“EPHESUS”

9:30 AM  - 5 PM  (Approx.)

Meet at Izmir Airport, or at your hotel in Izmir or Kusadasi, drive to the ancient city of EPHESUS, one of the “Seven Churches of Anatolia”, and the best preserved and major Ionian city dating back to 13th Century BC. Visit the House Of Virgin Mary. 

Then tour Ephesus, visiting the Celsus Library, the Marble Road, the Arcadian Road, the Church of Virgin Mary, the Roman Baths, the Fountains, the Agoras, the Gymnasium, the House of Love, the Odeon, and the Theater where St. Paul preached. (Hillside Houses are excluded; requires additional $20 entrance fee). 

After lunch, tour the Archaeological Museum of Ephesus in Selcuk, which displays the original “Ephesian Artemis”, and the Basilica of St. John (who accompanied Virgin Mary to Ephesus). Transfer to your hotel, or to Izmir Airport.

Including Lunch, $80 per person

 “PERGAMUM”

9:30 AM  - 5 PM  (Approx.)

Meet at your hotel in Izmir, drive to PERGAMUM (where parchment was invented ) to tour the ruins of the ACROPOLIS, including the Royal Palaces, the Library, the Temple of Athena, the Temple of Dionysos, the Temple of Trajan,  the Altar of Zeus, and the “Steepest Theater of the Ancient World”. After lunch in town, see the Red Basilica (symbolizing one of the Seven Churches of Anatolia) and then visit the ASCLEPION (the World’s First Medical Center, built for “Asclepius the God of Medicine”, and where the renowned surgeon Galen taught). Return to your hotel in Izmir.

Including Lunch, $80 per person

 “Half-Day IZMIR CITY Tour”

10 AM - 2 PM, or 1 PM - 5 PM  (Approx.)

Meet at your hotel in Izmir, visit the ancient Agora, then drive to Mt. Pagos to tour Alexander the Great’s “Velvet Castle” overlooking the city and the bay.  Then visit the Archaeological Museum, see the Clock Tower and the ornate Konak Mosque. Transfer back to your hotel or to the entrance of the Kemeralti  Bazaar, per your wishes.  

 Half  Day, (without Lunch), $60 per person

 “SARDIS & IZMIR JEWISH HERITAGE”

9:30 AM  - 5 PM  (Approx.)

Meet at your hotel in Izmir, proceed to visit SARDIS the capital of ancient Lydia, where coin was first minted. Tour the largest Synagogue of the ancient times (3rd Cent. AD), the Roman Gymnasium, the Marble Road, and the ruins of the Artemis Temple (the “Temple of Cybele”), which became one of “The Seven Churches of Anatolia”. After lunch in Izmir, tour the HAVRA (Synagogue) DISTRICT, and visit one of the best-preserved synagogues, such as the BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE or the BIKUR HOLIM SYNAGOGUE, and then the Dario Moreno Street in the old Jewish quarter. Return to your hotel in Izmir.

Including Lunch, $120 per person , MINIMUM 2 PARTICIPANTS

“PRIENE - MILETUS - DIDYMA”

8:30 AM  - 5 PM  (Approx.) , Only on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays

Meet at your hotel in Izmir or Kusadasi, depart for PRIENE, the first grid-system planned city of the Ancient World, built on a hillside. Visit the Theater, the Temple of Athena, the Bouleterion, the Agora, and the Altar of Zeus and Cybelle. Proceed to MILETUS, the home of Thales and a principle Ionian city. Visit the Delphinion, the Nymphanion, the Theater, and the Faustina Baths. After lunch at a local restaurant, continue to DIDYMA to visit the Temple of Apollo, with its gigantic columns, and then return to your hotel in Izmir or Kusadasi, or transfer to Izmir Airport.

Including Lunch, $120 per person , MINIMUM 2 PARTICIPANTS

“PAMUKKALE - HIERAPOLIS”

8 AM  - 7 PM  (Approx.), Only on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays  

Meet at your hotel in Izmir or Kusadasi, proceed to PAMUKKALE “Cotton Castle”, 

once known as HIERAPOLIS, famous for healing thermal/ mineral baths and beautiful snow-white “petrified waterfalls”.  After lunch, visit HIERAPOLIS, including the magnificently preserved Necropolis, the Main Street and Gates, the Thermal Baths, the Devil’s Hole, and the masterpiece Theater.  Swimming or a therapeutic bath in a hotel pool’s hot spring mineral waters (but not in the Cascade Pools) is one of your year-round options, before returning back to your hotel in Izmir or Kusadasi.

 Full Day, including Lunch, $150 per person, MINIMUM 2 PARTICIPANTS

“2-DAY PAMUKKALE TOUR”

DAY 1:  Depart IZMIR to visit SARDIS, the capital city of ancient Lydians.  Visit the largest Synagogue of  ancient times, the Marble Road, and the Gymnasium and the Artemis Temple. Thereafter,  proceed to ALASEHIR  to visit  PHILADELPHIA. Continue to  PAMUKKALE, once known as HIERAPOLIS.  (You may enjoy an optional hot therapeutic bath in the mineral spring waters of your hotel’s pool ). Dinner at your First-Class Hotel in Pamukkale.( L, D )

DAY 2:   Tour the beautiful snow-white “Cotton Castle”, and  the ruins of  HIERAPOLIS including the magnificently preserved cemetery “Necropolis”, the Main Street and Gates, the Thermal Baths, the Roman Theater and the Museum. After lunch, tour APHRODISIAS, the city of Aphrodite; visit the Temple of Aphrodite, the Theater, the Stadium, the Agora, the Hadrian Baths, the Odeon, and the Bishop’s Palace. Proceed to your hotel in Kusadasi or Izmir, or to the Izmir Airport for your evening flight.( B, L )

$380 per person, DBL Occ., ($50 SGL Suppl.), including Meals Indicated,

and 1-night First-Class accommodation, MINIMUM 2 PARTICIPANTS