| DAY 1 BUS FROM ISTANBUL TO PAMUKKALE
18:30 You will be picked up from your hotel to transfer to bus station
20:00 Overnight bus to Denizli / Pamukkale with three break
DAY 2 ARRIVAL and PAMUKKALE TOUR (Included meals: Breakfast and Lunch)
07.00 Upon arrival transfer to hotel take a rest and have breakfast
08.30 You will pick up for daily tour to Pamukkale
List of the places you will visit
- Pamukkale and its travertine
- Hierapolis Ancient City, Necropolis, Theater and more
Pamukkale which has been used as a spa since the 2nd century BC, literally means "cotton castle" in Turkish. Fault shifting hot springs water with minerals and calcium carbonate react to create limestone also known as travertine. This is what gives Pamukkale its whiteness and created the pools. It can get quite hot in summer, a hat and especially sunglasses will certainly be very helpful against the sun and the reflecting sun rays from the chalky cascades.
Hierapolis was founded as a thermal spa early in the 2nd century BCE and given by the Romans to Eumenes II, king of Pergamon in 190 BCE. The city was named after the existing temple, or possibly to honour Hiera that calls Hierapolis. Hierapolis became a healing centre where doctors used the hot thermal springs as a treatment for their patients. First century AD golden age of Hierapolis started and Roman batshs, gymnasium, several temples and The theatre built. The town grew to 100,000 inhabitants and became wealthy. Today both Pamukkale and Ancient City of Hierapolis are UNESCO World Heritage Site List.
17:00 End of the first day tour you will transfer from Pamukkale to Ephesus
21:00 Arrive to Ephesus, transfer to hotel and stay overnight
DAY 3 EPHESUS and VIRGIN MARY HOUSE TOUR (Included meals: Breakfast and Lunch)
08:30 After breakfast we will pick you up from your hotel
09:00 You will start your tour in Ephesus
List of the places you will visit
- Ancient City of Ephesus
- Library of Celcius and The Great Theater
- House of Virgin Mary
- Artemis Temple
- Isa Bey Mosque
- The Basilica of St. John (From out side)
Ancient City of Ephesus
Located six km inside the Aegean Sea in Selcuk, Izmır. Founded by Prince of Athens named Androklos in 10th century BC and it become one of the twelve cities of the Ionian League. Emperor Augustus in 27 BC, he made Ephesus the capital of Roman Empire in Asia, it became the seat of the governor, growing into a metropolis and a major center of commerce. It was second in importance and size only to Rome. Ephesus has been estimated to be in the range of 400,000 to 500,000 inhabitants in the year 100, making it the largest city in Roman Asia and of the day. It’s peak during the 1st and 2nd century AD.
City of Ephesus was important city with so many purposes: It was a cult and really important faith center with Temple of Artemis. It has best examples of Greek and Roman architecture. Ephesus also known as a last home for Saint John The Baptist and Mother Mary. Today, the ruins of Ephesus are one of the major tourist attraction in Turkey and truly one of the most important heritage from Ancient Greek world.
17:00 End of the tour, transfer to your hotel and overnight in Selcuk, Ephesus
DAY 4 TOUR to PRIENE, MILETUS and DIDYMA (Included meals: Breakfast and Lunch)
07:30 After breakfast you will pick up from your hotel
09:00 You will start to full day tour of Priene - Miletus - Didyma
List of the places you will visit
- Priene and its monuments like Zeus and Demeter altars and Temple of Athena
- Miletus, theatre, baths and agora
- Didyma and its famous Apollo Temple
Priene was thefirst settlement of Priene was in the Aegean cost and founded by the Ionian people in 10 century BC. Priene possessed a great deal of famous Hellenistic art and architecture. The city was arranged into four districts, firstly the political district which consisted of the Bouleterion, the cultural district containing the Theatre, the commercial where the Agora was located and finally the religious district which contained sanctuaries dedicated to Zeus and Demeter and most importantly the Temple of Athena.
Miletus is another Ionian city establish in Aegean sea cost in 11th century BC. It was one of the largest cities in Anatolia in 6th century BC with a population of 80.000- 100.000. It was also one of the Ionian League member and it become brilliant flash of Greek art, philosophy and scient and philosophers such as Thales, Anaximander and Anaximenes (known collectively, to modern scholars, as the Milesian School). Architectural sides like other Grego- Roman cities in the region: The Theatre with 15.000 people capacity, Baths, Agoras and Serapis Temple.
Didyma, first evidence for human being in Didyma going back up to 16th century BC but Ionians come 10th century BC that proper history starts.
Most important side of Didyma to see is Apollo Temple with its huge size and interesting story. The temple started to built 6th century BC but never finished due to financial, political and earthquake problems. With its size; 110 m long and 51 m wide, 120 Ionic colums and famous huge Medusa relief it is one of the biggest temple in Hellenistic world.
17:00 End of the tour, transfer to hotel and stay overnight
DAY 5 LEASURE TIME (Included meals: Breakfast)
This is going to be your free day, either you will rest in hotel and enjoy the sun in beaches or join to any other tour
18:00 Check out and transfer to bus station
20:00 Overnight bus to Istanbul
DAY 6 ARRIVE TO ISTANBUL
07:00 Upon arrival transfer to hotel, end of the tour |
