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Cultural
Tours
EASTERN TURKEY TOUR
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Day
1: Arrival |
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Arrival at
Istanbul airport. Meet and transfer to your hotel. Overnight
in a hotel.
CLICK TO ENLARGE
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Day 2:
ISTANBUL - SULTANAHMET |
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8.45 Departure.
Visit the underground Basilica Cistern, with its interesting
"weeping column" and Medusa head reliefs. See the St. (Haghia)
Sophia, which was built by the Emperor Justinian. It was
the largest building in the world for over 1000 years (from
outside as is closed). Continue to the Topkapi palace,
which was used by the Ottoman Sultans from the 15th to 19th
centuries and houses an impressive collection of priceless
jewels, crystal, silver and porcelain, robes worn by the
sultans and relics of the prophet Mohammed. (Entrance to the
Harem is extra and depends on time). After lunch we will see
the Blue Mosque, built for Sultan Ahmet I, which is a
unique piece of architecture with its six minarets and
features 20,000 beautiful Iznik tiles. Visit the ancient
Hippodrome with Obelisk of Theodosius, Snake Pillar
and German Fountain of Wilhelm II. Visit the Grand
Covered Bazaar. Walk through the back streets of Old
Istanbul and visit the Little St. Sophia. Take a
break in the peaceful tea garden and watch artisans working
on marbling, calligraphy and other arts. This tour may be
done all or partially as a walking tour. (YOU MAY TAKE
BYZANTINE CITY WALLS AND CHORA TOUR INSTEAD OF THIS
TOUR). Transfer to airport for evening flight to Kayseri.
Upon arrival in Kayseri transfer to a special volcanic
stone/cave hotel in Cappadocia. |
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Day 3:
CAPPADOCIA - CAVE CHURCHES AND GOREME VALLEY |
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In the morning
you will wake up in a world you have never imagined.
Experience the feeling of living in an Anatolian village,
where houses are built in caves, and life goes on as it has
for centuries. You may see villagers baking bread, drying
fruit on their rooftops or riding on donkeys to their
fields. We will begin our visit to the enchanting "fairy
chimneys" (conical and unusual rock formations) in
Devrent Valley. We continue to the Goreme Open Air Museum,
which was once a Byzantine monastery. See the finest
examples of religious frescoes in rock-cut churches from the
10th to the 13th centuries. Enjoy Pasabagi Valley,
while walking through vineyards among strange multiple
"mushroom-capped" volcanic rock formations. We will also
visit Cavusin Village and see abandoned troglodyte
houses cut high up in the rock face. We will take a short
walk in the Rose Valley, where mineral deposits have
given beautiful color to the weathered stones and then
continue to Avanos, center of terra cotta work since
3000 BC. See a pottery demonstration using the ancient
kick-wheel technique. Evening of cultural entertainment
and music or performance of the Whirling dervishes. |
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Day 4:
CAPPADOCIA - GAZIANTEP |
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Today we will
drive to Gaziantep, visiting Gumusler Monastery in
Nigde and Yesemek Open air-museum with its stone
carvings from the Hittite period. Gaziantep is located on a
wide and fertile plain cultivated with extensive pistachio
groves. Arrival in Gaziantep and overnight in a hotel. |
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Day 5:
GAZIANTEP |
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The artisans of
Gaziantep are specialists in making copperware and furniture
inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The city has a fortress with 36
towers originally constructed in the Justinian era and later
rebuilt by the Seljuks. We will visit the Gaziantep
Archaeology Museum with its artifacts from Neolithic,
Hittite and Roman times. There are important mosaics from
the ancient site of Zeugma (Belkis). See copper-makers and
other trades in the Bazaars of Gaziantep
Try some of the famous pistacios or pistacio
baklava. See the Ethnographical Museum (old stone
house) and beautifully carved stonework of doors and windows
in the old parts of town. Overnight in a hotel. |
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Day 6:
GAZIANTEP
- SANLIURFA - HARRAN - MT. NEMRUT (KAHTA) |
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Our drive today
takes us to Sanli Urfa. We may stop briefly at
Zeugma, which is mostly underwater. We pass the
Euphrates River and stop at Birecik, which is
famous for the nearly extinct Bald Ibis. We will have lunch
in Sanliurfa and visit the Mevlid Halil Mosque, the
Cave of Prophet Abraham, then the sacred fish pool.
You will have a
chance to wander in the Old Bazaar. Drive to
Harran - city of the prophet Abraham. See the fortress,
Islamic school and curious beehive-shaped adobe
houses. It is possible to see the huge Ataturk Dam.
Dinner and overnight in Kahta (near Mt. Nemrut) in a hotel. |
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Day 7:
MT.
NEMRUT - DIYARBAKIR |
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Rise very
early for the drive and the walk up to the summit of
Mount Nemrut, which is the highest mountain (2150 m)
in Northern Mesopotamia. View a fantastic sunrise from
the East Terrace. Visit the East and West terraces,
fire altar, statues of Apollo, Zeus, Hercules, Tyche and
Antiochus Epiphanes I, tumulus, reliefs and the
world's first horoscope. Descend down the mountain
through small villages and beautiful scenery. Cross the
Cendere Roman Bridge - built by Septimus Severus
in the 2nd century AD and still in use! See Karakus,
a tumulus of the royal Commagene women. We return to the
hotel for breakfast and then depart for Diyarbakir,
taking a ferry across the reservoir. In Diyarbakir
will visit the old city, surrounded by triple walls
made of black basalt originally dating to 394 A.D. It is
a city based on a Roman plan with four gates. We visit
the caravanserai (Deliller Han), the Ulu
Mosque from the Seljuk period and possibly the third
century Aramaic
Church
of the Virgin Mary. See people going about daily life on
their rooftops, drying fruits, and dung patties for
fuel. Overnight in Diyarbakir a hotel. |
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Day 8:
DIYARBAKIR - MARDIN - DIYARBAKIR |
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Today's
highlight is the city of Mardin, with its golden
stone houses that blend into the hills. The houses are often
decorated with intricate carvings. This is a very lively
trading center with people coming from surrounding villages
to buy and sell. We will have a fantastic view of the Plain
of Mesopotamia. Visit the Syriac-Jacobite Monastery of
Deyrulzaferan. Return to Diyarbakir for the night.
Overnight in a hotel. |
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Day 9:
DIYARBAKIR - VAN |
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The tour begins
after breakfast with the drive to Lake Van, which is
ringed by mountains, and deep blue in color. It is the
largest lake in Turkey and lies at an altitude of 1720 m.
The first site en route is the Akdamar church, which
is built on an island in the lake. We will take a small boat
across the lake to see the church. This church, from the
10th century is carved with Old Testament scenes and
figures. We will have lunch in Akdamar then continue to Van.
Overnight in a hotel. |
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Day
10:
VAN |
The day begins
with the tour of Van. Van was the Urartian capital.
An imposing
9th
c B.C. citadel overlooks the town. Visit the ancient
Urartian site of Cavustepe, Hosap Castle, and the
famous Citadel of Van. Overnight in a hotel. |
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Day
11:
VAN -
DOGUBAYAZIT |
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Today we will
drive to Dogubayazit and have lunch at the beautiful
Muradiye waterfalls. Dogubayazit is a small town
situated by Mount Agri (Mount Ararat). We will Visit
Ishak Pasa Palace, which was built between the 17th and
18th centuries by a local lord. It is a mixture of Ottoman,
Persian and Armenian architectural styles. Overnight in
Dogubayazit Hotel. |
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Day 12:
DOGUBAYAZIT - KARS |
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Weather
permitting; we may have a nice view of Mt. Ararat
this morning. We will pass small squat villages at the base
of the mountain. We will arrive in Kars and visit the
ancient and seemingly forgotton city of Ani and its
churches. View of the Arpa River, which forms the border to
Armenia. Overnight will be in Kars. |
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Day 13:
KARS -
ERZURUM |
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Today we will
drive to Erzurum. Erzurum is known for copper crafting and
its Oltu stone, which is a unique black stone used to make
jewelry and beads. We will visit fine Seljuk monuments such
as the Ulu (Great) Mosque, the Cifte Minareli
Medrese and Uc Kumbetler (three tombs) and see
the richly decorated portal and tiled minaret of the 13th
century Yakutiye Medrese. Overnight in Erzurum. |
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Day 14:
ERZURUM -
TRABZON - ISTANBUL |
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Our journey
will continue on to Trabzon with a visit to the magnificent
Sumela Monastery located high on the cliffs in the
Altindere National Park. The church is covered inside and
out with brilliant frescos. We will also visit the St.
Sophia museum (restored
13th
c Byzantine church with its splendid frescoes). Transfer to
airport for return to Istanbul. Upon arrival transfer to
your hotel. |
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Day 15:
ISTANBUL |
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At your leisure
in Istanbul. |
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Day 16:
DEPARTURE |
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Transfer to the
airport for departure. |
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INCLUDED:
All airport transfers
Accommodation in specified category
Meals as mentioned (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
Museum entry fees
Transportation in non-smoking minibus with professional
English speaking guide and professional driver.
Entertainment as mentioned in tour plan.
NOT INCLUDED:
International flights,
drinks, tips to guide and driver and items of a personal
nature. Domestic flights with associated transfer are extra.
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