the Bosphorus which are lined with
palaces and stately homes from bygone eras. Aftering
disembarking, we explore the vast grounds and
museums of Topkapı Palace the centre of the Ottoman
Empire for nearly 4 centuries (B.D)
DAY 18 İSTANBUL
We today enjoy a nostalgic trip of İstanbul starting
with Dolmabahçe Palace, a late residence of the
Ottoman dynasty following the abandonment of Topkapı
Palace . We then take a walk through Taksim,
İstiklal Street and Beyoğlu – the centres of modern
entertainment and culture - ending our day at the
Galata Tower with its breathtaking views of İstanbul.
(B.D)
DAY 19 DEPART İSTANBUL
Leisurely breakfast at hotel.
Time for some last minute shopping, sightseeing
or just generally relaxing before transferring to
airport. (B.D)
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