Turkey & Greece - 10 days

Day 1
Arrival in Istanbul and meeting at the airport, transfer to the hotel, check- in. Leisure afternoon. Overnight Istanbul.

Day 2 - Sultanahmet - Old Istanbul
Visit The St. (Haghia) Sophia, which was built by the Emperor Justinian. It was the largest building in the world for over 1000 years. See its intricate mosaics and huge central dome. Continue to the Topkapi palace, which was used by the Ottoman Sultans from the 15th to 19th centuries. We will also see the impressive collection of priceless jewels, crystal, silver and porcelain, robes worn by the sultans and relics of the prophet Mohammed. (Entrance to the Harem is extra). After lunch we will see the Blue Mosque, built for Sultan Ahmet I, which is a unique piece of architecture with its six minarets and features 20,000 beautiful Iznik tiles. Visit the ancient Hippodrome with Obelisk of Theodosius, Snake Pillar and German Fountain of Wilhelm II. Visit the hidden Underground Cistern. See the Grand Covered Bazaar.
*May be done as a walking tour if your hotel is centrally located.  Overnight Istanbul (B)

Day 3 - Istanbul - Cappadocia
Take the early morning flight from Istanbul Ataturk airport to Kayseri. Arrival and meeting at the airport just outside the arrival's gate with a sign bearing your name and transfer to Cappadocia. In the morning, first meeting with the lunar landscape of Cappadocia: rock formations beyond belief in Devrent valley; walking in Zelve Open Air Museum: a journey in the past with its troglodyte houses; visit to Pasabag "fairy chimneys" where the voice of wind mixes with the "songs of fairies". Lunch in Avanos, center of terra cotta work of art since 3000 BC. and a demonstration in a traditional pottery workshop. Afternoon, visit the famous Goreme Open Air Museum and see the best examples of Byzantine art in Cappadocia in rock-cut churches with frescoes and paintings (10th to 13th century). Climb on top of the Uchisar Rock-Castle to have a panoramic view of the valleys of Cappadocia. Overnight Hotel Cappadocia. (B)

Day 4 - Cappadocia - Ephesus
Tour to Kaymaklı Underground City, one of the most interesting underground settlements in Cappadocia. Soğanlı Valley, an Open Air Museum in a wild natural setting near a typical Cappadocian village with its different style Rock-Cut churches and frescoes. Villages in the valleys, surrounded by the "table top" mountains, are spectacular. Lunch and Visit to Sahinefendi newly discovered (01 May 2002) mosaic houses & Archaeological excavation site. Continue with Keslik Monastery near Cemil, that hides its frescoes behind a very thin smoke layer which we can only see by torch light. Our tour finishes with a visit to Mustafapaşa (Sinasos), an old Greek town with its spectacular old Greek houses; very fine examples of late Greek settlements and architecture. Take the evening flight from Kayseri to Izmir (Sunday, Monday, Thursday - direct flights by Sunexpress - Departure: 19:30pm Arrival: 20:30pm, the other days via Istanbul by Turkish airlines) . Arrival and meeting at the airport and transfer to your hotel.
Overnight Sirince or Kusadasi near Ephesus. (B)

Day 5 - Ephesus
Visit to the ancient city of Ephesus. We will spend several hours walking in the footsteps of Alexander the Great, Caesar, Cicero, Apostles Paul and John and many other familiar historical names. The recently opened Slope Houses where the wealthiest Romans lived are an excellent example of sensitive excavation and presentation. The mosaics and frescos are spectacular. Tradition has it that Virgin Mary was brought here by St John after the Crucifixion and lived her final years near the city of Ephesus on an isolated mountaintop. A lovely chapel is constructed on the site tended by Franciscans and open to visitors. It has been designated a pilgrimage site by the Pope.
Overnight Sirince or Kusadasi near Ephesus. (B)

Day 6 - Ephesus - Pamukkale
Drive to Pamukkale, on the way, visit to Aphrodisias. Aphrodisias was primarily known as a center for the arts, specifically sculpture. The Aphrodisias School of Sculpture had a distinctive style and was very well circulated throughout the Greek and Roman world. Discovery of Travertine terraces and Hierapolis. The travertine terraces at Pamukkale are one of the most spectacular natural wonders we ever have seen from various mineral springs in a vast white cliff side, about 200 m overlooking the plain, calcite-laden waters have dripped down over a series of terraced levels and created a fairyland of bizarre solidified cascades and shell-shaped basins. It looks like creations from snow or like balls from cotton, which gave the scenery the Turkish name Pamukkale (cotton castle): “pamuk” for cotton and “kale” for castle. Moreover the water in the basins is changing its color according to how the light enters. Overnight Pamukkale. (B)

Day 7 - Pamukkale - Istanbul
Transfer to Izmir airport and take the Turkish Airlines Izmir to Istanbul Athens flight. Departure:15:00Izmir, Turkey - Adnan Menderes, terminal D Arrival:16:00 Istanbul, Turkey - Ataturk, terminal D Istanbul to Athens Departure:17:15Istanbul, Turkey - Ataturk, terminal I Arrival:18:35 Athens, Greece - Athens Int E. Venizelos . Arrival to Athens Airport and meet for transfer to hotel, evening at leisure (as per flight arrival time)
Overnight in Athens (B)

Day 8
08:00 Breakfast at hotel then meet to depart on the regular group 1/2 day morning Athens Sightseeing Tour to view some of the most important sights in Athens such as Constitution Square (Syntagma), House of Parliament, Memorial to Unknown Soldier, National Library, Evzones in their picturesque uniform, Presidential Palace and Hadrian's Arch. The tour also includes visits to the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Panathenaic Stadium where the first Olympic Games of the modern era were held in 1896, the Acropolis (Propylaea, Temple of Athena Nike and the Parthenon) along with the Museum of Acropolis. 13:00 End of tour with the remainder of the day at leisure for you to further explore other areas of Athens on your own.
Overnight in Athens (B)

Day 9
07:30 After breakfast meet in the hotel lobby to depart on the full day Delphi Sightseeing Tour. Drive through the fertile plain of Boeotia, crossing the towns of Thebes connected with the tragedy of King Oedipus - Levadia and Arachova. At Delphi lies the ruins of the Sanctuary of Apollo Pythios. Visit the Treasury of the Athenians, Temple of Apollo and the Museum containing such masterpieces of Ancient Greek sculpture as the bronze Charioteer and athlete Aghias. 19:00 Approx arrival back to Athens after the full day tour. Overnight in Athens (B)

OR IF YOU PREFER

07:45 Meet at hotel for transfer to Piraeus for embarkation on the cruise boat. 08:30 Depart to Hydra arriving at 11:45. Here you have free time for a walk around (and/or a swim if weather permitting). At 13:30 embarkation and sail for Aegina past Poros and the shore of the Peloponnese. Lunch served during the voyage. At 15:30 arrive to Aegina where you have time for a stroll around (and/or a swim if weather permitting). At 18:00 embarkation for the return voyage to Piraeus. Return to hotel with the remainder of the evening then at leisure. Overnight in Athens

Day 10
Breakfast, check-out (by 12noon) and as per international flight departure time meet for transfer to Athens Airport (B)

• Please ask for discounted rates for family and for large groups.

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