Today we will visit the capital of three empires, the only city spread over two continents, bridge between East and West... a metropolis full of surprises !

The highlights of this city, the must do’s are the Ayasofya Museum, the Topkapi Palace, the Sultanahmet (Blue) Mosque, the Hippodrome…!

To better feel, live Istanbul, we propose a walking tour (max. 2km – 1,5Mi):

Our visits will start at the Saint Sophia, a basilica built by Constantine the Great in the 4th century and reconstructed by Justinian in the 6th century. Once the symbol of the Ottoman conquest of Istanbul and reconverted to a mosque, the Saint Sophia is today a museum and one of the architectural marvels of all times.

Just opposite the Saint Sophia, the Sultanahmet Imperial Mosque : this building of the 16th century is also known as the Blue Mosque because of its magnificent interior decoration of blue Iznik tiles. The Hippodrome was the scene of chariot races in the Byzantine times. The three monuments in the middle, the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine column and the Column of Constantine, are relics of these glorious times.

After lunch, we continue with the visit of the Topkapi Palace, the palace of the Ottoman sultans for about 5 centuries which today houses a marvelous collection of crystal, silver and Chinaware, robes worn by the sultans and their families, the imperial jewels, miniatures.

Except from these you will also enjoy wandering in the gardens entering imperial rooms and salons.

The Saint Sophia museum is closed on Mondays, official and religious holidays. This tour does not include the visit of the Harem. The Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays, official and religious holidays.

Overnight in Istanbul

The Bazaars and the Bosphorus :

For those who want to enjoy there time in Istanbul other than by visiting, we propose a tour of the famous Istanbul covered and Egyptian bazaars. The Covered bazaar is a labyrinth of streets and passages counting more than 4000 shops where each trade has its own area : goldsmiths, carpet sellers, arts and crafts such as ceramic plates, copperware, brassware, onyx ware and meerschaum pipes.

While wandering in this historical shopping mall, enjoy also shopping.

At the end of the Covered Bazaar, you will enter the Egyptian Bazaar also known as the Spice Bazaar.

The covered bazaar is closed on Sundays, official and religious holidays.

After lunch, we will head for the Eminönü pier where we will embark a 2 hours cruise on the Bosphorus sailing up along the European shore and back along the Asian shore. The unique view of the Yalis (wooden mansions along the water), the Rumeli Fortress are among the attractions of this cruise.

In the early evening, transfer to the airport and flight to Antalya. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel and overnight.

Antalya is capital of the Mediterranean region. It is Turkey's biggest international sea resort, located on the Turkish Riviera.

It is uncertain when the site of the current city was first inhabited. Attalos II, king of Pergamon, was believed to have founded the city around 150 BC, naming it Attalia and selecting it as a naval base for his powerful fleet. However, excavations in 2008 have uncovered remains dating to the 3rd century BC, suggesting that the city was founded earlier than previously supposed. Antalya became part of the Roman Republic in 133 BC when King Attalos III of Pergamon willed his kingdom to Rome at his death. The city grew and prospered during the Ancient Roman period. Christianity started to spread in the region after 2nd century. Antalya was visited by Paul of Tarsus, as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles: "From Perga, Paul and Barnabas went down to Attalia and sailed from there to Antioch after preaching in Pisidia and Pamphylia" (Acts 14:25-26).

Kaleiçi (“within the city walls”), with its narrow cobbled streets of historic Ottoman era houses, is the old center of Antalya. With its hotels, bars, clubs, restaurants, and shopping, it has been restored to retain much of its historical character. The city also features sites with traces of Lycian, Pamphylian, and Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman architecture and cultures.

The Antalya Archeological Museum is one of Turkey's largest museums, located in Konyaaltı. It includes 13 exhibition halls and an open air gallery. It covers an area of 7,000 m2 (75,000 sq ft) and exhibits 5000 works of art. In addition a further 25,000–30,000 artifacts which cannot be displayed are in storage. As a museum exhibiting examples of works, which illuminate the history of the Mediterranean and Pamphylia regions in Anatolia, Antalya Museum is one of the most important of Turkey's museums. The Museum won the “European Council Special Prize” in 1988.

Overnight in Antalya

Tour possibilities from Antalya are :

Side, Perge, Aspendos :

Side is a must-see. And what makes it so appealing is that its archaeological relics are scattered around the old town. First you'll see Side's showpiece - the Temple of Apollo. It's said that Anthony and Cleopatra held love trysts under its shining white columns. Afterwards, you'll have time to explore Side on your own, before heading for the Manavgat Waterfalls for more great photo opportunities.

First on the history hitlist is the classical city of Perge. This once bustling Roman port was founded around 1300 BC and the first stop for St. Paul on his missionary journeys around the Mediterranean. Take a tour, stepping through the triumphal Roman gate to admire the ruined temples, marketplace and fountains. On the column-lined main street, meanwhile, you can even see the grooves in the flagstones created by long-ago chariot wheels. There’s also a magnificent, 12,000-seater Roman stadium and the remnants of a Bronze Age acropolis.

Leaving Perge behind, it’s then on to Aspendos to see the one of the world’s best-preserved Roman theatre. Built into a steep hillside and big enough for 15,000 spectators, this vast semicircular edifice was used to stage plays 2,000 years ago. And its perfect acoustics mean that it’s still used for operas and concerts today.

Sagalassos :

Sagalassos is an archaeological site about 100 km north of Antalya and 30 km from Burdur and Isparta. In Roman Imperial times, the town was known as the 'first city of Pisidia', a region in the western Taurus mountains, currently known as the Turkish Lakes Region. Already during the Hellenistic period, it had been one of the major Pisidian towns. After having suffered from a major earthquake in the early sixth century ad, the town still managed to recover, but epidemics, water shortages, a general lack of security and stability, a failing economy and finally another devastating earthquake around the middle of the seventh century forced the inhabitants to abandon their town and resettle in the valley.

Large-scale excavations started in 1990. A large number of buildings, monuments and other archaeological remains have been exposed, documenting the monumental aspect of the Hellenistic, Roman and early Byzantine history of this town.

Olympos and the Chimeira :

Olympos is an ancient city which is located in a valley 90 km southwest of Antalya. The former city of Olympos was founded in the Hellenistic period, presumably taking its name from nearby Mount Olympos, one of over twenty mountains with the name Olympos in the Classical world. From these mountains, according to Homer, the god Poseidon looked out to sea and saw Odysseus sailing away from Calypso's island, and called up a great storm that wrecked him on the shores of the island of Nausicaa. The coins of the city of Olympos date back to the 2nd century BC. It was described as an ancient city full of riches and works of art. The city became one of the six leading cities of the Lycian League. In the 1st century BC, Olympos was invaded and settled by Cilician pirates. This ended in 78 BC, when the Romans took the city after a victory at sea, and added Olympos to the Roman Empire. The chief deity of Olympos was Hephaestus, god of fire and blacksmiths.

Near Olympos, located in the neighboring village of Çirali and about 200 metres above sea level, the eternal flames called the Chimaera may be seen issuing from the ground. The fuel source for the flames is natural gas, largely methane, seeping through cracks in the earth. The mythical Chimaera - or Chimera - was a monster with the head of a lion, the body of a goat and the tail of a serpent, who roamed these woods and sprouted fire from her mouth.

For a different evening activity : “Fire of Anatolia” (May to October) Performance in the Antique Theater of Aspendos

The ancient region of Anatolia makes up most of central Turkey and its folklore has shaped much of the country’s wider culture and customs. And this world-famous show tells you the story of its past through the medium of dance. Featuring the incredible ‘Fire of Anatolia’ dance troupe, it’s Turkey’s answer to “Riverdance” : a cast of 120 dancers stepping, stomping and swirling to traditional folk music from the Black Sea to the Balkans. And ballet and acrobatic modern dance acts all backed by swirling Turkish music and drumming. Add dazzling lighting and costumes and you’ve got yourself a show you’ll never forget. Look out especially for the fastest dances. ‘Fire of Anatolia’ holds the world record for performing the most dancesteps in one minute - 241 to be precise. 

We leave Antalya towards Fethiye.

En-route we will visit some interesting sites such as :

Phaselis :

In a protected natural area, you'll discover the ruined ancient Lycian town of Phaselis. It was once an important port, constantly under threat from pirates. Today, you can see what remains of the shops and arches on the main street, as well as the ruins of roman baths and the Hadrian Water Gate.

Myra – Demre :

Demre, located on the site of the ancient city of Myra. As well as seeing some of the remains of Myra, including the amphitheatre and rock tombs, you'll visit the Church of St Nicholas, who is better known today as Santa Claus.

Kekova :

By boat, you will go to Kekova Island. As well as being an area of outstanding beauty, the island is famous for its underwater ruins, the relics of an ancient town partially submerged by an earthquake in the 2nd Century. While you're here, there'll also be a short stop for you to swim in the sea.

Upon arrival in Fethiye, settle in your hotel and free evening.

Fethiye is one of Turkey's well-known tourist centres and is especially popular during the summer for its climate and natural beauty. The Fethiye Museum, which is very rich in ancient and more recent artifacts, displays and testifies to the successive chain of civilizations that existed in the area, starting with the ancient Lycians. Fethiye is also home to the Tomb of Amyntas, a large and beautiful tomb built in 350 BC by the Lycians. What makes this tomb very unique is its massive size and beautiful carvings. Ölüdeniz (literally Dead Sea, due to its calm waters even during storms) is a small village and beach resort in the Fethiye. Ölüdeniz remains one of the most photographed beaches on the Mediterranean. It has a secluded sandy bay at the mouth of Ölüdeniz, on a blue lagoon. The beach itself is a pebble beach. The lagoon is a national nature reserve and construction is strictly prohibited. The seawater of Ölüdeniz is famous for its shades of turquoise and aquamarine, while its beach is rated among the top 5 beaches in the world by travelers and tourism journals alike.

Tour possibilities from Fethiye are :

Tlos and the Saklikent Gorge :

Travel through picturesque rural Turkey to explore the Lycian, Byzantine and Ottoman ruins at the ancient city of Tlos, supposed home of Pegasus the winged horse. Tlos is an ancient ruined Lycian hilltop citadel, one of the oldest and largest settlements of Lycia and was subsequently inhabited by Romans, Byzantines and eventually Ottoman Turks, making it one of few Lycian cities to be continually inhabited up until the 19th century. Then discover hidden Saklikent Canyon : Saklıkent Canyon (“Hidden City” in Turkish) is 50 km from the city of Fethiye. The Canyon is 300 meters deep and 18 km long, one of the deepest in the world, resulting from the abrasion of the rocks by flowing waters over thousands of years. As the level of water rises during winter months, visitors can enter the canyon only in the summer. Four kilometers of the canyon are walkable after April, when most of the snow in the Taurus Mountains has melted and passed through on its way to the Mediterranean Sea.

Patara and Letoon :

Patara was a flourishing maritime and commercial city on the south-west coast of Lycia. It is the birthplace of St. Nicholas, who lived most of his life in the nearby town of Myra (Demre). Possessing a natural harbor, Patara was said to have been founded by Patarus, a son of Apollo. It was situated at a distance of 60 stadia to the southeast of the mouth of the river Xanthos..Patara was noted in antiquity for its temple and oracle of Apollo. The site is currently being excavated during two summer months each year by a team of Turkish archaeologists. At the end of 2007, all the sand had been cleared from the theatre and some other buildings, and the columns on the main street had been partially re-erected (with facsimile capitals). The excavations have revealed masonry in remarkable condition. Apart from its ancient ruins, Patara is also famous for the 18 km-long Patara Beach. Letoon was a sanctuary of Leto near the ancient city Xanthos that was one of the most important religious centers of the Lycian region in Anatolia. The site is located between the towns of Kaş and Fethiye. Archaeological finds at the site, which remained essentially a religious centre, date back to the late sixth century BCE. In earlier times, the site was probably already sacred to the cult of an earlier mother goddess— she is Eni Mahanahi in Lycia— which was superseded by the worship of Leto, joined by her twin offspring (Apollo and Artemis).

12 Islands Boat Trip :

Cruise the islands around Fethiye Bay for a totally relaxing, sun soaked day ... explore the Byzantine and Roman ruins of Dockyard Island and Cleopatra's Bath; swim in peaceful bays and inlets and lie back on remote island shores: a perfect way to relax, top up your tan and see the Turquoise Coast.

The Butterfly Valley :

Escape from it all on a lazy day boat cruise taking in five island stops including the indigo waters of the Blue Cave; the natural surroundings of Butterfly Valley; lunch on board before heading off to explore the ruins on St Nicholas (Gemiler) Island; and a quick dip in the icy waters of the freshwater springs at the Cold Water Bay. Paragliding : The Oludeniz area is renowned for the sport of paragliding : flying from the top of Babadag mountain down to Oludeniz beach in tandem with highly qualified pilots. Passengers are briefed and equipped with protective clothing. The flight is fully insured.

Trekking The Lycian Way :

Walking the nomad trails and ancient Lycian paths is the best way to discover the flora richness of Fethiye. The Lycian Way starts at Babadag in the Ovacik village. You just need usual soft walking material with you. Every hundred meter boards will show you the right direction and give basic information about the area. Little mountain villages will be on the way, to meet you with their friendly people. You may even come across semi-nomads. You can try the path from Fethiye to Kas and see Faralya Village, Pinara-Letoon-Xanthos archaeological sites on the way; or hike from Fethiye to Marmaris and visit the site of Caunos and enjoy the Turtle’s beach… Spectacular views will highlight your holiday on the “Lycian Way”.

Dalyan, Kaunos and the Turtle Beach :

A short journey takes you to the fishing harbor of Dalyan where yuı will embark a boat down the meandering Dalyan river delta, to the golden sands of Istuzu Beach. En route, you'll pass the amazing millennia old rock tombs hewn into the sheer cliff face hundreds of feet up, and the ruins of Kaunos, a Lycian city. A stop at the sulphur mud baths will 'take ten years off you' if you wallow for long enough, before you go back out in the sunshine for a lazy afternoon on Turtle Beach.

Overnight in Fethiye

We leave the beautiful coast of Fethiye towards Pamukkale :

After a ride of about 2,5 hours through the wild landscapes and cotton fields, we will reach Pamukkale, meaning "cotton castle" in Turkish.

This natural site and attraction in south-western Turkey enjoys a temperate climate over the greater part of the year. The ancient city of Hierapolis was built on top of the white "castle" which is in total about 2700 meters long and 160m high.

After a tour on the travertine’s and a swim in one of the numerous thermal pools, we will continue our tour with the visit of Hierapolis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

As the hot springs of Pamukkale were used as a spa since the 2nd century B.C. great baths were constructed with huge stone blocks without the use of cement and consisted of various closed or open sections linked together. There are deep niches in the inner section of the bath, library, gymnasium and other closed or open locations.

The complex, constructed in the 2nd century, was visited by people who came to soothe their ailings here. Many of them retired and died here which explains the origin of the large necropolis filled with sarcophagi.

Overnight in Pamukkale.

On the way to Kusadasi you have the possibility to visit the sites of Laodikea and/or Aphrodisias :

Laodikea :

One of the seven churches of the Revelation, Laodicea is situated on the long spur of a hill between the narrow valleys of the small rivers Asopus and Caprus, which discharge their waters into the Lycus. It was approximately 10 km south of Hierapolis and, according to Strabo, it was on a major road. The existing remains attest its former greatness. The ruins near Denizli are well preserved and are being substantially renovated (2012). Its many buildings include stadium, baths, temples, gymnasium, theatres, bouleuterion, etc… On the east the line of the ancient wall may be distinctly traced, with the remains of the Ephesus gate; there are streets traversing the town, flanked by colonnades and numerous pedestals. North of the town, towards the Lycus, are many sarcophagi, with their covers lying near them, partly imbedded in the ground, and all having been long since rifled.

Aphrodisias :

This ancient city dedicated to Aphrodite, the goddess of Beauty, Love and Fertility. Aphrodisias, a small city in Caria, Asia Minor, was built near a marble quarry which was extensively exploited in the Hellenistic and Roman periods, and sculptors in marble from Aphrodisias became famous in the Roman world. Many examples of statuary have been unearthed in Aphrodisias, and some representations of the Aphrodite of Aphrodisias also survive from other parts of the Roman world, as far afield as Portugal. We will visit the stadium, which is the best preserved in Anatolia, the Temple of Aphrodite, the Tetrapylon, the Theatre and finish our tour with a visit of the museum, an exhibition of the most beautiful artifacts of ancient times. If you wish, you may also consider to spend a few hours (lunch break ?) in the typical village of Buldan… an idea to change of subject : Historically, Buldan has been a very important center of Turkey's textile industry, a tradition it actively pursues to this day, still largely based on independent craftspersons. Buldan was the most vibrant center cloth production center in western Anatolia during the later 19th century : thin handwoven cheesecloth-type fabric, with laced edges and used chiefly for bed covers and table cloths. Another textile from Buldan that deserves mention is a vivid violet silk (peshtemal) woven as a rectangular panel to be wrapped around the body.

Continue to Kusadasi for overnight.

Tour possibilities from Kusadasi are :

Ephesus and area : Ephesus, famous in antiquity for its Temple of Artemis - one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World - and later the home of St. John. As you arrive at Ephesus, enter the ancient site through the Magnesian Gate, follow your guide as you discover the monuments such as the Forum, the Odeon, the Library of Celsus, the Thermal Baths of Scholastica and the Great Theatre, built in the Greek era and reconstructed in the Roman period, which is still remarkable for its acoustics. Observe the symbols and ancient Greek inscriptions all around which can still be read. As your guided tour comes to an end, leave Ephesus along the Arcadian Way, where once Mark Anthony and Cleopatra rode in procession. Driving back to Kusadasi, just outside Ephesus , you will notice the Basilica of St. John, erected over the grave of St John in the 6th Century AD by the Emperor Justinian. Just downhill, lays the site of the famous Temple of Artemis, today in ruins. After a short visit to the Shrine of Virgin Mary, we will proceed to the upper gate of Ephesus. The visit of this site is expected to take between 1,5 and 2 hours.

If you wish, you may consider visiting the Terraces Houses (instead of the Shrine of Virgin Mary), an exhibit of several antique mansions representing lifestyle and decoration of the Antique period.

In the afternoon, we propose two alternatives :

Priene, Miletos and Didyma : Priene - Set dramatically at the foot of a sheer mountain wall, Priene overlooks the aptly named Meander River. This 2500 years old Ionian city was among the first to be planned with a gridded streets system. Miletus - These ancient ruins lie on a hill near the Aegean Sea. Explore the ancient theater, built circa 4th century BC. The theater could accommodate over 15,000 spectators. Visit the well-preserved Bath of Faustina, named after the wife of Marcus Aurelius, who ordered their construction. Didyma - In antiquity, Didyma was connected to Miletus by a sacred road. Visit the ruins of the Temple of Apollo, one of the largest temples from the Hellenistic Period. Despite extensive construction, the temple was never fully completed.