Tour Style : Small Group Tour
Duration : 3 Days / 2 Nights
Departures : All year round
Highlights : Topkapi Palace, Temple of Artemis, House of the Virgin Mary, Great Theatre of Ephesus

DAY 1 :ARRIVAL
Arrival in Istanbul and transfer  to your hotel.

Overnight in Istanbul.

DAY 2 :ISTANBUL – SULTANAHMET – IZMIR – KUSADASI

PLEASE CHECK OUT AND LEAVE YOUR LUGGAGE AT SAFE ROOM NEAR RECEPTION
Departure from your hotel AT 08:30AM  Today we will visit the Hagia Sophia (Haghia Sofia) which was built by the emperor Justinian in the 6th century A.D and stands over much older remains of a church. See beautiful mosaics of biblical scenes and the Byzantine emperors and empresses. We continue to the Blue Mosque, which was built in the 17th century and is the only imperial mosque with 6 minarets. We continue to the HIPPODROME, a stadium and meeting place in Byzantine times, the Serpent Pillar from Delphi and the Egyptian Obelisk, with the Fountain of Wilhelm. We will also visit the Caferaga Medresesi which was a school designed by the famous architect Sinan in 1560 and is now used for workshops in traditional Ottoman arts. We will have lunch and continue with the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum originally built as the Palace of Ibrahim Pasha in 1524 with fine examples of Islamic Calligraphy, tiles and carpets. Then we will explore the Topkapi Palace .It was the home of the Ottoman sultans from the 15th-19th century A.D. We see the Imperial Treasury with the famous Spoonmaker Diamond. Also the Baghdad Kiosk, the Armory with its collection of Ottoman weapons and a fine collection of ceramics. (Harem section is optional and due an extra entry fee). The tour ends in the Grand Bazaar, which has over 4000 shops full of treasures Return to your hotel around 17:30. This tour may be done completely as a walking tour.
*Note that on Sunday the Grand Bazaar is closed, on Monday the Turkish and Islamic Art Museum and St Sophia are closed and on Tuesday the Topkapi Palace is closed.
EVENING FLIGHT TO IZMIR

MEET AND TRANSFER TO KUSADASI
STAY KUSADASI

DAY 3: EPHESUS – HOUSE OF VIRGIN MARY  AT 09:15AM
Today we tour Ephesus, which was one of the largest and most interesting ancient cities of Asia Minor. It is considered to be the most fantastic Greco-Roman site in Turkey. You may imagine the Ephesians shouting at the silversmith Demetrius, ” Great is Artemis of the Ephesians” in reaction to the preaching of St. Paul against man-made idols. A visit to the house where The Virgin Mary spent her last days, and the the Temple of Artemis, which was one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Transfer to the airport for flight to Istanbul (Or to bus station for overnight bus). Upon arrival transfer (optional) to your hotel and overnight in Istanbul. (B).L.

DAY 4 :DEPARTURE
Transfer to airport (optional) for departure. B