DAY 01:  USA / EUROPE. Depart USA en route to Frankfurt, Germany and on to Ankara, Turkey.

DAY 02:  ANKARA / CAPPADOCIA.  Arrive Ankara greeted by our driver and guide and start with the tour of Ankara.  The first site is the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, which is located in a restored bazaar.  The museum has the most unique and priceless Collection dating back to the Prehistoric Era.  The Mausoleum of Ataturk is the next stop.  This magnificent structure serves as a tribute to the founder of modern Turkey.  In the afternoon drive to Cappadocia.  Dinner and overnight is at the hotel in Cappadocia.

DAY 03: CAPPADOCIA.  Breakfast will be served at the hotel and the full day tour of Cappadocia begins with the natural citadel of Unchisar which will enable you to get a panoramic view of the region and continues with the Goreme valley which is the highlight of the day.  This valley houses the Goreme open-air museum, with its churches hewn out of rock and the colorful frescoes which decorate them.  The next stop is Zelve and the caves of this ancient village, the underground city of Kaymakli or Derinkuyu which were carved as refuge from persecutors during the early Christian Era.  Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

DAY 04: CAPPADOCIA. Full day sightseeing in Cappadocia.  Visit villages of Avanos, Cavusin and Soganli.  Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

DAY 05: CAPPADOCIA / KONYA.  After breakfast drive to Konya. Enroute we visit 13th-century Selcuk caravanserai “Sultanhani” Upon arrival to Konya visit the tomb of Mevlana, the great mystic poet and Islamic spiritual leader who founded the sect of “Whirling Dervishes”, Ince Minare Medrese (Muslim theological school) and Karatay Medrese museum.  Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

DAY 06:  KONYA / ANTALYA.  Drive to Antalya along the Taurus Mountains.  Dinner and overnight will be at the hotel in Antalya.

DAY 07: ANTALYA.  After breakfast, our tour in Antalya begins with a tour to Perge where you will visit the ruins of a colossal theater, stadium, and huge Hellenistic and Roman gates. Continuing onto Aspendos where the best-preserved Roman Theater is located.  Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

DAY 08: ANTALYA / PAMUKKALE.  After breakfast, we take a morning tour of the city of Antalya itself.  We visit the museum and then drive to Pamukkale, the cotton fortress, which rises above the fertile Menderes valley.  Upon arrival visit the ruins of ancient Hierapolis.  Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

DAY 09: PAMUKKALE / KUSADASI.  Drive to Kusadasi.  Enroute we visit Aphrodisias, the ancient city dedicated to the goddess of love, Aphrodite.  Continue to Ephesus.  Visit the Basilica of St. John, the ruins of Ephesus, which played a major role in the development of architecture, religions, governmental and economic systems and arts.  The temple of Artemis was one of the Seven Wonders of ancient world and center of pagan religion for 15 centuries.  Here, Marc Anthony and Cleopatra once rode in procession, St. Paul preached in the Great Theatre and in a little house outside the city the Virgin Mary spent her last days.  Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

DAY 10: KUSADASI / PATMOS /  KUSADASI.  In the morning transfer to the harbor for the Patmos tour.  Patmos is a sacred island for the Christian religion.  It was here that St. John lived and wrote the Book of Revelations.  In the afternoon return back to Kusadasi and transfer to the hotel.  Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

DAY 11: KUSADASI / IZMIR / PERGAMUM / AYVALIK.  After breakfast we depart for Izmir to visit Agira and Alexander’s castle and St. Polycarp Church.  Continue to Pergamum.  Here we will visit Asklepion and the Acropolis.  Continue to Ayvalik for dinner and overnight.

DAY 12: AYVALIK / TROY / CANAKKALE.  We finish in Ayvalik and continue to Troy, the immortal city of the legendary Helen of Troy and Trojan House which was destroyed and rebuilt nine times.  Then on to Canakkale for dinner and overnight at our hotel.

DAY 13: CANNAKKALE / ISTANBUL.  After breakfast we drive to Istanbul by crossing the Dardanelles strait.  Upon arrival to Istanbul, visit the Grand Bazaar.  Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

DAY 14: ISTANBUL.  After breakfast we will begin our sightseeing tour of the Ottoman Highlights.  Our first stop will be the Blue Mosque – the most famous monument in both the Turkish and Islamic world, the only mosque built with 6 minarets and decorated with famous Iznik tiles.  Then visit Saint Sophia Museum built between 325-360 AD, which is the largest imperial church in the city. Built by Constantine in the 4th century and reconstructed by Justinian in the 6th century,  today it is a magnificent monument representing the influence of two religions: Christianity and Islam.  We will visit the Hippodrome, the former center of sportive and political activities of Constantinople.  During our city tour we will see the Obelisk from Egypt, the Serpentine Column from Delphi, and the fountain of Wilhelm.  We will also visit the Underground Cistern. In the afternoon we visit the Imperial Topkapi Palace, residence of the Ottoman Sultans between the 15th and 19th centuries. Here we contemplate the world’s richest porcelain collection of the Ming Dynasty of China. (General admission is included - optional tours of the Harem and Treasury sections available.).  Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

DAY 15:  ISTANBUL.  After breakfast we will visit the famous Spice market – an exotic food market selling spices, dried fruits, as well as towels, slippers, baskets, and jewelry.  Then we continue with the Bosphorus Cruise, as no stay in Istanbul would be complete without this traditional and unforgettable cruise. By private boat we cruise along the Bosphorus - the winding strait separating Europe & Asia.  Along  the shores is a delightful mixture of the past and the present, as well as the grand splendor and quaint beauty of the modern hotels, ancient wooden villas, palaces of marble, fortresses and small fishing villages.  Enjoy your lunch at the Hasir restaurant in the Asian part of the city (lunch not included.)  The afternoon is at leisure for shopping or activities of your own.  Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

DAY 16: ISTANBUL.  Today we  transfer to the airport for our return trip home, the end of a most memorable tour.