Discover the Ancient and Varied History of Turkey
 This holiday is a trip for anyone interested in seeing beneath the
surface of Turkey's incredibly varied past. We travel from Istanbul
through Cappadocia, visiting temples, amphitheatres, castles and ruined
cities, ranging in period from the ancient Anatolian Kingdoms to the
lavish Ottoman Empire. We visit the memorials of Gallipoli and the harsh
mountains of the Anatolian plateau, with plenty of highlights to satisfy
those wanting to immerse themselves in the diverse culture and history
of the Turkish people.
Day-to-Day
Itinerary
Day 1 - Fly to Istanbul.
Day 2 - Full day highlights tour of Istanbul. Includes a visit to
Hagia Sofia, built in the 6th century by Justinian, it remained the
largest church in Christendom for centuries, converted to a Mosque by
the Ottomans, and then to a museum by the secular Republic. Other places
to visit are the famous Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome square at the heart
of old Stamboul, and the Topkapi Palace.
Day 3 - Heading out of Istanbul towards Ankara, we stop at Abant
Lake. Surrounded by dense pine forests, this fresh water lake is 1.325
meters above sea level. It has an area of 125 hectares and is fed by
underwater sources. Flora and fauna go wild in Abant springtime offering
an endless treasure for photographers. We spend the night in a hotel in
the Kizilcahamam forest valley.
Day 4 - A short drive into Ankara to visit the Museum of
Anatolian Civilisations. Following this we drive to Anitkabir, an
impressive memorial erected in honour of Ataturk the founder of the
modern secular republic. From here our route continues to the south
through undulating hills and farmland, passing the second biggest salt
lake in the world and reaching Cappadocia, our base for two nights.
Day 5 - We explore the main sights of Cappadocia on foot and by
road. The lunar landscape of Cappadocia is formed from tufa - compacted
volcanic ash that erodes easily and is very suitable for making caves.
Some of the caves are decorated with religious frescoes and form an
almost complete record of Christian art, over a period of about 1,000
years. We then go to Avanos, famous for the earthenware pottery they
make.
Day 6 - Leaving Cappadocia we head southwest. Firstly we visit
one of the oldest and largest settlements in Cappadocia, Derinkuyu,
where there is a complete underground city, with seven levels of tunnels
that are said to extend for many kilometres. Then we continue on towards
Konya, following the ancient Silk Route we visit Sultanhani. In the
afternoon we arrive in Konya, capital of the Seljuk Turks.
Day 7 - First stop is a visit to the Mevlana Museum, home to the
school of Sufism, founded by Muslim philosopher and poet Celaleddin Rumi
and also known as Mevlana by Muslims. It is difficult to ignore the
spiritual atmosphere here. We leave Konya and continue on the long drive
southwest, through the Taurus mountain range to the Mediterranean Coast.
En route, we visit one of the most well preserved Roman theatres at
Aspendos. We then continue onwards to Antalya.
Day 8 - Free day in Antalya.
Day 9 - Heading north out of Antalya we stop at the ancient site
of Termessos which hangs 1000 metres above sea level. Our destination
today is to visit the famous limestone cascades of Pamukkale - literally
'cotton castle'. The thermal spring waters, laden with magnesium and
calcium salts, run over the edge of a plateau to form a sparkling white
cascade of basins ringed by stalactites, a series of petrified
waterfalls and paddling pools.
Day 10 - We depart Pamukkale and travel eastwards inland to visit
the impressive ruins of Aphrodisias. Aphrodisias boasted one of the most
famous Schools of Sculpture in the ancient world, and there are many
fine examples exhibited in the well-presented Museum. We continue on to
Selcuk, our base for the next two nights.
Day 11 - Today's visit is one of the trip's true highlights - the
famous Roman city of Ephesus, where we take a tour of one of the
greatest cities of antiquity. At its zenith in the 2nd century AD it had
a population of 300,000 and was dedicated to the goddess Artemis.
Day 12 - Includes a visit to the acropolis of Pergamum, which
played an important role in the history of Asia Minor. Its arc hitects
and sculptors were among the finest in the Hellenistic world. We
continue on to stunning Behramkale (Assos) where Aristo gave lessons for
two years. Overnight in a hotel.
Day 13 - A full and long day drive back to Istanbul. We start off
with the ancient city of Troy, long thought to be a legendary place
until it was re-discovered in the 19th century. It is a short crossing
from Asia into Europe at Çanakkale by vehicle ferry and a short drive
from there to important sites from the Great War Gallipoli Campaign.
After visiting Anzac Cove and Australian Memorial at Lone Pine, we
proceed to Chunuk Bair, where New Zealand Memorial is located. This is
the highest point of the peninsula and the best site for an impression
of conditions endured. Overnight Istanbul.
Day 14 - Full free day in Istanbul to see the sights or do any
last minute shopping.
Day 15 - Fly to London. |
