Roma Travel Agency

Tour Anzac Bursa Dardanelles Ephesus Escapes Europe First-Class Gallipoli Gl_Escapes + 10 More Gl_Greece_Turkey Hierapolis Turkey Iznik Kusadasi Pamukkale Pergamum Troy Globus 8 Day Tour from Istanbul to Istanbul

Turkey is a unique country with a unique identity straddling both Europe and Asia. Your 8-day Turkish Escape starts in Istanbul, a city of great diversity and a combination of tree-lined boulevards, cafés and cosmopolitan restaurants set against a backdrop where little has changed for centuries. During its 3,000 years of turbulent history, it has been home to the Greeks, Romans, Crusaders, Ottomans and the Turks themselves- all leaving their marks. Highlights of your sightseeing are inside visits to the 6th century Hagia Sophia, the largest ever church and for over a thousand years the largest covered space on earth and to the amazing Topkapi Palace which was the seat of the government of one of the greatest Empire of the Medieval age.

Pay tribute to the fallen war heroes at the Anzac cemetery and visit 3 of the most famous ancient sites in the country: Troy, Pergamon and Ephesus. Each very different and distinctive. Troy, the oldest, dating from 3,000BC and made up to 9 separate cities all built over each other; Pergamon an impregnable defensive site with amazing views in all directions which flourished as one of the ancient world’s greatest centers of healing; and Ephesus, the greatest city in the Eastern Mediterranean during Roman times which boasts an extraordinary number of superbly preserved monuments.

Cross from Europe to Asia on board a scenic ferry journey across the Dardanelles Strait and get ready to taste the superb Turkish cuisine, an interesting blend of Mediterranean specialties and flavors.

This is the perfect vacation if you are looking for a genuine and unique blend of diverse cultures, centuries of history and atmosphere, the mysterious East with the familiar West.

Day 1: ARRIVE IN ISTANBUL,TURKEY

Welcome to Istanbul! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a welcome dinner at the hotel. (D)

Day 2: ISTANBUL

A Gateway between Orient and Occident ISTANBUL Guided sightseeing includes the Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, the Roman Hippodrome, the Blue Mosque, and Grand Bazaar. [LF] Enjoy a traditional Turkish coffee experience at an historical coffee roaster. (B)TOUR HIGHLIGHTCULTURE & TRADITIONS Founded by the Greeks as Byzantium more than 2,500 years ago, and finally called Istanbul after the Ottoman conquest in the 15th century, the city on the Bosporus remains one of the most exciting places in the world. Its strategic location as a gateway between Orient and Occident, the Islamic and the Christian worlds, and the Black Sea and the Mediterranean predestined it for a turbulent yet exciting history.

Day 3: ISTANBUL–GALLIPOLI–TROY AREA

Bravery on the BeachGALLIPOLI Visit the WWI battlefields on the Gallipoli peninsula, the Anzac Cemetery, the Lone Pine Memorial and Chunuk Bair Memorial sites before crossing the Dardanelles by ferry. TROY Enjoy a guided visit of the ancient city. (B,D) 236 mi/ 380 kmTOUR HIGHLIGHT HISTORY & HERITAGE Visit the moving and inspirational sites, where Allied troops, mainly Australians and New Zealanders, suffered heavy casualties in a disastrous campaign. Pay tribute to the heroes of those tragic months of 1915 at the Anzac Cemetery and the Lone Pine Memorial.

Day 4: TROY AREA–PERGAMUM–KUSADASI

The Sacred Way PERGAMUM Guided visit of the Asklepion, a shrine to the Greek God of medicine.EPHESUS Visit the archaeological museum. (B,D) 267 mi / 430 kmTOUR HIGHLIGHT HEALING THE BODY &THE SOUL Nestled between hills, the Asklepion retains a sense of serenity and history. The sick approached the temple via the Sacred Way, a path that started their journey to health determined according to what dreams the patience experienced and which also included theatre shows. All of this was done in the belief that healing was a sacred art, and that people’s souls needed to be mended as well as their bodies.

Day 5: KUSADASI–EPHESUS–PAMUKKALE

Ancient Civilization Preserved EPHESUS Follow your Guide for a walk through the ancient ruins, including St. John's Basilica, believed to be the burial site of the apostle John.HIERAPOLIS Visit the Greco-Roman thermal resort dating back to 190 BC, and see the “cotton castles” of Pamukkale, the stunning natural wonder comprised of brilliant white terraces and turquoise pools of water. (B,D) 137 mi / 220 kmTOUR HIGHLIGHTHISTORIC SPOTS Ephesus was one of the most famous cities of the ancient Mediterranean. It was the second biggest city of the Roman Empire and today it is one of the largest Roman archaeological sites in the eastern Mediterranean.

Day 6: PAMUKKALE–BURSA

In the Shadow of Mount Olympus BURSA Visit the Great Mosque, the historical covered bazaar, and the silk market followed by a Kestane Sekeri tasting. (B) 280mi / 450 kmTOUR HIGHLIGHT ANCIENT TASTES ON THE SILK ROAD Wander through the long winding bazaar in Bursa, Turkey’s centuries-old city center, taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of the buzzing marketplace. Treat your taste buds to one of the city’s famous sweets, the Kestane Sekeri, and find the perfect gift for yourself or a friend, a piece of authentic Bursa-made silk.

Day 7: BURSA–IZNIK–ISTANBUL

Ancient Walls & Ecumenical Council IZNIK Guided visit includes the Great Mosque (St. Sophia’s Church) and the Archaeological museum.ISTANBUL Farewell dinner at a local restaurant (B,D) 137 mi / 220 kmTOUR HIGHLIGHT CERAMIC BEYOND TIMES Iznik is a completely "open-air museum" with its rare ancient history and uniqueness. It is also the birthplace of the world famous Iznik tiles – a treasured artform dating back to the Ottoman Empire.

Day 8: ISTANBUL

Safe travels until we meet again! Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)

Details

Tour Operator: Globus
Duration (Days): 8

Itinerary ▼

Day 1: ARRIVE IN ISTANBUL,TURKEY
Welcome to Istanbul! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a welcome dinner at the hotel. (D)
Day 2: ISTANBUL
A Gateway between Orient and Occident ISTANBUL Guided sightseeing includes the Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, the Roman Hippodrome, the Blue Mosque, and Grand Bazaar. [LF] Enjoy a traditional Turkish coffee experience at an historical coffee roaster. (B)TOUR HIGHLIGHTCULTURE & TRADITIONS Founded by the Greeks as Byzantium more than 2,500 years ago, and finally called Istanbul after the Ottoman conquest in the 15th century, the city on the Bosporus remains one of the most exciting places in the world. Its strategic location as a gateway between Orient and Occident, the Islamic and the Christian worlds, and the Black Sea and the Mediterranean predestined it for a turbulent yet exciting history.
Day 3: ISTANBUL–GALLIPOLI–TROY AREA
Bravery on the BeachGALLIPOLI Visit the WWI battlefields on the Gallipoli peninsula, the Anzac Cemetery, the Lone Pine Memorial and Chunuk Bair Memorial sites before crossing the Dardanelles by ferry. TROY Enjoy a guided visit of the ancient city. (B,D) 236 mi/ 380 kmTOUR HIGHLIGHT HISTORY & HERITAGE Visit the moving and inspirational sites, where Allied troops, mainly Australians and New Zealanders, suffered heavy casualties in a disastrous campaign. Pay tribute to the heroes of those tragic months of 1915 at the Anzac Cemetery and the Lone Pine Memorial.
Day 4: TROY AREA–PERGAMUM–KUSADASI
The Sacred Way PERGAMUM Guided visit of the Asklepion, a shrine to the Greek God of medicine.EPHESUS Visit the archaeological museum. (B,D) 267 mi / 430 kmTOUR HIGHLIGHT HEALING THE BODY &THE SOUL Nestled between hills, the Asklepion retains a sense of serenity and history. The sick approached the temple via the Sacred Way, a path that started their journey to health determined according to what dreams the patience experienced and which also included theatre shows. All of this was done in the belief that healing was a sacred art, and that people’s souls needed to be mended as well as their bodies.
Day 5: KUSADASI–EPHESUS–PAMUKKALE
Ancient Civilization Preserved EPHESUS Follow your Guide for a walk through the ancient ruins, including St. John's Basilica, believed to be the burial site of the apostle John.HIERAPOLIS Visit the Greco-Roman thermal resort dating back to 190 BC, and see the “cotton castles” of Pamukkale, the stunning natural wonder comprised of brilliant white terraces and turquoise pools of water. (B,D) 137 mi / 220 kmTOUR HIGHLIGHTHISTORIC SPOTS Ephesus was one of the most famous cities of the ancient Mediterranean. It was the second biggest city of the Roman Empire and today it is one of the largest Roman archaeological sites in the eastern Mediterranean.
Day 6: PAMUKKALE–BURSA
In the Shadow of Mount Olympus BURSA Visit the Great Mosque, the historical covered bazaar, and the silk market followed by a Kestane Sekeri tasting. (B) 280mi / 450 kmTOUR HIGHLIGHT ANCIENT TASTES ON THE SILK ROAD Wander through the long winding bazaar in Bursa, Turkey’s centuries-old city center, taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of the buzzing marketplace. Treat your taste buds to one of the city’s famous sweets, the Kestane Sekeri, and find the perfect gift for yourself or a friend, a piece of authentic Bursa-made silk.
Day 7: BURSA–IZNIK–ISTANBUL
Ancient Walls & Ecumenical Council IZNIK Guided visit includes the Great Mosque (St. Sophia’s Church) and the Archaeological museum.ISTANBUL Farewell dinner at a local restaurant (B,D) 137 mi / 220 kmTOUR HIGHLIGHT CERAMIC BEYOND TIMES Iznik is a completely "open-air museum" with its rare ancient history and uniqueness. It is also the birthplace of the world famous Iznik tiles – a treasured artform dating back to the Ottoman Empire.
Day 8: ISTANBUL
Safe travels until we meet again! Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)