9 Days Istanbul-Gallipoli-Troy-Pamukkale-Ephesus-Bursa Tour
A Turkiye tour by bus and plane. Istanbul including a visit to Topkapi Palace, Gallipoli battlefields, Legendary Troy, Pamukkale and Ancient Ephesus, Green Bursa
Day 1- Istanbul
On your arrival at Istanbul Airport you will be met by one of our staff and transferred to your hotel in Istanbul. The rest of the day is free time for you to explore this magical city. Overnight in Istanbul.
Day 2- Istanbul –Walking City Tour ( B / L )
After breakfast at your hotel we will pick you up from your hotel and you will join your small group to visit Hippodrome where you have ancient monuments from Roman time; Blue Mosque, most beautiful mosque of Istanbul with its beautiful exclusive blue tiles; Hagia Sophia, one of the greatest architectural marvel, constructed as a basilica in the 6th century by Emperor Justinian. You will have your lunch in a local restaurant.
In the afternoon you will visit spectacular Topkapi Palace, founded on walls of Byzantine palace, hosted many centuries sultans and their families where you can see sacred relics, sultans’ costumes, treasures, thrones, etc.
Finally you will visit the oldest covered shopping centers of the World, Grand Bazaar with its thousands of shops, streets, cafes, walk through the narrow streets of Grand Bazaar and enjoy your shopping.
End of the tour transfer to your hotel. Overnight in Istanbul
Day 3: Gallipoli Tour ( L )
We pick you up from your hotel in the morning (06:00 -07:00 am), to depart for Gallipoli.
Today the Gallipoli battlefields are peaceful places, covered in brush and pine forests. But the battles fought here nearly a century ago are still alive in many memories, both Turkish and foreign, especially Australians and New Zealanders, who view the peninsula as a place of pilgrimage.
Full days tour of Dardanelles, Brighton Beach, Beach Cemetery, ANZAC Cove, Ariburnu Cemetery, ANZAC Commemorative Site, Respect to Mehmetcik Statue, Lone Pine Australian Memorial, Johnstons Jolly (Turkish and Allied trenches and tunnels), Turkish 57 th Infantry Regiment Cemetery, The Nek, Chunuk Bair New Zealand Memorial. End of the tour transfer to your hotel and overnight in Canakkale or Eceabat.
Day 4:Troy Tour ( B )
After breakfast at the hotel and depart for our daily guided Troy Tour. We will visit the archaeological site of this 5000 years old ancient city. Troy is a legendary city and center of the Trojan War, as it is described in the Iliad of Homer. We see the Megaron houses, a small Roman theatre and Bouletarion, city walls, small site museum and reconstructed wooden horse. After visiting Troy then you will take a bus to Kusadası which will take about six hours by comfortable, non-smoking, air-conditioned busses. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel, overnight in Kusadasi.
Day 5: Pamukkale Tour ( B / L )
After breakfast at your hotel in Kusadası, you will be picked up from the hotel then driven to Pamukkale which is the center of natural thermal spring waters with healing properties. Due to the chemical properties in the water, pure white colored travertines 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 Nekropol with 1200 gravestones in Anatolia. The sacred pool also is one of the main highlights of the site. There shallow thermal waters ripple over a wonderful scattering of ancient Roman ruins which lie beneath.
After the tour, you will be transferred to your hotel and overnight in Kusadası.
Day 6: Ephesus Tour ( B / L )
After breakfast at your hotel then our daily guided Ephesus Tour begins by visiting Isa Bey Mosque, the remains of the Artemis Temple, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Afterwards, it proceeds to the spectacular main site of Ephesus, undoubtedly the most superbly preserved Greco-Roman city. Unmistakable highlights surviving among the ruins are the Celsius Library, Agora, Theater, Odeon, Trajan Fountain, Domitianus Temple and Roman Latrines. Following a lunch break, visit the House of Virgin Mary; reputed to be where she spent her final days.
At the end of the tour, you will be transferred to Izmir Airport, flight to Istanbul and transfer to your hotel in Istanbul. Overnight in Istanbul.
Day 7: Istanbul–Bosphorus & Two Continents Tour ( B / L )
After breakfast we will pick you up from hotel and start a full day guided tour of Bosphorus & Two Continents.
You would see City Walls, Golden Horn, Spice Bazaar, Bosphorus by Boat, Rumeli Fortress ( from the sea) Bosphorus Bridge, Beylerbeyi Palace, Camlica Hill.
At the end of the tour we take you back to your hotel and Overnight in Istanbul.
Day 8: Daily Green Bursa Tour ( B / L )
We pick you up from your hotel and drive to Bursa which was the first capital city of Ottoman Empire start to visit the Grand Mosque and the Green Mausoleum, famous for their Iznik tiles.Lunch will be served in a special 'Iskender Kebap' restaurant. Visit the historical Covered Bazaar and the old silk Market then climb by Cable Car to Uludag (Olympos) (first stage) mountain overlooking Bursa for the magnificent panaromic view. Late evening drive back to Istanbul and transfer to hotel.
Day 9: Istanbul ( B )
After breakfast at your hotel, our tour concludes and it is time for us to say goodbye. We will take you to the airport in time for you to catch your international flight back home and we will wish you a very pleasant flight. We hope to see you again on another Pomegranate Tour.