In the morning depart for a full day visit of the city which is founded on two continents; have a short orientation drive along the banks of the inland sea of Golden Horn and then visit Rüstem Paşa Mosque which is like a small gem built by the great architect Sinan. The mosque is famous with its amazing İznik/Nicea tiles.

Next we'll proceed into the Spice Bazaar, the 17th century building, İstanbul’s fragrant hub for all kinds of tasty things. Enjoy stacks of saffron, tea, dried apricots, diverse of Turkish delights, herbs and much more colorful products.

In the afternoon board a private boat for a spectacular cruise on the straits of Bosphorus, the boundary between Europe and Asia. Don’t forget your camera! From the water the views of Istanbul are simply amazing. You will see many fascinating pavilions, palaces and classical wooden Turkish houses right by the water.        

In the morning we depart from the hotel for a full day of sightseeing! Get ready to discover the Topkapi Palace, the residence of the Ottoman Sultans from 15th to 19th centuries (and The Emilies #1 FAVORITE palace.)

Next, we walk to Hagia Sophia which was Christendom’s greatest church built by the emperor Justinian, a masterpiece of Byzantine architecture.

Finally, we head to the Hippodrome area, the remnant of an arena built in the reign of Septimus Severus. Here you will have couple highlight visits; first the 17th century Blue Mosque, so called due to its more than 20,000 blue İznik tiles that adorn the interior walls. And then the Turkish & Islamic Arts Musuem which was once an impressive palace of İbrahim Pasha who was the grand vizier of Sultan Süleyman. Then take a short walk to visit the famous Grand Bazaar area and then return to our hotel.

Today we say goodbye to Istanbul and head to the airport for a flight to İzmir, the ancient city of Smyrna where Homer was born. We'll visit the ancient Agora, established in 4th century BCE. Most of the agora’s remains that have survived to the present day were built in the Roman period with the support of Emperor Marcus Aurelius after an earthquake in 178 CE.

In the afternoon we'll have some free time to wander the city on our own and maybe stroll along the seaside promenade.

Today we drive to Sardis , the capital city of Lydian Kingdom. Sardis was one of the very rich metropolises of Asia Minor with a large populations of Jews. The site is presently under the excavation of Harvard and Berkeley Universities. Visit one of the oldest synagogues of the world as well as the monumental Artemis Temple and the impressively restored Roman Imperial Hall.                     

Next, we board our private bus to drive to Hierapolis, the Hellenistic Greek city that served as a spa city for the Romans. Finally, we'll end up in Pamukkale, a nearby town known for the mineral-rich thermal waters flowing down white travertine terraces on a nearby hillside.

After having our breakfast in Pamukkale, we depart to visit the glorious city of Ephesus. The capital city of Roman Province of Asia Minor, Ephesus is the site of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World (the Temple of Artemis) and the site of  the third richest library of the ancient world; Celsus library. St. Paul came to Ephesus in 54 CE and stayed for three years. He preached the Gospel, gained followers and also established the church of Ephesus. St John (author of Revelations according to the New Testament) also spend his last years in Ephesus. St. John is believed to have been buried within the Basilica of St John. A strong tradition in the Catholic Church claims that St. John brought Virgin Mary to Ephesus and she ascended to heaven from Ephesus.

After our day trip, we head to the coastal town of Kusadasi for the night.

Today we visit the exceptionally well-preserved Hellenistic city of Priene at the high skirts of the Mykale Mountain, overlooking into the Meander river valley. This beautiful ancient city includes all the qualities that make up a classical Hellenistic “polis." Priene is known for its dramatic cliffside,, and relatively uncrowded, peaceful atmosphere compared to neighboring sites like Ephesus.

We'll head back to Kusadasi before an evening dinner at a nearby vineyard.

In the morning we drive to Bergama, the ancient city of Pergamon, an ancient Greek city that flourished as the capital of the Attalid dynasty in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC. Renowned for its steep Acropolis, massive library, and as a major center of learning and medicine, it offers a multi-layered historical experience covering Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman periods. Here we will visit the temples of Zeus and Emperor Trajan, the Hellenistic theatre and the library site. After a short drive to Asklepion, one of the three most famed hospitals of the ancient world, we'll continue to Assos, built on a high hill overlooking into the Aegean Sea. Visit the magnificent Athena temple of Doric order. Assos was also where the famous philosopher Aristotle carried out his teachings for a period of time.  

Today our first visit will be to Troy, the legendary stage for Homer's Iliad. We'll explore 9 different settlements at the hill of Hisarlık and the replica of the famous Trojan horse. (Prepare for many references to Brad Pitt and the Monty Python Trojan Rabbit.) Then we'll cross the straits of Dardanelles over to Gallipoli and visit World War I memorial sites before continuing on to İstanbul.

For our last full day, we are back in Istanbul! This time we'll headto the old city and visit the İstanbul Archaeology Museum (which houses, among other things, Alexander the Great's Sarcophagus!) Our next stop is the beautifully eery Underground Basilica Cistern, a spectacular mystic building carried by 336 columns built by Justinian in 6th century CE.

We'll have our last afternoon free, with an option to schedule appointments at a nearby Hammam spa, before enjoying a delicious farewell dinner at Develi Kebap Restaurant (The Emilies' personal favorite!) 

Today we head to the Istanbul Airport to either head home, or head on to Cappadocia (if you sign up for the extension!)

Extension

Today we'll take a short flight to Cappadocia, a unique site in the world with, fantastic volcanic landscapes, underground cities of early Christians and thousands of  rock cut churches with fantastic fresco paintings. We'll see the natural fortress of Uçhisar and then drive to the see the ‘’Avcılar’’ and ‘’Pigeon’’ valleys.  

From here we head to Göreme Open Air Museum to visit the churches with the best preserved fresco paintings before an afternoon stroll in the Mustafapaş, an ancient Greek village that is also a great stop for tasting local wines of the area.

We'll return to our hotel in Cappadocia for some leisure time before heading to dinner.

If you like this morning you may sign up for an unforgettable early morning Hot Air Balloon flight over the famous fairy chimneys of Cappadocia. (This will be an additional cost that we will know closer to the time of the trip as prices change frequently. A fair estimate would be approx. $300 USD.)

Today we'll be exploring the surrounding area, including the Red valley, a great place for a morning hike, Pasabag, and the Underground City, where early Christians hid from the Roman persecution.  

Finally, we'll drive by Avanos village on the banks of the river, famous for handmade pottery production since the times of Hittites. On the way back to our hotel we'll make a quick stop to taste some local wines before having a free evening in Cappadocia.

Today we say goodbye (for real this time) and head to the airport in Cappadocia.