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ARCHAEOLOGY
TOURS
14 Nights - 15 Days Land Only
Please ask for special opportunities to join real
diggings at arcaheological sites in Turkey.
At a supplement cost, you may join and work at selected
archaeological sites together with local archaelogists
in July and August.
offered by
T U T K U T O U R S
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SUGGESTED ITINERARY
(can be modified according to your specifications)
Day 01
Istanbul
Arrive Istanbul. Meet and transfer to hotel. Welcome
cocktail reception. Dinner at an outdoor restaurant. (D)
Day 02
Istanbul
Visit the Kariye Museum (St. Chora Church) famous for
its Byzantine mosaics and frescoes, the Topkapi Palace,
home of the Ottoman rulers for 400 years. It is now a
museum housing a world renowned collection of jewelry
and porcelain. After lunch visit the 6th century St.
Sophia‘s (Hagia Sophia) built by the emperor Justinian,
to be the grandest church of Christianity, it is now a
museum. (B,L,D)
Day 03
Istanbul - Ankara
Morning visit to the Mosaic Museum with its exquisite
scenes of rural life, then the Hippodrome Square and the
famous Covered Bazaar. Afternoon flight to Ankara for
dinner and overnight. (B,L,D)
Day 04
Ankara - Bogazkale - Yazilikaya - Ankara
Morning departure for the center of the Hittite era.
Visit Bogazkale (Hattusas) which is known as the city of
temples. See the Kings Gate, the Lions Gate, the tunnel,
great citadel, grand temple and the museum. Also see the
ancient site of Yazilikaya (inscribed rock), close to
Bogazkale. This is the most famous of the Hittite rock
monuments. Here there is also an open air pantheon.
Reliefs of Hittite gods and goddesses adorn the walls.
These are carved into the native rock and date back to
the 13th century BC. Return to Ankara for overnight
(B,L,D).
Day 05
Ankara - Cappadocia
Morning departure for Cappadocia, where the wind and
weather have eroded soft volcanic rock to form one of
the most interesting landscapes in the world. Visit the
valleys of Goreme and Zelve, villages of Cavusin and
Avcilar. This area dates back to 4000 BC. Christians dug
underground cities and churches here. Dinner and
overnight in Nevsehir. (B,L,D)
Day 06
Cappadocia
Visit Kaymakli, a vast underground complex of entire
communities interconnected by tunnels, discovered
accidentally in 1963, the citadel of Uchisar overlooking
the Goreme Petrified Valley. Visit Avanos, the pottery
makers’ village. (B,L,D)
Day 07
Cappadocia - Konya - Antalya
Drive to Konya, visit the Mevlana Museum, and the
Karatay Medrese. Dinner and overnight in Antalya.
(B,L,D)
Day 08
Antalya
A full day is devoted to the striking Greco-Roman
Archaeological sites along the Turkish Riviera. Stop
first at Perge, a wealthy and culturally well-developed
city in ancient times. A few miles away is Aspendos,
where the prosperity this city experienced in the second
and third centuries AD is still visible. Enormous blocks
of marble were transported from as far as the Marmara
Island for the construction and ornamentation of its
imposing buildings. After lunch continue to Side, an
ancient Turkish harbor that has made a graceful
transition into a lovely resort village. Its present
popularity is due not only to its new resort atmosphere,
but also to the many archaeological ruins that permeate
this ancient settlement. (B,L,D)
Day 09
Antalya - Termessos - Pamukkale
Visit Termessos, the Roman city located on top of the
Taurus Mountains, then drive to Pamukkale to visit
Hierapolis, its theater, the Necropolis and the
Archaeological Museum. (B,L,D)
Day 10
Pamukkale - Aphrodisias - Kusadasi
Drive to Aphrodisias, the recently excavated Roman city
dedicated to the Goddess of Love, Aphrodite. The site is
being excavated by the New York University. The
excavations are still going on as in many other ancient
sites. See the Hadrian Baths, the well preserved Stadium,
the Theater, the Agora and the beautiful Archaeological
Museum containing the best Aphrodite Statues in Anatolia.
Continue to Kusadasi for dinner and overnight. (B,L,D)
Day 11
Ephesus - Izmir (Smyrna)
Leave for Ephesus. Visit the Shrine of the Virgin Mary
where she supposedly spent her later days. Proceed to
Ephesus and see the spectacular ruins from the period of
St. Paul, some of which are only recently excavated. See
the Odeon, the Bouleterion, the Fountains, the Temples,
the Brothel, the Library, the Agoras, the Great Theater,
the Roman Baths, the Gymnasiums, the Archaeological
Museum, St. John’s Basilica and his tomb and the Temple
of Artemis (one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient
world). Continue to Izmir for dinner and overnight.
(B,L,D)
Day 12
Sardes - Pergamon - Ayvalik
Drive to Sardes, the capital of ancient Lydia. Visit the
Temple of Cybele and Diana (Artemis) which became one of
the Seven Churches of the Revelation later on. See the
golden river, Pactalos, and the Royal Road. Then visit
the reconstructed Synagogue, the Gymnasium and the new
excavation area. Proceed to Pergamon Acropolis to see
the steepest Theater of the ancient world, the Temple of
Trajan, then visit the Asklepion, the ancient hospital.
Dinner and overnight in Ayvalik. (B,L,D)
Day 13
Troy - Gallipoli - Istanbul
Drive to Homer’s legendary Troy, famous for its wooden
horse. Archaeological digs have proved that there had
been nine separate periods of settlement in Troy. Cross
the Dardanelles by car-ferry, drive to Istanbul for
dinner and overnight. (B,L,D)
Day 14
Istanbul
Visit the Archaeological Museum containing the greatest
treasures of Greek and Roman antiquities discovered in
Turkey, the Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Camii), everyone’s
favorite with its six minarets and blue Iznik tiles, and
the Underground Cistern. We take an afternoon boat tour
which take us along both the European and Asiatic shores
of the Bosphorus. Tonight a farewell dinner at a famous
outdoor restaurant. (B,L,D)
Day 15
Istanbul - End
Transfer to Istanbul airport. (B) Please Ask For Our Special Prices.
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