Compare Western Turkey Tour by Ada Vegas Travel vs Classic Tour to Turkey by Odynovo

Day 1: Welcome To Istanbul

After your arrival in Istanbul, we will provide transportation to your hotel, and you’ll have the rest of the day free.

Day 2: Istanbul

Today you will take a full day sightseeing tour through Istanbul’s Old Town. Among other things you will see the Church of Chora famous for its Byzantine mosaics and frescoes, the Hagia Sophia, a magnificent Church (later a mosque and now museum) of epic proportions built by the emperor Justinian in the sixth century, the Blue Mosque and its wonderful blue-tiled interior, and the Hippodrome, where chariot races were held in Roman times.

The tour continues with a visit to theTopkapi Palace museum where you will see many priceless jeweled objects and other treasures. After the guided tour, you’ll have the opportunity to shop at the world famous Grand Bazaar, a feast for your senses! .

Day 3: Istanbul – Antalya

In the morning, we cruise along the Bosphorus Strait by boat, where you will see a wonderful collection of magnificent palaces and enjoy other unique views of the city.

After your relaxing cruise, you cross the Bosphorus Bridge to Asian Istanbul for a visit to Beylerbeyi Palace, the “Summer” palace. Later we’ll take you to the airport for your flight to Antalya,where you will spend the night.

Day 4: Antalya

Today we will explore Antalya (Attalia), the primary port for St. Paul on his first journeys to Lystra and Derbe. Paul also sailed from Attalia to Antioch, making the port even more important for his ministry.

We then  drive along the Mediterranean coast to Perge, where Paul stopped on his way to Pisidian Antioch with Barnabas and Mark. Next we will continue to Sideand Aspendos, where you will see a majestic amphitheatre. At the end of the day, we will return to Antalya for the night.

Day 5: Antalya – Pamukkale

We will drive to Pamukkale to visit the ruins of Hierapolis and experience the glittering landscape of Pamukkale’s thermal springs which have been utilized therapeutically for thousands of years. On a nearby hilltop you will have the opportunity to visit the recently discovered burial place of St. Philip. Next we will drive to Laodicea to see the remains of one of the Seven Churches of Revelation. Laodicea Church was an offshoot of the church of Ephesus, as were the churches of Hierapolis and Colossea. You will have dinner and spend the night in Pamukkale.

Day 6: Pamukkale – Izmir

In the morning we will head to Miletos, home to one of the largest amphitheatres in Asia Minor. It was in Miletos that Paul completed his third missionary journey and predicted his imprisonment.

In the afternoon we will visit the city of Ephesus, one of the most important cities of the ancient world. Ephesus is one of Turkey’s finest ancient cities, and is home to many incredible historic sites, including the burial place of St. John and the House of the Virgin Mary, where the mother of Jesus is believed to have spent her final years. The Church of the Virgin Mary, built in the early days of Christianity, was the seat for the Council of Ephesus. At the end of the day we will drive to Izmir (Smyrna) and spend the night there.

Day 7: Izmir

In the morning we will visit Sardes, the capital of Lydia where King Croesus ruled. Here you will see the gymnasium and the Temple of Artemis, among other things. Later we will drive to Philadelphia, where you will see the ancient walls of the “city of brotherly love.” After dinner, you’ll spend the night in Izmir.

Day 8: Izmir – Canakkale

Today you will visit Akhisar, the ancient city of Thyatira, the church referred to as “apostate” in Revelation for having tolerated the works of Jezebel.

We will continue on to Pergamon to visit the highlights of the Hellenistic Acropolis, including the Altar of Zeus and the temples of Trajan & Dionysus. After visiting the Asclepion, the earliest health centre of Asia Minor, we will continue on to Canakkale for the night.

Day 9: Canakkale

First on the agenda for today is a visit to the site of legendary Troy, the Homeric city that today houses a local museum. Next we’ll drive to Troas, from whence St. Paul set sail to Neapolis on his second missionary journey. Later we will visit Assos, where Paul rejoined his companions. We will have dinner in Canakkale and spend the night there.

Day 10: Canakkale – Istanbul

In the morning we will cross the Dardenelles by ferry, drive through the first World War battle fields of Gallipoli,  After Gallipoli drive to Istanbul. At aiport our services end.

Day 1: Arrival – Istanbul

Overnight: Istanbul

Welcome to Istanbul, the economic, cultural, and historical heart of Turkey. Touching down at the airport, be welcomed and transferred to your hotel by our representative. After settling into the hotel, you may stroll around the historical center of the timehonored Istanbul to spot some clues about the past Eastern Roman Empire and the Ottoman Empire.

Day 2: Istanbul

Meals: Breakfast

Overnight: Istanbul

Start the city exploration with a one-hour cruise on the Bosphorus Strait to capture the distinctive urban landscapes of Istanbul, one side Asian and the other side European. Disembarking the boat, on a hill at the European side of the narrowest point of this strait, you will see the Rumeli Fortress built on the orders of the Ottoman Sultan between 1451 and 1452. Continue to explore the exotic Spice Bazaar and get a panoramic view of Istanbul at Galata Tower.

Day 3: Istanbul

Meals: Breakfast

Overnight: Istanbul

Start the tour today from the Topkapi Palace, once the administrative heart of the Ottoman Empire and the main residence of its sultans. Be sure to visit the Imperial Harem, the forbidden quarter for the female member of the Sultan's family. Stepping out of the palace, several minutes away is the Hagia Sophia with history near 1,500 years, during which it has alternated between Christ church, Islamic mosque, and national museum. Nearby it, you will also visit the iconic Blue Mosque, the underground Basilica Cistern, and the historic Hippodrome hosting the Egyptian Obelisk and Serpentine Column.

Day 4: Istanbul - Kayseri – Cappadocia

Meals: Breakfast

Overnight: Cappadocia

After breakfast, take the private transfer to the airport for a short flight to Kayseri. Meet your local guide on arrival and move on to Cappadocia to discover the fairy chimneys at Devrent Valley and Pasabagi Valley. In the afternoon, proceed to discover the beautiful examples of Byzantine art in the cave churches of the Goreme Open Air Museum and the Uchisar Castle standing prominently as the highest point in Cappadocia and offering fabulous panoramic views of this dreamy land. The tour also includes a photo stop at the Pigeon Valley.

Day 5: Cappadocia

Meals: Breakfast 

Overnight: Cappadocia

Ortahisar is a small town with a rock castle, like the Uchisar Castle, towering dominantly at 90 meters high over it. Start the tour in the morning from Ortahisar Castle, followed by the Kaymakli Underground City, which, for more than a thousand years, always provided refuge to those persecuted by war and political persecution. Continue to the Cavusin Valley to discover the old village carved into a mountain and inhabited by locals until the 1950s. Take some time in the afternoon hiking in the Red Valley, watching the setting sun sprinkling its dynamic colors over the sharp sandstones, and tasting a cup of local wine that benefits from the mineral-laden volcanic soil of this area.

Day 6: Cappadocia - Kayseri - Izmir – Kusadasi

Meals: Breakfast

Overnight: Kusadasi

Leave Cappadocia behind and get to Kayseri airport for your flight to Izmir, possibly with a connection in Istanbul. On arrival, meet your guide and explore Izmir with the Agora Open Air Museum and the historical Elevator, the best place to get a panoramic view of the city, before moving on to Kusadasi, the gateway to Ephesus.

Day 7: Kusadasi - Ephesus - Kusadasi

Meals: Breakfast

Overnight: Kusadasi

Focus the day on Ephesus, a ruined Greek city that is famed in its day for the nearby Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Walk around to explore the many monuments in the majestic archaeological site of Ephesus, including the Arcadian Way, the Antique Theater, the Roman Baths, and the Celsus Library. Before returning to Kusadasi, you will also visit the Shrine of the Virgin Mary and the Basilica of St. John about 5km from Ephesus.

Day 8: Kusadasi – Bodrum

Meals: Breakfast

Overnight: Bodrum

Continue south and you will reach Bodrum after about 2.5 hours. On arrival, check into your hotel and enjoy the otherworldly scenery of the Aegean Sea.

Day 9: Bodrum

Meals: Breakfast

Overnight: Bodrum

Scan the city with your guide. Discover the Bodrum Castle built by the Knights of St. John and with four towers bearing the names of English, French, German, and Italian, the four nations responsible for their construction. Proceed to the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus. From the remains and the renatured model, you can imagine how it looked and why it was regarded as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Proceed to see the symbolic windmills and explore Bodrum Antique Theater.

Day 10: Bodrum - Istanbul – Departure

Meals: Breakfast

Free in the day until your guide meets and escorts you to the airport in Bodrum for your flight to Istanbul to connect with your homebound flight.