2005
BORA'S "BEST OF TURKEY' TOURS
16 NIGHTS / 18 DAYS - BORA #A & BORA #I
Day 1 - DEPART USA
Your international Turkish Airlines non-stop direct flight will depart from the United States this evening at 6:00 p.m., arriving in Istanbul the next day before noon and continuing to Ankara the same day.
Day 2 - ANKARA ( Fly )
We will arrive in Ankara, the nation's capital, by plane approximately around 2 p.m. and will proceed to check into a 5-star hotel. The welcome dinner will be at the hotel.
Day 3, 4, 5 - CAPPADOCIA (One of the Natural Wonders of the World)
We will visit the Mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the father of modern Turkey. We will also visit the magnificent Museum of Anatolian Civilizations. We also will visit the costume museum (if it has reopened), the villagers' bazaar and the ancient citadel. We will depart Ankara and turn our sights toward Cappadocia. During the 4-1/2 hour drive we will stop frequently for rest breaks. While in Cappadocia we will enjoy the unique landscapes of wind and rain eroded volcanic rock formations. We will visit the amazing underground churches and cities carved into the rocks by early Christians. We will visit ancient handicraft shops and enjoy whirling dervish ceremony, a folk dance and belly-dancing performance while we wine and dine in an underground cabaret. We will go to the village where the villagers make the world famous Cappadocia dolls. We will have wonderful strolls and go off the "tourist track" visiting small villages and discovering the unknown Cappadocia. While in Çappadocia, we will enjoy an excellent lecture-demonstration on Turkish kilims and carpets.
Our stay will be at the spectacular Cappadocia Cave Suites, these eighteen spacious units each have a Jacuzzi, some have fire places, and five units are two bedrooms. It is the newest and most "luxurious cave living" in Cappadocia. Some units have beautiful 200 year old wooden ceilings and one unit has original 8th century painted frescoes showing the Maltese cross. The views are spectacular with Fairy Chimneys in sight. www.cappadociacavesuites.com. Dinner is taken at the Cave Suites restaurant.
Day 6, 7 - MERSIN
We will visit an underground city while in Cappadocia. While there, we will also visit the beautiful monastery in Gümüsler, the only undestroyed, untouched church frescos in all of Çappadocia from the 12th century. We will cross the beautiful Toros Mountains on the way to Tarsus, the birthplace of St. Paul. We will visit St. Paul's well and check into the 5-star hotel Mersin Hilton overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. The next day we will visit sites such as the castles of Tirtar, Pompeipolis, the amazing chasm and ancient churches in Neopolis, the city of Olba with its well preserved Zeus Temple, the Corycos fortress and the underground church of St. Thecla. We will have a wonderful day of visiting sites unique to our company.
Day 8, 9 - ANTALYA - Turkish Riviera
We will take a long and beautiful drive to Antalya known as the Turkish Riviera. It is a beautiful city snuggled between the Mediterranean Sea and the Toros Mountains. During our stay in Antalya, we will tour the city as well as visit the ruined cities of Aspendos and Perge. Aspendos dates back to the time of the Hittites, yet the only visible remains are left over from the Roman Period. The restored theater at Aspendos is said to be the best in all of Turkey. Perge reached its height under the Romans and Alexander the Great. Today, what remain are the ruins of a great theater, a stadium, and the colonnaded main street. We will stay at the 5-star Dedeman Hotel, which has a beautiful view of the Mediterranean Sea and the mountains.
Day 10 - PAMUKKALE (One of the Natural Wonders of the World) - (Hierapolis)
We will depart Antalya early and drive to Aphrodisias; the city of art dedicated to the Goddess Aphrodite. The marble theater is beautiful and the stadium that seats over 35,000 is immense. After Aphrodisias we will continue our drive to Pamukkale. We will wander among a ruined city and its necropolis (city of the dead) and see many sarcophagi. We will visit the snow like travertines of calcium for which Pamukkale is famous. Pamukkale is one of the Natural Wonders of the world, with strikingly beautiful mineral springs clinging to the hillsides that will amaze you. We will stay at the 5-star Colossae Hotel, which has a hot-Thermal mineral pool for our enjoyment.
Day 11, 12 - IZMIR (Sardis/Ephesus)
Today we will drive to Sardis, where money was first minted. We will see one of the world's oldest synagogues in Sardis, as well as see the excavations, the gymnasium and the Artemis Temple. Then we will drive one hour to Izmir, which is the third largest city in Turkey and a major shipping port. It was built in the 4th century B.C. by the orders of Alexander the Great. It is one of the seven churches of Asia that was mentioned in the Book of Revelations. We will check in to the Best Western hotel.
The next day we will continue our drive to the incredible city of Ephesus and its colossal Greek Theater. This particular theater is still used for performances today. The Marble Road, the Celsus Library, and the Temple of Diana are just a few of the things that we will be seeing. We will also visit the Ephesus Archaeological Museum, as well as the house where the Virgin Mary lived her final days. After the crucifixion of Jesus, St. John brought her to Ephesus.
Day 13 - ÇANAKKALE (Troy)
We will have a scenic 5 hour drive up the Aegean Coast. We will stop in Pergamon to see the Asklepion, an ancient hospital complex. We will then drive to Çanakkale, where we will visit the legendary city of Troy. We will have the opportunity to see a replica of the Trojan Horse. To date nine different Troy's have been discovered; each built one on top of the other. We will have a chance to see this site still in the process of excavation. While in Çanakkale we will stay at the 4-star hotel Akol or the newly built 5-star hotel, which is the best available overlooking the Dardanelle and Gallipoli across the Straits.
Day 14 - BURSA
We will leave the hotel early in the morning and take a 35-minute ferryboat from Çanakkale to the European side where we will visit World War II battle sites and memorials. Later, we will drive to Gallipoli, take another ferry back to the Asian side and continue our 3-1/2 hour drive to Bursa, the ancient Ottoman Empire's first capital. We will visit the Green Mosque and the Green Tomb. Bursa is the major silk production center for all of Turkey. We will have a chance to shop in the famous Silk Bazaar or bathe in the ancient Turkish baths next to our 5-star hotel, the Kevansaray Termal.
Day 15, 16, 17 - ISTANBUL
A drive and a ferry ride will take us to Istanbul. Among the many things we will do in Istanbul is to visit the Military Museum and to enjoy a concert performed in traditional costumes by the world's first established military marching ensemble. Once called Byzantium in the 7th century B.C., the city was renamed to Constantinople in 326 A.D. by Constantine the Great when he moved the capital of the Roman Empire to what is now Istanbul. Istanbul received its current name from Mehmet II in 1453. Istanbul is the only city in the world that spans two continents.
We will also visit several of Turkey's most famous museums and mosques. Topkapi Palace was first built by Mehmet the Conqueror in 1453 and was the home of the Sultan until the 19th century. St. Sophia was built by the Roman Emperor Justinian and was completed in 537 A.D. It was the greatest Christian church in the world for more than 1000 years. We will visit the spice market and the Rüstem pasha mosque with its exceptional tiles. We will also visit the Blue Mosque was which was commissioned by Sultan Ahmet in 1603 and was constructed with the deliberate intention of rivaling the St. Sophia. We will also visit an underground cistern. We will have a final dinner together with lots of live music and entertainment by a gypsy orchestra. Bora will also play his music. Our tours will stay at the 5-star Eresin Topkapi hotel. On the final day in Istanbul we will have a morning Bosphorus cruise in a private boat. The afternoon will be free that will give you a chance to go out on your own and explore. Dinner this evening will be on your own. Suggested museums to visit on the free time are the Cora Church, the Archeology museum and Domabahçe palace.
Please Note: The order of events may vary with each tour due to the closure of various museums on certain days of the week.
Day 18 - DEPART FOR USA
We will depart the hotel shortly after breakfast for our morning flight on Turkish Airlines with our return to the United States the same day.
Day 2 - ANKARA ( Fly )
We will arrive in Ankara, the nation's capital, by plane approximately around 2 p.m. and will proceed to check into a 5-star hotel. The welcome dinner will be at the hotel.
Day 3, 4, 5 - CAPPADOCIA (One of the Natural Wonders of the World)
We will visit the Mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the father of modern Turkey. We will also visit the magnificent Museum of Anatolian Civilizations. We also will visit the costume museum (if it has reopened), the villagers' bazaar and the ancient citadel. We will depart Ankara and turn our sights toward Cappadocia. During the 4-1/2 hour drive we will stop frequently for rest breaks. While in Cappadocia we will enjoy the unique landscapes of wind and rain eroded volcanic rock formations. We will visit the amazing underground churches and cities carved into the rocks by early Christians. We will visit ancient handicraft shops and enjoy whirling dervish ceremony, a folk dance and belly-dancing performance while we wine and dine in an underground cabaret. We will go to the village where the villagers make the world famous Cappadocia dolls. We will have wonderful strolls and go off the "tourist track" visiting small villages and discovering the unknown Cappadocia. While in Çappadocia, we will enjoy an excellent lecture-demonstration on Turkish kilims and carpets.
Our stay will be at the spectacular Cappadocia Cave Suites, these eighteen spacious units each have a Jacuzzi, some have fire places, and five units are two bedrooms. It is the newest and most "luxurious cave living" in Cappadocia. Some units have beautiful 200 year old wooden ceilings and one unit has original 8th century painted frescoes showing the Maltese cross. The views are spectacular with Fairy Chimneys in sight. www.cappadociacavesuites.com. Dinner is taken at the Cave Suites restaurant.Day 6, 7 - MERSIN
We will visit an underground city while in Cappadocia. While there, we will also visit the beautiful monastery in Gümüsler, the only undestroyed, untouched church frescos in all of Çappadocia from the 12th century. We will cross the beautiful Toros Mountains on the way to Tarsus, the birthplace of St. Paul. We will visit St. Paul's well and check into the 5-star hotel Mersin Hilton overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. The next day we will visit sites such as the castles of Tirtar, Pompeipolis, the amazing chasm and ancient churches in Neopolis, the city of Olba with its well preserved Zeus Temple, the Corycos fortress and the underground church of St. Thecla. We will have a wonderful day of visiting sites unique to our company.
Day 8, 9 - ANTALYA - Turkish Riviera
We will take a long and beautiful drive to Antalya known as the Turkish Riviera. It is a beautiful city snuggled between the Mediterranean Sea and the Toros Mountains. During our stay in Antalya, we will tour the city as well as visit the ruined cities of Aspendos and Perge. Aspendos dates back to the time of the Hittites, yet the only visible remains are left over from the Roman Period. The restored theater at Aspendos is said to be the best in all of Turkey. Perge reached its height under the Romans and Alexander the Great. Today, what remain are the ruins of a great theater, a stadium, and the colonnaded main street. We will stay at the 5-star Dedeman Hotel, which has a beautiful view of the Mediterranean Sea and the mountains.
Day 10 - PAMUKKALE (One of the Natural Wonders of the World) - (Hierapolis)
We will depart Antalya early and drive to Aphrodisias; the city of art dedicated to the Goddess Aphrodite. The marble theater is beautiful and the stadium that seats over 35,000 is immense. After Aphrodisias we will continue our drive to Pamukkale. We will wander among a ruined city and its necropolis (city of the dead) and see many sarcophagi. We will visit the snow like travertines of calcium for which Pamukkale is famous. Pamukkale is one of the Natural Wonders of the world, with strikingly beautiful mineral springs clinging to the hillsides that will amaze you. We will stay at the 5-star Colossae Hotel, which has a hot-Thermal mineral pool for our enjoyment.
Day 11, 12 - IZMIR (Sardis/Ephesus)Today we will drive to Sardis, where money was first minted. We will see one of the world's oldest synagogues in Sardis, as well as see the excavations, the gymnasium and the Artemis Temple. Then we will drive one hour to Izmir, which is the third largest city in Turkey and a major shipping port. It was built in the 4th century B.C. by the orders of Alexander the Great. It is one of the seven churches of Asia that was mentioned in the Book of Revelations. We will check in to the Best Western hotel.
The next day we will continue our drive to the incredible city of Ephesus and its colossal Greek Theater. This particular theater is still used for performances today. The Marble Road, the Celsus Library, and the Temple of Diana are just a few of the things that we will be seeing. We will also visit the Ephesus Archaeological Museum, as well as the house where the Virgin Mary lived her final days. After the crucifixion of Jesus, St. John brought her to Ephesus.
Day 13 - ÇANAKKALE (Troy)
We will have a scenic 5 hour drive up the Aegean Coast. We will stop in Pergamon to see the Asklepion, an ancient hospital complex. We will then drive to Çanakkale, where we will visit the legendary city of Troy. We will have the opportunity to see a replica of the Trojan Horse. To date nine different Troy's have been discovered; each built one on top of the other. We will have a chance to see this site still in the process of excavation. While in Çanakkale we will stay at the 4-star hotel Akol or the newly built 5-star hotel, which is the best available overlooking the Dardanelle and Gallipoli across the Straits.
Day 14 - BURSA
We will leave the hotel early in the morning and take a 35-minute ferryboat from Çanakkale to the European side where we will visit World War II battle sites and memorials. Later, we will drive to Gallipoli, take another ferry back to the Asian side and continue our 3-1/2 hour drive to Bursa, the ancient Ottoman Empire's first capital. We will visit the Green Mosque and the Green Tomb. Bursa is the major silk production center for all of Turkey. We will have a chance to shop in the famous Silk Bazaar or bathe in the ancient Turkish baths next to our 5-star hotel, the Kevansaray Termal.
Day 15, 16, 17 - ISTANBUL
A drive and a ferry ride will take us to Istanbul. Among the many things we will do in Istanbul is to visit the Military Museum and to enjoy a concert performed in traditional costumes by the world's first established military marching ensemble. Once called Byzantium in the 7th century B.C., the city was renamed to Constantinople in 326 A.D. by Constantine the Great when he moved the capital of the Roman Empire to what is now Istanbul. Istanbul received its current name from Mehmet II in 1453. Istanbul is the only city in the world that spans two continents.
We will also visit several of Turkey's most famous museums and mosques. Topkapi Palace was first built by Mehmet the Conqueror in 1453 and was the home of the Sultan until the 19th century. St. Sophia was built by the Roman Emperor Justinian and was completed in 537 A.D. It was the greatest Christian church in the world for more than 1000 years. We will visit the spice market and the Rüstem pasha mosque with its exceptional tiles. We will also visit the Blue Mosque was which was commissioned by Sultan Ahmet in 1603 and was constructed with the deliberate intention of rivaling the St. Sophia. We will also visit an underground cistern. We will have a final dinner together with lots of live music and entertainment by a gypsy orchestra. Bora will also play his music. Our tours will stay at the 5-star Eresin Topkapi hotel. On the final day in Istanbul we will have a morning Bosphorus cruise in a private boat. The afternoon will be free that will give you a chance to go out on your own and explore. Dinner this evening will be on your own. Suggested museums to visit on the free time are the Cora Church, the Archeology museum and Domabahçe palace.Please Note: The order of events may vary with each tour due to the closure of various museums on certain days of the week.
Day 18 - DEPART FOR USA
We will depart the hotel shortly after breakfast for our morning flight on Turkish Airlines with our return to the United States the same day.