Day 1 Sun: Istanbul | Upon arrival you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Welcome briefing will be held.

Day 2 Mon: Istanbul | Enjoy a full day tour including a visit to Topkapi Palace Museum, residence of the Ottoman Sultans between the years 1453–1852 (excluding harem). Visit the Hippodrome, which was once the center of life where chariot racing and other public events took place. Tour the Blue Mosque built between 1609 and 1616, famous for its blue ceramic tiles. Your last stop will be the famous Grand Bazaar, the world’s largest and oldest covered market with over 60 streets. Join an optional dinner with belly dancing entertainment. B

Day 3 Tue: Istanbul – Gallipoli – Troy – Assos | In the morning depart for Gallipoli, the site of many battles during WWI. Visit Anzac Cove, Lone Pine Cemetery and Chunuk Bair, then cross the Dardanelles to Canakkale to visit Troy with its famous wooden horse. Continue to Assos for overnight. B D

Day 4 Wed: Assos – Pergamum – Kusadasi | After breakfast depart for Pergamum. Before arriving in to Asclepion, enjoy a lunch with locals in a traditional local village. Tour the ancient Medical Center Asclepion in Pergamum and continue to Kusadasi for overnight. B L D

Day 5 Thu: Ephesus & St. Mary’s House – Kusadasi | Tour the famous ruins of Ephesus, an important cultural center of the ancient world, and explore 2,000 year-old marble streets, a theater, the Library of Celsius, a gymnasium and Hadrian’s Temple. Take a short drive to see St. Mary’s stone cottage where it is believed Virgin Mary spent her last years accompanied by St. John. Continue to a regional rug production center to have a firsthand experience of this unique art form. Join an optional afternoon tour of Sirince. B D

Day 6 Fri: Kusadasi – Pamukkale | Drive through lush valleys to Pamukkale, the Cotton Fortress, with white lime cascades formed by hot mineral springs. Visit ruins of the Roman health spa of Hierapolis and enjoy a swim in your hotel’s thermal pool. B D

Day 7 Sat: Pamukkale – Bodrum | After breakfast drive to Bodrum to visit the Castle of St. Peter and the renowned Underwater Museum that was awarded the best Underwater Museum of the World in 2000s. Dinner and overnight in Bodrum. B D

Day 8 Sun: Bodrum – Marmaris | After breakfast, late morning departure to foundations of the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, which is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Afterwards, depart to Marmaris. Rest of the day at leisure. Dinner and overnight in Marmaris. B D

Day 9 Mon: Marmaris | Enjoy a day at leisure at this lovely town of Marmaris or an optional day tour to Rhodes. Dinner and overnight in Marmaris. B D

Day 10 Tue: Marmaris – Kalkan | After breakfast, depart for Dalyan. Arrive at Dalyan village after a short trip and take a river boat to have a tour to the famous mud baths with sulphur hot springs. View the Ancient Kings’ Tombs of Caunos City. Finally have a relaxing swimming break at Iztuzu Beach (also known as Turtle Beach), which is a natural shelter and breeding site for Blue Crabs and nearly extinct Loggerhead Sea Turtles (Caretta Caretta). Continue and overnight in Kalkan. Enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. B D

Day 11 Wed: Xanthos – Patara – Kalkan | Today we will visit the ancient cities Xanthos and Patara. Rest of the day at leisure. Enjoy dinner at a local restaurant and overnight in Kalkan. B D

Day 12 Thu: Kalkan – Myra – Antalya | After breakfast depart for Antalya, en route visit famous Church of St. Nicholas (Santa Claus) in Demre and have boat trip to Kekova (Sunken City), then continue to Antalya for dinner and overnight. B D

Day 13 Fri: Perge –Aspendos – Antalya | Today we will have a full day tour of Perge and the famous Roman theatre in Aspendos. Dinner and overnight in Antalya. B D

Day 14 Sat: Antalya – Konya – Cappadocia | Early morning departure for Cappadocia, en route visit the famous mausoleum of the Sufi philosopher Mevlana and underground city of Saratli. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia. B D Join an optional Whirling Dervishes performance.

Day 15 Sun: Cappadocia | Early Morning Optional: Hot Air Balloon Tour. Experience floating through volcanic valleys, fairy chimneys and caves at sunrise. After breakfast visit Goreme, a historical region of Turkey, located among the rock formations, which was first settled back in the Roman period. Many rock churches can still be seen today, as Christianity was then the prevailing religion in that region. Continue to the town of Avanos renowned for its high quality earthenware. Also visit Pasabagi, Red Valley and attend a brief regional pottery workshop in a cave. Dinner at a special local restaurant. B D

Day 16 Mon: Cappadocia – Ankara – Safranbolu | Early morning departure to the capital city of Ankara through the salt lake area, en route visit a 13th century caravanserai. Enjoy an afternoon tour of the Ataturk Mausoleum and the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, a historic caravanserai, holding artifacts from up to 7500 years old, including the most extensive and valuable collection of Hittite artifacts in the world. Continue to Safranbolu for dinner and overnight. B D

Day 17 Tue: Safranbolu – Istanbul | After breakfast visit the old part of Safranbolu, then continue to Istanbul. In the afternoon, join an optional half-day St. Sophia and Bosphorus cruise enjoying the strait that separates Asia and Europe. Its shores are lined with fine neighborhoods, Ottoman palaces, fortresses, old wooden villas, hotels, parks and gardens, restaurants and cafés. Finish your last minute shopping at the Spice Market filled with the fragrance of the exotic east. Tonight enjoy a farewell dinner. B D

Day 18 Wed: Istanbul | Transfer to the airport for your return flight home. B