Multi-Centre Tour: Turkey

Sample Itinerary - 8 DAYS TO TURKEY BY AIR

• Day 1 — London to Istanbul by Air. Meet your coach and guide. Depending on the arrival time of the flight, there may be time for a short orientation tour of the city.
  
  The fascinating city of Istanbul is located where the European Continent meets Asia. Constantinople, as it was known, was the capital of the Christian Byzantine Empire for over a thousand years surpassing its model Rome to become the most important city in the Mediterranean. The city was also the capital of the Moslem Ottoman Empire for five hundred years. Discover one of the most exciting historical cities in the world. Overnight Istanbul.
• Day 2 — Spend a full day in Istanbul. Visit the Topkapi Palace and museums. This vast palace built in 1453, with its many courtyards, treasures and harem was the home of the Ottoman Sultans for 400 years. See the Blue Mosque completed in 1616 – famous for its beautiful interior tiles. Continue to the Hippodrome, where the chariot races took place in Roman times. The Yerebatan or Basilica Cistern is a fascinating underground Byzantine Cistern, built by Justinian in 532. A forest of columns supports the roof.
  
  Ayasofya is the symbol of Byzantine Constantinople. Built as a church by the Emperor Justinian, it became a mosque in the fifteenth century and is now a museum housing fine Byzantine Mosaics. The Theodosian Walls and the impressive Byzantine City Walls are still mainly intact. Visit the Grand Bazaar, a covered labyrinth of streets containing over 4,000 shops. Overnight in Istanbul.
• Day 3 — Istanbul to Bursa. Travel along the coast to Bursa, which became the temporary capital of the Ottoman Empire from 1326 – 1453. The city has thermal baths, beautiful parks and gardens and important Ottoman buildings. See the Green Mosque, considered the finest in Turkey and the Green Mausoleum, covered in Iznik Tiles and built for Sultan Mehmet the first. Time at leisure in Bursa. Overnight in Bursa.
• Day 4 — Depart Bursa and travel to Pamukkale, the ancient city of Hierapolis founded by Eumenes II of Pergamum in 190 B.C. Pamukkale means ‘cotton castle’ in Turkish, describing the white lime cascades (calcareous deposits) formed by hot mineral springs. See the theatre, baths, colonnaded avenue and the largest Necropolis in Asia Minor. Overnight Pamukkale.
• Day 5 — Travel to Kusadasi via Aphrodisias and Ephesus. Visit Aphrodisias, a cultural centre of the ancient world renowned for its school of sculpture. The city prospered under the Romans. Aphrodisian sculpture adorned every corner of the empire. You can have a race in the best preserved Stadium in Anatolia, see the Temple of Aphrodite, the Agora, the Odeon, the Baths and the Theatre. There is also an excellent selection of statues in the Museum. Continue to Ephesus.
  
  Ephesus is one of the best-preserved ancient cities in the world. During the Roman era Ephesus was renowned as a city of trade, art, entertaining, banking and finance. Ephesus was occupied by the Lydians, Persians, Greeks and Romans. Under Emperor Augustus the city peaked as the capital of the Roman Province of Asia Minor. All religions were tolerated although it was dedicated to Artemis. In 53 A.D. St Paul attempted to spread Christianity in Ephesus. See the Arcadian Way, the Great Amphitheatre, the Library of Celsus, the Forum and the Merchants’ Houses. Nearby a single column remains of the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the world. Overnight Kusadasi.
• Day 6 — Full day to Priene, Miletus and Didyma. These Ionian cities and temple were founded in the valley of the river Maeander. The ruins of Priene are well preserved and are considered the best example of a Hellenistic city outside of Greece. Miletus was a powerful and brilliant Greek city controlling the Aegean trade routes, very little now remains. The impressive Temple of Didyma is the oldest oracle in Asia Minor; the Ionians dedicated it to the cult of Apollo. Evening dinner and overnight accommodation in Kusadasi.
• Day 7 — Travel to Canakkale via Pergamum and Troy. Pergamum, founded by Alexander the Great, rivalled Athens and Alexandria as a cultural centre. Pergamum was an advanced city specialising in commerce, culture, art and medicine. See the Acropolis, the Altar of Zeus, Temple of Trojan, the Theatre, Temple of Athena and the remains of Asclepion. Troy immortalised by Homer’s Illiad. The ruins were discovered by Henrich Schliemann in 1871. According to the Illiad, this is the town of Illium where the battle of Troy took place during the 1200s B.C. The 10 year war finally ended when the Greeks invaded Troy using the famous wooden horse. Excavations have unearthed 46 levels of occupation and 9 cities dating from 3000-2500 B.C. to 400 A.D. See defence walls, palaces (one of which is assumed to be King Priam’s) gates, sanctuaries and houses. There is also a replica of the famous wooden horse. Overnight in Canakkale (overnight location may vary depending on return flight time).
• Day 8 — Depart after breakfast and transfer to Istanbul to connect with your return flight to London.

Meal Arrangements

• Full Board: First Meal - Evening meal on Day 1.
  Final Meal - Breakfast & packed lunch final day. (Meal order may vary with flight times).

Free Back-Up Material

• STS Guide to Turkey and a map.

Guides & Entrance Fees

• Entrance fees are included and the tour is accompanied by a guide.

Other Information (subject to change)

• The order of the tour may be subject to change. Tourist visas must be purchased on arrival in Turkey, in sterling cash. Currently £10 per person for British passport holders - subject to change (other nationalities please refer to Turkish Consulate).