Great Archaeological Tour of Turkey

Ankara at night

After your arrival in Ankara (Capital of Turkey) via Istanbul our representatives meet you and transfer you from the airport to your hotel. Rest of the day at leisure. Dinner and overnight in Ankara.
(In case you travel to Turkey directly from America or Australia, depending on existing connections, you might skip the Istanbul change of plane)

Ankara, Kemal Atatürk's Mausoleum

After breakfast we visit the Temple of Augustus, built on the ancient Ankara Acropolis by King Pylamenes in 10 AD, as a sign of fidelity to Augustus; it was reconstructed by the Romans in the 2nd century. We continue with Ataturk's Mausoleum and finish our Tour with a visit to the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations. It was Kemal Atatürk's idea to establish a Hittite museum and the state eventually bought the old Mahmut Paşa bazaar storage building and the Kurşunlu Han (caravanserai, or should we say motel for the travelers of the time?). After many years of rebuilding and restoration works (1938-1968), the museum was opened as The Ankara Archaeological Museum, indeed one of the richest in the world!

We return to the hotel for dinner and rest.

Cappadocia

After our breakfast we set off for Hattushash, former capital of the Hittites, the "City of One Thousand Gods", 200km (125miles) east of Ankara. We will see the city walls, the city sphinx-gate, the library and government buildings. It is here that more than 30000 clay tablets were found, now kept in Ankara and Istanbul Museums, containing almost the whole corpus of the Hittite Literature. In charge of the excavations is the German Archaeological Institut, but not without problems: in 1917, one of the Sphinxes of the Gate of the Spinxes was transferred to Germany to be preserved, but never came back; it is still kept in the Pergamum Museum in Berlin.

In the afternoon we proceed to Cappadocia. Arrival in Cappadocia. Dinner and overnight at our hotel in Cappadocia.

Cappadocia

After our breakfast we embark on our Full-day Tour of Cappadocia. We shall see the surreal landscapes of volcanic ash, formed 3 million years ago, spectacular red-rock cones, troglodyte churches and homes dating from 4000 BC. We drive through Uchisar, whose unique landscape is a combination of ravines and rocks beaten by wind and rain into odd-shaped cones and pyramids. The view of the Goreme Valley is breathtaking. We go on to Zelve Valley, which could be considered as an open-air museum of unique beauty, inhabited until 1960; then to Avanos, to visit one of its famous pottery workshops. Then we return to our hotel to dine and overnight.

Ince Minare Medrese: Old photo, before 1901, showing the full height of the minare.

Breakfast. We start off with a visit to Derinkuyu and its Underground City consisting of dwellings dug in the rocks with many levels underground. According to legends, they connected by underground secret passages to the other underground town 10 km (6.2 miles) away, the one of Anakus!

Then we depart for Konya to visit Catal Huyuk excavation of a very large Neolithic and Chalcolithic settlement, dating from around 7500 B.C., the largest and best preserved Neolithic site found to date. There follows a drive along ageless caravan trails; we stop to examine Agzikarahan, a beautifully-carved, 13th-century "Kervansaray" (motel for travelers) built by Seljuk Turks. In Konya, we will visit Mevlana Tekke, the tomb of the mystic Jala ad-Din ar-Rumi, better known as Mevlana, the founder of the whirling dervishes. We also visit the Ince Minare Medrese (Seminary of the Slender Minaret), one of Konya's finest and most impressive Seljuk Turkish architectural masterpieces. We drive to our hotel in Konya where we will dine and overnight.

Konya: Karatay Medrese Museum

After breakfast we visit Karatay Medrese, built in 1251 from the local Muslim governor of the city in the honor of his Sultan. Today, it is a museum with exquisite ceramic tiles, enriched with tiles found in the Kubadabud Palace. We go on with our drive to Antalya. On our way we visit the Side open-air museum. Arrival in Antalya. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Antalya.

Perge Archaeological Site

As everyday we start with having our breakfast. We will then visit the Antalya Archaeological Museum, one of the finest in Turkey, with a wide range of exhibits dating from modern Turkey to the Paleolithic times. We continue with the Greek ruins of Perge, located 15 km (9 miles) east of Antalya. Perge is proud to have an extensive archaeological site with early Hellenistic ruins including a well preserved Stadium. We also visit Aspendos where there is the best preserved Roman theater in the world, built in the 2nd century AD. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Antalya.

Simena: Part of the ruins above water, most of the ancient city and port lies underwater

Breakfast. We start driving to Kas to visit the Church of St. Nicholas, where the legend of our beloved Santa Claus began. There follows a visit to the Lycian tombs in Myra, carved in the cliffs above the ruins of a Roman amphitheater. Then to Simena, from where we have the most majestic view over the sunken city. We take a cruise on a glass-bottom vessel through Kekova Bay to view the ruins of the sunken city. Snorkeling is possible for them who so wish but nothing is permitted to be raised from the sea bottom. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Kas.

Lycian Tomb

Kas is in a charming town, famous for its Lycian architecture and classy shops. We shall visit Patara, the birthplace of St. Nicholas and an ancient commercial harbor city with one of the best white sandy beaches in the world. There follow visits to Letoon and Xanthos, once the capital and grandest city of Lycia, beautifully situated overlooking the Xanthos River. Places of interest here are the Theater, the Harp-monument and the Agora. Overnight in Fethiye (Oludeniz) for dinner and rest.

Bodrum

After our breakfast we will get on board a small open fishing boat and motor up the Dalyan River to visit the magnificent Lycian monumental tombs, carved dramatically in the rocks, and view Caunos, overlooking the Dalyan River. We can take a Roman mud bath, if we like (Richard Geere often does, anyway). Then we drive to Bodrum for dinner and overnight rest.

Pammukkale: Spa containin white salts

We have our breakfast and we visit the Museum of Underwater Archaeology and the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus in Bodrum. We continue to Pamukkale. The ancient city of Hierapolis was built on top of the white "castle", made of white salts included in the hot water springs of the area; it is in total about 2700 meters long and 160m high. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Pamukkale.

Aphrodisias Archaeological Site

We have our breakfast and visit a Roman Health Spa with terraced hot springs adorned by white calcium mineral deposits. We then visit the ancient city of Hierapolis and drive to Kusadasi. On the way we visit the Greek ruins of Aphrodisias (stressed on the last syllable), which was another Greek city of the 3rd century BC., with many Roman characteristics; we will see the remains of the Temple to Aphrodite, the immense Stadium (seating 17,000 people!), its Theater, its Odeon and the Aqueduct. In the afternoon we arrive in Kusadasi. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Kusadasi.

Ephesus Archaeological Site: Trajanos Fountain (102-104 AD)

We have breakfast and depart on our Ephesus Tour. We spend a full day exploring the jewel of the Greco-Roman past in Turkey, the ruins of Ephesus (Open air museum). Archaeological excavations begun in 1869 have uncovered well-preserved main streets, squares, temples, theaters and houses. Visit the Great Amphitheater, and stroll down the Marble Way to the magnificent Library of Celcus. For a detailed reference please consult our relevant Photo Album. We shall also visit the House of Virgin Mary (There also is a relevant album). Then we shall visit the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world; it was burnt down by Erostratos, a crazy guy who wanted his name to remain immortal, which he did, but in the most dishonorable way! St. John’s Basilica and Tomb are the last in our list of visits.

Dinner and overnight in Kusadasi.

Pergamos (Latin Pergamum) Acropolis

After breakfast we drive to Sardis and Pergamum to visit the Acropolis (the Sanctuary of Athena, the Heroon, the Temple of Trajan, the Library, the Theater), high above the plain. We shall see the pagan Temples and the Altar of Zeus, also included in the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. There follows a visit to the Red Basilica: a massive structure built in the early 2nd century (under Hadrian) as a temple to the popular Egyptian god Serapis. It was later (4th-5th centuries) converted into a Byzantine church. It was destroyed in the Arab raids of 716 to 717 AD, after which a smaller church was built within the ruins. A visit to Pergamos Asclepieion (Aesculapium - ancient medical center) follows. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Dikili.

Excavations in ancient Troy

After breakfast we visit Assos and Behramkale on the way to Troy. We also visit the legendary city of Troy. Overnight in Dardanelles, renamed to Çanakkale (=Pottery Castle, Pronounced Chunakkale, as in chunk).

Istanbul & Bosporus

Today we shall pay tribute to the Allied casualties in Gallipolis during the First World War (131,000 allied soldiers were killed in a failed attempt to take Constantinople). We shall cross the Dardanelles and visit Gallipoli First World War Memorials (the battlefields and Allied cemeteries are now a national historical park). We visit Anzac Cove, Kabatepe War Museum, Lone pine, trenches and cemeteries. We then drive to Istanbul. After arrival, we have our dinner and overnight.

Istanbul's Top Kapi Palace

After breakfast, we depart on our first day Istanbul Classical sightseeing tours. We shall first visit the St. Sophia Museum (built in the 6th century, once the largest Christian Church in the world), and the Topkapi Palace (Ιmperial residence of the Ottoman Sultans, exhibiting priceless collections of artifacts, jewellery and rare porcelain), known also from the Jules Dassin's "Top Kapi" film with Melina Merkouri, Maximilian Shell and Peter Ustinov starring. Then follows the Blue Mosque (unique for its six minarets and famous for its blue and white Iznik tiles), and the Hippodrome Square, where the Byzantine chariot races were held. Next comes a visit to the world famous Grand Covered Bazaar. There will be time for a lunch for those who wish. In the afternoon, we are transferred to our Istanbul hotel where we shall have dinner and overnight.

Istanbul: Justinianian Underground Cistern

Today is our second day of our Guided Tour of Istanbul. After our breakfast we visit the Justinian Underground Cistern, the Islamic Arts Museum and the Chora Museum; the latter is one of the most beautiful examples of a Byzantine church. It is situated in the western district of Istanbul and, in the 16th century, it was converted into a mosque by the Ottoman rulers; it became a secularised museum in 1948. The interior of the building is covered with fine Byzantine mosaics and frescoes. Our last visit will be at the Beylerbeyi Palace. We dine and overnight at the hotel in Istanbul.

Istanbul

Transfer from your hotel to Istanbul airport. Thank you for having travelled with us to Turkey. Full with impressions and precious photos you can continue your vacation in Greece of fly back home. Whichever way, we are sure that your life will never be the same, now you have met people with so different ways of thought and been in places so unlike your native town!

• Ephesus Archaeological Site
• The House of Virgin Mary