AEGEAN TURKEY – 7 DAYS (ISTANBUL-GALLIPOLI-TROY-PERGAMMON-EPHESUS-PAMUKKALE)

Turkey’s Aegean coast is beautiful and historical housing some of the most important cultural heritages and most splendid sceneries in the world. You will visit Istanbul, Gallipoli, Troy, Pergamum, Pamukkale and Ephesus. The tour is available with a daily departure during the whole year. This is a tailor made (customized) tour itinerary through which the transportation is provided by major bus companies.

Day 1: Arrival to Istanbul: One of our colleagues will be waiting for you at the arrival hall bearing a sign of Efendi Travel. He/she will accompany you to our vehicle and you will be transferred directly to your hotel. Accommodation in Istanbul.

Day 2: Istanbul City Tour: You will be picked up from your hotel at around 08:30. You will visit: Hagia Sophia , Blue Mosque, Roman Hippodrome and Grand Bazaar After the lunch, you will see Topkapi Palace and Hagia Irene . The tour ends about 16:30 and back to hotel. Accommodation in Istanbul. (breakfast at hotel, lunch on the tour)

Please note that Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays and Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays. Blue Mosque will not be visited on Fridays.

Day 3:Dolmabahce Palace Tour & Bosphorus Cruise: You will be picked up from your hotel at around 08:00-08:30 for Dolmabahce Palace & Bezmi Alem Mosque Tour. We firstly visit Dolmabahce Palace, recent residence for Ottoman Sultans. Famous with great collection of European antiquity, furniture and 4.5 tons chandelier, the palace has 285 rooms of 46 halls. After palace the next stop is Bezmi Alem Mosque. Then you will drive to the restaurant for lunch break. After lunch, you will first drive by Golden Horn shores viewing the City Walls, dating back to the Byzantine Era. Then  you will get on the vehicle and drive to Eminonu, where you will get on the boat for a 2-hour Bosphorus Cruise. You will see the most impressive sights along the shores of the Bosphorus including Dolmabahce Palace, Ciragan Palace, Maiden´s Tower, Bosphorus bridges, Rumeli and Anadolu fortresses and Ottoman Residences. After the cruise, you will be dropped off back at your hotel at around 17:00. Accommodation in Istanbul. (breakfast at hotel, lunch on the tour)

Day 4: Departure from Istanbul and Gallipoli Trip: You will be picked up from your hotel at around 06:30 am, then drive to Eceabat which takes around 5 hours for full day Gallipoli Tour. You will visit: Kabatepe War Museum, Beach Cemetery (John Simpson´s Grave), ANZAC Cove, Ari Burnu (First ANZAC landing place), Lone Pine Cemetery (Australian memorial), Johnston´s Jolly (Walk in the ANZAC trenches), View Shrapnel Valley, Turkish Memorial, The Nek and Walker´s Ridge, Chunuk Bair (Main New Zealand memorial). After the tour, you will be transferred to your hotel in Canakkale. Accommodation in Canakkale. (lunch on the tour)

Day 5: Troy and Pergamum Tour: (check out from hotel in the morning) You will be picked up from your hotel at around 08:30 for the tour of Ancient Troy. It is one of the most important ancient cities in the world and very popular by the book of Homer´s Iliad. A great mythological and historical background attracted many scientist, archeologists, adventurers and treasure hunters. You will be served a lunch pack and then drive to Pergamum, once the ancient world´s major power and center of learning and the arts. Visit the ancient Library, once held 200.000 books, Temple of Athena, Temple of Trojan, Altar of Zeus and the Gymnasium situated on terraces and the lower Agora. After the tour, you will be dropped off at your hotel in Kusadasi. Accommodation in Kusadasi.(breakfast at hotel and lunch on the tour).

Day 6: Ephesus Ancient City Tour : You will be picked up from your hotel at around 09:00 for full-day Ephesus Ancient City Tour. Visit the premiere Greco-Roman City of the ancient world, Ephesus. Explore the Temple of Hadrian, Domitian’s temple, Hercules gate, famous Celsus Library, Great theater and other Roman sites. We will also visit House of Virgin Mary where she is believed to have spent her last years. On November 29th, 2006, Pope Benedict XVI proclaimed the House of the Virgin Mary at Ephesus to be sacred. Give a break to taste delicious, healthy and traditional Turkish food. Take your way to the Temple of Artemis, which is the one of the seven wonders of ancient world. Then you will be transferred back to your hotel. Accommodation in Kusadasi. (breakfast at hotel, lunch on the tour)

Day 7: Pamukkale Travertines Tour and Flight to Istanbul: (check out from hotel in the morning) You will be picked up from your hotel at around 08:15 for the tour of Pamukkale, which is the center of natural thermal spring waters with healing properties. Due to the chemical properties in the water, pure white colored travertine and stepped water terraces have been created on the mountain slope. It is for its resemblance to cotton piles that it is called ´Cotton Castle´ in Turkish. Visit the travertines and the ancient city of Hierapolis which has the biggest Necropolis with 1200 gravestones in Anatolia. The Roman Pool is one of the highlights of the site and still in use. (Entrance is optional with self-payment at site. Please have your towels and slippers with you) There shallow thermal waters ripple over a wonderful scattering of ancient roman ruins that lie beneath. After the tour, you will have some free time at site. Later, you will be be transferred to the bus station to take an evening bus to Istanbul. (about 10 hours) Your tour ends with arrival to Istanbul Airport. (breakfast at hotel, lunch on the tour)

Tour Price Includes

Accommodation in 3* hotels or similar boutique hotels
Meal services during the tour noted in the itinerary above
Transportation by major companies with A/C buses
Professional licensed guiding services
Entrance fees to the museums during guided tours
The local tours may include some shopping facilities if the timing will be available

Tour Price Excludes

Personal expenses
Dinners
Tips (optional)

Extra Offers

Whirling Dervish Show: 35 Eur per person extra

Standard Hot-air Balloon Ride: Price Range 180-300 Euro