Turkey is surrounded by three large bodies of water: The Black Sea, the Aegean, and the Mediterranean. For thousands of years, the peoples of this remarkable land who wished to reach other places had to go over the mountains, through high passes, and sail along the coast where mountains dip their feet into the blue waters of the sea.

We will trace the steps of the Roman emperors in the cities that they built in their names and see what they were after in the fertile lands of Anatolia where the Turkish villages now harvest the riches of the land. We will breath the air of Tarsus, Perge, Caesareia, Miletus, and Ephesus where St. Paul preached and lived.

We will swim in the clear blue waters of the Mediterranean where raging pirates could only be stopped by fortresses of stone. We will experience the beauty of Turkey and her people; a place you will not soon forget.

Tour Dates

Dates have not been set for 2005

The cost of this tour is $1,920.
See below for details

Reserve seats on any Melitour without obligation.

Arrival Suggestions:

US citizens need a visa to travel in Turkey. You may obtain this visa upon your arrival at the Istanbul airport. The fee is $100 in US currency. The visa is valid for three months.

We can arrange individual transfers from the airport to the hotel. Please let us know your arrival information. Look for a MELITOUR sign at the departure from the customs area at the airport.

If you plan to arrive a few days before the tour to get over jetlag we can reserve a room at Hotel Ayasofya (Single US$50, Double US$70)

We can suggest itineraries for those who want to explore on their own or with a guide before or after the tour. Simply send us an e-mail with your request.

In case of unexpected delay or change of flight, should there be a problem in meeting the person who should be waiting for you at the airport please call Hotel Ayasofya at 0212-51694-46 or take a taxi to Hotel Ayasofya. Your taxi fare will be refunded.

Hotel Ayasofya
Kucuk Ayasofya Mahallesi
Demirci Resit Sokak
Sultan Ahmet Meydani Alti

Itinerary

Day 1

Meet in the lobby of Hotel Ayasofya at 5:00 PM for a short meeting
Visit the Blue Mosque
Dinner
Overnight at Hotel Ayasofya, an old Ottoman house recently renovated to an excellent condition located within walking distance to all the must see places in Istanbul.

Day 2

The tour starts at 8:30 AM at Hotel Ayasofya
Visit the Byzantine Cistern and The Turkish Islamic Art Museum.
After lunch visit St Sophia the grandest standing monument from 1500 years before our time.
Visit Topkapi Palace to get a taste of the Ottoman Empire
Excellent introduction to delicious Turkish Food at the Blue House.
Overnight at Hotel Ayasofya

Day 3

Visit the Archaelogical museum which received the best Museum of Europe award
Lunch at Turkistan Restaurant near the Hippodrome
Visit the Covered Bazaar.
Dinner at Kumkapi typical sea food restaurants where gypsy musicians add to the ambiance
Overnight at Hotel Ayasofya

Day 4

Visit the Spice Market where the precious goods of the Silk road found clients from the other side of the Old world, Europe.
Visit Chora Church /Mosque to see the Byzantine mosaics from the 11th and 12th century. This site has the most exquisite mosaics and frescoes of its era describing the theology of the orthodox world.
Lunch at an old Ottoman villa, Asitane
After lunch spend some time at the 19th century quarter of Istanbul and enjoy Pera Palas Caffee where Agatha Christie wrote her book "Murder On The Orient Express"
Cruise the Bosphorous by our private boat
Dinner on the Asian side of Istanbul
Leave for Ankara
Overnight on the train. The night train cars have recently been renewed. Passengers will have their luggage with them in their two person compartments.
There are showers (one shower for 10 compartments).
Breakfast is served in the elegance of the "Orient Express"
The train leaves at 10:30 PM and arrives in Ankara the next day at 7:30 AM

Day 5

Breakfast on the train.
In Ankara, visit the most beautiful museum in Turkey, the Anatolian Civilization Museum. This 15th century building contains displays of 23 civilizations going back over 2 million years.
After lunch visit the Mausoleum of Ataturk, the father of the Turks.
4 1/2 hour bus ride to Cappadocia.
Overnight at Green Motel

Day 6

In Cappadocia the Creator and man has competed to create the most unusual and the most beautiful. Enjoy the moon like terrain of Cappadocia with endless forms of work of art. The colors of the frescoes of the 1,200 year old churches are just as fresh as the colors of the carpets woven in the region.
The rock formations are just as striking as the local pottery made of the clay obtained from the old river beds. Morning - easy hike to Zelve to see the 10th and 11th century churches, monasteries and houses carved in the rocks.

Visit villagers at their rock dwellings. Visit the astonishing Goreme monastery to see how each monk interpreted, in their wall paintings, the history of Christianity. St Paul visited the region, Ceaseria, to pass the word of God in his first missionary journey. As you visit the colorful "churches" of Cappadocia, you will have no doubt in your mind that what is surrounding you in forms of thrilling art form buried in nature, are the ideas and teachings of St. Paul that had sprouted into the lifestyle of the Cappadocians for two thousand years. Visit the carpet cooperative to learn more about the Turkish Carpets which are inseparable part of the Turkish life
Dinner and overnight at Green Motel

Day 7

Leave Cappadocia at 7:30 AM.
Visit the underground city in Kaymakli. The giant ant hole like underground refuge of the Christians explains clearly how difficult it must have been to be a Christian hiding away from the 2nd Century Roman Persecution.

Drive over the beautiful Toros mountains The grandeur of the mountans explains why they are called ''toro'' the bull traditional symbol of power. The road will take you through the Cillician Gates mentioned in the Bible into the city where St Paul was born. The strategic location of the city caught in between the Toros Mountains and the Mediterranean stands as a living witness to the number of civilizations that have passed through this rich town. Alexander the Great, the Persians and the Romans all left their marks in the city and the vicinity of the town. But certainly the most important memory of the city lies in the fact that Saul or St Paul was born in Tarsus. Visit the Pompei of Anatolia, Pompeipolis. In this city, the remains of the older Soloi superimposed with the impressive Roman aquaducts, baths and temples will make it easy to picture what the cities were like at the time of St. Paul.
Overnight at Tasucu.

Day 8

Drive by the Mediterranean.
Visit Anemurium Castle which was built in the 3rd Century AD. This fortress, which is in a remarkable good condition, stands as a monument to the conflict between the fierce pirates of the Eastern Mediterranean and the endless resistance of the land people who wanted to protect the riches of their lands from the invaders from the sea.

Today will be the longest bus ride. But driving through banana orchards and the white sand beaches along the Mediterranean might make this six hour drive tolarable.
Overnight at Alanya

Day 9

Today we will have a later departure. This will give you enough time, either to swim or to go to the castle and take pictures there. On the way to Antalya. visit the ancient city of Side, one of the most important cities of Pamphylia region with its amphitheater, stadium, Temple of Apollo and the agora.

Continue driving to visit the best preserved theater of the ancient world at Aspendos. Visit the ancient site of Perge, where St.Paul preached during his 2nd missionary journey. We will try to picture how Paul and Barnabas were thought to be God and the messenger of God!

To give the tour members a break from the group feeling tonight the dinner is NOT included in the price of the tour. On Day 8 and 9 the group will split in half and will experience a Turkish bath.
Overnight at Antalya. In this beautiful Meditteranean city we will stay at a 200 year old renevated house, Atelya Pansion.

Day 10

Today will be a vacation from our vacation. We will sail and enjoy swimming in the warm waters of the Mediterranean. The delicious lunch served on board will add to the relaxation of the day. The joy of the evening will be to experience a Turkish Bath
Tonight the dinner is NOT included in the price of the tour.
Overnight at Atelye Pansion

Day 11

Drive to Pamukkale, the most unusual natural phenomena of Turkey.
Visit nomads en route.
Visit the ancient site of Hierapolis. Swim in a natural pool which was a Roman spa. Enjoy feeling the roman ruins under your feet while soaking in the bubbling waters of the pool giving you a feeling of being in a champagne bottle.
Overnight at Pamukkale, Yoruk Motel

Day 12

Drive to Selcuk. Along the way visit the ancient sites of Didyma and Miletos, Didyma is an oracle center dedicated to Apollo and it was the third largest temple of its time. This 3rd Century BC monument is the best standing building of its age. Miletos as mentioned in Acts 20 is where St. Paul left his homeland, Anatolia, in his sail boat Teckla. St. Paul taught the elders of Ephesus one of the best teachings of Christ "Giving is more blessed than taking."

Tonight Kusadasi offers a great variety of restaurants so we will not include dinner in the tour. The dinner will be on your own.
Overnight at Kusadasi.

Day 13

Visit the ancient site of Ephesus, the Ephesus Museum and the house of the Virgin Mother. Ephesus is the biggest Roman excavation in Turkey. The grand avenues and intact social buildings help one build the city in their imagination with not too much effort. When one walks in the theater which had a seating capacity oif 24,000 people, the sounds of the mad Ephesians led by Demitrius, the silversmith, can almost be heard. According to Acts 19 St Paul who had visited Ephesus twice was never given an opportunity to speak in this theater when the Ephesians were reminded that St Paul and his teachings were a threat to the way they made their living. So Paul wrote everything he had to say to the Ephesians in his letters. Thus Ephesus is mentioned not only in the Acts but there is a chapter in the Bible named the ''Epistle of Apostle Paul to the Ephesians''
Overnight at Kusadasi

Day 14

The tour is over after breakfast.

Pricing information

The tour price of $1,920 includes the following:

• Transfer from Istanbul airport to Hotel Ayasofya
• Transfer from Kusadasi to the Izmir airport
• All land transportation: train, bus and two boats (Istanbul & Antalya)
• All meals except two dinners in Antalya and one dinner in Kusadasi
• All hotels - a total of 13 nights
• All entrance fees
• An experienced and knowledgeable guide
• Tips for all hotels and resturants
• A Turkish Bath
• Your own personal tour packet and handbook filled with practical travel tips and interesting information about what you will see.
• Unlimited pre-tour consultation and unmatched personal service. I will do my best to prepare for your trip and answer any questions you have.

Not included in the price

• Flights to and from Turkey
• Tip for driver
• Tip for the guide
• Beverages and drinks
• Cancellation insurance

The Hotel Chart

All rooms are double occupancy, all but one with private facilities.