Turkey
School Tour (example)
Day
1
Istanbul (D)
Today you will be met by your guide and transferred to your
accommodation. This evening you will enjoy a traditional Turkish
dinner.
Day 2
Istanbul (B L D)
This morning you will start your city tour of Istanbul with
a visit to the Ancient Basilica, which was built by Constantine
the Great in the 4th century. Also the Sultanahmet Imperial
Mosque also known as the Blue Mosque because of its magnificent
interior decoration of blue Iznik tiles. You will visit the
Ancient Hippodrome with the three monuments; the Obelisk of
Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column and the Column of
Constantine. Also the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum, the
Grand Cover Bazaar with its labyrinth of streets and passages
where m there are more then 4,000 shops with each trade having
its own area: the goldsmiths' street, the carpet sellers,
Turkish arts and crafts, such as handpainted ceramic plates,
hand-honed copperware, brassware and trays, water ewers, onyx-ware
and meerschaum pipes.
You will see the Topkapi Palace, which is the great palace
of the Ottoman sultans from the 15th to the 19th centuries
housing an exquisite collection of cyrstal, silver, and Chinese
porcelain, robes worn by the sultans and their families, the
famous jewels of the Imperial Treasury, miniatures, the Holy
Mantle; enshrining relics of the Prophet Mohammed.
Day
3
Istanbul (B L D)
Today you will continue your tour of Istanbul with a visit to
the Spice Bazaar where the air is filled with the enticing aromas
of cinnamon, caraway, saffron, mint, thyme and every other type
of herb and spice.
You will visit the Bedesten exhibits and see traditional silk
weaving courses and carpet weaving courses. You will also see
jewellery, handicrafts centre and leatherwear show.
You will take a traditional excursion by boat along the waterway
separating Europe and Asia. The shore is lined with old wooden
villas, palaces of marble, fortresses, and small fishing villages.
During the excursion you will pass the magnificent Dolmabahçe
Palace, parks and imperial pavilions of Yildiz Palace. On the
coastal edge of this park, is Çiragan Palace, 300 meters
of is marble facade faces the shore. At Ortaköy a great
variety of artists gather every Sunday to display their work
along the street. Ortaköy is a symbol of tolerance with
a church, a mosque and a synagogue existing side by side for
centuries.
You will also see Rumeli Fortress built by Mehmet the Conqueror
in 1452 prior to the conquest of Istanbul, was completed in
only four months to control and protect Bosphorus. It is one
of the most beautiful works of military architecture anywhere
in the world.
Other places of interest will be the Beylerbeyi Palas, Bosphorus
Bridge and Camlica Hill.
Day
4
Istanbul (B L D)
Today will be a special day with a visit to a local school in
Istanbul and meet the students and teachers that you have been
corresponding with. This afternoon you will enjoy a local cooking
class and learn the secrets of Turkish dishes.
Day 5
Istanbul – Gallipoli – Canakkale
(B L D)
After breakfast you depart for Gallipoli to visit the battle
fields. After lunch you visit Kabatepe Museum, ANZAC Cove, Lone
Pine Australian Memorial, Johnston's Jolly, (Turkish and Allied
trenches and tunnels), The Nek, Chunuk Bair New Zealand Memorial.
If time allows other sites can also be included. Late afternoon
you are transferred to your accommodation.
Day 6
Canakkale - Troy – Kusadasi (B L D)
After breakfast you depart for the ancient city of Troy. Your
guide will explain the mythology surrounding Troy, the Trojan
Horse and Helen of Troy, as well as the history and discoveries
of the archaeological diggings from its discovery by Heinrich
Schliemann in the 1870's to the present day and on going. Nine
cities have been discovered built one on top of the other dating
back to 3500 B.C. This afternoon you will depart for Kusadasi.
Day
7
Kusadasi – Ephesus (B L D)
This morning you visit one of the best-preserved ruins in the
world Ephesus. You tour this amazing site and wonder at the
people who built and walked through this ancient city. You will
also visit the House of Virgin Mary (supposedly where St. John
brought her to live out her final days). After the tour you
will visit a carpet-weaving centre, which belongs to the national
arts of Turkey.
Day
8
Kusadasi – Pamukkale (B L D)
Today you travel to Pamukkale. On the way you will visit one
of the famous leather production centers of the region. You
then arrive at Pamukkale for lunch. Afterwards you visit the
calcium terraces of Pamukkale (cotton castle) and the ruins
of Hierapolis, then walk around this natural phenomenon and
have the option of lying in the waters of the natural springs.
Day
9
Pamukkale – Bodrum (B L D)
This morning you depart for Bodrum. Bodrum as a city is quickly
becoming one of the most sort after destinations in Europe and
with such a precedence, it offers some fantastic adventures
for any age group. You can spend your days walking the streets
of Bodrum, experiencing the sights and smells of the markets
or walk the shopping malls searching for your top designer labels.
Day 10
Bodrum – Istanbul (B L D)
Today you enjoy a sightseeing tour of Bodrum and visit the Castle
of St. Peter. The Crusader castle was built by the Knights of
St. John between 1402 and 1409. You will see what is left of
one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Mausoleum.
Visit the ancient theatre which is located on the hillside overlooking
Bodrum. The hillside theatre that dates from the 4th century
BC was built to seat 5.000 people. When rediscovered, it was
not in very good condition and therefore has been recently restored.
The view of the town from there is beautiful. This evening you
make your way back to Istanbul
Day
11
Istanbul (B D)
Today is at leisure to relax or visit some other sites of this
amazing city.
Day
12
Istanbul (B)
Your tour ends and you are transferred to the airport for your
flight home.
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