Athens – Samos – Kusadasi – Ephesus - Pamukkale – Cappadocia – Istanbul (Byzantine Crown)

Athens – Samos – Kusadasi – Ephesus - Pamukkale – Cappadocia – Istanbul

8 Days/7 Nights

0 €

Program

Day 1 ATHENS - PIRAEUS SAMOS: Our tour begins from Athens We start our program with meeting and picking you up from your hotel in the center of Athens or from our office. We transfer you to the port of Piraeus to take the boat for the port of Vathi,Samos. Overnight on the boat.

Day 2 SAMOS - KUSADASI: After spending the night on the boat, you arrive in the orning to Samos. You may collect your boat tickets for crossing to Turkey from our representative office right at the port of Vathi. The boat ride across is only an hour or so. Ariving to Kusadasi you will meet our Turkish representative, who will transfer you to your hotel. In the evening will meet with the rest of the participants of the program for a welcome drink. The rest of the evening is free. Overnight in Kusadasi.

Day 3 EPHESUS - HIERAPOLIS - PAMUKKALE: As soon as we finish breakfast, we leave the town of Kusadasi, and only a few Kms away we arrive to the Ancient City of Ephesus. It is one of the 12 Ancient Greek-Ionian towns of this side of the Aegean sea, the best preserved one, with its 25.000 people sitting theatre, its library with the standing marble facade, its roman baths and its resisting marble walkways. Also the house of Virgin Mary where, according to the legend, she spent the remaining days of her life, will be visited on the way, along with the ruins of St. John’s Basilica. In the afternoon we continue with the bus, 50 kms east to the ruins of the ancient Greek city of Hierapolis. It is declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site for its Greek, Roman and Byzantine ruins. We visit its Hellenistic theater and the remains of its enormous Baslilica Church. Later. we drive on for about 120 more east, to the hill of Pamukkale, actually meaning the ‘Cotton Castle’ in the Turkish language, and discover why it took this name. You may wonder around the bright white calcium natural balconies that form series of coherent, almost private looking pools with an excellent view of the planes below and if you bring your bathing suit, you may as well enjoy a rather unusual bath there. Overnight at the village of Pamukkale.

Day 4 CAPPADOCIA: Early in the morning we leave with bus towards Cappadocia. It is a total distance of about 530 Kms during which we shall have stops for some refreshments and relaxation. We arrive at the area in the afternoon, and we visit its underground city Özkonak, dug by Byzantine people of the area, in order to avoid the raids of the Selçuk Turks. Before the end of the day, we end up to Göreme, the town of Cappadocia where we´ll have the overnight.

Day 5 CAPPADOCIA: A full day to savour the unique scenery of the volcanic plateau of Cappadocia. First we visit the unearthly lunar landscape of Göreme city, considered as an open air museum, with its rock chapels, carved by the early Christians and decorated with frescoes dating from the 6th to the 10th century. We continue visiting the areas Cavusin, Uchisar, Pigeon Valley. We´ll end the day´s tour, visiting local handicraft manufacturers and learning more about the local traditional carpet and pottery art. Overnight at the hotel in Göreme.A full day to savour the unique scenery of the volcanic plateau of Cappadocia. First we visit the unearthly lunar landscape of Göreme city, considered as an open air museum, with its rock chapels, carved by the early Christians and decorated with frescoes dating from the 6th to the 10th century. We continue visiting the areas Cavusin, Uchisar, Pigeon Valley. We´ll end the day´s tour, visiting local handicraft manufacturers and learning more about the local traditional carpet and pottery art. Overnight at the hotel in Göreme.

Day 6 CAPPADOCIA - ISTANBUL: This morning we visit the dramatic shapes of the geological formations in the Ihlara Valley. After this last glance to Cappadocia we depart for Istanbul, a total distance of about 580 kms. In about 150 kms we arrive at the huge salt covered plataeu, called Tuz Golu (means Salt Lake in Turkish) that creates the illusion of an extended icy polar landscape, ideal for taking some extraordinary pictures. After this short stop we continue northwest for Istanbul where we arrive late in the evening. Accomodation at the hotel in Istanbul.

Day 7 ISTANBUL: Today your time is free. You may spend it shopping leather goods, carpets or souvenirs in the old town, or have an optional cruise to Bosporus and the Prince islands. Accomodation at the hotel in Istanbul

Day 8 DEPARTURE FROM ISTANBUL.: After breakfast, depending on the time of your flight from Istanbul to your next destination, we offer you transfer to the airport. End of our program.

Double room	Single supplement	Extra night
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