Today the group will be introduced to the rich cultural and historical heritage of this almost 2000-years-old city. In the morning we will travel to the Old City, the legendary district of Sultan Ahmet, where most prominent monuments of the Byzantine and Ottoman eras are located. We will visit the famous Sultan Ahmet Mosque, which is more familiarly known as the Blue Mosque because its interior gleams with a magnificent paneling of blue and white 17th Century Iznik tiles. Being close to Topkapi Palace, Sultan Ahmet Mosque was regarded as the Supreme Imperial Mosque in Ottoman Istanbul. We will stroll through the ancient Hippodrome, an enormous public entertainment arena that once seated as many as 100,000 zealous fans witnessing chariot races, executions, and mock battles. Another visit of today is Hagia Sophia (the Church of Holy Wisdom), which is one of the four largest basilicas in the world and is often described as the greatest work of Byzantine architecture. Lunch will be at Konyali restaurant, a former 19th-century royal pavilion in the Topkapi Palace complex, that serves up traditional Turkish food and magnificent views. After lunch, we will tour Topkapi itself. This palace where the sultans and their courts and harem lived and governed is now one of the world’s richest museums. Finally, we visit a splendid Grand Bazaar (Covered Market) to explore a labyrinth of streets and passages housing eighteen entrances and more than 4,000 shops. (Meals: B, L)

This morning the tour will start with the visit to the Spice (Egyptian) Market. Built in 1664 as a part of the Yeni Cami complex, the market sold only spices during Ottoman period. Today, there are some spice shops as well as the stores selling dried fruits, baskets, jewelry, haberdashery, drapery, and the like. The program will continue with a Bosphorus cruise on a public boat. Separating Europe and Asia, the Bosphorus Strait brings together the waters of the Black Sea, the Sea of Marmara and the Golden Horn. Along both shores are many attractions including ancient ruins, picturesque villages, wooden houses and forested areas. The group will disembark at Sariyer, a former fisherman’s village and will have a lunch at one of the many cozy sea-front restaurants. After lunch our group will visit Dolmabahce Palace museum. This palace was the residence of the last 6 Ottoman Sultans. It’s facade stretches for more than 36576 meters on European shores of the Bosphorus. Its vast reception salon, with 56 columns and a huge crystal chandelier, weighting 4.5 tons and lit by 750 lights, never fails to astonish visitors. (Meals: B, L)

Today after breakfast we will leave Istanbul and fly one-hour to Izmir. From Izmir the group will proceed to Kusadasi by motor coach. On our way we will visit the Basilica of St. John, which was built in the 4th century over the Saint’s tomb. Today this place is recognized as a shrine by Vatican. Another Biblical site our group will visit today is the House of Virgin Mary, where it is believed she passed the last years of her life and died. The Virgin Mary came to Ephesus with St. John and was taken up to Panaghia Kapulu Mountain to survive the Roman persecution. The House of Virgin Mary is also recognized as a shrine by Vatican. The group will have the lunch in the local village en route. Then we proceed to the lovely Korumar Hotel in Kusadasi, where we will stay for two nights. (Meals: B, L, D)

Few ancient sites can be compared to Ephesus – the world’s best-preserved ancient city. At Ephesus site it is very easy to imagine what everyday life was like centuries ago. Walk along the Sacred Way, where the rich once lived and an ingenious water and sewer system was constructed beneath paving stones of marble; see the Temple of Hadrian, a Corinthian-style building with the head of Medusa on the porch to keep away evil spirits; and the Library of Celsius, which held 12,000 ancient scrolls which were stored in niches around the walls. The most significant relic of the site is the immense amphitheater that holds 24,000 people and is still used today. Our group will also visit the Archeology Museum, almost all of the exhibits of which are findings from Ephesus. The most spectacular are two life-size statutes of Artemis Ephesia, both of them dating from the middle Roman imperial era. (Meals: B, D)

We will leave Kusadasi this morning and continue our journey, heading for Pamukkale. Pamukkale is one of the most interesting places in the world, justly famous not only for the entrancing beauty of its unique geological formations but also for its historical remains. Today the group will visit two most prominent sites of this area – Aphrodisias and Hierapolis. The ancient city of Aphrodisias, dedicated to the goddess of love Aphrodite, was a Hellenistic city which also flourished under Roman and Byzantine rule. Aphrodisias was primarily known as a center of the arts, specifically sculpture. Ancient Hierapolis appears to have been founded by King Eumenes II of Pergamon and its name is derived from Hiera, the wife of King Telephos, the legendary founder of Pergamon. On our way we will have lunch and also visit a small rug factory – to get closely acquainted with this traditional Turkish craft. Upon the arrival to Colossae Hotel, where we will stay tonight, we will have chance to enjoy a healing bath of Pamukkale thermal spring water. The water is reputed to be beneficial to the eyes and skin and to alleviate the ills of rheumatism, asthma and dermatitis.
(Meals: B, L, D)

Today we will leave Pamukkale and travel south to Antalya, with the lunch-stop at a local village. Antalya, Turkey's principal holiday resort in the Mediterranean region (ancient Pamphylia), is an attractive city with shady palm-lined boulevards and a prize-winning marina. After arrival at the Divan Talya Hotel, where we will spend the next three nights, we will have a short walking orientation tour of the area. (Meals: B, L, D)

After breakfast at the hotel, we will depart for the observation site. Our group will observe the solar eclipse from one of the finest recreational areas in Antalya – Konyaalti Beach Park. It is just a few minutes drive to our hotel and also, according to the professionals from Antalya Observatory, is the best place within the city, from which the eclipse can be watched. The timing of the eclipse is as follows (time is local):

1st contact: 12.37 2nd contact: 13.54 Maximum eclipse: 13.56 3rd contact: 13.58 4th contact: 15.12
For more information about the eclipse click here

When the eclipse ends we will depart from the site for a short city tour. We will visit Kaleici, the picturesque old quarter, where narrow winding streets and old wooden houses abut the ancient city walls. Charming cafés and numerous souvenir shops bring the special attractiveness to this part of the city. We will also visit Antalya’s Inner Harbor located nearby. (Meals: B, D)

Full day sightseeing tour.
Today we will travel west of Antalya to the ancient sites of Perge and Aspendos. Perge was an important city in Pamphylia. It was settled by the Hittites around 1500 B.C. An important trade route which started from Side went through Perge. It is also famous by the fact that when St. Paul started his journeys, he visited Perge in 46 A.D. and preached his first sermon here. The most significant monument of Aspendos site is its best-preserved theater of antiquity built in the 2nd c. A.D. with a capacity of 15,000 people. Still used today for performances and festivals, the theater's galleries, stage decorations and acoustics all testify to its architect Xenon's success. We will have lunch en route and upon return to Antalya visit the city’s Archeology Museum which offers an exposition of statues of various Greek gods, a stunning mosaic collection from Xanthos, the extraordinary findings from the Karain Caves, dating back to the Old Stone Age, as well as a comprehensive ethnographical collection. (Meals: B, L, D)

This morning we leave Antalya and travel to Cappadocia. On our way we will stop at Konya, a shrine-city for Sufi Muslims. Here rests their spiritual leader, Mevlana (or Rumi), a profound mystic and poet of Islamic culture. We will visit the Mevlana Museum, in which there are items belonging to Mevlana and other dervishes as well as valuable samples of hand-painted kerchiefs, handwriting, ornaments, wooden works of art and instruments of Mevlevi music, carpets and pileless carpets. Our group will have lunch at one of traditional meat restaurants of Konya, and then continue our journey along the Silk Road – the main Asian trade route of the past. Another visit of today is Seljukian Kervanserai, where numerous traders who traveled along the Silk Road stopped for a rest. Towards evening we will arrive at The Kapadokya Lodge & Country Club Hotel at Nevsehir, where we will stay for two nights. (Meals: B, L, D)

Kapadokya (Cappadocia) is the ancient and modern name of a remarkable region in Central Anatolia. It is a geological wonderland, renowned for its awe-inspiring natural rock formations - which were utilized for everything from housing to churches and even complete underground villages - Cappadocia is as magical today as it was when early farmers discovered the fertile powers of the volcanic ash that covered the area thousands of years ago. Today we will visit the Goreme open-air museum, consisting of steep cliffs and many hidden churches dating from the second half of the 9th century and later. We will also see the Underground City of Kaymakli. Beginning in the 2nd century AD, as successive armies swept across Asia Minor, the residents of Cappadocia created uniquely defensible communities by digging approximately eight stories down into the volcanic tufa stone. Another place of interest we will come across today is Uchisar Fortress. This 60 meter-high fortress was not built but carved out of a natural hill dominating the area with a breathtaking view of all the surrounding Cappadocia formations. One of the perfect places to take photos of a remarkable landscape of tufa cones is the Pasabag site, which we will also visit. We will have lunch at a local restaurant. Finally, we will stop at the Avanos Craft Center, where traditional craft products from this region are demonstrated. (Meals: B, L, D)

Today we will leave Cappadocia by transferring about 1 hour to the Kayseri airport and a 1 ½ hour flight to Istanbul. Upon arrival proceed to the Crowne Plaza Hotel, with the rest of the day at leisure. (Meals: B)