HIGHLIGHTS OF TURKEY
The Turkey Specialist
HIGHLIGHTS OF TURKEY – 13 DAYS
Day 1 Departure
Departure from the USA with an overnight flight to Istanbul.
Day 2 Arrival to Istanbul
Upon arrival, a company representative will meet us at Ataturk International Airport and transfer us to the hotel. We will have the opportunity to rest or start exploring the city until we meet with the rest of the group at dinner tonight at the hotel.
(Dinner) Klas Hotel
Day 3 Istanbul City Tour
Today our tour will start with Topkapi Palace which was the residence of the Ottoman Royal Family for four centuries. The crown jewels, kitchen complex, holy relics and the Sultans’ costumes are some of the exhibits that we will see in the palace. The next stop will be the Grand Bazaar where you can have an interesting bargaining experience. The building was constructed in the 15th Century on top of the old forum of Constantine. The rest of the day will be at your leisure or you will have the opportunity to join some optional tours.
(Breakfast) Klas Hotel
Afternoon Optional Tour: Bosphorus Cruise $49 USD
The tour will start with Rustem Pasha Mosque which houses the best samples of Iznik tiles. Then, our tour bus will take us to the port where we will take the boat to cruise on the Bosphorus Strait that separates Asia from Europe. Enjoying the wonderful view cruising between the two continents, you will also see the 19th century Baroque Ottoman Palaces and the historic mansions of the Ottoman nobles.
Evening Optional Tour: Belly Dancer Show & Dinner $69 USD
Tonight we will have the opportunity to join the optional tour and see three different belly dancers as well as the best samples of Turkish folk dances and singers. The show includes dinner which is a chance to taste many different kinds of Turkish food.
Day 4 Istanbul – Canakkale
After checking out of the hotel, our tour bus will drive us to Canakkale. On our way, we will visit the battlefields of the Gallipoli Peninsula which witnessed one of the most tragic battles of World War 1, the Anzac War. After a pleasant ferry ride across the Dardanelles, we will cross over to the Asian part of Turkey to see the ruins of Troy, where the epic war took place in the 13th century B.C. We will spend the night at a charming hotel in the woods, near the seaside.
(Breakfast/Dinner) Tusan Hotel
Day 5 Canakkale – Kusadasi
We will leave Canakkale and drive by the beaches, through the pine forests, and among the olive trees. On our way, we will stop at Pergamum to visit the Acropolis of the antique city. Driving through Izmir, and the ancient Smyrna, we will arrive to Kusadasi, a very popular resort town, where we will stay for two nights.
(Breakfast/Dinner) Tatlises Hotel
Day 6 Kusadasi
In the morning, we will start our tour with the House of Virgin Mary. Many Christians believe that Mother Mary spent a part of her life after the Crucifixion when Jesus named St. John as her new son. On the outskirts of the same hill, we will visit Ephesus which is one of the best preserved Greco-Roman cities of antiquity. Our next stop will be the Basilica of St. John, where you can also visit the burial site of the apostle. From this high point, you will see the remains of one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Temple of Artemis.
(Breakfast/Dinner) Tatlises Hotel
Day 7 Kusadasi – Pamukkale
Leaving Kusadasi, we will stop on the way at Aphrodisias, a whole city dedicated to the goddess of beauty, Aphrodite. The highlights of the city are the Temple of Aphrodite and the stadium which is one of the best preserved in the world. Then we will drive to Pamukkale which translates to “Cotton Castle” because of the calcium deposit formations on the hills caused which are caused by a prehistoric thermal spring. After the sightseeing the ruins of Hierapolis and cascades, we will check into our spa hotel to enjoy ourselves in the thermal pools.
(Breakfast/Dinner) Hotel Lycus River
Day 8 Pamukkale – Antalya
Today, we will go to Antalya driving through the picturesque Taurus Mountains. Upon arrival to this beautiful city on the turquoise Mediterranean, we will visit the Antalya Archeology Museum with one of the largest artifact collections in Turkey. Then we will go to the old city center to see the Ancient Harbor from the times when the city was called Attaleia. We will have some free time later to spend downtown where our hotel is located.
(Breakfast/Dinner) Hotel Khan Best Western
Day 9 Antalya – Konya
We will check out from the hotel and start the day with Perge. We will see the impressive Hellenistic Gate, Roman Baths, Agora, stadium and the fountain that was dedicated to the river god. Next stop will be Aspendus which has the best preserved Greco-Roman theater in the world. Aspendus Theater has been in use since the day it was built in the 2nd century A.D. until the present day. After a nice drive through the Taurus Mountains, we will arrive to Konya which was the old Iconium during the Roman times.
(Breakfast/Dinner) Ozkaymak Hotel
Day 10 Konya – Cappadocia
In the morning we will visit the Museum of Mevlana. It was a monastery for the whirling dervishes and is now the mausoleum of the founder of the Sufi Whirling Dervishes’ order. Then we will leave Konya and drive to Cappadocia which is a unique natural wonder with extraordinary volcanic formations. Upon arrival, we will start sightseeing with Ozkonak, an underground city. It was able to house thousands of people for several months and is one of the largest ones in Cappadocia. The underground cities were used by the early Christians as a shelter to survive from the hostile raids. The next visit will be an ancient village, Avanos, which is still occupied and world famous for its handicraft artisans.
(Breakfast/Dinner) Dinler Hotel
Optional Tour: Whirling Dervishes $39 USD
After dinner, we will have the chance to see the real Whirling Dervishes performing their ritual ceremony. The performance is held in a 13th century Seljuk Caravanserai, which was one of the major stops for caravans on the ancient Silk Road.
Day 11 Cappadocia
We will have a full day in Cappadocia, enjoying the out-of-this-world landscape. The sites that we will visit include the Goreme Open Air Museum, which is a complex of cave churches and monasteries with incredible Biblical frescoes. The museum is declared as one of the World Heritage Sites by Unesco. Our next stop will be Pasabagi which is one of the most visited valleys of Cappadocia because of the cave dwellings and surreal volcanic formations which are called fairy chimneys. Then we will visit Cavusin to walk through the village is like traveling back in time, seeing the dwellings form the Hittite times to the present day. On the way to the hotel, we will stop at Devrent valley to see some more amazing rock formations.
(Breakfast/Dinner) Dinler Hotel
Optional Tour: Folklore Show $49 USD
This show is organized in a giant cave restaurant where we will see many t
raditional folkloric dances from various parts of Anatolia and local belly dancers. Appetizers and unlimited local drinks are included.
Day 12 Cappadocia – Istanbul
Today we will return to Istanbul with the morning flight. Upon arrival we will continue sightseeing in the old city with the Hippodrome Square where all the major public events were held during the Roman times. Our next stop will be the Blue Mosque, one of the most famous mosques in the world because of its interiors, decorated with exquisite Iznik Tiles. Our tour will conclude with the most well-known cathedral of the world, St. Sophia. Then you will have some time to rest until our farewell dinner at a local restaurant.
(Breakfast/ Farewell Dinner) Klas Hotel
Day 13 Back to USA
Our tour bus will take us to Ataturk Airport for our flight back to the USA.
(Breakfast)
2012 Departure Dates (Departure – Return)*
1. March 31st – April 12th
2. April 15th – 27th
3. May 6th – 18th
4. May 27th – June 8th
5. June 24th – July 6th
6. July 4th – 16th
7. July 29th – August 10th
8. September 9th – 21st
9. October 14th – 26th
* Pre and post stays and trips are available and highly recommended for all the tour dates.
Prices:
|
Adult in a double room pp |
$1,399 |
|
Single Supplement* |
$399 |
|
Child 6 - 12 years old |
$999 |
|
Child 2 - 5 years old |
$799 |
*If you are traveling alone but don’t want to pay the single supplement, just sign up for our room-mate program.
What’s included?
- Domestic airfare (including taxes and fees)
- All hotel accommodations mentioned in the itinerary
- All the meals shown in the itinerary and the meals offered during the flights
- Entrance fees to the sites and museums mentioned in the itinerary
- English speaking licensed tour guide throughout the entire trip in Turkey
- Air-conditioned deluxe vehicle
- Airport transfers in Turkey
- Porter tips at the hotels
- Two bottles of water daily during the drives
- Water at dinners
What’s excluded?
- Tips to the driver and tour guide
- International airfare
- Turkey entry visa fees ($20 USD pp)
- Excess baggage fees
- Drinks at breakfasts and dinners
- Anything not specifically mentioned in the itinerary
- Any expenses personal in nature
- Travel insurance
Important notes:
- You can sign up with $100 USD per person deposit.
- You can pay the remaining balance with an installment plan of your choice until no later than 60 days before the departure date. If the sign up date is closer than 60 days to the departure date, the payment must be in full.
- Checks must be payable to Avan Travel Services.
- A travel protection plan is highly recommended. Very reasonable group deals are provided by Avan Travel Services. i.e. $89 USD buys you the Gold Coverage Plan of Travel Guard for the land tour mentioned above. To include your international airfare in the protection plan, contact with us to learn about the group specials.
Al Avan
Director of Operations
714.458.0715
CST# 2100673-40