Istanbul and Ephesus Tour

1st Day : You will be picked up from your hotel.You will discover the Old City. Your first visit will be to the legendary Hagia Sophia, which was built 1,500 years ago as the first cathedral of the world. It was the biggest and last construction of The Roman Empire.Next we will visit the famous Blue Mosque, completed in 1616. After leaving the Blue Mosque we will explore the Hippodrome, the stadium of ancient Byzantium.Then you will visit Underground Cistern. Finally, you will visit the Topkapi Palace, which was built on the orders of Mehmet the Conqueror. Construction of the Palace began in 1461, shortly after his conquest of the city, and it served as  the administrative centre of the Ottoman Empire and seat of the Sultans until 1968. Transfer back to your hotel.

2nd Day :  You will be picked up from your hotel.You will enjoy an extensive tour of Istanbul, formerly known as Constantinople, which has been the capital city of three empires and today is the only city to be located in two continents. Firstly you will cruise on the Bosphorus. On the sea you will pass close by Dolmabahce Palace, Ciragan Palace, Rumeli Fortress, the parks and imperial pavilions of Yildiz Palace and Ortakoy. Next you will visit Chora Chruch, which was originally built outside the walls of Constantinople, to the south of the Golden Horn. In the afternoon you will visit Suleymaniye Mosque,the building of which was started in 1558 on the orders of Sultan Suleyman (Suleyman the Magnificent) and  was designed by famous Sinan Pasha. Then you will see the Spice Bazaar (built in 1660), which was (and still is) the center for Istanbul’s spice trade. Finally you will have free time in one of the oldest shopping places in the world, the Grand Bazaar, which was built at the command of Fatih Sultan Mehmet. The Grand Bazaar contains 4,399 shops, 497 stalls, 2,195 workshops and 17 fountains. At the end of the tour you will be transferred back to your hotel in Istanbul.

3rd Day : You will be picked up from your hotel and you will be transferrred to Istanbul Airport. You will fly to Izmir.Our Guide will welcome you at Izmir airport .After a 45 minutes’ drive your spectacular day will begin. For a few hours you will feel like a Roman citizen living in the past in the ancient city of Ephesus. You will have an extensive tour of this ancient site where you will see Hadrian’s, Trajan’s and  Domitian’s Temples, the huge Roman bath, Harbour Street, Marble Street, the Gates of Mihridates and Mazues, Commercial Agora, Latrina, the Scolastica Baths, Curetes Street, Polio Fountain, Memnius’ Monument, the Prytaneion, Odeon, the Satet Agora, the Celcus Library and the biggest amphitheater in Turkey. 

Artemis was the main goddess of Ephesus and the Ephesians built the biggest ancient temple ever dedicated to her.  You will visit the ruins of The Temple of Artemis (Artemision) which was one of the Seven Wonders of the World. 

Finally, after lunch we will drive to the mountain where the House of the Virgin Mary is located in a nature park between Ephesus and Selçuk. This is believed to be the last residence of the Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus. This peaceful site is sacred to both Christians and Muslims, and is visited by many tourists and pilgrims. This House was later visited by Popes Paul VI and John Paul II, who confirmed its appropriateness as a place of pilgrimage. On November 29, 2006, Pope Benedict XVI celebrated mass here. At the end of the tour you will be transferred back to Izmir airport for your Istanbul flight.You will be welcomed in Istanbul and transferred to your hotel. End of our service.