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JEWISH HERITAGE (CTJH1)
JEWISH
HERITAGE ITINERARY 1
DAY 1) ARRIVE AT ISTANBUL ( D )
Upon arrival at Istanbul Ataturk International Airport. Meeting and
greeting by our CT representative and transfer to the hotel for check-in.
Dinner : at hotel.
Overnight in Istanbul.
DAY 2) İSTANBUL FULL DAY CITY TOUR ( B/L/D )
Right after breakfast, we will start our Istanbul city tour.
First visit,
Galata Tower.It is located in the north of the
Golden Horn. One of the city's most
striking landmarks, it is a huge, cone-capped cylinder that dominates the
skyline on the
Galata side of the Golden Horn.The
tower was built as Christea Turris
in
1348 which was the city's tallest
structure when built.In
1638,
Hezarfen Ahmet
Çelebi flew as an early
aviator using artificial wings from
this tower over the Bosphorus to the slopes of
Usküdar on the
Anatolian side.In the
1960s the original wooden interior of
the tower was replaced by a concrete structure and it was opened to the public.
There is a restaurant and café on its upper floors which commands a magnificent
view of Istanbul and the Bosphorus.After
Galata Tower, we will visit
Neve Shalom and
Ashkenaz Synagogues.After lunch,we will visit
Balat where the star of David
appears on the facades of some buildings. Time to walk around this colorful area
before returning to your hotel.
Lunch : at local restaurant.
Dinner
: at hotel.
Overnight in Istanbul.
DAY 3) ISTANBUL - IZMIR (B/L/D )
Right after breakfast,
start our tour with Sultanahmet Square
named as “Hippodrome” in the Roman and
Byzantine period and “The horse Square” in the Otoman period, the Sultanahmet
Square has been posited as the city centre by many civilizations since İstanbul
existed. Located in front of Blue Mosque,it was the heart of Constantinople's political and sporting life, and
the scene of games and riots through 500 years of Ottoman history as well.Today
it is a central area with hotels,boarding houses,restaurants and stores Hippodrome.
Continue to The Sultan Ahmet, Blue Mosque,
dating from the 17th century, an architectural masterpiece famed for its
exquisite blue tiles and six elegant minarets
Then visit
the splendid church of the
Hagia
Sophia . The massive dome
and four elegant minarets of Haghia Sophia
rise above the Istanbul city for more than a millennium, forming the most
impressive silhouette on both Asia and Europe’s sky.Not only haunting beauty of
its dimly interior, it is one of the
largest enclosed spaces in the world.Considered
to be the 8th Wonder of the World, Hagia Sophia Cathedral is now a museum.
The next stop is
Topkapı Palace , that is the home of Sultans and
administrative center of the mighty Ottoman Empire. Precious personal belongings
of the Ottoman dynasties are on display in the Treasury and the collection of
fine Chinese porcelain is among the most extensive in the world. Turkish life
and objects in daily household used in the past
Right after Istanbul city tour, we will transfer to the airport for your flight
to Izmir.
(
with Turkish Airlines , It is possible to find a flight to Izmir every hour )
Lınch :
at local restaurant.
Dinner :
at hotel.
Overnight in Izmir.
DAY 4) IZMIR – KUSADASI - IZMIR ( B/L/D )
Right after breakfast we will depart for the charming city of Izmir which
has a 400 year old Jewish community.We will be walking to the
Shar Ashamayim or
Bet Israel Synagogue. Beth Israel Synagogue is a handsome Ottoman Victorian-style building
dating from the turn of the century. After visiting the synagogue, walk one
block inland and around the rear of the synagogue, turning left. About a hundred
meters along this street is the Asansör, a nineteenth-century funicular which
once took passengers from the shore road up the sheer rock cliffs to the
desirable residential district above. Inscriptions above the door in French and
Hebrew declare that the elevator was constructed by Nissim Bey.
After lunch, we will drive to Sardis. Ancient Sardis was the capital of the Kingdom of Lydia, whose most famous king was Croesus (560-546 B.C.E.), famed for his wealth. Croesus was the first monarch to mint coinage, introducing this useful invention to the world. During its heyday as a Roman city, Sardis had a very large and prosperous Jewish community that may have been established here in much earlier times The ruins of Sardis lie east of Izmir, a ride of 75 minutes. The ruins of Jewish interest lie in the village of Sartmustafa. Though Sardis plays no role in the history of Jewish immigrants who came to the Ottoman Empire from Spain and Portugal, it is of interest because of its extremely large and rich Roman synagogue. In ancient Sardis, Jews held seats on the city council and important offices in the Roman civil administration. Remains of the beautiful and richly appointed synagogue dating from the 200s C.E. have been uncovered and restored; much of the funding for restoration came from American Jewish individuals, congregations and philanthropies. Visitors to the site approach the synagogue along the Marble Way, a main street lined with shops, many of which were owned by Jewish merchants and artisans, as signs indicate. The synagogue itself, of which only the floor, some walls and columns remain, is of grand proportions, with wonderful mosaic floors and colored-stone wall decorations. Lunch : at local restaurant. Dinner : at hotel.
Overnight in Kusadasi.
Day 5) KUSADASI - ISTANBUL (B/L/D )
Right after breakfast we will depart from Kusadası to Ephesus .
This enclosure for archaeological remains at
Ephesus elegantly reconciles
historic conservation with accessibility for visitors. The site of a succession
of great ancient civilizations, Ephesus, on the south-west coast of modern Turkey, embodied a peculiarly fertile
synthesis of architecture and culture. In 356BC the Greeks built the Artemesium
(a colossal Ionic temple dedicated to Artemis the fertility goddess) which was
one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. During the 2nd century BC,
Ephesus was the fourth largest city in the eastern Roman Empire, famous for its
Artemesium, the Library of Celsus and its medical school.
After Ephesus, we will see
Temple of Hadrian which is one of the best preserved and most
beautiful structures on Curetes Street. It was built before 138 A.D by
P.Quintilius and was dedicated to the Emperor Hadrian, who came to visit the
city from Athens in 128 A.D The facade of the temple has four Corinthian columns
supporting a curved arch, in the middle of which contains a relief of Tyche,
goddess of victory. The side columns are square. The pedestal with inscriptions
in front of the temple, are the bases for the statues of the emperors between
293-305 CE, Diocletian, Maximian, Constantius I, and Galerius; the originals of
the statues have not been found yet inside the temple above the door, a human
figure, probably Medusa stands with ornaments of acanthus leaves. On both sides
there are friezes depicting the story of the foundation of Ephesus - Androklos
shooting a boar, Dionysus in ceremonial procession and the Amazons. The fourth
frieze portrays two male figures, one of which is Apollo; Athena, goddess of the
moon; a female figure, Androkles, Herakles, the wife and son of Theodosius and
the goddess Athena. The friezes that are seen today are copies, and the
originals are displayed in Ephesus Museum.
In the land that is now Turkey, a wide marble road slopes down to one of the
largest libraries of the ancient world. Between 12,000 and 15,000 scrolls were
housed in the grand
Library of Celsus in the Roman city, Ephesus. Designed by the Roman architect
Vitruoya, the library was built in memory of Celsus Polemeanus, who was a Roman
senator, General Governor of the Province of Asia, and a great lover of books.
Celsus' son, Julius Aquila, began the construction in 110 AD. The library was
completed by Julius Aquila's successors in 135 AD.Celsus was buried beneath the
ground floor in a lead container inside a marble tomb. A corridor behind the
north wall leads to the vault.The Library of Celsus was remarkable not only for
its size and its beauty, but also for its clever and efficient design. After lunch, we will transfer to the airport for flight back to İstanbul.( with Turkish Airlines , It is possible to find a flight to Istanbul every hour ) Lunch : at local restaurant. Dinner : at hotel.
Overnight in İstanbul.
Day 6) ISTANBUL ( B )
You will have your leisure time to discover this fascinating city on your own.
We can advise a few tours for the day at leisure in İstanbul.
Day 7) DEPARTURE ( B )
Transfer to the
airport for your homebound flight
****END OF
OUR SERVICES****
Note: The above itinerary is subject to the final discretion of the local
land operator
JEWISH HERITAGE (CTJH3)
JEWISH HERITAGE ITINERARY 3
DAY 1) ARRIVE – ISTANBUL – ADANA ( D )
Upon arrival at Istanbul Ataturk
International Airport. Meeting and greeting our CT representative and fly to
Adana.
Dinner:
At Hotel .
Overnight stay in Adana.
DAY 2) ADANA – ANTAKYA – ADANA ( B/ L/ D )
After breakfast first visit will be to the Biblical city of
Antioch. This city was the headquarters of St. Paul's Missionary
Journeys. It was the third largest city of the Roman Empire rivaled only by Rome
and Alexandria. St.
Lunch:
At Local Restaurant .
Dinner :
At Hotel .
Overnight in Adana.
DAY 3) ADANA – CAPPADOCIA (B/L/D )
Right after breakfast we will drive to
Cappadocia which is about four hours. En-route we will see
Tarsus, the birthplace and early home of Paul.
Once an important commercial center and seaport; the city had hosted Alexander
the Great, Cleopatra, Mark Anthony, Julius Caesar and Cicero. Some traditions
are associated with an old structure known as St. Paul’s well. Numerous believe
that the water has healing properties, but there is no firm evidence to connect
it in any way with Paul or his family. The central plateau of Asia Minor north
of the Taurus Mountains has striking features caused by the volcanic activity of
Mt. Argues and the subsequent erosion. The most outlandish feature of Cappadocia
is the underground cities, so far, thirty-six of them are known. Each of them
was capable of accommodating several thousands inhabitants, supplied with water
by underground springs and air through an elaborate ventilation system.
Lunch:
At Local Restaurant .
Dinner:
At Hotel .
Overnight in Cappadocia.
DAY 4) CAPPADOCIA ( B/L/D )
Right after breakfast we will start with
Cappadocia city tour. The day highlights includes the
Underground City of Kaymakli where early Christians lived secretly in order to survive and
keep their faith. Then proceed to
Pasabag Valley to view the unique
volcanic formations in the form of chimneys or mushrooms.
Uchisar Village, bewitching scenery
of cones and chimney formations. Proceed to the
Goreme Valley
open air museum with five churches is about 2 km
from the town of Goreme itself and you can comfortably walk it.
Lunch:
At Local Restaurant .
Dinner:
At Hotel
.
Overnight in Cappadocia.
Day 5) CAPPADOCIA – KONYA (B/L/D )
After breakfast we will drive through Konya. The entire Konya
basin was a lake 18 thousand years ago. Over 10 thousand years ago, it had
drained to form a rich alluvial plain. Today its importance is as a place of
pilgrimage for Christians and Muslims. In the days of the Roman Empire Konya was
called Iconium, ‘the city of icons’. As in Antioch, Paul and Barnabas used the
synagogue in I conium and Paul preached here on his first missionary journey.
From the late 12th.Century for over a hundred years Konya was the
capital of the Muslim Selcuk Empire. Today the most interesting monuments in the
city are the beautiful Selcuk mosques and schools and the monastery of Mevlana
Celaleddin Rumi, the great poet, mystic and humanist philosopher. On his death,
1273, people of many religious persuasions – Christians, pagans, Jews, Moslems-
joined in the funeral cortege. En-route to Konya we will visit
Sultanhani Caravanserai.It was built in 1229 for the convenience of
merchants and travelers. Our next visit will be to the
tomb of
Mevlana
which is now the Mevlana Museum. Then
Semahane, where whirling dance is still performed, is breath-taking with
its chandeliers and carpets. Selcuk masterpiece, the
Karatay
Medrese,
famous for its dome of colored tiles used to be a theological school is now a
museum of Selcuk and Ottoman ceramics.
Lunch:
At Local Restaurant.
Dinner:
At Hotel
.
Overnight in Konya.
Day 6) KONYA – PAMUKKALE ( B/L/D )
Right after breakfast we will move to Pamukkale. Pamukkale is one
of the most enchanting and remarkable sights in Turkey .It has always been a
very popular settlement where hot springs were believed to have healing powers
and thus the city became the center of a pagan cult in antiquity and a spa
resort today .The terraces were formed by running warm spring water, at a
temperature of 3 5 C / 1 02 F, containing calcium bicarbonate. When the water
Ioses its carbon dioxide it Leaves Limestone deposits. Pamukkale, which means,
'' cotton castle '' in Turkish takes its name from these formations. Traditionally
St. Philip is connected with the early church in
Hierapolis. Hierapolis is listed in the New Testament
along with
Laodicea as the center of Epaphras's work. This was at the Time Paul was
writing to strengthen the message Epaphras was preaching and to condemn the
''people who go in for self-mortification and angel-worship'' (Colossians 2:
18). Apostle Philip was martyred here and many Christian tombs are found close
to the ruins of the church of
St. Philip. The faithful wished to be buried as close as
possible to the holly dead. Enjoy the warm and slightly effervescent water of
thermal pool at your hotel
Lunch:
At Local Restaurant .
Dinner:
At Hotel
.
Overnight in Pamukkale.
Day 7) PAMUKKALE - KUSADASI ( B/L/D )
After breakfast our first visit wll be to
Tavas, the school of carpeting, which is a famous school for Turkish hand-
woven carpets. Here you can see the whole procedure of carpet weaving starting
from silkworm and wool to the end product. Reasonable prices are a good bargain
for the interested. The impressive remains of Aphrodisas, once a splendid
city, below the slopes of Mt. Babadağ (Salbakos), is an ancient sacred city
dedicated to the goddess of Iove, Aphrodite. Life in the city was concentrated
around the Temple of Aphrodite. The cult of Aphrodite was so popular that
it took some time before Christianity was fully accepted by the Aphrodisians.
The name of the city was changed to Stavropolis, the city of the Cross, in the
6C AD to erase the pagan goddess of love from people's minds. It has been
concluded that a very creative school of sculpture existed here; adorning
Aphrodisias itself and exporting many works throughout the Mediterranean.
Statues were carved from the local white, grayish blue marble from Babadağ.
Aphrodisias museum which houses busts, decorative and religious
sculpture, ceramics and other objects should be visited in clockwise direction.
Lunch:
At Local Restaurant .
Dinner:
At Hotel
.
Overnight in Kusadası.
Day 8) KUSADASI ( B/L/D )
After breakfast we will leave the hotel for our visits to the
cities of
Priene
and
Miletus
at the mouth of Meander River (Menderes
Nehri) which were both once on the coast, but as the Meander brought more and
more silt into the flood plain, both cities lost their harbors and their
importance and today they are miles away from the sea. Priene, which was never a
large city, remains the best example of Hellenistic city outside Greece. The
most important building of Priene is the
Temple of
Athena. In Byzantine times Priene was the seat of a
Christian bishopric; the basilica’s pulpit and the base of the altar stand in
place near the Theatre. As the most important city on the Aegean coast, Miletus
had its share of pagan temples, then churches, and Iater mosques. Paul's
visit to Miletus came at the end of his third joumey as he was hurrying to get
to Jerusalern by Pentecost. The elders of the congregation from Ephesus joined
him in Miletus. Paul wamed them in his speech to be alert in keeping watch over
their flock and to work to support thernselves and the weak because '' happiness
lies in giving than in receiving'' ( Acts 20:35). Paul said good-by to his
friends and his work in Asia near the ıions that still guard the former harbor.
Didyma
was a holy site before the Ionians ever arrived,
and was believed to be the oldest oracle in Asia Minor .The Greek rededicated
the Anatolian cult to their own god Apollo and continued the oracle. Like
other temples; people who came to it believed that here they would find answers
to their pressing problems. Later in the Byzantine period, a church
had been built in the open-air courtyard. The major part of the temple
still stands at the present day and even in its ruined state, it is a very
impressive building.
Lunch:
At Local Restaurant.
Dinner:
At Hotel
.
Overnight in Kusadası
Day 9) KUSADASI - BERGAMA ( B/L/D )
Right after breakfast we will visit
Ephesus
which was first settled by the Lydians
and Carians who worshipped the Great Anatolian goddess Cybele. When the Ionians
arrived, around the tenth century BC, they combined the ancient cult of Cybele
with their own of Artemisia syncretism that had unusual success. The Ephesian
Artemis had little in common with usual depictions of the virgin goddess of the
Chase; she is oriental, mysterious, fertility figure, studded with breasts or
eggs. The Artemision, considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was
indeed a building unparalleled in splendour. lt was the largest edifıce in the
Hellenic world and also the first architectural work of monumental proportions
ever to be constructed entirely of marble. This holy site that drew pilgrims
from around the ancient world was stripped for materials to build Istanbul's
Hagia sophi8 and Selçuk's own Basilica ofst. Joho. Selçuk has an exceptionally
fine Archaeology Museum. Along with some fine frescoes and mosaics, the two best finds
exhibited in the museum are marble statue of
Artemis, found, carefully buried at the Prytaneio
perhaps by a secret worshipper to hide them from the Christians. Rows of
egg-shaped marble pieces on the goddess' chest have been interpreted differently
as breasts, eggs, grapes or dates. In 1978 a new interpretation suggested that
these pieces on the goddess’ s chest were bull ' s testicles offered to her on
feast days as symbols of fertility , in the forested mountain above Ephesus is
Panaya Kapulu or the
House of
Virgin Mary
, a modest stone house. This is thought to have been the place where St. John
took the mother of Jesus after the crucifixion and where some believe she
ascended to heaven. The site has long been associated with the Virgin; the house
was unknown until 1891. The story of Its discovery curiously parallels a common
Middle Eastern folktale; İn this case, a German nun called Catherine Emmerich,
who had never been to Ephesus and who had been an invalid for twelve years, had
visions which enabled her to give exact directions to the house and a detailed
description. It was found exactly where and as she had described It; a brick
house of sixth century, Its foundation dating back to the first. This place was
officially declared a shrine of the Roman Catholic Church In 1896 and since then
it has become a popular place of pilgrimage. Pope Paul VI visited the shrine in
1967 and Pope John Paul n in 1979 had celebrated mass here.
Lunch:
At Local Restaurant .
Dinner:
At Hotel
.
Oververnight in Bergama.
Day 10) BERGAMA - CANAKKALE ( B/L/D )
Right after breakfast we will move to
Canakkale. On our way to Canakkale, we will stop by
Pergamon for a visit which was one of the most
beautiful cities of the ancient world. Its architects and sculptors were amongst
the finest in the Hellenistic world. The majestic acropolis looms behind the
modern town. The places to be visited are
Pergamon Acropolis
with Temple of Trojan, Hellenistic Barracks,
Library, Temple of Athena, Theatre and the Altar of Zeus;
Asclepion, one of the most
famous shrines and therapeutic centers in the ancient world. After our visit
depart from Pergamon to Canakkale for the overnight stay.
Lunch:
At Local Restaurant .
Dinner:
At Hotel
.
Overnight in Canakkale.
Day 11) CANAKKALE - ISTANBUL ( B/L/D )
After breakfast we will proceed to
Troy which is situated
at a distance of 30 km from the
Dardanelles. Troy, which had been
founded in the year 3000 B.C., and was demolished and reconstructed nine times
until the year 500 A.D. was inhabited incessantly for 3500 years. Troy I. which
had been founded in the year 3000 B.C. was demolished in the year 2500 B.C and
Troy II. that was founded in its place, was brought to its end by a fire in the
2300's B.C.Troy is the legendary city immortalized by Homer's Illiad and later
excavated by German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann. It is also famous for the
legendary TROJAN HORSE from the times of BEAUTIFUL HELEN. Then we will proceed
to Istanbul to visit the
Topkapı Palace.
Topkapı Palace is the home of Sultans and
administrative center of the mighty Ottoman Empire. Precious personal belongings
of the Ottoman dynasties are on display in the Treasury and the collection of
fine Chinese porcelain is among the most extensive in the world. Turkish life
and objects in daily household use in the past.
Lunch:
At Local Restaurant .
Dinner :
At hotel .
Overnight in Istanbul.
Day12) ISTANBUL ( B/L/D )
Right after
breakfast we will proceed to
The Blue Mosque which is dating from the 17th century,
an architectural masterpiece famed for its exquisite blue tiles and six elegant
minarets and the
Haghia Sophia (Church of Holly Wisdom).The massive
dome and four elegant minarets of Haghia Sophia rise above the Istanbul city for
more than a millennium forming the most impressive silhouette on both Asia and
Europe’s sky. Not only haunting beauty of its dimly lit interior it is one of
the largest enclosed spaces in the world. Considered to be the 8th Wonder of the World,
Hagia Sophia Cathedral is now a museum. Next visit will be
the Kariye church (Chora museum) with its 14th c mosaics and frescoes, depicting
scenes from the Bible, then Tekfur Palace, one of the best examples of Byzantine
architecture existing in Turkey and possibly see the remains of Blachernae
Palace and dungeon.
After we will visit the
Grand Bazaar, which is one of the largest and the oldest
shopping malls in the world. Rug’s galore and everything else imaginable, even a
flying carpet, can be had in Istanbul’s great Kapali Carsi (Grand Bazaar), a
mini city that sprawls across sixty-five streets and 50 acres and includes some
4000 shops, tiny cafés, and restaurants – all surrounded by a wall, and entered
through any of eleven gates. It offers a sea of choices that will tempt even the
nonshoppers with its local curios and souvenirs: carpets, jewellery, icons,
leather, meerschaum pipes, ceramics, bronze and copperware.
Lunch:
At Local Restaurant .
Dinner : At hotel .
Overnight in Istanbul.
Day13) ISTANBUL -DEPARTURE
Right after breakfast
transfer to the Istanbul International Airport for back home.
JEWISH HERITAGE (CTJH4)
JEWISH
HERITAGE ITINERARY 4
DAY 1) ARRIVE AT ISTANBUL ( D )
Upon
arrival at Istanbul Ataturk International Airport. Meeting and greeting by our
CT representative and transfer to the hotel for check-in.
Dinner : At hotel.
Overnight in Istanbul
DAY 2) İSTANBUL FULL DAY CITY TOUR
Right after breakfast, we will start our Istanbul city tour.
First visit, The Blue Mosque which is dating from the 17th century, an
architectural masterpiece famed for its exquisite blue tiles and six elegant
minarets
and of
course the Hippodrome of Istanbul.Then we will proceed to
The massive dome and four elegant minarets of
Haghia Sophia rise above the Istanbul city for more
than a millennium, forming the most impressive silhouette on both Asia and
Europe’s sky.Not only haunting beauty of its dimly interior, it is one of the largest
enclosed spaces in the world. Considered
to be the 8th Wonder of the World, Hagia Sophia Cathedral is now a museum. After
we will visit Topkapı Palace. Topkapı Palace is the home of Sultans
and administrative center of the mighty Ottoman Empire. Precious personal
belongings of the Ottoman dynasties are on display in the Treasury and the
collection of fine Chinese porcelain is among the most extensive in the world.
Turkish life and objects in daily household use in the past.
Lunch: At local restaurant.
Dinner : At hotel.
Overnight in Istanbul.
DAY 3) ISTANBUL - IZMIR (B/L/D )
Right after breakfast we will transfer to the
airport for flight to Izmir.
Right after arrive to Izmir we will drive our
first visit to Smyrna.
Smyrna
is an ancient city that was founded at a very early period at a central and
strategic point on the Aegean coast of
Anatolia
Lunch: At local restaurant.
Dinner
: At local restaurant.
Overnight in Izmir.
DAY 4) IZMIR
( B/L/D )
Right after breakfast we will start with
Cappadocia city tour. The day highlights includes the
Underground City of Kaymakli where early Christians lived secretly in order to survive and
keep their faith. Then proceed to
Pasabag Valley to view the unique
volcanic formations in the form of chimneys or mushrooms.
Uchisar Village, bewitching scenery
of cones and chimney formations. Proceed to the
Goreme Valley
open air museum with five churches is about 2 km
from the town of Goreme itself and you can comfortably walk it.
Lunch:
At Local Restaurant .
Dinner:
At Hotel
.
Overnight in Cappadocia.
Day 5) IZMIR - PAMUKKALE (B/L/D )
Right after breakfast we will move to Pamukkale. Pamukkale is one
of the most enchanting and remarkable sights in Turkey .It has always been a
very popular settlement where hot springs were believed to have healing powers
and thus the city became the center of a pagan cult in antiquity and a spa
resort today .The terraces were formed by running warm spring water, at a
temperature of 3 5 C / 1 02 F, containing calcium bicarbonate. When the water
Ioses its carbon dioxide it Leaves Limestone deposits. Pamukkale, which means,
''
cotton castle '' in Turkish takes its name from these formations. Traditionally
St. Philip is connected with the early church in
Hierapolis. Hierapolis is listed in the New Testament
along with
Laodicea as the center of Epaphras's work. This was at the Time Paul was
writing to strengthen the message Epaphras was preaching and to condemn the
''people who go in for self-mortification and angel-worship'' (Colossians 2:
18). Apostle Philip was martyred here and many Christian tombs are found close
to the ruins of the church of
St. Philip. The faithful wished to be buried as close as
possible to the holly dead. Enjoy the warm and slightly effervescent water of
thermal pool at your hotel
Lunch : At
local restaurant.
Dinner : At
hotel.
Overnight in Pamukkale.
Day 6) EPHESUS ( B/L/D )
Right after breakfast we will visit
Ephesus
which was first settled by the Lydians
and Carians who worshipped the Great Anatolian goddess Cybele. When the Ionians
arrived, around the tenth century BC, they combined the ancient cult of Cybele
with their own of Artemisia syncretism that had unusual success. The Ephesian
Artemis had little in common with usual depictions of the virgin goddess of the
Chase; she is oriental, mysterious, fertility figure, studded with breasts or
eggs. The Artemision, considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was
indeed a building unparalleled in splendour. lt was the largest edifıce in the
Hellenic world and also the first architectural work of monumental proportions
ever to be constructed entirely of marble. This holy site that drew pilgrims
from around the ancient world was stripped for materials to build Istanbul's
Hagia sophi8 and Selçuk's own Basilica ofst. Joho. Selçuk has an exceptionally
fine Archaeology Museum. Along with some fine frescoes and mosaics, the two best finds
exhibited in the museum are marble statue of
Artemis, found, carefully buried at the Prytaneio
perhaps by a secret worshipper to hide them from the Christians. Rows of
egg-shaped marble pieces on the goddess' chest have been interpreted differently
as breasts, eggs, grapes or dates. In 1978 a new interpretation suggested that
these pieces on the goddess’ s chest were bull ' s testicles offered to her on
feast days as symbols of fertility , in the forested mountain above Ephesus is
Panaya Kapulu or the
House of
Virgin Mary
, a modest stone house. This is thought to have been the place where St. John
took the mother of Jesus after the crucifixion and where some believe she
ascended to heaven. The site has long been associated with the Virgin; the house
was unknown until 1891. The story of Its discovery curiously parallels a common
Middle Eastern folktale; İn this case, a German nun called Catherine Emmerich,
who had never been to Ephesus and who had been an invalid for twelve years, had
visions which enabled her to give exact directions to the house and a detailed
description. It was found exactly where and as she had described It; a brick
house of sixth century, Its foundation dating back to the first. This place was
officially declared a shrine of the Roman Catholic Church In 1896 and since then
it has become a popular place of pilgrimage. Pope Paul VI visited the shrine in
1967 and Pope John Paul n in 1979 had celebrated mass here.
Lunch :
At
local Restaurant.
Dinner : at
hotel.
Overnight in Kusadasi.
Day 7) ISTANBUL ( B/L/D )
Right after breakfast we will transfer to the airport for flight back to
Istanbul
Right after arrive to Istanbul we will have free time in Grand Bazaar
Grand Bazaar which is one of the largest and the oldest shopping malls in the world . It is a mini city that sprawls
accross 65 streets and 50 acres and includes some 4000 shops, tiny cafés, and
restaurants – all surrounded by a wall, and entered through any of eleven gates. It offers a sea of choices that will
tempt even the nonshoppers with its local curios and souvenirs:
carpets,jewellery, icons, leather, meerschaum pipes, ceramics, bronze and
copperware
Lunch : At local restaurant.
Dinner : At hotel.
Overnight in Istanbul.
Day 8) DEPARTURE ( B/L/D )
Transfer to the
airport for your homebound flight.
****END OF
OUR SERVICES****
Note: The above itinerary is subject to the final discretion of the local
land operator
Footsteps of St Paul
10 DAYS
9 NIGHTS
DAY 1) ARRIVAL IN ISTANBUL (D)
Arrive in Istanbul Atatürk International Airport. Meeting and greeting by
our CT representative and transfer for dinner at Chinnese restaurant than
transfer to hotel for overnight at Istanbul
DAY 2) ISTANBUL – IZMIR (B, L, D)
After early breakfast departure to pier take ferry boat to Bandirma.
Arrive Bandirma continue drive to Izmir(
Smyrna ) via Akhisar ( Thyatira /the fourth of the seven churches addressed by
John (Revelation 2:18–29)). Lunch on the route. Drive to Izmir
visit the Church of St. Policarp, the oldest Church in ancient
Smyrna and symbolized the community of the Seven Churches of the Apocalypse,
than city tour of Izmir, visit Izmir's famous Clock Tower
(Saat Kulesi) which is the "Official" symbol for the city, Transfer to Hotel for dinner and overnight at Izmir.
DAY 3) IZMIR – EFES – PAMUKKALE (B, L, D )
After breakfast drive to Efesus & enjoy a full day tour of Ephesus sites,
including visits to the Ephesus ancient site (E) , the Basilica of St. John
(E) , and the house of Virgin Mary .
Today
Ephesus is perhaps the world's best-preserved ancient city and
its ruins attract visitors from across the globe. An important Christian
community arose here, and Ephesus was visited by St. Paul , who later wrote one
of his epistles to the Ephesians. Perhaps its greatest claim to fame is the fact
that Ephesus once housed the Temple of Diana , one of the Seven Wonders of the
Ancient World. The most significant relic of the site is the immense
amphitheater that holds 24,000 people and is still used today. Walk along the
Sacred Way , where the rich once lived; see the Temple of Hadrian , a
Corinthian-style building with the head of Medusa on the porch to keep away evil
spirits; and the Library of Celsius, which held 12,000 ancient scrolls which
were stored in niches around the walls.
After lunch drive to the
House of Virgin Mary. Located on Bulbul Dag ( Nightingale
Mountain ) the House of the Virgin is where it's believed that Mary passed the
last years of her life and died. Mary came to Ephesus with St. John and was
taken up to Panaghia Kapulu Mountain to survive the Roman persecutions. Today
the House of Virgin Mary is recognized as a shrine by the Vatican
Our last visit of the day is to
The
Basilica of St. John . In the 4th century the Byzantines built a
small church over John's tomb and in the 6th century Justinian I built a
cathedral which was destroyed by the Arab raids between the 7th and 8th
centuries. Today the grave of St. John is recognized as a shrine by the Vatican
. After lunch drive to Pamukkale,
proceed across valley to the neighboring city of Hierapolis along with the
spectacular thermal pools of Pamukkale. Transfer to hotel for dinner &
overnight in Pamukkale
DAY
4) PAMUKKALE – KONYA (B, L, D )
After breakfast drive to KONYA.
On the way to Konya, we visit
Pisidian
Antioch ,
where St.
Paul changed world history by opening Christianity to the pagan world. Lunch on the route than continue to Konya. Once known as Iconium , Konya is
historically and religiously significant on several counts: it was one of the
missionary destinations of St.Paul; the site of one of the first church
councils; the capital of the Seljuk Empire from 1150 to 1300; and the
home of Rumi (Mevlana), the Sufi saint who founded the Whirling
Dervishes.
Arrive Konya, visit Mausoleum of Mevlana (E). Transfer to hotel for
dinner & overnight in Konya.
DAY
5) KONYA – TARSUS – ADANA (B, L, D )
After breakfast drive to Tarsus , birth place of PAUL, as well as place he
visited in his second and third journeys. City tour of Tarsus ,visit the GATE OF CLEOPATRA AND
ANTONIUS, the WELL OF ST.PAUL, St Paul’s church.Lunch at local restaurant .
Continue drive to Adana for dinner & overnight.
DAY 6)
ADANA – ANTIOCH – ADANA (B, L, D )
Depart early in the morning for ANTIOCH, an
ancient centre of HELLENISTIC CIVILIZATION, with the large temple and oracle
complex dedicated to APOLLO, Antioch was also a refuge city for many Christians
who escaped Jerusalem after St Stephen’s death. Visit the MOSAIC MUSEUM.
Lunch at local restaurant. Visit ST. PETER’S CHURCH dedicated to Peter
and Barnabas who spent over a year here building a strong Church, becoming the
centre from which Paul, later on, performed his missionary activities and spread
the Christian faith. In Antioch, the followers of Jesus were actually labelled
as “Christians” by the Romans, and here is where the first gentiles were
accepted to the Church. Return to Adana for dinner and overnight
Noted : St Peter’s chuch is close for temporary
DAY 7)
ADANA – CAPPADOCIA (B, L, D )
In the morning cross Taurus Mountains and visit Eskigumus Monastery. In
the afternoon see the natural rock citadel of Uchisar( picture stop
).Lunch at local restaurant. Visit Soganli village, transfer to hotel for
dinner than night
pick up for turkish night show than transfer back to hotel for
overnight in Cappadocia
DAY 8)
CAPPADOCIA – ANKARA ( B,L, D )
After breakfast depart to another halfday city tour of Cappadocia.The biblical
realm of Cappadocia is a wonderland of unusual geographic formations sprinkled
with green vineyards, fruit orchards and frescoed churches. Wind and rain
have eroded the brittle volcanic rock and formed rock cones, capped pinnacles
and fretted ravines in colors that range from warm reds and gold to cool greens
and grays . We will visit to the town of Urgüp, built on the foot of a
sloping plateau, the
Göreme Valley / Goreme open-air museum (E)
to see the rock carved churches, dating from the second
half of the 9 th Century and later, hollowed out of volcanic ash. the
surrounding Cappadocia formations.Drive to
Kaymakli or Derinkuyu
underground city (E) carved
like a maze by early Christians in 7th century escaping from persecutions, in
which a visitor can descend several floors levels,than continue. After lunch at local restaurant. Drive to Ankara,
Ankara
is the capital of Turkey, the city was formerly called “Angora” which meant
anchor and later it was changed to “Ankara”., enroute stop by salt lake ( tuz golu ). Lunch on the route. Embark on a
splendid city tour of Ankara which includes a visit the mausoleum of Ataturk
. Dinner at local restaurant than transfer to Ankara Hotel for overnight.
DAY 9)
ANKARA – ISTANBUL ( B,L, D )
After early breakfast departure to Istanbul. Lunch on the route . Arrive
Istanbul free program shopping at
Grandbazaar. Evening dinner at Chinnese restaurant than transfer to Hotel
for overnight.
DAY
10) ISTANBUL ( B,L, D )
After breakfast city tour old city Istanbul, visit
Blue mosque, Hippodrome, Hagia Sophia ( E ) . Lunch at Chinnese restaurant than visit
Topkapi Palace ( E ). Free program
until dinner at local restaurant than transfer to airport for flight to next destination..
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