Detailed Tour Itinerary

DAY1

ARRIVAL IN ISTANBUL

ARRIVE IN ISTANBUL, TURKEY. After arrival at Atatürk Airport, check into your hotel. At 6:30 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a welcome dinner at your hotel.

DAY2

ISTANBUL CITY TOUR

ISTANBUL. Founded by the Greeks as Byzantium more than 2,500 years ago, renamed Constantinople in 330 AD when Constantine the Great elected it the capital of the Roman Empire, and finally called Istanbul after the Ottoman conquest in the 15th century, the city on the Bosporus remains one of the most exciting places in the world. Its strategic location as the gateway between Orient and Occident, the Islamic and the Christian worlds, and the Black Sea and the Mediterranean predestined it for a turbulent history. Guided sightseeing starts at TOPKAPI PALACE, the residence of the Ottoman Sultans. Admire the rich and spectacular kaftans of the sultans that were worn during the Ottoman period. Then, tour the HAGIA SOPHIA, followed by the ROMAN HIPPODROME, and visit Sultan Ahmet’s BLUE MOSQUE.

DAY3

ISTANBUL–GALLIPOLI–TROY

ISTANBUL–GALLIPOLI–TROY AREA. Visit the colorful GRAND BAZAAR before setting out on your discovery tour of a country with the population of Britain and more than three times its size. Drive along the European shore of the Sea of Marmara and head westward through sunflower and olive groves to the Dardanelles. Visit the WWI battlefields on the Gallipoli peninsula, where Allied troops, mainly Australians and New Zealanders, suffered heavy casualties in a disastrous campaign. Pay tribute to the heroes of those tragic months of 1915 at the ANZAC CEMETERY and the LONE PINE MEMORIAL. Travel by ferry across the Dardanelles to the Troy area for your first overnight in Asia on the Aegean coast.
Today’s Distance: 236 mi / 380 km
 

DAY4

TROY AREA–PERGAMUM–KUSADASI

TROY AREA–PERGAMUM–KUSADASI. Enjoy a guided visit of TROY, the perfect place to brush up on Homer’s Iliad and the hollow wooden horse. Vistas of the Greek isle of Lesbos greet you as you follow the shores of the Bay of Edremit. Continue south to Pergamum, an ancient center of learning and the arts, and visit its MUSEUM. After lunch, visit the ASCLEPION, a shrine to the Greek god of medicine. Drive to Kusadasi for your overnight.
Today’s Distance: 267 mi / 430 km

DAY5

KUSADASI–EPHESUS–PAMUKKALE

KUSADASI–EPHESUS–PAMUKKALE. Today, visit Ephesus, home of the Greek philosopher Heraclitus, and later, the capital of Roman Asia Minor. Visit the SITE OF ANCIENT RUINS and the ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM with its famous statue of Artemis, goddess of fertility and destiny. Then, travel along the Silk Road, and through the lush valley of the meandering Menderes River. Next, Pamukkale. The name means “Cotton Castle” and refers to the spectacular white lime cascades formed by its hot springs.
Today’s Distance: 137 mi / 220 km

DAY6

PAMUKKALE–HIERAPOLIS–BURSA

PAMUKKALE–HIERAPOLIS–BURSA. This morning, visit the fascinating archaeological site of HIERAPOLIS, the thermal resort founded by a Pergamene king in 190 BC and greatly enlarged and embellished by the Romans. Then, enjoy the ever-changing cultivated landscapes and timeless scenes of rural life on your way to Bursa. Spot farmers working their fields or transporting produce in traditional horse-drawn carts. Bursa lies in the shade of the Uludag–also called Mount Olympus of Mysia—a 7,700-foot-high ski mountain surrounded by lovely orchards. Founded by the Greeks, like most ancient cities in this part of the world, and hotly contested during the Crusades, Bursa had its heyday as the first capital of the Ottoman Empire. In the afternoon, visit the GREAT MOSQUE (Ulu Camii). Also on the agenda, of course, are the ancient Covered Bazaar and the Silk Market.
Today’s Distance: 280 mi / 450 km

DAY7

BURSA–IZNIK–ISTANBUL

BURSA–IZNIK–ISTANBUL. Visit Iznik, site of the First Ecumenical Council. See its ancient city walls before visiting ST. SOPHIA CHURCH and the ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM. Later, return to Istanbul in style. Tonight, [LF] a farewell dinner with wine at a local restaurant celebrates the success of your Turkish Escape.
Today’s Distance: 137 mi / 220 km

DAY8

TOUR ENDS

ISTANBUL. Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.

Inclusion/Exclusion

Inclusions

• 02 Nights Accommodation in Istanbul 
• 01 Night Accommodation in Troy
• 01 Night Accommodation in Kusadasi
• 01 Night Accommodation in Pamukkale
• 01 Night Accommodation in Bursa
• Meals as per Itinerary
• English speaking guide during the tour
• Museum entrance fees mentioned on the itinerary
• All Transportation during the tour
• Return Airport transfers
• Applicable Turkey visa Charges
• Travel Insurance (Upto 59 Years)

Exclusions

• Any Domestic & International Airfare
• Guide Tips extra
• Govt Tax of 5.00% over and above the Tour Cost mentioned
• Any Increase in the rate of exchange leading to an increase in all land arrangements which may come in to effect prior to departure
• TCS 5% Extra
• Cost of pre or post tour hotel accommodation
• Any extra expense such as route change, Airline change, Date change, Accommodation facilities, etc incurred due to the unforeseen, unavoidable forced majeuere circumstances during the tour
• Porterage, laundry, telephone charges, shopping, wines & alcoholic beverages, mineral water, items of personal nature and food or drink which is not part of a set group menu
• Any extra cost incurred on behalf of an individual due to illness, accident, hospitalisation, or any personal emergency
• Any services or activity charges other than those included in the group tour itinerary
• Anything specifically not mentioned in the ‘tour price includes’ column