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TURKEY TOUR #5 - 6
DAYS, 7 NIGHTS |
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Budget Turkey tours by the reputable travel agency of
Turkey
This package tour is available departing from Istanbul everyday. |
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EPHESUS, PAMUKKALE, ANTALYA, CAPPADOCIA TOUR
FROM ISTANBUL (BY BUS) |
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ITINERARY |
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DAY 1 : ISTANBUL > KUSADASI |
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This tour package will start with an overnight bus ride to
Kusadasi by new model, air-conditioned coach. Bus ride is especially
recommended for people who also want to see the wonderful land panorama
of Turkey along the way. Besides this will save you from the cost of 1
night hotel accommodation. Tour buses have flexible seats and you can
sleep comfortably during the journey. There will be several stop-over points at some
highway cafe-restaurants for various needs.
Transfer to bus at around 20:00
o'clock pm from our
office in Sultanahmet.
PS:
The departure time may change slightly depending on season
but you will be informed of exact departure time after you
make your reservation.
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DAY
2 : EPHESUS TOUR |
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Get ready to visit the city which once held one of the seven
wonders of ancient times.
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Besides
being a popular summer resort, Kusadasi is also a major
base for visiting many neighborhood ancient sights. |
Your bus will arrival to Kusadasi early in the
morning and you will be transferred to Ephesus tour:
Full day tour of Ephesus and House of Virgin Mary,
including transfers, entrance fees, guide.
Lunch during the tour is included.
Where you visit:
Ephesus - Enter through the Magnesia Gate and begin a
slow, downhill walk with your guide into the ruins of this
Roman provincial capital. Your route takes you past the
Odeum, the Celsus Library, the Temple of Hadrian, the
Fountain of Trajan and the Great Theater. The Theater had
seating for 25,000, was the site where St. Paul preached to
the Ephesians, and is used today for a local spring
festival.
House of the Virgin Mary - The Vatican has recognized
this small house in the Solmissos Mountains as the final
resting place of the Virgin Mary. A small shrine dedicated
to St. Mary was found when the ruins of the house were first
discovered.
What you see along the way: From
Kusadasi, you travel north to St. Johns Basilica, passing
the Byzantine fortress at Selcuk and the ruins of the Temple
of Artemis. Continue to Ephesus Open Museum then up to the
House of Virgin Mary located in Bulbul Mountain. After the
visit head for the upper gate of Ephesus. By the end of
touring Ephesus, return to Kusadasi.
Special notes: Ephesus requires walking long distances
over uneven surfaces
Dinner in your hotel is included.
Overnight in Kusadasi hotel -
Palm Hotel,
Grand Onder, Derici
Hotel
or similar quality / location hotels to be selected by us if they are
not available at the time of booking.
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DAY
3 : PAMUKKALE TOUR - BUS TO ANTALYA |
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Hot spring pools of Pamukkale are
created by nature in thousands of years |
Ephesus
will not be complete without Pamukkale; another amazing point of
interest not far away:
Breakfast at
hotel included
Pamukkale & Hierapolis tour including transfers, entrance
fees, guide. Visiting the amazing white colored travertines, hot
spring pools and water terraces have been created by nature in
millions of years on the mountain slopes of Pamukkale and the
ancient city of Hierapolis which has the biggest ancient Necropolis
in present Turkey with 1200 gravestones.
Lunch during the tour is included.
Evening bus to Antalya from Pamukkale, arriving late in the evening.
Approximately 4 hours ride
Hotel accommodation
in Antalya.
Possible Antalya hotels are:
Chrystal
Beach
Acropol
Beach ,
Perla Mare or similar quality/location hotels to be
selected by us if they are not available.
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DAY
4 : ANTALYA |
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Antalya is one of the best of Turkish cities perfectly combining
historical, natural beauties also known as Turkish Riviera with many
neighborhood sandy beaches and vivid night life. There are many well
preserved significant ancient sights around the city which you must
definitely see if you happen to visit Turkey.
Breakfast in your hotel included
Full day tour of Perge, Aspendos,
Side and Manavgat, including
transfers, entrance fees, guide.
Lunch is included. (exceptionally, there may be changes with
Antalya tours on different days)
Dinner at your hotel included.
Hotel accommodation
in Antalya.
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Antalya Aspendos Theater
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Perge Hellenistic Gate |
Roman columns in Side |
PERGE: Situated 18
km east of Antalya, Perge is in the city limits of Aksu Bucagi.
Because of its location on the Cilicia - Pisidia road, it was a
vital part of the province of Pamphylia, and was founded around the
same time as the other cities in the area (7th century BC). It was
an important city for Christians of Perge who had worshipped the
mother goddess Artemis. St. Paul and Barnabas visited the city and
wealthy benefactors like Magna Plancia had a number of important
memorials built here.
ASPENDOS: This antique city established in the Early age is
48km east of Antalya. Its most important feature is its theatre. The
theatre and its stage are the best preserved of the Roman theatres
in Anatolia still being used for music concerts and opera shows
during festivals. The most popular of these festivals are the
Aspendos International Opera and Ballet festival. 15000
spectators can sit in the theatre. It was built during the reign of
Emperor Antonius Pius (134 - 164) by architect Zenon.
SIDE: In the ancient town of Side, there are inscriptions,
weapon embossing from Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine Periods,
sculptures which are Roman Period copies of Greek originals, torsos,
temples, tomb steles, portraits, ostotecs and column pedestals on
exhibition in the museum.
MANAVGAT: The River Manavgat flows 90 km from the eastern
slopes of the western Toros (Taurus) mountains, passes over hard
conglomerated strata, forms the Manavgat Falls and then enters the
coastal plain to empty into the Mediterranean Sea
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DAY
5 : ANTALYA > NIGHT BUS TO CAPPADOCIA |
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There are many other world wide famous places of interest near
Antalya which you must not miss after coming all the way. The second
tour in Antalya will cover the most important ones:
Full day Myra, St.
Nicolas Church + Kekova boat tour including
transfers, entrance fees, guide.
Lunch is included. (exceptionally, there may be changes with
Antalya tours on different days)
Overnight bus
to Cappadocia, arriving next morning.
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Rock tombs in Myra |
St. Nicholas Church |
Simena across Kekova Island |
MYRA: It is now called Demre it was one of the most
important cities of the Lycian civilization. 25km west of Finike and
48km east of Kas, Demre was a place of settlement from the 5th
century BC. The city was deserted in 9 AD after the invasions of the
Arabs. Rock tombs, theatres and the Church of St. Nicholas (said to
be the original Santa Claus) are the most interesting sites in the
town today.
KEKOVA ISLAND: It is by the cost of Antalya province between
Kas-Demre towns. It is an ancient city submerged and now partly
under sea water, but can be seen from outside.
ST. NICHOLAS CHURCH:
Saint Nicholas giving its name to the church in Demre (Myra) is
claimed
to be the original Santa Claus
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DAY
6 : CAPPADOCIA TOUR 1 |
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Cappadocia balloon flights make
you feel like flying over the moon |
Your bus will arrive to Cappadocia next day early in the morning on
time to join below tour.
Full day Northern Cappadocia tour including transfers, guide
and entrance fee. This tour will cover the most famous parts of the
region such as Goreme Open Air Museum, Zelve, Urgup and Dervent
Valley.
Lunch will be served during the tour in a nice Turkish
Restaurant.
Transfer back to hotel.
Hotel accommodation
in Cappadocia.
Antik Cave,
SOS Cave
Hotel,
Urgup Inn
or similar quality & location boutique cave hotels
Cappadocia
region is the place where nature and history come together most
beautifully within the world. While geographic events are forming
Peribacalari (fairy chimneys), during the historical period, humans
had carried the signs of thousand years old civilizations with
carving houses and churches within these earth pillars and
decorating them with frisks.
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DAY
7 : CAPPADOCIA TOUR 2 > NIGHT BUS TO ISTANBUL |
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One
day is never enough to see the wonders of the vast Cappadocia
region. You have so many things more to see on your second day that
will keep your eyes wide open with amazement. The program will
follow as:
Breakfast in your hotel included
Full day Southern Cappadocia Tour
including transfers, entrance fees
and lunch.
This tour will cover wonderful Rose Valley, either Derinkuyu or
Kaymakli underground city, as well as a
caravanserai of Seljuk period, which was the great
Turkish Empire founded in Anatolia even before Ottomans.
Lunch included in a nice local Turkish Restaurant during the
day tour.
Overnight bus
to Istanbul arriving next morning.
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DAY
8 : RETURN TO ISTANBUL |
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End of the package upon arrival to bus terminal in Istanbul, in the
morning. There will be free shuttles to various parts of the city
from bus terminal.
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TOUR PRICE |
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Tour Price:
680 Euro per person
in single room (1 pax)
590 Euro
per person in double room (2 pax)
545 Euro
per person in triple room (3 pax)
% 5 winter discount
from November 01-March 31, except
Christmas period (December 23-January 03)
Ask for group discount for big groups
Prices include:
All taxes. Various surcharges may apply for credit card payments, of
which you will be informed in advance.
4 Night accommodation in private rooms in 3/4 star or similar quality
boutique/cave hotels.
6 guided day tours as mentioned.
Entrance fees for museums
All mentioned meals above in the itinerary
Intercity transportations by non-smoking, air-conditioned long
distance buses with flexible seatbacks.
All connecting transfers in between the tour period.

Customize this tour package:
Flights
Overnight bus rides from/to Istanbul can be replaced with domestic
flights. (extra 60-100 Euro cost for each way depending on season and early
reservation)
Hotel
Upgrade:
Hotels can be upgraded to 4 or 5 star or similar quality deluxe
boutique hotels, if you pay the extra cost.
Possible Additions:
Hotel Accommodation in Istanbul before
and after the tour package.
Daily Istanbul Tours with discounted rates as a part of this
package.
Airport-hotel transfers in Istanbul for your international flights
Extra hotel accommodation in Cappadocia, Kusadasi and/or in Antalya.
Hot air balloon tour just before 2nd day Cappadocia tour: 135
Euro per person discounted price.
Replace:
Either one or both Ephesus and Pamukkale tours can be replaced
by Pergamum or Priene & Miletus & Didyma tours:
http://www.travelagencyturkey.com/dailytours2.html For Pergamum
tour, extra 15 Euro pp required
Click Here for Other Turkey Tour Packages
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PAYMENT AND RESERVATION |
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Payment and reservation: Depending on
season/number of participants etc, we will request 15-25 % of the
total tour price in advance. We will send you necessary details by
e-mail. Advance payments can be made by Pay Pal, Visa and Master and
American express credit cards by mail order method or money
transfer. You can pay the balance in Istanbul with credit cards or
in cash, as you wish.

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EPHESUS |
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Library of Celcus |
Temple of Hadrian |
Virgin Mary's House |
During both the Hellenistic and Roman periods Ephesus was the
most important port and cultural center of the eastern world. The
remains of the city are still spellbinding today.
Of
all the ancient cities of Turkey, Ephesus is the best preserved and
most visited in all ages and is as popular as it was in ancient
times. This is due to the miraculous discovery of the House the
Virgin Mary. The city had splendid buildings and was dedicated
to the Goddess Artemis, whose temple was considered one of
the Seven Wonders of the World. The main monuments that we will see
during the visit of this fascinating city are: the street of
Arcadiane, the majestic theatre, marble road, library of Celsus,
market place street of the Curettes, baths of Scholastic state
agora, prytaneion, odeon. The town of Seljuk, is dominated by a
Byzantine citadel close to the basilica of St. John built in the 5th
century, on the site of tomb of the Apostle. Seljuk has also an
exceptionally fine archaeological museum.
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PAMUKKALE-HIERAPOLIS |
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Bathing in pools is no more
allowed |
Ancient graves |
Agora entrance of the ancient
city |
Pamukkale (Hierapolis) is one of the most enchanting and remarkable
sights in the whole of Turkey with the great dazzling white plateau,
almost 400 feet high, rising in a curtain of stalagmites and shallow
pools, giving one into another on hundreds of different levels, and
ancient city of Hierapolis located on this plateau. The great baths
were constructed in the second century and are so well-preserved
that they now serve as a museum. The impressive and recently
restored theatre, the Martyrium of St. Philip the Apostle of the 5th
century a colonnaded street erected by Domitian, a monumental gate
of the same period, another bath stretching on for over a Mile, the
necropolis with a fascinating variety of tombs and sarcophagus are
the famous monuments of this antique city.
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ANTALYA |
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Modern Antalya is built over
high cliffs |
A street in old city |
Harbor of Kaleici (old city) of
Antalya |
Situated on a cliff over the Mediterranean, Antalya is surrounded by
mountains. Developments in tourism, starting in the 1970s, have
transformed the city into an international resort. With its airport
and central location, Antalya is a gateway for the Turkish Riviera
and many historical sites. Antalya city corresponds to the lands of
ancient Pamphylia to the east and Lycia to the west. Antalya has
hotel accommodations, a hot climate and places to visit both in and
around the city, including traces of Lycian, Pamphylian,
Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman architecture and
cultures.
There are many antique cities in and around Antalya. Aspendos, Perga
and Termessos are some of the closest ones to the city centre. Other
than these historic places, Antalya is also famous with its beaches
like Konyaalti, Lara and Karpuzkaldiran. Antalya also has a
reputation as a city of waterfalls. Duden, Manavgat and Kursunlu
waterfalls are major attractions for both local and foreign
tourists. For winter sports, Beydağları and Saklikent are both
natural beauties of the city.
There are a large number of mosques, churches, madrasahs, masjids,
hans and hamams in the city. Kaleici, the harbor which the city
walls enclose is the oldest part of the city. In Kaleici, Yivli
Minare, Kesik Minare and historic houses are to be found. In
Kaleici, one can see the best examples of traditional Turkish
architecture which are striking for their harmony with the nature.
All these places are at a walk distance.
Source: Turkish Ministry of Tourism and Culture

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