GUARANTEED DEPARTURES: Jewels of Ionia

Arrival at Ataturk Airport and make your own way to the hotel of accommodation 
Note: you can book the hotel on your own or make it via our web-site hotel reservation system (check our home page)

Meal (s): No Meals
Hotel (s): Under your own booking

Have your early breakfast at the hotel of your accommodation and be ready for early pick-up from the hotel lobby between 06:30 AM & 07:00 AM. 
We will start a day drive to the West of Turkey along the northern shores of the Marmara Sea through the Turkish Thrace region. 
Visit the impressive site of the World War I memorial. The Gallipoli Campaign of 1915-16, also known as the Battle of Gallipoli or the Dardanelles Campaign, was an unsuccessful attempt by the Allied Powers to control the sea route from Europe to the Black Seaq during World War I. The campaign began with a failed naval attack by British and French ships on the Dardanelles Straits in February-March 1915 and continued with a major land invasion of the Gallipoli Peninsula on April 25, involving British and French troops as well as divisions of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC). 
A fierce Turkish resistance, hampered the success of the invasion. By mid-October, Allied forces had suffered heavy casualties and had made little headway from their initial landing sites. Evacuation began in December 1915, and was completed early the following January.

Today this beautiful Turkish isthmus, facing the Aegean to the west, the Dardanelles Straits and the Sea of Marmara to the east, is a patchwork of monuments and memorial stones linked by country lanes, mountain tracks and undulating greenery. 
See the Brighton Beach, Anzak Cove, Ariburnu Cemetery, Anzak Commemoration Site, and Lone Pine Australian Memorial, Johnston’s Jolly, the Nek and Chunuk Bair New Zealand Memorial. Then, drive to the pier to take short 30 minutes ferry boat trip to cross the Dardanelles to Asian side and to Canakkale. 
The Dardanelle Straits were a strategic crossing point for the allied armies to cross from Europe to Asia Minor. Over a nine month campaign, more than half a million soldiers lost their lives in the fight to control this strait of water and nearby Gallipoli peninsula. 

Lunch will be provided at one of the local restaurants on the way.

Arrive in Canakkale and to hotel for dinner and overnight.

Meal (s): Lunch, Dinner
Hotel (s): MF*(see hotel class key below)

After breakfast at the hotel depart to visit the site of Troy, the legendary town in the Iliad of Homer. The first excavations were made by German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann in 1871 revealing that Troy was not just a myth. See the excavations showing several layers of this civilization and the replica of the infamous Wooden Horse.  The Trojan horse, the Trojan War and Helen of Troy were all but a small part of the city’s history.

Continue to Bergama, an ancient Pergamum, and the most favoured of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor. See the stunning Acropolis of the Hellenistic city that perched 1000 feet above the town. Remains include the Altar of Zeus, palaces, the Temples of Trajan and Dionysus and the world’s steepest amphitheatre. The Temple of Zeus was one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. The German engineer, Carl Humann, brought the altar now known as the Altar of Pergamum to Berlin.

After lunch at the local restaurant, continue to Kusadasi. 
Arriva at teh hotel for dinner and overnight

Meal (s): Buffet Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 
Hotel (s): MF* (see hotel class key below)

Breakfast at the hotel restaurant and depart for today’s visits and see the Ephesus Open Air Museum, which is considered one of the greatest outdoor museums of Turkey, in fact perhaps of the world. Ephesus is the only Greco-Roman site in the world that gives an idea of the grandeur of bygone centuries. Ephesus is another city of the Seven Churches of the Revelation and an ancient largest port with a population over 250.000. The city played major role in the development of architecture, religions, economic systems and arts. St. Paul lived here, and walked through the marble streets. Tour the ancient city with its legendary marble streets, the magnificent theatre, Hadrian’s temple and the library of Celsius.

After having lunch at one of the local restaurants, continue to the House of Virgin Mary, now Chapel. It is the place where Mary may have spent her last days. Indeed, she may have come in the area together with Saint John, who spent several years in the area to spread Christianity. Mary preferred this remote place rather than living in crowded place.

Stop to see the remains of the once vast, rich marble Temple of Artemis (Artemision), one of the Seven Wonders of the World in ancient times. Artemis was the Greek goddess, the virginal huntress and twin of Apollo, who replaced the Titan Selene as Goddess of the Moon. 
Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight. 

Meal (s): Buffet Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast at the hotel depart for Pamukkale, also known as the “Cotton Castle”, because of the limestone hot springs calcium-laden waters which cascade from one white-edged terrace pool to the next.

Have lunch at one of the local restaurants

Visit the ruins of ancient Hierapolis, a place with amazing hot mineral springs and spas, where Paul introduces Christianity to the local population. Stroll through the ruins of one of the largest Roman cities in Asia Minor. See the amphitheatre, the city gates, and the columned streets, in an area of over one mile. Arrive at the hotel for dinner and overnight

Meal (s): Buffet Breakfast, Lunch Dinner 
Hotel(s): MF* (see hotel class key below)

After breakfast at the hotel be transferred to Denizli Airport or to Denizli Bus Terminal

Note: You can also take our Silk Road extension to proceed to Cappadocia or drive to Fethiye or Marmaris to take one of our mini - Blue Cruises for 3 nights

Meal (s): Buffet Breakfast