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TURKEY
and GREECE TOUR including historical highlights and islands |
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DAY
01 - Arrival to Istanbul: |
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Arrival
to Istanbul Airport and meet for transfer on to the hotel. Rest
of the day is then at leisure (as per your flight arrival time).
Overnight in Istanbul. |
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DAY
02 - Sightseeing Tour in Istanbul: |
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After
breakfast at hotel meet with the guide to depart on the full
daytour to explore some of the most important sights in Istanbul.
Visit the Blue Mosque, the St Sophia, Hippodrome & Obelisk,
the Grand Bazaar and Topkapi Palace (excluding optional extra
entrance to Harem room). After the tour, return to hotel with
the evening then at leisure. Overnight in Istanbul. |
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DAY
03 - Cruise on the Bosphorous - Flight to Cappadocia: |
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After
breakfast meet with the tour guide to depart for a mornings
cruise on the Bosphorous which seperates the East from West.
During the cruise visit the Spice Bazaar and the Rumeli Fortress.
At the end of the cruise, transfer back to hotel with the remainder
of the day at leisure for you to further explore on your own
until early evening transfer to airport. Depart on the domestic
flight to Kayseri (Cappadocia) and on arrival meet for transfer
to the hotel for check-in with the evening at leisure. Overnight
in Cappadocia. |
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DAY
04 - Cappadocia Tours to Goreme and Urgup: |
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Today
depart on the full days tour to visit Devrent Valley and Monk's
Valley (Pasabagi) where you find the world famous fairy chimneys.
Break for lunch in Avanos then on to the Goreme Open-Air
Museum to explore the numerous churches and monasteries with
their frescoes. These churches and monasteries where carved
from the soft volcanic stone and decorated by Medieval Orthodox
Christian Monks around 1000-1200AD. A visit to Ortahisar Natural
Rock Castle for panoramic views is also included. After tour
the evening is at leisure. Overnight in Cappadocia. |
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DAY
05 - Derinkuyu Underground City and Red Valley: |
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Breakfast
at hotel, check out then depart on another full day sightseeing
tour of Cappadocia this time starting with a visit to the famous
Derinkuyu Underground City which was built as a defence and
hiding site during the period of spreading Christianity. Then
to Cavusin Old Christian Village where you find a triple Apse
church and monastery of St John the Baptist. In Sinasos Old
Greek Village you find old Greek and Ottoman houses. The days
touring also includes an easy grade 3km hike through Red Valley
offering some great scenery that would otherwise not be accessible
by car and a visit to the Uchisar Natural Rock Castle. At end
of tour, collect luggage from hotel reception and transfer on
to the bus station for travel by intercity overnight bus to
Pamukkale. |
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DAY
06 - Hierapolis ruins and travertens in Pamukkale: |
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Arrival
early morning to Pamukkale where you will be met at the bus
station and transferred to a small hotel with use of a room
to take a shower, short rest and have breakfast. Then it is
time to join on the group tour which visits the natural formation
of the travertens "Cotton Cliffs" and the ruins of
Hierapolis. Then transfer to hotel in Kusadasi & evening
at leisure. Overnight Kusadasi. |
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DAY
07 - Ephesus and House of Virgin Mary: |
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Breakfast
then meet with guide to depart on the full day Ephesus Tour.
Begin with the Ancient City of Ephesus, the best preserved Greco-Roman
City in the world. Here you see the Agora, Odeon, Curetes Street,
Celsius Library, famous Roman Baths, the Grand Theatre and Marble
Street. After lunch, depart for the House of Virgin Mary where
she is said to have spent the remainder of her days. It is a
pilgrimage site for many people of various religious denominations.
The tour also includes a visit to the remains of Artemis Temple,
one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Tour ends with
transfer back to hotel & evening at leisure. Overnight in
Kusadasi. |
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DAY
08 - Ferry from Marmaris to Rhodes: |
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Breakfast,
check out and transfer to the bus station to depart by intercity
bus to Marmaris. On arrival to Marmaris, check-in at the port,
pass through customs and take the afternoon ferry for the crossing
to Rhodes. Arrival and transfer to hotel with evening at leisure.
Overnight in Rhodes. |
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DAY
09 - Day at leisure in Rhodes: |
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Breakfast
at hotel and a full day free at leisure for you to explore the
old town of Rhodes, spend time relaxing on the beach or visit
other villages such as Lyndos. Overnight in Rhodes. |
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DAY
10 - Flight from Rhodes to Heraklion, Crete: |
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Breakfast,
check out and as per flight time (morning or evening) transfer
on to Rhodes Airport for departure. On flight arrival, around
one hour later, to Heraklion, meet for transfer to hotel and
rest of the day or evening at leisure. Overnight in Heraklion. |
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DAY
11 - Heraklion: |
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Today
you have a full free day at leisure to explore this city which
is the capital of Crete. Highly recommended is to visit the
Knossos Palace and the Archaeological Museum which houses artefacts
from the Minoan era and many others. Overnight in Heraklion. |
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DAY
12 - Ferry from Heraklion to Santorini: |
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Breakfast
check out and transfer to the port to take the morning two hour
highspeed ferry on to Santorini. On arrival, meet for transfer
to hotel with rest of the day at leisure. Overnight Santorini. |
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DAY
13 - At leisure in Santorini: |
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A
free day at leisure to relax and sunbathe on one of the many
different beaches of Santorini or explore the capital town of
Fira. There are also excursions available, by bus & boat,
which will take you to visit the ruins and tour the volcano.
Overnight in Santorini. |
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DAY
14 - Ferry or flight from Santorini to Athens: |
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Breakfast
at hotel, check out and as per your preferred departure time
(morning or late afternoon) transfer on to the port for the
ferry to Athens. Direct flights throughout the day are also
available. On arrival, meet for transfer to hotel for check-in
and overnight stay in Athens. |
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DAY
15 - Athens City Tour: |
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This
morning, meet in the hotel lobby to depart on the 1/2 day morning
Athens Sightseeing Tour which includes a visit to the Acropolis,
its museum and the Parthenon. Also view the House of Parliament,
the Memorial to the Unknown Soldier, National Library, Evzones
in their picturesque uniform, the Presidential Palace, the Panatheanic
Stadium (where first Olympic Games of the modern era were held
in 1896), the Temple of Olympian Zeus and Hadrian's Arch. After
the tour you have the afternoon at leisure to further explore
Athens on your own. Overnight stay. |
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DAY
16 - Departure |
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Breakfast,
check out and as per your international flight time transfer
on to Athens Airport. |
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