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Istanbul Ankara Cappadocia Tour 6 Days   -   Istanbul Western Turkey Tour 7 Days   -   Classical Western and Central Anatolia Tour 10 Days   -   Western Turkey Cappadocia Tour 11 Days   -   Eastern Turkey Cappadocia Tour 11 Days   -   Western Turkey Blue Voyage Cappadocia Tour 15 Days   -   Complete Central, Mediterranean And Western Turkey Tour 31 Days   -   Eastern Turkey Tour 15 Days   -   Biblical Sites Tour 17 Days   -   Archaeology Tour Turkey 26 Days   -   The Grand Tour Of Turkey 30 Tour Days   -   Abkhazia Tour   -   Some Custom Tours Performed

Customized Itinerary For A Russian Couple April 15th - 22nd, 2010

April 15th, Thursday, Departure from Istanbul at 6:30 am. Visit the tomb of Hannibal (If open so early in the morning). Continue to Ankara. Visit the museum of Anatolian Civilisations. Drive to Cappadocia.

April 16th, Friday, Visit Cappadocia, Urgup, the village of Macedonians Sinassos, Ayos Vasilios Church. Proceed to Cemil Village. Visit Cemil Church. Continue to the Valley of Onions. Visit the church of St. Barbara and the ancient dwelling places of the old Cappadocian monks and nuns. Proceed to Derinkuyu Underground City. Visit Uchisar.

April 17th, Saturday, Visit Cappadocia, Goreme Open Air Museum. Visit churches, Apple Church, Snake Church, Dark Church, Church with Sandals and Buckle Church. Continue to Pasa Bag. Visit the valley of Fairy Chimneys. Proceed to Zelve Valley. Visit the ancient troglodyte houses, churches, stables in the valley. Proceed to Avanos. Visit Sarihan Karavan hotel built in 13th, century. Walk across the suspended bridge of Avanos on the way back. Proceed to Rose Valley for the sun set. Discover the valley and a hidden rock dug church.

April 18th, Sunday, Early departure from Cappadocia at 6:30 am. Drive to Konya. 245 kms. Visit Monastery of Whirling Dervishes and the Mausoleum of Mevlana. Visit ancient theological school of Karatay built in the 13th, century. Continue to Nysa. (Sultanhisar).

April 19th, Monday, Departure for Miletus. Visit Miletus ancient theater, the harbour monument, Lion's Port, the Delphinion, Gymnasium, Processional Way, Bouleterion, Nymphaion, Food Depots, Agora and Faustina Baths. Continue to Priene. Visit Priene Asclepion temple, Agora, the house of Alexander the Great, City Walls, Athena Temple, the Theater, the ancient Byzantine church. Proceed to Ephesus, visit Ephesus, Agoras, Temples, main Boulevards, the Celsius Library and if desired also the Terrace Houses. Overnight in Ephesus.

April 20th, Tuesday, Departure from Ephesus, visit Pergamon. 233 BC. to 133. Capital of the Pergamon Kingdom. Visit Acropolis and Asklepion, the medical therapy center. Continue to Troy. Visit Troy.

April 21th, Wednesday, Depature from Canakkale pass across the Dardanelles by ferryboat. Visit Gallipoli War Museum and battle fields. Drive to Istanbul. If time left we can visit the ancient city walls, Eyup Mosque, Cafe Pierre Loti. End of my services.

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An Itinerary Tailored For An Australian Couple April 16th, 2010 - April 28th, 2010

The tour was tailored by myself following the demands of my clients and was performed from April 16th, till April 21st, by a driver guide colleague from Cappadocia, I performed the rest of the tour by myself after I finished the above tour with my Russian guests.

April 16th, Friday, Istanbul - Ankara Meet with Mr. Serdar at the Ankara Esenboga Airport. Drive to the Mausoleum of Ataturk. Then visit the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations.

April 17th, Saturday, Drive to Hattusa. Great Temple, City Walls, Lions' Gate, Sphinx Gate, Kings Gate, The Great Palace, Yazilikaya Open Air Temple. Transfer to Cappadocia

April 18th, Sunday, Cappadocia,  Early Balloon Flight, Urgup, Sinassos, Ayos Vasilios, Cemil Church, Valley of Onions, Church of St. Barbara, kitchen and dormitiories of Cappadocian monks and nuns, Derinkuyu Underground City, Avanos, Sarihan Karavan hotel.

April 19th, Monday, Cappadocia, Goreme Valley, Visit Churches Apple Church, Snake Church, Dark Church, Buckle Church, Pasa bag fairy chimneys, Zelve Valley, Rose Valley sun set.

April 20th, Tuesday,  Konya, Egirdir, Seldjukian Monuments, Monastery of derviches, 13 th, century school of Karatay, Egirdir.

April 21st, Wednesday, Egirdir, Aphrodisias, Nysa. Aphrodisias, Theater, Excavation Mound, Hadrian Baths, Bishop's House, Bouleterion, Temple of Aphrodite, Stadium, Museum.

April 22rd, Thursday, This is the morning when I will meet you. Serdar will leave us with a sad goodbye and we will start visiting some of the most exciting places on the Aegean coast of Turkey. Bodrum Castle of European Knights, English Tower, German Tower, French Tower, Underwater Archaeology Museum, All open sections, Mausoleum of Mausollos. Few hours of cruise by private boat.

April 23th, Friday, Bafa, Didyma, Priene, Prytaneion, Bouleterion, Asclepion & Hygea Temple, Agora, Meat & Fish Market, Alexander The Great House, City Walls, Port, Athena Temple, Theater, Byzantine Church, Miletus, Theater  and Theater Port, Harbour monument, Lion's Port, Delphinion, Gymnasium,  Processional Way, Nymphaeon, The Silo, Baths of Faustina, Sirince Village.

April 24th, Saturday, Ephesus, Baths of Flavius Damianus, Northern Agora, Odeon, Prytaneion, Couretes Boulevard, Domitian Temple, Pollio Fountain, Memnius Monument, Trajan Fountain, Skholastikia Baths, Public Toilets, Hadrian Temple, Terrace Houses, Marble Way, Celcius Library, Southern Agora, Theater, Harbor Boulevard, Selcuk Museum, Basilica of St. John.

April 25th, Sunday, Sardis, Thyatira, Bergama, Sardis Temple of Artemis, Gold Workshops, King's Road, Ancient Jewish Shops & Synagogue, Gymnasium & Pool. Thyatira in Akhisar.

April 26th, Monday, Bergama, City Walls, Palaces, The Biblioteque, Trajan Temple, Cistern, Athena Temple, Theater, Dionysus Temple, Promenade Avenue, Zeus Temple, Tombs of Pergamon Kings. Drive to Asclepion,  Medical Therapy Center, Entrance Way, Ceremonial Hall, Sacred Fountain, Amphiteater, Tunnel, Hospital Complex, Asklepion Temple.

April 27th, Tuesday, Drive to Troy. Excavation House, Wooden Horse, City Walls of different layers, Schlimann's Trench, Palace House, Sacred Buildings, Tomb of Dardanos, Canakkale.

April 28th, Wednesday, Canakkale, Ferry crossing to Gallipoli peninsula. War Museum, Anzac Cove, Lonepine Cemetery, Turkish Memorial, Chunuk Bair. Trenches, Drive to Istanbul. Transfer to your hotel. End of my services.

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Tour For 2 Gentlemen From U. S. A. May 1, 2010 – May 26, 2010

May 1, Saturday, I will be waiting for you at the international arrivals section of Ataturk International Airport at 3.30 PM.
 
Day 1, Welcome to Turkey! and welcome to Istanbul. The only city in the world to be located on two continents. Asia and Europe. After we meet, we will walk to the parking lot, pick my minivan up and drive towards the ancient historical area by taking the scenic sea side road along the shores of the Marmara sea. As we will reach the ancient city walls enlarged and rebuilt by the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great in the 4th century AD, we will make a short stop there to look up the bastions. Our next stop will be at the ancient Hippodrome where horse races took place in late Roman and Early Eastern Roman (Byzantine) times. Blue Mosque famous with it's blue tiles is next. Overnight in Istanbul.

Day 2, Departure in the morning drive pass the intercontinental Bosphorus bridge, visit the Topkapi Palace, the main residence of the Ottoman Sultans from the 15th, till the second half of the 19th century, it's Harem, the private section of the ladies and it's treasury sections. Our next visits will be, The ancient cathedral of St. Sophia the masterpiece of the Byzantine architecture, the Basilica cistern both built by the Emperor Justinianus in the 6th, century, Beylerbeyi Summer Palace. Overnight in Istanbul.
 
Day 3, Visit the Grand Bazaar, Bosphorus Cruise on a chartered boat, the boat will cruise towards the Black Sea and you will disembark at Sariyer on the European side where I will be waiting for you. Our next stop will be at Sadberk Hanim Museum. After this visit we will drive to Safranbolu and overnight in Safranbolu.
 
Day 4, Visit Safranbolu houses, the old town see some old Ottoman monuments and proceed to Ankara, in Ankara we will visit the Anatolian Civilizations Museum and the Mausoleum of Ataturk drive to Cankaya and overnight in Ankara.

Day 5, Drive to Hattusa. In Hattusa we wil see the Great Temple, Lion's Gate, Sphinx Gate, King's Gate, The ruins of the old palace and the open air temple of Yazilikaya. Proceed to Amasya a nice small town located by the so called Green river. in the evening possibility of visiting the Beyazid Mosque and taking a stroll by the Green River, (Yesilirmak). Overnight in Amasya.
 
Day 6, Visit the rock tombs of Pontus Kings, Darussifa built in the 14th century where they healed mad people in medioval times, using music. Proceed to Samsun overnight in Trabzon.

Day 7, Visit St sophia with beautiful frescoes from Bible, Ataturk's house, drive to Sumela Monastery, proceed to Ayder village famous with it's hot springs. The village is located on the heights of Black Sea Mountains,  overnight in Ayder.
 
Day 8, Proceed to Yusufeli, visit the medioval Georgian Monastery Dortkilise overnight in Yusufeli.

Day 9, Drive to Ani ruins of an ancient city by the Armenian border, visit churches, city walls and other buildings
overnight in Kars.

Day 10, Drive to Dogubeyazit. Visit the Meteorite Crater and the Ishakpasha palace proceed to Van. Overnight in Club Natura.

Day 11, Drive to Akdamar port by the lake Van take a boat and sale to Akdamar Island and visit the church. Proceed to Midyat via Hasankeyf, overnight in Mardin.
 
Day 12, Visit Mor Gabriel at 9.30 and Mor Jacob Syriac Monasteries, Proceed to Dara drive to Sanliurfa, overnight in Urfa.
 
Day 13, Visit Sanli Urfa, Abraham's Cave, Holy carp pool, the covered bazaar then proceed to Kahta via Ataturk dam, visit Karakus royal tumulus. Overnight in Nemrud.
 
Day 14, Drive up the tumulus of Anthiochus l. Proceed to Arsemia an ancient city of Kommagene kingdom, visit Arsemia and the Cendere Roman bridge, drive to Hierapolis Kastabala. Our next visit will be an ancient Neo Hittite site called Karatepe. Overnight in Aslantas.
 
Day 15, Drive to Nigde, visit Eski Gumus Monastery, drive to Uchisar, Welcome to my guest house. Overnight in Cappadocia.
 
Day 16, Visit Urgup, Sinassos churches, proceed to Cemil village,, continue to Mazi underground city the valley of Onions, visit churches. Overnight in Uchisar.
 
Day 17, Visit Pasha bag, Rose Valley and churches, Goreme Open Air Museum, Dark Church, Sarihan Kervanseraglio, Overnight in Uchisar.
 
Day 18, Departure for Konya visit the monastery of Mevlana, founder of the secte of whirling derviches, Ince minare school and proceed to Egirdir, Overnight in Egirdir.
 
Day 19, Drive to Aphrodisias, city dedicated to Aphrodite, Godess of love and beauty, the well known with it's splendid stadium the best preserved of the ancient Greek times, visit Aphrodisias and Nysa Overnight at Sultanhisar.

Day 20, Drive to Labranda, visit Labranda proceed to Bodrum visit the castle of European knights which houses the underwater archaeology museum and the Mausoleum Overnight in Bafa.

Day 21, Today is the day we will visit a dipteros Apollo temple at Didyma, proceed to Miletus, the metropol and political leader of ancient Ionia and Priene where you will see the best preserved exemple of an ancient Greek theater. Overnight in Bafa.
 
Day 22, Visit Ephesus, the terrace houses, the museum in Selcuk, the Artemis temple and Selcuk. Overnight in Bafa.
 
Day 23, Drive to Sardis visit Sardis, capital of the ancient Lydian Empire, proceed to Pergamon via Thyatira visit In Pergamon we will visit the Acropolis and the Asclepion Medical Center and overnight in Bergama.
 
Day 24, Drive to Troy visit ruins of Troy, the tumulus of Dardanos and overnight in Canakkale.
 
Day 25, Drive to Istanbul visit the Golden Horn Area, The Church of St. Saviour in Chora, Eyup, Yildiz Palace, Overnight in Istanbul.
 
Day 26, Transfer to the airport after breakfast at 8.00 AM for your flight back home at 11.20.

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Tour For Three Couples From U. S. A. May 26, 2010 - June 20, 2010

May 28 Leave for Ankara and stay at the hotel.

May 29-31 Stay in Cappadocia.

June 1 Stay by the Egirdir Lake.

June 2 - 5 Stay in Kas.

June 5 - 12 Gulet from Gocek. 

June 12-14  Gocek.

June 14 -16 Ephesus.

June 16 - 20 Leave Izmir for Istanbul on the 16th.

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Tour For A Couple From U. S. A. June 20, 2010 - July 10, 2010

June 20 Day 1 Istanbul to Ankara via Gordion (Day 4)

June 21 Day 2 Ankara to Amasya   (Day 5)
               
June 22 Day 3 Amasya to Trabzon   (Day 6)
           
June 23 Day 4 Trabzon to Ayder via Sumela   (Day 7)
   
June 24 Day 5 Ayder to Yusufeli   (Day 8)           

June 25 Day 6 Yusufeli to Kars   (Day 9)

June 26 Day 7 Kars to Van   (Day 10)

June 27 Day 8 Van to Midyat   (Day 11)

June 28 Day 9 Midyat to Urfa   (Day 12-13)

June 29 Day 10 Urfa to Kahta   (Day 14)

Jun 30  Day 11 Kahta to Aslantas   (Day 15)

July 1-3 Day 12-14 Cappadocia (Day 16-18)

July 4 Day 15 Uchisar to Antalya (Day 19)

July 5 Day 16 Antalya to Nysa via Thermessos and Aphrodisias (Day 20)

July 6 Day 17 Nysa to Bodrum   (Day 21)

July 7 Day 18 Bodrum to Sirince   (Day 22)

July 8 Day 19 Sirince to Bergama   (Day 23)

July 9 Day 20 Bergama to Canakkale   (Day 24)

July 10 Day 21 Canakkale to Istanbul , End of Tour

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Tour For A Danish Couple In Cappadocia July 13th, 2010 - July 16th, 2010

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Tour For Three Canadian Friends July 17th, 2010 - July 19th, 2010

July 17th, Rose Valley, the cathedral church and the church with raisins and sun set on the Rose Valle

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Tour For A Dutch Family, July 18th, 2010 - July 23rd, 2010

July 18th, I will drive from Istanbul to Bodrum with my minivan will overnight at Bodrum.

July 19th, Bodrum, Didyma, Miletus, Priene, overnight in Ephesus

July 20th, Ephesus, Museum Pergamon Acropolis overnight in Pergamon

July 21st, Pergamon Asclepion, Troy overnight in Canakkale

July 22nd, Gallipoli, Istanbul

July 23rd, Istanbul visit the ancient Byzantine church of St. Saviour in Chora, Golden Horn Tour, transfer to the airport at 11:15.

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Tour For A Canadian Family Tour, August 3rd, 2010 - August 11th, 2010

Day 1 August 3. Tuesday, Istanbul, Hannibal's Tomb in Gebze, Anatolian Civilizations Museum in Ankara. Overnight in Ankara.

Day 2. August 4. Wednesday Ankara The Mausoleum of Ataturk, Proceed to Cappadocia via Hattusa capital of Hittite Empire (Unesco World Heritage Site) Overnight in my own guest house in Cappadocia, Cappadocia Cave Rooms.

Day 3. August 5. Thursday, Cappadocia, (Unesco World Heritage Site) Urgup, The Old Greek Village Sinassos, Old houses, Cemil Church, Soganli Valley, St. Barbara Church, The Church With Snakes, Karabas Church, Rock dug monasteries, Mazi or Derinkuyu Underground City.

Day 4. August 6. Friday, Sarihan 13th Century Seldjukian Karavan Hotel, Pottery town Avanos on the banks of the Red river. Pasabag fairy chimneys, Goreme Open Air Museum and Rock dug Churches, Rose Valley.

Day 5. August 7. Saturday, Drive to Konya Capital of the medioval Seldjukian Empire. Visit the Monastery of the Whirling dervishes and the ancient school of Astronomy Karatay proceed to Egirdir by the Egirdir Lake.

Day 6. August 8. Sunday, Drive to Antalya via Termessos. Visit Termessos. The Gymnasium, Necropolis, Theater, Bouleterion, Cisterns, the Royal Necropolis and rock dug tombs and the tomb of Alketas. Proceed to Aspendos visit the aquaducts and the famous theater. The best preserved Roman theater in the world. Overnight in Antalya.

Day 7. August 9. Monday, Drive to Phaselis visit Phaselis Theater, Main boulevard and the ports. Possibility of swimming. Proceed to Myra. Visit Myra and rock dug tombs. Continue to Ucagiz. Embark a boat to sail to Kekova. This will be a 3 hours cruising. It is not possible to swim in the sunken city area as it is illegal to anchor in that protected area. You can see the ruins of a sunken city in the bottom of the sea. Most boats have a glass under the bottom to allow you to see those now adays. As we come back to the shore we will drive to Kas for the overnight.

Day 8. August 10. Tuesday, Today we will visit 3 important Lycian sites Patara, Letoon and Xanthos, the capital of the ancient Lycia. Harpy monument, Theater, water collection systems and the pools. the agora and many more. Overnight at Kas.

Day 9. August 11. Wednesday, Visit the ancient Lycian site high up above the hills, Tlos, then drive to Oludeniz. Have some time for swimming. Proceed to Dalyan. Take a small boat to go to the other side of Dalyan river to visit Kaunos an ancient Lycian city standing at the ancient border of Caria. Rock tombs, Roman Baths, Late Byzantine Church, Theater and more then drive to Dalaman airport for your flight to Istanbul.

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August 12th, 2010 - August 15th, 2010

Tour For Russian Friends 2, in Istanbul.

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Tour For A French Family Of 6, In Istanbul And Cappadocia

August 15th, 2010 - August 19th, 2010

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Tour For An American Family Of 3, August 31st, 2010 - September 9th, 2010

August 31st, 2010 Tuesday - Day 1. sightseeing in Istanbul Golden Horn are, Visit the church of St. Saviour in Chora, Eyup Mosque, Cafe Pierre Loti, Koc Industrial Museum. Overnight in Istanbul

September 1st, 2010 Wednesday - Day 2. Depart from Istanbul, visit Hannibal's Tomb, Ankara Anatolian Civilizations Museum, The Mausoleum Of Ataturk Overnight in Ankara

September 2nd, 2010 - Thursday Day 3. Ankara Hattusa Bogazkoy, Yazilikaya Cappadocia

September 3rd, 2010 - Friday Day 4. Cappadocia Urgup, Sinassos, Damsa, Soganli Valley, Derinkuyu Underground City Uchisar

September 4th, 2010 - Saturday Day 5. Cappadocia Goreme Open Air Museum, Rock Dug Churches, Pasha Bag Fairy Chimneys, Avanos, Sarihan

September 5th, 2010 - Sunday Day 6. Cappadocia Konya Monastery of Mevlana, Ancient School of Karatay, Egirdir,

September 6th, 2010  - Monday Day 7. Egirdir Pamukkale Aphrodisias Nysa/Sultanhisar,

September 7th, 2010 - Tuesday Day 8. Didyma, Miletus, Priene,

September 8th, 2010 - Wednesday Day 9. Ephesus St. John. The Museum, The Terrace Houses,

September 9th, 2010 - Thrusday Day 10. Pergamon Asklepion and Acropolis, Troy, Gallipoli Istanbul end of my services.

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Tour For A Couple From U. S. A. October 1st, October 14th, 2010

October 1: Drive to Iznik, and visit a tile shop. Continue to Bursa, and visit Yesil Cami (The Green Mosque), Kapali Carsi (covered bazaar), and the Muradiye Tombs.  Overnight in Bursa.

October 2: Drive to Pergamum. Visit ruins. Overnight in Pergamum.

October 3: Drive to Sirince. Visit Selcuk.  Overnight in Sirince.

October 4: All day at Ephesus. Spend night back in Sirince.

October 5: Visit Priene, Miletus, Didyma. Spend night in Sirince.

October 6: Drive to Pamukkale. Visit geothermal sites. Overnight in Pamukkale.

October 7: Visit Aphrodisias. Return to Pamukkale. Explore ruins of Hierapolis. Spend night in Pamukkale.

October 8: Drive to Antalya. Visit old town. Overnight in Antalya.

October 9: Explore Termessos and Aspendos, or transfer to Demre and board a ship to see the Sunken City. Spend night in Antalya.

October 10: Drive to Konya. Visit Mevlana Museum and have lunch. Visit Catal Huyuk (oldest known city in the world!)  Overnight in Konya.

October 11: Continue on to Cappadocia. Overnight in Cappadocia.

October 12 - 13: Explore Cappadocia. Overnight in Cappadocia.

October 14: Spend rest of day exploring Cappadocia. Take evening flight back to Istanbul.