WALKING THROUGH ANCIENT TIMES

We begin our journey in Antalya, one of the most attractive cities on the Mediterranean coast. After arriving at the airport and transferring to the hotel, we spend some time visiting the city in the company of our tour guide.

This morning, we are going to explore the awarded European museum of the year (in 1988): Antalya Archeology Museum (Turkish: Antalya Müzesi), which includes 13 exhibition halls and open-air galleries. The ancient classical Greek and Roman statues of the Gods and Goddesses are magnificent, huge, and tower over you. The displays give you a real sense of their grandeur and splendor. In the afternoon, we will visit Kaleiçi or old town, which is the historic part of Antalya. The Hadrian’s Gate or Three Gates (Turkish: ÜçKapılar) is the only remaining entrance gate within the walls that surrounded the city and the harbor.

Today, we will visit one of the biggest aquarium complexes in the world. Antalya Aquarium offers inspiration, entertainment, and education all at once, along with making snowballs from real snow in Snow World and Ice Museum. We can also wander among the world’s most poisonous, colorful, and fascinating species in a tropical reptile house, Wild Park.

Today we will leave Antalya and go to Pamukkale (250 km) to to discover the Travertines of Pamukkale with its dreamlike landscapes of limestone terraces and waters that have long been valued for their healing properties. Afterward, we will visit the Hierapolis Theatre and discover its ancient history. Recent archaeological evidence shows that the theatre was used through the 5th and 6th century AD.

After checking out of the hotel, we will head to Aphrodisias Ancient City (95 km), a city dedicated to the cult of Aphrodite. We will also visit the Aphrodisias Sculpture Museum. Next, we will go to Prienne Ruins (160 km), also known as a site of superior quality Hellenistic art and architecture. We will continue to Kuşadası (60 km) at the end of our trip today.

Today, we will start with the House of the Virgin Mary (Turkish: Meryemana Evi or Meryem Ana Evi). Next, we will go to Ephesus, founded in the 11th century BC. As we walk through the streets of Ephesus, we will see the Temple of Hadrian and the Library of Celsus. Also, we will visit Terrace Houses, inhabited by the wealthy and dignitaries of Ephesus; the series of residential units feature the finest floor mosaics, frescoes, terracotta plumbing, and private bath. In the afternoon, we will visit St. John’s Basilica, believed to be the tomb of Christ’s beloved disciple, John the Apostle. From the cathedral, you can see the ruins of the Temple of Artemis (Turkish: Artemis Tapınağı). We will finish today’s excursion by visiting the İsa Bey Mosque.

After breakfast, we will drive to Çeşme for about 180 km. Located on the coast of Aegean Sea, Çeşme is a well-known and popular holiday resort with fantastic nightlife among tourists. We will check in to our hotel in Alaçatı, which is only 15 km away.

Today, we have a free day to wander around Çeşme alleys and enjoy visiting stone houses and touch the local life!

By reaching the last days of our journey, we will go to Pergamon (90 km) and its multi-layered cultural landscape. After a short stop, we will head to İzmir. Today, İzmir is famous as the most western-oriented Turkish city, with a majority of Muslim population, and ubiquitous mosques, but it is not always visible when walking through the city center. This makes this beautiful city more mysterious and exciting!

Today, we are going to get amused by İzmir history! We will visit Ataturk Museum. It is housed in a two-story mansion built in 1880 in neoclassical style. This building was once the home of Ataturk, the revolutionary politician and first president of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal. The next stop is İzmir Archaeological and Ethnography Museum (Turkish: İzmir Etnografya Müzesi). The museum has two levels and a pervasive collection of artifacts, carpets, traditional costumes, ornaments, photographs, and other memorabilia. İzmir Clock Tower (Turkish: İzmir Saat Kulesi) is our last stop and a historic clock tower located at Konak Square.

We will check out the hotel and depart Turkey.