Tour of Turkey - 2005

Typical Itenarary For The Tour Of Turkey

Day 1 - Istanbul
Arrival at Istanbul airport. we will be met and transferred to our place of stay. A short briefing and Dinner in the evening.

Day 2 - Istanbul
Following breakfast, we drive to the 'Old City' where we will visit the Hippodrome, The Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts, the Blue Mosque, famous for its delicate blue ceramic tiles and Saint Sophia. This church - turned mosque - turned museum takes the breath away with the sheer architectural size of its interior and magnificent dome and next we will visit the spectacular Topkapi Palace. Built on one of the seven hills of Istanbul, this huge complex commands views of the Sea of Marmara, the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn. It was the seat of government for the Ottoman Empire for many centuries (1453-1852) and we will see the extravagant Treasury, the priceless Chinese porcelain. Following our return to the hotel for a quick rest and a change, we will proceed to welcome the evening with dinner at an exotic Istanbul restaurant.

Day 3 - Istanbul
After an early breakfast, we go in to the old city and this time travel through other great historical buildings of Istanbul, including Fatih Mosque and Yavuz Sultan Selim Mosque where Prophet Muhammad’s shirt is kept. After a light lunch, we then visit some of the schools and University’s in Istanbul. We finish the day off having a typical rich Turkish dinner as a guest at the house of one of the School Teachers.

Day 4 - Istanbul
Our morning starts with a visit to the aromatic Spice Bazaar, where the smells of cinnamon, cloves and thyme, rise from hundreds of colorful muslin bags at every store-front. We then board our ferry boat for a relaxing cruise along the shores of the legendary Bosphorus, the natural gateway that divides Asia and Europe. As you sit back and enjoy Turkish coffee or well-brewed tea from traditional small cups, numerous summer palaces and palatial homes will pass by on either side. Disembarking at the northern end of the Strait, we proceed to a restaurant for a tasty meal of local fish. Following lunch we will travel by coach to the Suleymaniye Mosque, built by master architect Sinan during the reign of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent, the Lawgiver. The last stop will be Grand Bazaar with nearly 4000 shops of antiques, jewelry, gold, carpets and leatherwear.

Day 5 - Canakkale (Troy)
After an early breakfast, we will begin our scenic drive down to Gallipoli, historically famous for being the site of many battles during WW1. Following lunch, we will board a car ferry and cross into Asia at Canakkale 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 included Agamemnon, Achilles, Ulysses and Nestor on the Greek side and Priam, Hector and Paris on the Trojan side. We will check-in to our place to stay in Canakkale for the evening.

Day 6 - Izmir
On our journey to Izmir we will stop by the hauntingly beautiful Pergamon. Among the impressive structures of this city, dating from 399 BC, we will see the Altar of Zeus, Temple of Dionysus and the 200,000 volume library which was surpassed only by that found in Alexandria at the time. The Asclepieum of Pergamon was a famous
health center where methods of treatment included blood transfusions, music therapy and meditation. Leaving Pergamon behind us we settle at our hotel in Izmir.

Day 7 - Konya
Our trip today will take us over the beautiful Taurus Mountains via the Lake District into Konya, the center of the Seljuk Empire, with many examples of Turkish Islamic art and architecture. Konya is situated in the midst of a wind swept plateau at an altitude of 1030 meters, and the city is so old that a small hill has been excavated here containing the bones of Bronze Age Man.

Day 8 / 9 - Cappadocia
After a city tour of Konya we proceed to Cappadocia but on the way we stop by Sultanhani Caravansary and Derinkuyu for a look at this underground city which goes down eight different levels into solid rock. We now journey into Cappadocia, where the sights of the Fairy Chimneys are phenomenal, especially when seen for the first time. The natural wonder of Cappadocia is a result of volcanic deposits being eroded away by wind and water over millions of years. These soft rocks were hollowed out by early Christians and used as secret dwellings as they were being sought first by their Roman and later by their Byzantine persecutors. We will also visit many churches that have been decorated with vivid frescoes which have withstood the corrosive effects of time. We check-in to our hotel for a night of relaxation.

Day 9/10 – Urfa
After a night in Cappadocia, we proceed to Urfa where the Prophet Ibrahim spent a lot of his time. We then look at the great Eastern Turkish culture of Urfa from their spicy foods to the historical remnants.

Day 11/12 – Bursa and Return to Istanbul
We start our return journey from Urfa early in the morning and head towards Bursa. Bursa has a history which extends back as far as the 3rd century B.C.
Here we will visit the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations. Return
to Istanbul and spend our last night there.

Day 13
Transfer and flight home to Sydney.

Istanbul
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Indeed it is Istanbul's variety that fascinates its visitors. The museums, churches, palaces, great mosques, bazaars and sights of natural beauty seem inexhaustible.

The former capital of three successive empires; Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman, today Istanbul honours and preserves the legacy of its past whilst looking forward to its modern future.

Istanbul embraces two continents, one arm reaching out to Asia whilst the other to Europe. Through the city's heart, the Bosphorus strait, flows the waters of the Black Sea, the sea of Marmara and the Golden Horn.

As you recline on the shores of the Bosphorus at sunset, contemplating the red evening light reflected in the windows on the opposite shore, you suddenly and profoundly understand, why so many centuries ago settlers chose to build on this remarkable site. At times such as these, you feel that Istanbul is truly one of the most glorious cities in the world.