Aegean & Mediterranean Coastal Antiquities Tour

Istanbul - Aegean & Mediterranean Coasts - Istanbul

12 days / 11 nights : Private Tour (Customizable)

Detailed Itinerary:

All tours depart daily and are customizable to suit you. Or use our suggested itinerary below:

Day 1 - Istanbul
Transfer from the airport to your hotel. Free day. Overnight in Istanbul.

Day 2 - Istanbul (B)
Full Day Old City Tour:
Pick up from your hotel to visit Topkapi Palace, with royal treasury and elegant four courts. After lunch, proceed to the Hagia Sophia, a great Byzantine architectural masterpiece, whose interior is resplendent with golden mosaics. Then admire the delicate design and Iznik tiles of the Blue Mosque. Explore the ancient Roman Hippodrome with Egyptian Obelisk and Serpentine Column. Finally, stop off at the dazzling Grand Bazaar with over 4000 shops. Drop off to hotel. Overnight in Istanbul.

Day 3 - Istanbul (B)
Half Day Bosphorus Cruise Tour:
Pick up from your hotel to visit the bustling Spice Market - a colorful bazaar heaped with various sweets and spices. Stop into the beautifully tiled tiny Rustem Pasha Mosque before taking a relaxing Bosphorus boat cruise between the continents of Europe and Asia - gliding past Dolmabahce and Beylerbeyi Palaces, ornate wooden Ottoman mansions and mosques, Rumeli Fortress and the Bosphorus Bridge. Drop off to hotel. Free afternoon at your leisure. Overnight in Istanbul.

Day 4 - Istanbul-Ephesus-Pamukkale (B, D)
Full Day Ephesus Tour:
Morning transfer to Istanbul airport. Fly to Izmir. Transfer to Ephesus. Begin the tour at the House of Virgin Mary, where she spent her final years. Explore the marble white Ancient City of Ephesus, with spectacular monuments such as the Library of Celsus, Agora, Odeon, Trajan Fountain, Domitianus Temple, Theater and Roman Latrines. After lunch, visit the Archaeology Museum. Drive to Pamukkale. Overnight in Pamukkale.

Day 5 - Pamukkale (B, D)
Full Day Pamukkale, Hieropolis & Aphrodisias Tour:
Pick up from your hotel to visit Pamukkale or 'Cotton Castle', famous for its cascading snow-white terraced cliff side basins and waterfalls. After lunch, visit the ancient Roman city ruins of Hierapolis, with Necropolis, Thermal Baths and Masterpiece Theater. Drive to Aphrodisias, renowned for its aesthetic architecture and delicate friezes. See the Temple of Aphrodite, the monumental Tetra Pylon Gateway, ancient Gladiator Stadium and Museum. Drop off to hotel. Overnight in Pamukkale.

Day 6 - Pamukkale-Kalkan (B, D)
Full Day Patara Tour:
Drive to Kalkan, a picturesque seaside village. En route have lunch and visit Patara Ancient City, the most significant Lycian port. Stroll among the ruins to take in the Roman Gateway, baths complex, 2nd century temple, basilica, city walls, acropolis and cistern. Afterwards, enjoy a swimming or sunbathing break on the longest stretch of white sandy beach and dunes in Turkey - Patara Beach. Drop off to hotel. Overnight in Kalkan.

Day 7 - Kalkan (B, D)
Half Day Xanthos Tour:
Pick up from the hotel to visit the remains of the ancient hilltop city of Xanthos. With wonderful views overlooking the Xanthos river, ramble around the Arch of Vespasian, the Hellenistic Gateway, the former site of the Nereid Monument, Theater, Acropolis, Obelisk, rock cut tombs with house like facades and hillside sarcophagi. Drop off to hotel. Free afternoon. Overnight in Kalkan.

Day 8 - Kalkan (B, D)
Full Day Kekova Islands & Sunken City Tour:
Excursion to Kas, Ucagiz, to take a boat tour to the picturesque Kekova Islands and the 'Sunken City'. See the underwater ruins, columns and sarcophagi of an ancient city strewn in the sea bed shallows. After a short swimming stop nearby, continue to the village of Simena for lunch. Climb to the hilltop Knights of St. John Castle to enjoy outstanding views over the surrounding islands. Drop off to hotel. Overnight in Kalkan.

Day 9 - Kalkan-Antalya (B, D)
Drive to Antalya enjoying wonderful sea views from the coast road. En route also visit the the Church of St. Nicholas. Overnight in Antalya.

Day 10 - Antalya (B, D)
Full Day Phaselis & Antalya Tour:
Visit Phaselis and explore the secluded ancient city ruins beautifully set around 3 small bays, which acted as perfect natural harbors. See the elegant Roman Aqueduct, Monumental Gateway, Paved Avenue, Baths and Theater. In the afternoon, drive to Antalya for lunch, a coastal resort town with picturesque harbor. Then see the Archeological Museum's magnificent collection of Pamphylian statues, sarcophagi, Seleukeian mosaics and underwater archaeological artifacts. Drop off to hotel. Overnight in Antalya.

Day 11 - Antalya-Istanbul (B)
Full Day Perge & Aspendos Tour:
Pick up from the hotel for an excursion to the ancient Pamphylian city of Perge. Walk through the Roman Gate and down the Colonnaded Avenue, past the Agora, Baths, Hippodrome and Aqueduct terminating at the Nymphaeum or great fountain. After lunch, visit the Aspendos Theater, whose 2nd century harmonious design is so well preserved that it still enjoys modern day use. Transfer to the airport. Fly back to Istanbul. Transfer to hotel. Overnight in Istanbul.

Day 12 - Istanbul (B)
Transfer from the hotel to the airport. Departure.

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