7 Churches & Pilgrim Tour for 7 Days

ARRIVE ISTANBUL /SABIHA GOKCEN AIRPORT Meet with your welcoming guide at the outside of 9th gate he/she will be there with ''CEO34'' sign. After your name check is done, he / she lead you till your transfer vehicle. Meet with your driver and private transfer to hotel. (Approximately 1hrs 30 mins distance, depends on traffic) CHECK IN TO HOTEL(International check-in time 14:00)

-Rest Of Day Is Yours

Around 8.00 – 8.30 AM we will pick you up from your hotel and you'll start to explore around Istanbul's iconic heritages of the Ottoman and Byzantine Empires with your English-speaking guide.

HIGHLIGHTS OF SITES :

• HAGIA SOPHIA: Hagia Sophia is a 1400 years old Byzantine cathedral that is a true source of architectural inspiration. After a thousand years, Hagia Sophia is still seen as one of the world's most

important architectural monuments.

• HIPPODROME SQUARE: Center of old Byzantine civic life and backdrop of chariot races. Also Hippodrome Square has 2 more of our stopovers :

• German Fountain: Constructed in Germany to symbolize German Emperor Wilhelm II's second visit to Istanbul. It was imported and opened in 1901. Fountain's three domes are decorated with gold mosaics.

• OBELISK: The Obelisk of Theodosius is in the Egyptian style and was erected in 1547 BC and stood 60m tall.

• LUNCH: Will serve at a local restaurant. (Vegetarian food is also available.)

After your tour ends transfer to Canakkale ( Approximately 4-5 Hrs.), Dinner and overnight at hotel

We will cross the famous Dardanelle waters and proceed to the ancient site of Troy, 36km south of Çanakkale.

 Our local English speaking guide will be touring you around the 9th city ruins on the site of Troy explaining the people from the era, their houses and culture and the reason for the final destruction of each city.

The commentary is filled with mythical stories of the site and surrounding areas while filling you in on the history of the excavations, the excavators and their findings.

•       At the site you’ll be shown around:

•       A replica of the wooden horse that you can climb into for a photo.

•       Excavation information centre which holds exhibits from the work underway.

•       The fortification walls of Troy Vl with its tower and gateway entrance.

•       Temple of Athena - the focal point of a great annual festival in honour of the goddess Athena.

•       The entrance ramp to Troy ll.

•       The sanctuary - an important religious centre of its time.

After Troy Tour, we will have lunch and continue to Pergamon Acropolis.

 The City was built on a conical hill rising 1,000 feet above the surrounding valley, Pergamum (or Pergamon) was an important capital city in ancient times.

 Its Greek name means "citadel." The modern city of Bergama, is the successor of ancient Pergamum.

•       Later on the remains of the church of Thyatira than overnight at AKHISAR

Sardis, presently Sart. This was the capital of the ancient Lydian kingdom of the 6th century BC, portrayed as a dying church.

We also see the last several meters of the royal Persian Road from Susa to Sardis built by Cyrus the Great and the golden river Pactolus

Then we continue our journey to Philadelphia, nowadays called Alasehir, another church of the Seven Churches of Asia, and the only church not censured.

There we see the remains of a Byzantine basilica built of brick, with a bit of high arch and some 11th-century frescoes.

Continue to visit Laodicea.

The city established in the BC by the Seleucid Antiochus II, the city was named after his wife Laodicea.

Built on the Lycus Tributary of the Meander River, it was surnamed Laodicea on Lycus, to distinguish it from other similarly named cities.

Laodicea is the last of the seven churches. As a crossroads of two important roads, this city had an important commercial and logistical position.

We drive to the healing city of Hierapolis, actually Pamukkale, the white «cotton fortress» where hot mineral water bursts from the earth and cascades over cliffs forming pools, channels, and stalactites.

The therapeutic waters were known to the founders of Hierapolis and of Laodicea in 190 BC.

•       The city was founded in the 3rd century by either Antiochus I or II, but it only achieved prominence after its refounding as a Roman colony by Augustus in 25 B.C.

•       Three members of the imperial family served as honorary magistrates of the city from 15 B.C. to 35 A.D., attesting to the importance of this Galatian city.

•       Church of St. Peter

•       The remains of this Byzantine church are the traditional location of the synagogue that Paul preached in

•       Recent excavations have revealed a 1st century building underneath the church which has been identified as the synagogue. 

•       In the church a mosaic floor has been found with Psalm 42:4 inscribed on it.

•       According to your Private tour pick up time meet with your guide and dive to

•       Ancient Ephesus, An Archeological treasure, The best preserved classical city in Eastern Mediterranean. During 1C AD Ephesus was the second largest city on the planet after Rome with more than 250.000 citizens. It was in the center of the known world and played the role of a gateway between the East and the West. With its giant horbour it was also the center of trading in antiquity.

•       Next; House of Virgin Mary: Located 6km to the north of the ruins of Ephesus, a church was built from the 6C AD to the top of the foundations of a house from 1C AD and it is declared by the church to be the final house where Mary spent her last days. Also it is believed that the Assumption took place there in the 15th of August.

•       After a lunch at local restaurant continiue on to St John Basilica 3 km away from the ruins of Ephesus a small church was built dedicated to John in 2C AD, Later in 6C AD it was replaced by a huge basilica built by the Emperor Justinian, The impressive ruins are still standing today.

•        Our last visiting place will be Temple of Arthemis or Artemision was one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient World. Its ancient cult dedicated to Artemis was very famous in atiuqity and made Ephesus a much-visited pligrimage place. There were totally 127 ionic columns with the height of 19m. The temple is also considered to be the earliest bank of the ancient world.

•        At the end of the tour drive you back to hotel.

•       Breakfast at hotel (depends on your flight timing)

•       Check out from hotel (international check out time is 12:00 o'clock)

•       We will inform you for certain pick up timing, 1 day before the transfer(Generally 3 hrs. before your flight time)

•       Meet with your driver at the hotel lobby,

•       Private transfer to Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport. (distance is approx. 1 - 1,5 hrs. / depends on road conditions & traffic)