> DAY 1: Istanbul
Welcome to Turkey. After clearing customs and immigration, your representative will meet you at the airport and assist you to your private transfer. Enjoy the afternoon at your leisure in Istanbul.
> DAY 2: Istanbul – Byzantine and Ottoman Relics Tour
After breakfast meet your private guide for your full day tour of Classical Istanbul. Your tour will begin at the magnificent Hagia Sophia. This marvelous Byzantine basilica was built in the sixth century and today is sometimes called the Eighth Wonder of the World. Continue to the Blue Mosque, one of the best examples of classical Turkish architecture. This 17th-century Ottoman mosque is famed for being the only in the world with six minarets. You will visit the Hippodrome, the former centre of sporting and political activities in Constantinople. During the visit you will be able to see the Obelisk from Egypt, the Serpentine Column from Delphi and the fountain of Willhelm II. End your morning at the Grand Bazaar, which in addition to its historical importance, is a bazaar that will tempt you with its rich collection of precious handmade carpets, jewelry, leather and souvenirs.
Following lunch you will proceed to the spectacular Topkapi Palace. The Palace was the imperial residence of the Ottoman Sultans from the 15th to the 19th century. It holds a breathtaking position above the Sea of Marmara, the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn. Your tour will include an insight into the spectacular architecture, an unparalleled collection of Chinese porcelain, Imperial costumes, holy relics, and the Imperial Treasury. Your will end with a visit to the Suleymaniye Mosque. This 16th century mosque is an example of one of the most magnificent of the imperial mosques in the city. (B, L)
> DAY 3: Istanbul – Bosphorous Cruise
Start your day with a Bosphorous Cruise tour. Your day will begin with a visit to the 17th century Egyptian Spice Bazaar which is full of the mystical aromas of various spices and colorful shops selling fruit, vegetables, flowers, and more. Next you will board your Bosphorus Cruise boat. The Bosphorus is the waterway separating the two continents of Europe and Asia. As you travel, you will enjoy extravagant baroque palaces of the Ottoman sultans: Dolmabahce and Beylerbeyi, the Besiktas commercial district, Rumeli Fortress, the Ortakoy area known for handicrafts and night life, and the famous Kizkulesi light house. Enjoy the rest of your day at your leisure. (B)
> DAY 4: Istanbul, Cappadocia
Following breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight to Kayseri in Cappadocia. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel and enjoy your day of leisure in Cappadocia. (B)
> DAY 5: Cappadocia – Cappadocia Tour
After breakfast, begin your full day tour with a hike and walking tour through the villages of Zelve and Pasabag where monks lived in seclusion in the rock dwellings. Continue your tour with a visit the Kaymakli Underground City, which was originally carved out of a rock hill by the Hittites nearly four thousand years ago. This incredible site was then expanded by the Assyrians, Persians and Romans as each conquered the region. After lunch, visit the Goreme Open Air Museum, Cappadocia's most famous attraction, a complex of several painted cave-churches carved out by Orthodox monks between 900 and 1200 A.D. The paintings and decoration represent the flowering of a uniquely Cappadocian artistic style. Before returning to your hotel, visit the small villages of Cavusin and Ortahisar, admiring their rock-cut dwellings and stone houses that have long since been abandoned. (B, L)
> DAY 6: Cappadocia, Izmir/Kusadasi
After breakfast, enjoy an optional hot air balloon ride or a relaxing morning at your hotel. In the afternoon, you will transfer to Kayseri Airport for your flight to Izmir. Upon arrival in Izmir, a private transfer will take you to your hotel in Izmir or Kusadasi where you will enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure. (B, D)
> DAY 7: Izmir/Kusadasi – Ephesus Tour
After breakfast, depart for your private tour to the ancient city of Ephesus. Ephesus is among the best-preserved ancient sites in the Mediterranean. Your tour will begin at the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Continue to the Library of Celsus, Temple of Hadrian, Theatre and Odeon. Following the archeological site, visit the House of the Virgin Mary. (B, L, D)
> DAY 8: Izmir/Kusadasi, Marmaris, Rhodes
Following breakfast, transfer to Marmaris where you will board a ferry to Rhodes. Upon arrival in Rhodes, you will be transfered to your luxury hotel and enjoy a day at leisure. (B)
> DAY 9 and 10: Rhodes
Explore the island at your leisure or take an option tour. Ask your Leisure Travel Consultant for their personal tips of favorite activities, beaches and excursions while in Rhodes. (B)
> DAY 11: Rhodes, Athens
After breakfast, meet your private driver in the hotel lobby for the drive to Rhodes airport where you will board your flight to Athens International Airport. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel. (B)
> DAY 12: Athens – Athens Walking Tour
After breakfast, your licensed English speaking guide will meet you at your hotel lobby. Begin your tour at the new Acropolis Museum and then visit the Acropolis itself and its timeless temples of Parthenon, Erectheion and Athena Nike. A short climb up to the Hill of Philopappus brings you to the imposing Roman period funeral monument and extensive views of Athens and Piraeus. You then descend to the hill of the Pnyx, the area used in Classical Athens as the meeting place for the democratic assembly. You enter the historical Plaka area close to the Thiseion temple, dating back to the 5th century BC, meandering past the ancient Agora with the impressively restored Stoa of Attalus, Hadrian’s Library, and the picturesque Tower of the Winds. The route back leads up over the Areopagus, or Hill of Mars, directly below the Acropolis. Here, in 54 AD, Saint Paul preached his Sermon on an unknown God, as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles. Finally, you pass the Roman period Odeion of Herodes Atticus, which is still used as a summer venue for open-air concerts and theatrical performances. Your tour will end at Syntagma Square where you can enjoy the changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. (B)
> DAY 13: Deparure
After breakfast, transfer to Athens International Airport for your departure flight. (B)
