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Brenda Moranx7218
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Eliana Antonx7167
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Carol Mack
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Kateryna Mikhailiuk
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O'Neil Graham
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- Day 1 Welcome to Istanbul Arrive in Istanbul, the only major city set across two continents, shaped by the Bosphorus and a skyline of domes and minarets. You’ll transfer to Canopy by Hilton Istanbul, in the Beyoğlu district, and have time to settle in. If time allows, head out for a first look at the city’s waterfront life, watching ferries cross the strait and taking in views towards the historic peninsula. This evening, meet your Travel Director and your small group for dinner in a local restaurant and begin getting to know the travelers you’ll be exploring with. Locations Visited: Istanbul TR.
- Day 2 Gallipoli, Anzac Cove and Troy Marvel at breathtaking coastal views as you make your way along the shores of the Sea of Marmara to historic Gallipoli. Located in the southern part of East Thrace, it was here that for nine months during the Great War, Anzac troops fought in an in an attempt to gain control of the Dardanelles Strait. Learn more about these events as you visit Anzac Cove and Lone Pine Cemetery. Later, join your group as you head from Eceabat across the sea to Çanakkale before arriving in the historic city of Troy, the focal point of the Trojan War and the backdrop to one of history’s most famous love stories, that of Paris and Helen of Troy, the face that launched 1000 ships. A replica of the mighty Trojan horse, which helped the Greeks capture the city in 1200 B.C., can be seen beside the city’s walls. Locations Visited: Istanbul TR, Gallipoli TR, Troy TR, Çanakkale TR.
- Day 3 Izmir Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience at Copmadam, a women's co-op turning recycled materials into unique items, and addressing women's employment issues. After some time exploring, continue your journey to Izmir, where you will stop for a Farm-to-Table lunch at Nif Bağları, a family-owned wine producer. Explore the four acres of crop fields, nestled amidst picturesque surroundings before continuing your journey to the coastal resort of Izmir. Locations Visited: Çanakkale TR, Ayvalik TR, Izmir TR.
- Day 4 Ancient Ephesus Start your morning with a trip to the nearby town of Selçuk. Home to the House of the Virgin Mary and the Temple of Artemis, you’ll begin with an educational visit to the Archaeological Museum. Once here, delve into the area’s history as you explore the museum’s exhibits, many of which have been retrieved from the nearby Ephesus excavation site. Later, explore the famous site itself. Walk through the colonnaded Arcadian Way, see the Library of Celsus and the huge Amphitheater, before visiting the House of the Virgin Mary, situated above the Ephesus ruins. Locations Visited: Izmir TR, Ephesus TR, Izmir TR.
- Day 5 The Pools of Pamukkale Head to Pamukkale, famous for its mineral-rich thermal waters and chalk-white limestone terraces, explore the area with your Travel Director. See the ruins of the ancient Roman spa city of Hierapolis, founded in 190 B.C. You’ll see the city’s well-preserved theater and its turquoise travertine pools. Later, head to your hotel, the esteemed Doğa Thermal Health & Spa. Take full advantage of its indoor and outdoor thermal pools, steam room and its Turkish bath complex. Locations Visited: Izmir TR, Hierapolis TR, Pamukkale TR.
- Day 6 The Underground City and Cappadocia Today your journey takes you to Urgup, a historic town in the heart of Cappadocia. Visit the 13th-century Sultanhani Caravanserai before exploring the underground city of Saratli. You will recognize this famous area from the striking golden, volcanic landscapes that surround it. Locations Visited: Pamukkale TR, Saratli TR, Cappadocia TR.
- Day 7 The Cappadocia Experience Move on to Göreme, a striking town in the Cappadocia region of Turkey. Early risers may choose an Optional Experience to watch the sunrise as hot air balloons lift off and drift above the valleys. Explore Göreme’s rock-hewn churches decorated with ancient wall paintings before moving on to the Paşabağ Valley. Located on the road to Zelve, you’ll find otherworldly earth pillars here, ‘fairy chimneys’ and troglodyte dwellings. Later, join a Cappadocian local who has lived in the city for decades and take a tour of their cave house. You’ll learn more about their unique way of living, local traditions and family life. Complementing the day’s events, this evening you'll witness a performance of the Whirling Dervishes before dining at a local restaurant. Locations Visited: Cappadocia TR, Göreme TR, Uchisar TR, Cappadocia TR.
- Day 8 Ankara One for art lovers, this morning, you’ll learn about the art of pottery making in Avanos. A town based in Cappadocia, it is famous for its earthenware pottery. Continue your journey to Ankara, where you’ll visit the Hittite Museum and the Mausoleum of Atatürk, Turkey's greatest modern leader and the first President of the Republic of Turkey. Perhaps relax in the spa and wellness center at your hotel this evening. Locations Visited: Cappadocia TR, Ankara TR.
- Day 9 To Istanbul It’s time to head to Istanbul, a glorious fusion of East and West where Byzantine splendor meets Ottoman elegance and contemporary energy. This afternoon, set out on a traditional cruise along the Bosphorus, the storied strait that links the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara and divides Europe from Asia. Glide past waterside yalıs, domed mosques and palace façades of Istanbul’s skyline. Your evening is at leisure. Locations Visited: Ankara TR, Istanbul TR.
- Day 10 Istanbul and the Ottoman Empire Take in the sights of Istanbul, beginning with the historic Blue Mosque and the Hippodrome, once the heart of imperial Constantinople where chariot races drew roaring crowds. Explore Hagia Sophia with Insight Choice. Choose between the Hagia Sophia History Digital Experience for an immersive journey through the landmark’s layered past or alternatively, visit Hagia Sophia, built in A.D. 537 and famed for its vast dome. Continue to Topkapi Palace, dramatically poised above the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn, then step into the Grand Bazaar, a labyrinth of lanes where centuries-old trading traditions live on in glittering textiles, ceramics and spices. In the evening, join your fellow travelers for dinner at a local restaurant. Locations Visited: Istanbul TR.
- Day 11 Farewell Istanbul It’s time to say goodbye to your new friends, as your trip comes to an end. A transfer will take you to the airport for your onward flights, or for those extending their stay in Istanbul, speak to your Travel Director for tips and tricks on where to head. Locations Visited: Istanbul TR.
Name: Wonders of Turkey - Classic Group, Summer
Brand: Insight
Quality: Superior First Class
Tour Type: Escorted
Start City: Istanbul
End City: Istanbul
Location Summary: Istanbul, TR
Gallipoli, TR
Troy, TR
Çanakkale, TR
Ayvalik, TR
Izmir, TR
Ephesus, TR
Hierapolis, TR
Pamukkale, TR
Saratli, TR
Cappadocia, TR
Göreme, TR
Uchisar, TR
Ankara, TR
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Highlights
- Dining Summary - 7 Dinner (D). 10 Breakfast (B). 1 Lunch (L).
- Well-being - Enjoy the comfort of Insight's luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom. Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.. Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day..
- Additional Included Highlights - Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.. Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.. We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.. From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.. Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).. If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport..
- Authentic Dining - Istanbul: Begin your travels savoring traditional flavors over dinner at a local restaurant.. Izmir: Share a Farm-to-table lunch at Nif Bağları, a family-owned wine producer in the foothills near Izmir. Walk through the vines and learn how the land is used, then sit down to seasonal dishes made with produce grown on the property, served in the vineyard setting.. Cappadocia: Experience a Sema ceremony performed by the whirling dervishes, part of the Mevlevi Sufi tradition. You’ll watch the ritual unfold through music, movement and costume, in a form of worship still practised across Turkey today.. Istanbul: Toast the culmination of your travels during dinner at a local restaurant..
- Top Rated Highlights - Gallipoli: Visit ANZAC Cove on the Gallipoli Peninsula, the landing site for Australian and New Zealand forces on 25 April 1915. The site remains the focus of ANZAC Day commemorations, including the dawn service held here each year.. Troy: Visit this ancient sight fabled to have been destroyed over love and view the huge reconstructed Trojan Horse.. Ephesus: Visit the Archaeological museum housing many of the artifacts from Ephesus.. Ephesus: Explore the Ephesus Archaeological Museum and come face to face with the objects found at the site. You’ll see sculptures from the Temple of Artemis, mosaics from private homes and everyday items that show how the city once lived.. Ephesus: Walk through Ephesus with a Local Expert, following the Arcadian Way into the heart of the Roman city. You’ll stand before the Library of Celsus, take in the scale of the amphitheater and visit the House of the Virgin Mary, set in the hills above the ruins.. Pamukkale: Walk along the travertine pools at Pamukkale, where thermal waters have created white limestone terraces across the hillside. You’ll see how the calcium-rich water continues to shape the formations, leaving new deposits as it flows.. Konya: Step inside the Sultanhani Caravanserai, built in 1229 to support traders and travelers crossing the Anatolian plain. See how the space was designed for overnight shelter, with stables, storerooms and a central courtyard still intact.. Saratli: Explore the underground city of Saratlı, where tunnels, rooms and passageways were carved out to provide shelter and storage. You’ll walk through the lower levels and see how early communities built out daily life below ground.. Göreme: Explore the rock-cut churches of Göreme, carved into the soft volcanic rock of Cappadocia. Inside, you’ll see early Christian frescoes that have survived for centuries, offering a close look at how communities once lived and worshipped here.. Avanos: Visit a pottery studio in Avanos, a town on the Kızılırmak River with a clay-working tradition that dates back to Hittite times. Watch how red river clay is prepared and shaped at the wheel, and follow the stages as each piece is formed, dried and decorated.. Ankara: Visit Anıtkabir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of modern Turkey and the Republic’s first President. You’ll walk through the ceremonial complex and enter the Hall of Honor, observing how the architecture and setting underline his role in the country’s modern history.. Istanbul: Cruise along the Bosphorus, the strait that links the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara. You’ll watch ferries, fishing boats and cargo ships share the waterway and see how Istanbul’s districts line both banks, built around this route between Europe and Asia.. Istanbul: Explore Istanbul’s historic peninsula with your Local Expert. You’ll move between the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome and the former palace complex of Topkapi, tracing how the city shifted from Byzantine Constantinople to the Ottoman capital while life continues in the surrounding streets and markets..
- Make Travel Matter - Ayvalik: Visit the Copmadam workshop, where one-of-a-kind items are made from recycled packaging, creating employment opportunities for local women. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5: Gender Equality..
- Insight Experiences - Cappadocia: Step inside a traditional cave house and meet a local Cappadocian who has lived there for decades. Hear how the home was shaped, how it has changed over time and what it means to remain rooted in this landscape..
- Insight Choice - Istanbul: An immersive digital experience through the iconic structure's rich past, showcasing its transformation from a Byzantine cathedral to an Ottoman mosque and now a museum, with captivating exhibits and architectural wonders.. Istanbul: Visit Hagia Sophia with your Local Expert. You’ll step beneath the central dome and see how elements from its time as a Byzantine basilica and as an Ottoman mosque share the same interior, reflecting the building’s long and layered history..
- Choice Highlights - Choose between two carefully selected activities. Istanbul: An immersive digital experience through the iconic structure's rich past, showcasing its transformation from a Byzantine cathedral to an Ottoman mosque and now a museum, with captivating exhibits and architectural wonders.. Istanbul: Visit Hagia Sophia with your Local Expert. You’ll step beneath the central dome and see how elements from its time as a Byzantine basilica and as an Ottoman mosque share the same interior, reflecting the building’s long and layered history..
