Istanbul, Ephesus and Troy
7 Days Starting in Kusadasi and ending in United Kingdom
Visiting: İzmir, Kuşadası, Ephesus Ancient City, Pergamon Ancient City, Troy, Gelibolu, İstanbul
Tour operator:
Tour code:
TK
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
1 - 25
Physical rating:
Please contact Riviera Travel if you have any concerns regarding the suitability of the holiday due to reduced mobility.
Age range:
18-99
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians, Please contact Riviera Travel with specific dietary requests.
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Activities:
From:
$1622 (USD) including Flights from the UKTour Overview
A city of great diversity, Istanbul is a combination of tree-lined boulevards, cafés and cosmopolitan restaurants set against a backdrop where little has changed for centuries. High-class jewellery and fashion shops jostle with hawkers selling freshly prepared food, shoe-shine boys and the largest covered bazaar in the world. During its 3,000 years of turbulent history, it has been home to the Greeks, Romans, Crusaders, Ottomans and, finally, the Turks themselves – all leaving their mark. We are taught the Roman Empire fell in 410AD when Attila the Hun sacked Rome, but rarely told is that the eastern and wealthier half lasted another thousand years. This lead to some amazingly preserved monuments, with perhaps the greatest legacy being the 6th-century Hagia Sophia, the largest ever church and for over a thousand years, the largest covered space on earth. During the Middle Ages, the Ottoman Empire built another range of monuments to match, including the amazing Topkapi Palace, which was the seat of government of arguably the greatest empire of the medieval age.
We also visit three of the most famous ancient sites in the country: Troy, Pergamon and Ephesus. Each is very different, with Troy being the oldest, dating from 3000 BC, and during more than a century of excavations, nine separate cities have been unearthed, all built over each other. Once a Greek colony built high on a huge rock, Pergamon is an impregnable defensive site with amazing views in all directions, and flourished as one of the ancient world’s greatest centres of learning and healing. During Roman times, the greatest city in the eastern Mediterranean was Ephesus, which boasts an extraordinary number of superbly preserved monuments, including the stunning two-storey Library of Celsus.
We cross from Asia back to Europe on a scenic ferry journey across the Dardanelles Straight – you’ll be surprised by how close Europe is to the Asian shore and it’s not hard to imagine the great armies of Xerxes and Alexander the Great crossing here at their narrowest point.
Turkish cuisine is an interesting blend of Mediterranean specialities: fresh grilled lamb, fish, shellfish with aubergines, peppers and various fragrant olive oils combine to create tasty, healthy menus, all washed down with the excellent and very reasonably priced local red wine. Turkey is the perfect place if you are looking for something a little different and it will not disappoint. It possesses a genuinely unique blend of diverse cultures, centuries of history and an atmosphere that links the mysterious east with the familiar west.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1
Location: İzmir, Kuşadası
Arrive at the airport to take your flight to Izmir via Istanbul. On arrival, you transfer by coach to the four-star KoruMar Hotel in the nearby resort of Kusadasi, for two nights half board.Â
Day 2
Location: Ephesus Ancient City
Morning
Today we have a guided tour of Ephesus, an ancient city with breathtaking buildings. So great was Ephesus, with its amazing two-storey Library of Celsus and the enormous amphitheatre, that the Romans made it their capital of Asia. We’ll see the Temple of Artemis, which was one of the original ‘Seven Wonders of the Ancient World’. Intriguingly, only a fraction of the city has been excavated to date, but the discoveries indicate a highly sophisticated society living in luxurious houses with marble-lined halls, mosaics and beautiful frescoes.Â
Strolling through the centre of Ephesus, you’ll be walking the same streets as St Paul and St John, who both lived here for several years. We also discover the remains of St John’s Basilica, built by the Emperor Justinian over St John’s tomb.Â
AfternoonÂ
In complete contrast, hillside site of the House of the Virgin Mary. St John was entrusted to care for her and it’s believed she travelled with him to Ephesus.
We return to our hotel in Kusadasi in the late afternoon, and the rest of the day at leisure.Â
Day 3
Location: Pergamon Ancient City
Morning
Departing Kusadasi, we follow the coast towards the ancient Hellenistic city of Pergamon, where we have a guided tour. Perched on a high rocky outcrop, with stunning views for miles around, the city was famed for its library, so concerned were the Egyptians about this competition that they cut off supplies of papyrus to Pergamon, thus prompting the invention of parchment. We’ll see the remains of the Temple of Trajan, the altar of Zeus and the world’s steepest ancient amphitheatre.Â
Afternoon
We continue our journey along the scenic coastline to Canakkale and the four-star Kolin Hotel overlooking the Dardanelles. This evening’s dinner is included at your hotel.
Day 4
Location: Troy, Gelibolu
Morning
A fascinating day of contrasts awaits today. Firstly, there’s free time in Troy, famous for the ‘wooden horse’ story, when Queen Helen of Sparta eloped with Prince Paris to Troy and her enraged husband followed seeking her return. Today, Troy is a complex archaeological site that spans nine separate cities. It nevertheless remains a romantic and alluring place to anyone who has read about the heroic struggles recounted in Homer’s Iliad.Â
Afternoon
We take the short cruise from Asia to Europe over the extremely scenic, steep-sided Dardanelles, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes to the Gallipoli peninsula. This was made famous during the First World War as the scene of one of the greatest and most tragic campaigns of the conflict.
We visit the Lone Pine memorial and Anzac Cove, where the Australians mistakenly landed and were forced to scale steep cliffs and ravines under constant bombardment.Â
We continue our journey through this refreshingly picturesque landscape and arrive in Istanbul, where we stay at the superbly located four-star Armada Old City Hotel for three nights with breakfast.
Day 5
Location: İstanbul
For thousands of years, Istanbul sat at the centre of the overland trade routes, and its Grand Bazaar became home to merchants from all over the known world. Today, more than 4,000 shops sell all types of goods, mainly gold, silver, leatherwear, ceramics and carpets, including fine collectors’ items.
Istanbul is a revelation: there are few places where you’ll find such a diverse array of monuments and fascinating places to visit. We’ll see the immense and beautifully preserved city walls, still dominant after a thousand years, and the remains of the Hippodrome, where the emperors entertained a staggering 50,000 people.Â
Morning
This morning, we enjoy a comprehensive guided tour of the breathtaking Hagia Sophia, one of the city’s best landmarks and quite simply one of the world’s greatest architectural achievements. Built in the 6th century, it was the largest enclosed space in the world for 1,400 years. The artistic highlights are the amazing Byzantine mosaics that seem to cover every wall with their vibrant golds, reds and yellows, plus the stunning blue ceramics so typical of the East after it was converted to a mosque some thousand years later. The marble that lines the walls has to be seen to be believed, with each piece specially quarried so the grain blends in a most harmonious manner.
Afternoon
We have a guided walk here and experience the sights and sounds of this thought-provoking relic of the past.Â
Day 6
Location: İstanbul
Morning
We start the day with a guided tour of the Topkapi Palace, the glittering and labyrinthine imperial residence of the sultans for over 400 years. Today, it is a spectacular museum, but in its heyday,  it functioned as a city within a city, a home to over 4,000 guards, eunuchs, courtiers and the ladies of the harem. There is a superb display of weapons from throughout history: crossbows, firearms inlaid with ivory and beautifully crafted armour from as far afield as Japan. The treasury is breathtaking too, with an amazing display of jewellery including the world’s fifth-largest diamond, emeralds, jewel-encrusted thrones and the famous Topkapi.
Afternoon
Next, we have a short walk around the Spice Bazaar, where your senses are bombarded by the vibrant colours and fragrant smells of herbs and spices from around the world: high-quality saffron from Iran; vanilla from Madagascar; turmeric from India; fresh peppercorns from Indonesia and much more. This entire area encapsulates the spirit of old Istanbul: a maze of tiny busy streets, where the locals chat over apple tea from numerous street vendors, as the commanding horns of the passenger ferries resound under the famous Galata Bridge. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure.
Day 7
Location: İstanbul
Transfer to the airport for your return flight.
What's Included
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The price of this holiday is per person, based on two people sharing a twin room and includes: scheduled return flights; six nights in four-star hotels; daily breakfast and three buffet dinners; guided tours of Ephesus, Virgin Mary’s House, Temple of Artemis, Pergamon, Troy, Gallipoli battlefields, Hagia Sophia, the Grand Bazaar and Topkapi Palace; hotel porterage of one item of luggage per person; the services of a Riviera Travel tour manager.Not included: US$20 Turkish visa payable on arrival and optional entrance to Topkapi Harem quarters is 25 Turkish lira.
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Accommodation
6 nights in four-star
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Airport Transfers at Destination
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All Domestic Transportation (including internal flights)
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Local Taxes
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Meals
9 meals: 6 breakfasts & 3 dinners
What's Not Included
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Tipping and Gratuities
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Entrance Fees
US$20 Turkish visa payable on arrival and optional entrance to Topkapi Harem quarters is 25 Turkish lira.
Check out our Q&As
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes
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Are all entrance fees included in the price?
Yes
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Are flights included in this tour?
Yes
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Are children permitted to take part in the tour?
No
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Are all the relevant entry visa’s included in the price of the tour?
Yes
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Are airport transfers included in this tour?
Yes
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How long has the tour company been trading?
For almost 40 years
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I have reduced mobility; can I still travel?
We want to ensure you make the correct choice before you book your holiday with us. If you have any concerns regarding the suitability of the holiday due to reduced mobility we would encourage you to contact us to discuss these concerns
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Do I require travel insurance?
It is a condition of booking that you carry suitable travel insurance.
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What is my luggage allowance?
You will receive details of your luggage allowance with your final travel documents, which are sent approximately 10 days prior to your date of departure.
Reviews of this Operator
Dates & Availability
Monday - Sunday
Sep 30, 2024 - Oct 06, 2024Monday - Sunday
Nov 11, 2024 - Nov 17, 2024Book with Confidence
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Low Deposit
Riviera Travel requires a minimum deposit of 250 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 75 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of riviera travel charges.
Up to 75 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 74 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.
At 60 days before tour starts: Forfeit 70% of booking price.
At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 90% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.