West-to-Mesopotamia Expedition: Discover Turkey’s Ancient Legacy 12-Day Tour

Arrive at Istanbul Airport and transfer to your hotel. You’ll be free for the rest of the day. Explore the hotel’s vicinity and try Turkish coffee at a local cafe. Accommodation in Istanbul

(Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included)

After breakfast, we’ll start our Istanbul tour at 08:45 am. First, we will visit the great Hagia Sofia (Saint So, built by the emperor Justinian in the 6th century AD as a church and was later converted into a mosque. Next, we will visit the Topkapı Palace, a giant walled complex from where Ottoman sultans ruled their great empire for more than 420 years. Afterward, we will visit the Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Mosque)  17th-century Ottoman mosque famous for its six minarets and magnificent interior with blue tiles.

Then, we’ll explore the Hippodrome Square which was used as a meeting place and for chariot races during the Byzantine period. Here, we will see the Serpent Column brought from Delphi, the Egyptian Obelisk, and the German Fountain of Wilhelm In the afternoon you can get an optional half-day Bosphorus Cruise tour. Accommodation in Istanbul. 

(Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included)

Today, we will depart early for Çanakkale. Pick-up will be between 6:15 am - 6:45 am from your hotel. We will drive to the Gallipoli Peninsula for about 4 hours to visit one of the most important sites of World War I.

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.  We see The original trenches and tunnels where the bloodiest and most dramatic scenes of the Dardanelles wars took place and the bayonet wars were fought hand in hand.

At the end of the tour, we’ll drive to Çanakkale. Overnight stay in Çanakkale

(Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included)

After breakfast, we’ll head to the ancient city of Troia or Troy, the real-life location of the legendary Trojan War described in Homer's Iliad. Next, we will visit the legendary Pergamon, the capital of the Kingdom of Pergamon Kings in 282-133 BC. We will visit the Acropolis, the administrative center of the city, the Temple of Zeus, Dionysus, Athena, Demeter, and the famous Pergamon Library of 200,000 rolls. The Altar of Zeus, excavated during the Pergamon (Bergama) excavations, is now on display at the Pergamonmuseum in Berlin. The Great Theatre of Pergamon here is the world's steepest theater and could entertain up to 10,000 spectators in ancient times.

we’ll drive to Kuşadası. Dinner and accommodation in Kuşadası. 

(Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included)

Today, we’ll immerse ourselves in the history of ancient Ephesus.

Ephesus is a World Heritage site and the most beautiful ancient city of the Ionia region. After seeing the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, we will visit the ancient city of Ephesus. You will feel the fascinating atmosphere of Ephesus as you walk on Curetes Street and see the ruins of the 25,000-capacity Grand Theater, the State Agora, the magnificent Celsus Library, the Odeon, Temesos, Prytaneion, Magnesia Gate, Grotto of the Seven Sleepers, and the Harbour of Ephesus. Our next stop will be the House of the Virgin Mary, a Christian pilgrimage site where the Virgin Mary spent her last years.

Finally, we will visit the former Greek and Ottoman Sirince village, famous for its fruit wines. Carpet weaving has long traditions in Turkey and in this carpet village, we’ll learn how the carpets are made by hand and what determines their value. End of the tour.Accommodation in Kuşadası

(Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included)

After breakfast firstly we will enjoy a display of locally handcrafted leather goods. Then drive to Pamukkale (220 km).

We’ll have a lunch break. Visit Hierapolis ruins, where we will see the Gate of Domitian, the Arcadian Street, the ancient 2nd-century Roman Theater, the Nymphaion, the Temple of Apollo, the Plutonium, and the Necropolis. We will pass through the Roman Gate, admire the ancient Pamukkale Theater, and walk around the grave monuments built to honor heroes. Afterward, we will have a relaxing walk on the travertine terraces and have a chance to swim in the Ancient Cleopatra Pools (at extra cost). End of the tour. Overnight stay in a thermal hotel in Pamukkale

(Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included)

After breakfast, we will drive to Cappadocia via the ancient Silk Road route. On the way, we’ll give a break in the city of Konya to have lunch and visit the Mevlana Museum which houses the tomb of the great 13th-century Persian poet and founder of the Order of the Whirling Dervishes, Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Balkhi, also known as Rumi, and the Alaeddin Mosque, which was built on Alaeddin Hill during the Seljuk period. Along the ancient Silk Road, we will also visit the Sultanhanı Caravanserai. After our visits, we will continue on our way to Cappadocia.

Dinner and accommodation in Cappadocia

(Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included)

Today, we will start our tour with a visit to the Underground City and Göreme Open Air Museum, which is home to a large monastery complex with dozens of monasteries, each of which has its church, offering some of the best examples of Byzantine art. The churches carved into the rock feature paintings and frescoes from the tenth to the thirteenth century, whose colors still retain their original freshness. Next, we will visit Paşabağı Valley located on a vineyard on Zelve road. Some of the mushroom-shaped rock formations here are several meters high. Fairy chimneys shaped by erosion for many years were used as houses by various religious groups, therefore it is also known as the Monks Valley. Afterward, we will visit the Devrent Valley, which offers a reddish moon view looks like a movie set and is famous for its rock formations resembling different animal figures.

End of the tour. Return to our hotel. Overnight stay in Cappadocia.

*Optional Turkish Folklore Night featuring, traditional folklore and belly dancing shows in a cave music hall. (extra cost)

(Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included)

Departing from Cappadocia in the morning, we pass the Tekir plateau and proceed towards Mount Nemrut. ( Distance 580 Km ) Our first stop along the way is the Seljuk Karatay Caravanserai. Seljuk Sultan II. It was completed in 1240 during the time of Gıyâseddîn-Keyhüsrev. It is one of the most beautiful caravanserais of the Silk Road. Stop for lunch on the way.

We continue to the Severus (Cendere) Bridge in the ancient city of Arsemia in Kahta and the Karakuş Tumulus where members of the Commagene royal family are buried. After an arduous climb, we will reach the house of gods on the summit of the mysterious and magnificent Mt. Nemrut. We will see the Zeus, Apollon, Heracles, Antiochus, Commagene, Eagle, and Lion sculptures on the eastern terrace of the Nemrut summit. The tumulus of the Commagene King Antiochus I is at the top. We will see the altars and sculptures on the western terrace as well. It is impossible not to be impressed by the magnificent view and the beauty of the colossal statues.

We will return to Adıyaman after enjoying the sunset views on top of Mt. Nemrut. Dinner and accommodation in Adıyaman. 

(Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included)

Today we drive to Sanliurfa from Cappadocia ( 590 Km) We will see the Atatürk dam, the largest in Turkey. After a short break, we go to Göbekli Tepe, predating Stonehenge by some 12.000 years, some believe it is the site of the world's oldest temple. Lunch will be in the Sanliurfa center. afterward visit the Harran, a village of Mud-Brick "beehive" houses mentioned in the book of Genesis where Abraham spent the last years of his life. We will visit the ruins of Harran including the city walls, the first Islamic university, and the castle dated to the eighteenth century.

We then drive back to Sanliurfa. Visiting Mevlid-i Halil Mosque, the Prophet Abraham Cave, and the Pools of the Holy Carp surrounding it, Ayn-el Zeliha Lake, (the pit where the Prophet Abraham was thrown into the fire) then wander around the oriental covered bazaar. Dinner and accommodation in Sanliurfa

(Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included)

After breakfast from Şanlıurfa, we go to Gaziantep, the largest and most modern industrial and agricultural city in the Southeastern region of Turkey. Zeugma Mosaic Museum is the largest Mosaic Museum in the world. The famous 'Gypsy Girl' mosaic is exhibited in this museum. It also showcases hundreds of magnificent floor and wall mosaics discovered in the Roman settlement of Belkıs - Zeugma before the Birecik Dam flooded most of the site. After lunch with Gaziantep's famous local dishes and delicious baklavas, we fly to Istanbul from Gaziantep airport. Then transfer to Istanbul hotel.  Accommodation in Istanbul

(Breakfast  included)

After breakfast, you will be transferred to Istanbul Airport for your onward flight. Hope to see you on another Turkiye holiday.