10-Day Istanbul & Beyond: Byzantine, Ottoman, and Ancient Heritage Tour

(Dinner included)
Welcome to Turkey Istanbul Airport. Meet with TravelShop Booking staff and transfer to your hotel, Transfer from airport & check in to your hotel. Overnight in Istanbul

(Breakfast, Lunch, and Bosphorus Dinner  Cruise included)

Our professional guide will meet you at your hotel’s lobby at 08:30, and we’ll start our Student Tour in Istanbul. Today, our first stop will be Saint Sophia or Hagia Sophia, built by the emperor Justinian in 532 - 537. Designed and built as a church For over 1000 years, it was the largest cathedral in the world and the center of the Orthodox. Today, it is a touristic and spiritual centre for Christians, Muslims, and other religious groups. Next, we’ll visit Topkapı Palace, which served as the administrative centre of the Ottoman Empire for over 400 years, from the 15th to the 19th centuries, and as the home of the Sultans and their families. Here, we will also visit the Hagia Irene Church, located in the garden of Topkapı Palace. Afterwards, we will have lunch at a local restaurant and explore Hippodrome Square; We will see the Serpent Column brought from Delphi from Greece, the Egyptian Obelisk, the German Fountain of Wilhelm ll, and the tombs of Ottoman sultans and princes. Next, we will visit the Blue Mosque, also known as Sultanahmet Mosque, which is the most splendid Ottoman mosque in Istanbul, Built between the years 1609 and 1617, it is best known for its 6 minarets and blue Iznik tiles that lend the mosque its name. The students can compare the architecture of Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque on the spot here. Finally, we will visit the Grand Bazaar, which has over 4,000 shops full of hidden treasures and authentic items.  End of the tour, return to the hotel.

BOSPHORUS DINNER CRUISE  (20:00 – 23:30)

Menu; Grill fish or meatballs or chicken, cold and hot appetisers, 

Beverages.; Unlimited soft beverage.

Program: Music, Folklore performance, Whirling Dervishes show, Traditional wedding ceremony, Oriental belly dancer Show, and more.

Transfer: Return transfer from the hotel.

Accommodation in Istanbul hotel.  

(Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included)

Today, we’ll start the tour of the day with a visit to the Istanbul Archeology Museum and later head for the Spice Bazaar, also known as the Egyptian Bazaar, which is a very colourful market with an oriental atmosphere that specialises in typical products such as spices, desserts, nuts, and small souvenirs. Visit Rustem PAsha Mosque.

Next, we’ll drive to Golden Horn for a cruise along the Bosporus Strait, which separates Europe and Asia and connects the Black Sea to the inland Marmara Sea. Some of the essential landmarks we’ll see on this 2-hour trip are the Dolmabahçe Palace, Çırağan Palace, Beylerbeyi Palace, Rumeli Fortress, imperial mansions, the Maiden Tower, and the Bosphorus Bridge.

After the boat tour, we will visit the Dolmabahçe Palace. The palace's architecture contains elements from French baroque, German rococo, and English neoclassical and Italian Renaissance styles. One of the palace's most magnificent works of art is the 4.5-ton crystal chandelier made in England.

Afterwards, we will have lunch at a restaurant and go to the other side of the Bosphorus Strait, the Asian side. Here, we will climb up to the highest hill of Istanbul, Çamlıca Hill, to enjoy the panoramic views of Istanbul and take beautiful pictures on our way back to the European side. Accommodation in Istanbul

(Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included)

Today, we will depart early for Çanakkale. After breakfast at 6:00 a.m., we will drive to the Gallipoli Peninsula for about 4 hours to visit one of the most important sites of World War I. Upon arrival, we will have lunch at a local restaurant and start our tour of the region. Gallipoli is home to the remains of 500,000 soldiers and is one of Turkey's most important war memorials. We will visit the site of the Battle of Gallipoli, including the Lone Pine Australian Memorial, Chunuk Bair Atatürk Monument, Anzac Cove, and Johnston's Jolly Cemetery.

Dinner and accommodation in Çanakkale

(Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included)

One of the most exciting visits of Türkiye Culture tours is undoubtedly the ancient city of Ephesus.

After breakfast, our first stop of the day will be the House of the Virgin Mary, which was proclaimed by Pope Paul VI  in 1967 and declared as a place of pilgrimage for Christians by Pope John Paul II. According to the legend, the Virgin Mary was brought here by St. John to spend her last years upon the request of Jesus Christ.

Afterwards, we will immerse ourselves in history in Ancient Ephesus, the most beautiful ancient city of the Ionia region. Here, we will see Curetes Street and the ruins of the 25,000-capacity Grand Theater, the State Agora, the magnificent Celsus Library, Odeon, Temesos, Prytaneion, Magnesia Gate, Grotto of the Seven Sleepers, and the Harbour of Ephesus. Take a lunch break at a local restaurant and visit the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Then, visit Sirince Village, which houses a 300-year-old Greek and Turk Village.

*At the end of the tour, we can take a break at the outlet centre or visit a ceramic atelier. (Optional)

Dinner and accommodation in Izmir or Kuşadası.

(Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included)

One of the most exciting visits of Türkiye student tours is undoubtedly the ancient city of Ephesus.

After breakfast, our first stop of the day will be the House of the Virgin Mary, which was proclaimed by Pope Paul VI  in 1967 and declared as a place of pilgrimage for Christians by Pope John Paul II. According to the legend, the Virgin Mary was brought here by St. John to spend her last years upon the request of Jesus Christ.

Afterward, we will immerse ourselves in history in Ephesus, the most beautiful ancient city of the Ionia region. Here, we will see Curetes Street and the ruins of the 25,000-capacity Grand Theater, the State Agora, the magnificent Celsus Library, Odeon, Temesos, Prytaneion, Magnesia Gate, Grotto of the Seven Sleepers, and the Harbour of Ephesus.

Afterward, we will have lunch at a local restaurant and visit the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

At the end of the tour, arrive at the hotel and  enjoy the swimming and sunbath on the Kusadasi beach summer season

Dinner and accommodation in Izmir or Kuşadası. 

(Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included)

Today, we will visit some ancient Ionian cities. The Greeks (Ionians), who migrated to the Aegean Region after the attacks of the Dorian Tribe in Northern Greece in 1000 BC, took refuge in the Aegean region. The Ionians, who fled from Greece and the islands, mixed with the Lelegs, Carians, and Lydians living in the region. Afterwards, they established 12 cities using Greek architecture. Visit Priene, Miletos, Didyma, and Aphrodisias.

Priene; The ancient city of Priene, established 2500 years ago at the foot of the Mykale Mountain, was a port city then. Many works of art and architecture belong to the ancient Greek period, such as the marble streets parallel to each other and water channels. Alexander the Great built the Priene Theater and the Temple of Athena Polias as gifts.  After a 20 km ride, we will visit the Miletos ruins.

Miletus: Visit the ancient theatre, which has a capacity of 15,000, the Miletos Museum, the Temple of Serapis, and the Faustina Bath, built by Marcus Aurelius in the name of his wife. There is a 20 km-long sacred marble road between the Temple of Serapis in Miletos and the Temple of Apollo in Didim. Miletos people used to go to the Temple of Apollo for pilgrimage and religious rituals through this holy path.

Nowadays, Didyma is a tourism centre thanks to its golden sand beach. The Temple of Apollo, built in 600 BC, was a sacred religious centre in ancient times. We will visit the temple, which features magnificent marble columns.

After our visits, we will have lunch at a local restaurant and drive to Aphrodisias.

Aphrodisias is named after Aphrodite, mythology's goddess of love and beauty. The Aphrodisias Temple, which still survives today, was used as a temple during the Roman period and later turned into a Christian basilica. We will admire the magnificent Aphrodisias Temple, the 30,000-seat stadium, the Roman bath, the Odeon, and the Ancient Theater of Aphrodisias.

At the end of our visits, we will continue to Pamukkale.

Dinner and accommodation in a thermal hotel in Pamukkale

(Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included)

After breakfast, we will start our Pamukkale tour. The ancient city of Hierapolis, meaning holy city, was an ancient center of Pagan culture. Here, we’ll see the Martyrium of Apostle Philip, ancient city ruins including the Gate of Domitian, the Arcadian Way, the Grand Theatre, the Nymphaion, the Temple of Apollo, the Plutonium, and the Necropolis. Afterward, you will be given free time to swim in the Ancient Cleopatra Pool (extra cost). Afterward, we’ll enjoy walking on the white travertines (white calcium pools) and taking beautiful pictures.

We’ll take a lunch break after our visit and head for Izmir via Sardis (Salihli). On our way to Izmir, we’ll visit the ancient city of Sardis, the capital of the ancient Lydian Kingdom, which minted the first coin here in the 7th century BC. We’ll also see the Sardis Synagogue, the Temple of Artemis, and the Ancient gymnasium. Upon our arrival in Izmir, we’ll have a sightseeing tour and visit the Kemeraltı Bazaar. You will have the opportunity to spend a nice evening in modern Izmir's Kordon area cafeterias. Dinner and accommodation in Izmir.

(Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included)

After breakfast, we’ll have a sightseeing tour in Izmir and continue to Bursa. On the way, we’ll have a short lunch break. In Bursa, we’ll visit the Great Mosque (Ulu Mosque), the Koza Han Silk Market, and the Green Mosque, which offers some of the best examples of Ottoman architecture. The Queen of England, Elizabeth II, and her husband, Prince Philip, once visited Koza Han during their visit to Bursa. The historical inn is home to many shops selling shawls and scarves made from the famous Bursa silk, and it was a place where silk route caravans came to stay during their journeys. You can take a tea break at one of the cafeterias in the inn's garden or try the famous kebab particular to the region. Afterwards, we will continue on our way to Istanbul.

Dinner and accommodation in Istanbul

(Breakfast included)
After breakfast check out from the hotel and transfer to Istanbul  Airport.
We hope your tour was a memorable one and we look forward to seeing you in the future on another TravelShop Booking Tour. Have a safe trip back home and thanks for choosing TravelShop Booking