Overnight flight from the USA.
Arrival in Istanbul; transfer to your hotel in the old city quarter (Sultanahmet) for overnight.
In the morning we will fly to Erzurum, the largest city on the high plateau of Eastern Turkey, where there are excellent remains from the many civilizations that survived there, including Byzantine, Mongol, Selcuk and Ottoman. Erzurum has one of the best and most challenging ski runs in Turkey, and is well-known for its jewelry and leatherwork. We continue on to Dogubeyazit where we see the majestic Mt. Ararat. Overnight in Dogubeyazit.
We will start the day with a stop at the refreshing waterfall at Muradiye. Then we continue on to Van, an important city in Eastern Turkey known for its many agricultural products and horses. Van dates to the time of the Great Flood and is purported to be the site of the Garden of Eden. It is also famous for its cats with two different colored eyes. We will visit the Van Castle, which has many tombs and fortifications through which you may wander, and the interesting Archaeological Museum which displays artifacts from Patmos and Toprakkale, as well as Urartian artifacts. Overnight in Van.
Today we visit Cavustepe (ancient Tushba) to see the remains of the first ancient capital of the Urartian Kingdom which overlooks the legendary Garden of Eden. Here you will see some good examples of cuneiform inscriptions on the temple ruins and a well preserved cistern dating from 700 BC. You will be impressed by Hosap Castle which was located on the old silk road; a very photogenic landmark dating from 1643. Later we take a boat across Lake Van, the largest lake in Turkey, to visit Akdamar Island and its beautiful 10th century Church of the Holy Cross, where wonderful relief carvings of Bible stories, birds and animals decorate the walls. Overnight in Van.
Today we travel to Mardin. Along the way we visit Hasankeyf, located in the Tigris River valley. From the modern bridge you will have a fantastic view over the dramatic ruins, river below and the ancient Roman bridge which was once used by Silk Road travelers. Crossing the Tigris River flowing beneath the magnificent ancient towered wall, we will arrive in Mardin. Overnight in Mardin.
Mardin is one of the most interesting and historical cities in southeastern Turkey. Here we will visit the Syrian Orthodox Monastery of Deir-al-Zafaran, where Christian worship has been practiced for over 1,200 years, as well as the old city which has an interesting mixture of architecture as a result of its occupation by different civilizations. In the evening we will reach Sanli Urfa. Overnight in Sanli Urfa.
While in Urfa, we will visit Harran, where Terah and Abraham are believed to have lived, and where Abraham's senior servant met Rebecca at the spring, the future bride of Isaac. We will also explore the typical round beehive dwellings made of mud, and go to the Cave of Abraham, his birthplace, located next to the Sacred Pool, which according to Muslim tradition saved his life. Overnight in Sanli Urfa.
Heading southwest today, we will visit Gaziantep (ancient Aintap) with its intriguing copper and spice market. Gaziantep is also the pistachio capital of Turkey and the place where the traditional Turkish foods of baklava and kebab originally started. Sampling is a must! The museum in Gazientep contains beautiful mosaics from the excavations at Zeugma, which is now covered with water. We will continue on to Antakya (ancient Antioch) to spend the night.
This morning we will visit the Archaeological Museum, famous for its mythological themes beautifully displayed in natural light and its impressive mosaics. We will also see the Grotto of St. Peter, where followers of Jesus were first called "Christians". We will stroll through the lovely church where Peter first preached, and also visit Samandag where Paul, Silas, Barnabas, John, and Mark set out on their ministries. Overnight in Antakya.
Today we depart to Cappadocia via ancient Cilicia and the Cilician Gates after visiting Tarsus, the birthplace of St. Paul. An ancient spring in the center of Tarsus is called St. Paul's Well for reportedly the saint often drank there; and we will also see St. Paul's Church before arriving in the fascinating region of Cappadocia where we will spend the night.
The unique landscape here was created eons ago by years of wind and water erosion on the soft volcanic "tufa" rock. Thousands of people once lived in underground cities here, and we will visit one of them, as well as the Byzantine cave churches and Pasabagi, with its magical "fairy chimneys"; view the Goreme Valley from the Uchisar Fortress; and visit the towns of Urgup (known for its kilims and local wines); and Avanos (famous for its pottery). Overnight in Cappadocia.
Today we travel to ancient Antioch in Pisidia. St. Paul chose this town as his center for proclaiming Christianity to Anatolia. We will visit the Church of St. Paul; the Temple of Augustus, the Roman theater and bath, and the remains of the shops at the Forum of Tiberius. Overnight in Pamukkale.
Before heading to Kusadasi we visit Pamukkale (ancient Hierapolis). This unique site, whose cliffs are covered with white mineral deposits, was a health spa in Roman times and its thermal baths are still in use today. The ruins of Hierapolis contain an intriguing theater, Temple of Apollo, and necropolis. You will enjoy a relaxing soak in the pools with beautiful marble columns lying at the bottom. Then we stop at Laodicea, one of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor mentioned in the Book of Revelation and Philadelphia, another site of the Seven Churches, and the recipient of not only a letter from St. John, but also St. Ignatius. Overnight in Kusadasi.
This morning we will explore the fascinating Hellenistic and Roman city of Ephesus, home to one more of the Seven Churches. It is here that St. Paul condemned idolatry and set up a Christian community. St. John also lived here, as well as the Virgin Mary who spent the latter part of her life in this area. We will visit the Basilica of St. John and Mereymana, the House of the Virgin Mary. Overnight in Kusadasi.
This morning we will head to Smyrna, birthplace of the poet Homer, and yet another site of the Seven Churches. Today it is known as Izmir, and is Turkey's third largest city. Next we will stop in Sardis, also the site of the Seven Churches and the residence of King Croesus (of "rich as Croesus" fame). Sardis was an early convert to Christianity but apparently a little disappointment to St. John, who admonished them in the Book of Revelations. We will also visit Thyatira, recipient of the longest letter to the Churches by St. John and visited by St. Paul on numerous occasions. Thyatira was also known for its costly purple dye, highly prized by royalty. Then we will continue on to Pergamum to spend the night.
When we arrive there we will explore Pergamum, also the home of one of the Seven Churches. Once a beautiful city, Pergamum had the most dramatic acropolis in Asia Minor, and a library second in size after the one in Alexandria Egypt. Its ancient medical center performed research that laid the foundation for modern Western medicine. Overnight in Pergamum.
Today we will continue our drive along the northern Aegean coast, stopping at Assos,a very important city during the 4th century BC; it was a well-known center for the study of philosophy and natural sciences. Aristotle, who later became a tutor of Alexander the Great, taught there. The city was protected by a magnificent wall, one of the most impressive fortifications in Anatolia. The view from the Temple of Athena is particularly beautiful. Then we will head to Troy, the site of Homer's classic epic "the Iliad" and where nine different layers of civilization have been uncovered and partially excavated. Overnight in Canakkale.
Bursa was the first capital of the Ottoman Empire and has a history going back to 200 BC, it is considered by many to be the birthplace of modern Turkish culture. It is well-known for its beautiful silk cloth, handicrafts and is an important manufacturing center both for silk and cotton, we will visit the Costume Museum, Ottoman House Museum, bazaars that produce silk and cotton cloth for which Turkey is so famous. We will have a chance to explore Bursa, famous since antiquity for its thermal baths, Ottoman Graveyard, and Museum of Hacivat ve Karagoz (Turkish Shadow Puppet Players). The surrounding area is full of gardens and orchards, that's why it is often called Yesil Brusa (Green Bursa). The Yesil Cami (Green Mosque) is a fine example of Ottoman architecture, and the Tomb of Mehmet I is considered to be one of the most beautiful buildings in Turkey. Overnight in Bursa.
This morning we will drive to Iznik (ancient Nicaea), famous for its beautiful tiles and as the site where the Nicaean Creeds were founded. We will visit St.Sophia church where the second council of Nicaea was held. The museum in Iznik has many fine examples of regional pottery, as well as a lovely garden with sarcophagi and other artifacts from the area. In the evening we arrive in Istanbul.
Today we will explore one of the oldest, most beautiful cities in the world, Istanbul, which houses numbers of historical sites; namely we will visit St. Sophia, the largest Christian church in the world for more than 1,000 years. Then we will follow the ancient city walls of Istanbul to the Chora Museum, which has the most beautiful mosaics in Turkey. Afterwards we will have a ferry cruise on the Bosphorus to see the impressive palaces and villas that line the shores between the two continents, followed by a tour of the old and new sections of Istanbul. Overnight in Istanbul.
Transfer to the airport for departing flight to the USA.
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