Best of Turkey

After breakfast and check-out, travel south by private bus to Bursa, which was the first capital of the Ottoman Empire. Bursa is spectacularly situated at the foot of Mount Uludag – which in the time of the ancient Greeks was known as Mount Olympus. To arrive here from Istanbul, your group will catch the ferry across the Sea of Marmara to Yalova and then continue driving south to Bursa. Upon arrival your group will have lunch in a special kebab restaurant before proceeding on a guided sightseeing tour of Bursa – during which you will see the Green Mosque, the Green Mausoleum, the Grand Mosque and the Old Bazaar. The tour will finish at your hotel this evening. Enjoy the evening at leisure to explore.

After breakfast and check-out, travel east by private bus to Ankara. En route, your group will stop and visit ruins of Gordion, which was the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Phrygia. King Midas (who turned everything he touched to gold) and Alexander the Great (who supposedly cut the famous Gordion knot here) both formed part of local Phrygian legend. After lunch on own, your group will continue traveling east to Ankara, Turkey's capital city, which is home to the Turkish government, the State Opera and the National Ballet. After checking in at the hotel, the evening is free is Ankara.

After an early breakfast and check-out, your group will travel west by private bus to the city of Pamukkale. A spectacular natural site known as the "Cotton Castle," Pamukkale is home to widely-frequented thermal springs and the remarkable ruins of the ancient Greek city of Hierapolis and the museum both of which you will visit. Also during the tour, there will be a group lunch in a local restaurant. After sightseeing, your group will check-in at the hotel and spend the evening at leisure in Pamukkale.

After breakfast and check out, your group will meet a local guide and travel a short distance to the Roman ruins of Ephesus (Turkey's equivalent of Pompeii). This is one of the world's finest archaeological sites. During your tour your group will see the ancient Arcadian Way, the splendid facade of the Library of Celsus – and the amphitheater, which is still used today for performances. Ephesus also has an interesting history with early Christians. It is believed that the Virgin Mary eventually settled here and lived until her assumption. St. Paul also lived in Ephesus for two years. After free time for lunch, the tour will continue with a visit to what is believed to be the house of the Virgin Mary, which is spectacularly situated above the ruins. As the last stop on today's comprehensive tour, your group will pay a visit to the Archaeological Museum at Seljuk. The tour will finish at the hotel in Ephesus, and the evening is at leisure.

After breakfast and check out, your group will travel north along the coast to Pergamum. Mentioned in the Book of Revelations, the Kingdom of Pergamum's origins date back to the 16th century BC. Its library once held 200,000 volumes and was one of the best in the ancient world; it was pillaged by Marc Antony so that he could gift Cleopatra the library's best treasures. While in Pergamum you will tour the Asklepion, an ancient medical center constructed to honor the god of healing. Your group will also see the great amphitheater, the monumental altar of Zeus and the sanctuary of Athena. (The group will also have lunch in a local restaurant in between sightseeing). After the tour, your group will check into the hotel and have the evening at leisure.