14Days 11Nights Turkey Summer Sensation

Exceptional Experiences:

 

• The Unspoilt charming port town of Alacati
  Largely undiscovered outside Turkey, Alacati is where many Turks, including several national celebrities, spend their holidays to escape the more touristy scene in Bodrum. 

 

• One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World 
  Bodrum is the site of the ancient city of Halikarnassus, the location of the famous Mausoleum of Halikarnassus - one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. 

 

• Turkey's cotton castle
  Pamukkale is the Aegean Region's gem, an unreal landscape, gift from the nature. The ruins of the ancient city of Hierapolis, the thermal pools, temples and other Greek monuments can be seen at this heritage site. 

 

• Visit the land of fairy tales. 
  Cappadocia is the land of fairy tales, mysterious and enchanting. Just some of the incredible sights waiting to be discovered here are the fairy chimneys, underground cities, hot air balloon tours on this incredible landscape.

 

• Unique stay at the Cappadocia Cave Resort 
  The only spa hotel with cave-therapy rooms overlooking the magnificent and beautiful Red Valley. The unique location offers and uninterrupted panorama highlighted by mesmerising sunrise and sunset vistas of this region.

 

 

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Itinerary:

 

Day 1 : SINGAPORE - ISTANBUL (-/-/-)

Departure from Singapore Changi Airport for your flight to Istanbul, the largest city and seaport of Turkey.

 

Day 2 : ARRIVE ISTANBUL - IZMIR - ALACATI (-/-/-)

Upon arrival at Istanbul, meet by guide and transfer to domestic Airport to take flight to Izmir. Upon arrival, we will drive to city center. Izmir is the third largest city in Turkey with a population of around 4 million, the second biggest port after Istanbul, and a very good transport hub. The fact that almost half of its population of 4 million are under the age of 30, makes İzmir a city full of life. The city hosts tens of thousands of university students, educates scientists, artists, business leaders and academics. It is a rapidly growing city on the Central Aegean coast of Turkey.

We will have free time at Konak Square — Main square of the city center, famous for the clock tower, one of the unique symbols of Izmir. The clock tower was built in 1901. There are also Konak Yali Mosque and Kemeraltı Bazaar located around the square.

Then see the Historical Elevator. It was constructed by a Jewish businessman in 1907. The purpose was to help residents to go to their districts on the top of the hill. The elevator used to work by a water-driven mechanism. Later, it was restored by Izmir Municipality and now it works by electricity. There is a restaurant located on the top of the elevator with a bird-eye view of Izmir.

Next, visit Kemeraltı — A must see big bazaar, where you can buy clothes, presents etc. There are also a lot of lounges where you can sit and enjoy the view.

Thereafter. drive to Alacatı for overnight. After check in hotel, free time at your own leisure. You may have dinner at famous home cook restaurants.

 

Day 3 : ALACATI (B/-/-)

Breakfast at hotel. Then we will do sightseeing at Alacati.

We will visit Kostem Olive Oil Museum. Kostem Olive Oil Museum is the world's largest olive oil museum, also Turkey's second industrial museum. All sections of the museum are waiting for those who are interested in olive and olive oil.

Next, visit Haralambos Church, a 19th century church built in 1832. It is one of the most famous church buildings in Çeşme which was used for Greek Orthodox worship. Out of the 75 churches from ancient times, it is the single one which managed to survive. Exhibitions, seminars and different events are held in the church throughout the summer season.

Thereafter we will visit Pazaryeri Mosque,  Built in 1874 as Greek Orthodox church.After population exchange town was renamed Alacati and church converted to a mosque.

We will also visit Windmill Park. The ancient windmills are indispensable to the Aegean landscape in Turkey, especially around Alaçatı. The whole district was the subject of a comprehensive urban renewal project dating back to 2007. “The Alaçatı Windmills Park and Entrance Square and Promenade Project” by Turkish architects UrbAr was part of this process and foresaw the restoration of the ancient windmills.

Today tour also includes Cesme Castle and Museum. The Cesme Castle was ordered built in 1508 by the Ottoman ruler Beyazit II. The castle was built on the waterfront but because the sea has subsequently been filled there is currently a road passing in front of it. The edifice has recently undergone a successful renovation and you will witness a typical Ottoman castle. By climbing up the stairs on either side you will reach the top where you can view a 360 degree panoramic view of Cesme. As you climb up, you will see two different courtyards where some historical artifacts and tombstones are exhibited. There are also two museums inside the castle; one of them has historical artifacts brought over from the nearby Ionian city of Erythrai (current day Ildir) and the other museum has relics from the three day naval war fought between the Ottomans and Russians.

Drive back to Hotel for overnight.

 

Day 4 : ALACATI - SELCUK - SIRINCE (B/-/-)

Breakfast at hotel.

Thereafter, we will drive to Selcuk. Selcuk Town history dates back to the 6th century AD when the settlers moved to the vicinity of the Basilica of St. John. However, the history of settlement in Selcuk area is much older. It is inextricably linked to the ancient city of Ephesus and the cult of the goddess Artemis.

Archeological work carried out on Ayasoluk Hill showed that it was settled in the early Bronze Age (3000-2000 BC) and in the middle Bronze Age (2000-1500 BC). Pottery fragments also indicate settlements from the Mycenaean, Geometric, and Archaic (1400-560 BC) periods. In the times of the Greek colonization, the hill was known as Apasas.

The oldest name of the city, from the Byzantine period, was Ayios Theologos, because of St. John, who lived in this area and was buried on Ayasoluk Hill. In Ottoman times, the town was known as Ayasoluk (tr. Ayasluğ), and the name Selçuk has been used since 1914. The modern name commemorates the Seljuk Turks that began to invade this area from the 12th century AD

We will visit Ephesus Ancient City.  Ephesus is one of Turkey's major sightseeing attractions. This vast and beautiful Greco-Roman city was once home to 250,000 people, and the glorious monuments that remain point to it being a vibrant and rich metropolis. Supposedly founded by the Ionian prince Androclus in the 10th century BC, Ephesus was not only a center of trade but a great pilgrimage center, with the Temple of Artemis built in worship of the mother goddess. During the Roman era, the city continued to dazzle, and it was only after the Goths destroyed the city in AD 263 that its importance began to wane. Don't miss the mammoth library (3rd largest in the ancient world), the well-preserved theater, and the Temple of Hadrian.

Next, visit Ephesus Museum. After you've finished visiting Ephesus, head straight to this brilliant museum right in the heart of town. Some of the best finds from the ancient city are on display, including an exquisitely carved Artemis statue famous for its multi-breasted depiction of the goddess. The highlight of the museum for most tourists though is the Gladiator Room, with exhibits of the finds from the gladiator cemetery excavation and information panels that explain gladiator life in the golden days of the city.

Also include in the visit is the Basilica of St. John, his citadel-like basilica once occupied the whole breadth of the hill it sits on and was ranked with the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople (now the Aya Sofya) as one of the Byzantine Empire's largest churches. According to tradition, the grave of St. John is under the church. Originally, a mausoleum with a domed roof borne on four columns was built over the grave, but the Emperor Justinian replaced this simple monument with a three-aisled basilica on a Latin-cross plan boasting six domed roofs. Including the narthex at the western end and the arcaded courtyard, the basilica was 130 meters long and 40 meters wide. After the Seljuks captured Ephesus in 1130, the church was converted into a mosque and later served as a bazaar until it was finally destroyed by an earthquake.

Our last visit is Sirince Village. Upon arrival Sirince Village, we will check in the hotel and enjoy some free time at leisure on your own.

Overnight at Sirince Village

 

Day 5 : SIRINCE - BODRUM (B/-/-)

Breakfast at hotel.

Then we will drive to Bodrum. Bodrum is the site of the ancient city of Halikarnassus, the location of the famous Mausoleum of Halikarnassus (built after 353 BCE) - one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Unfortunately, the ancient monument was destroyed by earthquakes in the Middle Ages - some of the remnants can be seen in London's British Museum.

According to Herodotus, born B.C. 484 in Halikarnassus (ancient name for Bodrum), the city was founded by the Dorians. Megarans enlarged the city B.C. 650 and changed its name to Halikarnassus, and then Persians started to rule the city from B.C. 386. Halikarnassus had its glorious days, when it was the capital of the Karia B.C. 353. One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Mausoleum, was built there by Artemisia for the memory of King Mausolos. After the Roman and Byzantium rule for ages, Ottomans have conqured the city in 1522, during the time of Suleyman, The Magnificent. The city was named "Bodrum" after the Turkish Republic was declared.

We will visit Bodrum Castle/Castle of St Peter (Bodrum Kalesi), Tu-Su. Built from 1402 by the Knights Hospitaller, the Castle is easily the most prominent landmark in the city. The castle now operates as a museum, with the focus on the Museum of Underwater Archaeology (see below). It is one of the world's best preserved monuments dating back to medieval times. The supervision of the construction of the castle was assigned to the German architect Heinrich Schlegelholt, so that the latest developments in castle design were included. The views from the castle are spectacular.

Windmills in Bodrum, were used from the mid 18th century until the 70s as a means to grind flour. Seven windmills can be found on a hill between Bodrum and Gumbet, at the road to Turgutreis and a lot of windmills can be found around the former fishing port Yalikavak. The Karakaya Village, a 300 year old town is one of the oldest settlements in the Bodrum peninsula, situated close to Gumusluk. While half of the village is abandoned, owners of the other half restored their houses to its original look. This village has windmills from the 18th century as well.

After touring, transfer to hotel for overnight.

 

Day 6 : BODRUM - APHRODISIAS - PAMUKKALE (B/-/-)

Breakfast at hotel.

Then we will drive to Pamukkale.

We will visit Aphrodisias, was a small ancient Greek Hellenistic city in the historic Caria cultural region of western Anatolia, Turkey. the site consists of two components: the archaeological site of Aphrodisias and the marble quarries northeast of the city. The temple of Aphrodite dates from the 3rd century BC and the city was built one century later. The wealth of Aphrodisias came from the marble quarries and the art produced by its sculptors. The city streets are arranged around several large civic structures, which include temples, a theatre, an agora and two bath complexes.

Then we will drive to Pamukkale. Pamukkale is deriving from springs in a cliff almost 200 m high overlooking the plain, calcite-laden waters have created at Pamukkale (Cotton Palace) an unreal landscape, made up of mineral forests, petrified waterfalls and a series of terraced basins. At the end of the 2nd century B.C. the dynasty of the Attalids, the kings of Pergamon, established the thermal spa of Hierapolis. The ruins of the baths, temples and other Greek monuments can be seen at the site.

After touring, transfer to hotel for overnight.

           

Day 7 : PAMUKKALE - ANTALYA  (B/-/-)

Breakfast at hotel.

Then depart to Antalya.

We will visit Aspendos Theater. The ancient city of Aspendos is located in Southern Turkey, in the ancient Pamphylia region by the Eurymedon (Köprüçay) river. The acropolis lies about 60 m. above sea level and sits on a flat-topped hill with many surviving monuments including the Nymphaeum, Basilica, Market Building and Odeion.

The Eurymedon used to be a navigable river and gave access to the city. This was the main reason for the city‟s prosperity. Both the archaeological remains and the historical sources confirm that Aspendos had entered upon the stage of ancient world events by the 5th  century BC with the arrival of the Persians to Pamphylia and that it continued to retain its importance until, and after, Alexander‟s control of Asia Minor. The site is visited by approximately 400.000 people every year, mainly because of its magnificent Roman theatre. “This is not like anything that I ever saw before.” This is how the British archaeologist David George Hogarth had described the Aspendos Theatre in 1909 in a paragraph which continues as follows: “You may have seen the amphitheatres in Italy, France, Dalmatia and Africa; temples in Egypt and Greece; the palaces in Crete; you may be sated with antiquity or scornful of it. But you have not seen the theatre of Aspendos.”

Aspendos houses the best preserved ancient theatre of the world. In addition, this richly decorated monument bears the traces of different historic periods including the Roman and the Seljuk periods. It was initially built during the reign of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, between 160-180 A.D.  The inscription on the western entrance wall records that the architect was Zenon

Then we will have free time at old town and harbor.

After touring, transfer to hotel for overnight.

 

Day 8 : ANTALYA - DOMESTIC FLIGHT TO KAYSERI - CAPPADOCIA  (B/-/-)

Breakfast at hotel.

Free time till check out time. Then transfer to Airport to take flight to Kayseri via Istanbul.

Upon arrival Kayseri, drive to Cappadocia and check in hotel.

Overnight at Cappadocia.

 

Day 9 : CAPPADOCIA  (B/-/-)

Breakfast at hotel.

Then we will drive to Ihlara Valley. Ihlara Valley (often misspelled as Ilhara Valley), near Mount Hasan and Mount Melendiz (two of the three volcanoes of Cappadocia) is a canyon with a depth of approximately 100m and was formed by the Melendiz River thousands of years ago. It begins at Ihlara village and ends with Selime Monastery at Selime village after making 26 bends along 14 kilometers. If you are interested, we can do trekking as well.

It is believed that the valley housed more than four thousand dwellings and a hundred cave churches decorated with frescoes. Around eighty thousand people once lived in Ihlara Valley.

Thereafter, we will visit Derinkuyu Underground City. Derinkuyu is the deepest excavated underground city in Cappadocia in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey. A beautiful natural wonder with impressive fairy chimneys and eroded caverns, Cappadocia is an amazing geological spectacle. It is also riddled with extensive subterranean dwellings and secret tunnel passages that various people utilized for shelter across the centuries. There are hundreds of these homes in the region, and Derinkuyu is the most famous. At a depth of more than 250 feet with a capacity of up to 20,000 people, this multi-leveled city contained everything an entire population would need to survive a history riddled with invasions.

After touring, transfer to hotel for overnight.

 

Day 10 : CAPPADOCIA (B/-/-)

Breakfast at hotel.

We will have Full Day city tour. We will visit Goreme Open Air Museum, Pasabag Valley, Love Valley, Pigeon Valley, Local Cave House, 3 Beauties and Love Valley.

After the city tour, you will have some free time for optional activities.

 

Day 11 : CAPPADOCIA - FLIGHT TO ISTANBUL  (B/-/-)

Breakfast at hotel.

Then drive to airport to take domestic flight to Istanbul.

Arrive Istanbul and transfer to hotel for overnight.

 

Day 12 : ISTANBUL (B/-/-)

Breakfast at hotel.

We will have Full Day city tour of Istanbul. Our tour is start from Taksim Square. We will walk all Istiklal Street. Istiklal Street is the liveliest and the most colorful street of Istanbul. The street has been pedestrianized since 1988 and for over 150 years has been the center of the nightlife of the city. Hundreds of bars and clubs shake this downtown area in the evenings. During daylight, İstiklal is home to many historical embassy buildings, fancy hotels, apartment buildings, streets, theaters, restaurants, shops. From Taksim Square, you will stroll on the exiting little side streets of Istiklal Street, sit in one of the intriguing coffee shops and talk with your guide, see the amazing Embassy buildings, visit Armenian and Romaic churches, ancient districts, impressive walkways and much more.

 Stop at Galata Tower. Galata Tower is a medieval stone tower in the Galata/Karaköy quarter of Istanbul, Turkey, just to the north of the Golden Horn's junction with the Bosphorus. One of the city's most striking landmarks, it is a high, cone-capped cylinder that dominates the skyline and offers a panoramic vista of Istanbul's historic peninsula and its environs.

Then, take public ferry to Asian Side and continue to FD tour with Kadikoy Town. Explore Kadikoy and taste many kind food in there.

Then, drive back to hotel for overnight.

 

Day 13 : ISTANBUL DEPARTURE (B/-/-)

Breakfast at hotel. Free till check out time. then transfer to airport for your flight back home.

 

Day 14 : ARRIVE SINGAPORE (-/-/-)

 

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• Proposed Flight on Singapore Airlines
  • SINGAPORE/ISTANBUL       SQ 392        01:45/07:45
  • ISTANBUL /SINGAPORE      SQ 391        13:30/05:00+1

Package Includes:

• 11-nights accommodation
• Transportation in either minibus or coach (depending on group size) with dedicated driver.
• An English-speaking licensed guide
• Tour and Meal as per itinerary

 

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