Ancient Turkey abounds with history, art and culture and on this tour, you will immerse yourself in everything wonderful about this magnificent country and its people.
Istanbul sightseeing includes the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Hagia, and the Hippodrome, visit Gallipoli’s ANZAC Cove, and the ancient sites of Ephesus, Troy, Pergamon, Aphrodisias, and Hierapolis. Istanbul straddles Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus Strait and its Old City reflects cultural influences of the many empires that once ruled here. The Blue Mosque is an Ottoman-era historical imperial mosque which was constructed between 1609 and 1616. In the Sultanahmet district, the open-air, Roman-era Hippodrome was for centuries the site of chariot races, and Egyptian obelisks remain there. The iconic Byzantine Hagia Sophia features a soaring 6th-century dome and rare Christian mosaics.
The WWI Battlefields of Gallipoli became famous as the site of World War I landing of the ANZAC’s on 25 April 1915 and the Lone Pine Memorial stands on the site of the fiercest fighting and overlooks the whole front line of May 1915.
Troy is famous with the legendary Trojan Horse from the times of Beautiful Helen, the Queen of Sparta, and Paris, the Trojan Prince. Whilst no evidence that Achilles or even Helen existed, most scholars agree that Troy itself was a real city, and that the Trojan War indeed happened.
Ephesus, a ruined city dating back to the 10th century BC, features several significant structures including The Temple of Hadrian and The Library of Celsus, and it is the former site of the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
For a change of pace, experience the magnificent terraces in Pamukkale, white calcium “cascades” frozen in stone called travertines or thermal pools and the lunar landscape of Cappadocia, known for its distinctive “fairy chimneys,” tall and cone-shaped rock formations that dot the landscape.
When choosing a European coach tour, there are several factors you need to be aware of before making your decision. This can range from hotel standard and the number of nights spent in each place, to the group size and tour inclusions. The reason a tour is lower in price is usually a result of a combination of these things. The following is a brief run-down on what to look for when comparing tours.
The number of people in a tour group can impact your holiday. Consider the time it takes for 44 passengers to board and alight a coach and sightseeing is impacted by larger groups as moving around takes longer and you may miss out on hearing commentary or getting a decent view. Our hosted Ancient Turkey small group tour will have no more than 20 participants. Time spent in each city is important as it can be the difference between exploring in-depth or having a brief overview and a tour with many overnight stops can be exhausting.
On the days you travel between cities, you may not arrive until mid-afternoon and then depart after breakfast the following morning. Our hosted Ancient Turkey tour has multiple 2 night stops to allow for easy-paced sightseeing.
When reviewing included sightseeing, it is important to know that most tour companies usually offer a range of ‘optional’ tours. They are always an additional cost are booked and paid for locally. The more tour inclusions reduces day-by-day expenses which assist you with budgeting spending money. Our hosted Ancient Turkey tour has only one optional tour - a hot air balloon ride over Cappadocia.
Tipping can be an unfamiliar custom and understanding why we need to tip will make things easier. In most countries across the world, hospitality staff receive only a minimal wage and thus rely on tips as a supplement so our hosted Ancient Turkey tour includes tips for guides and drivers.
Click here for our Ancient Turkey Hosted Small Group Tour or contact the Holidays of Australia & the World team on 1300 854 897 or holidays@holidaysofaustralia.com.au
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