DAY 2,  THURSDAY:  Arrival in ISTANBUL, the only city in the World spanning two continents. After clearing Passport and Customs Controls on your own, meet and transfer to your hotel. Free afternoon to rest. Overnight in ISTANBUL. ( B )

DAY 3,  FRIDAY:  FREE DAY to explore Istanbul on your own. (You may take one of our optional tours [see Page 12], such as the “ISTANBUL JEWISH HERITAGE" tour, or the “DOLMABAHCE & GOLDEN HORN” tour, or the “BOSPHORUS & ASIA" tour, or the "BURSA” tour). Overnight in  ISTANBUL. ( B )

DAY 4,  SATURDAY:   “HISTORICAL ISTANBUL” Tour (see Page 16); visit the St. SOPHIA MUSEUM (a masterpiece of Byzantine architecture, rebuilt by Emperor Justinian, 536 AD, was once the largest Christian Church), the HIPPODROME (the center of ancient political & sports activities), the BLUE MOSQUE (unique with its six minarets, and famous for its more than 20,000 “blue” Iznik tiles), the TOPKAPI PALACE (Imperial Residence of Ottoman Sultans, the oldest and largest of remaining palaces in the World. Its displays include priceless World-class collections of artifacts and rare porcelain), the majestic SULEYMANIYE MOSQUE built by the great architect Sinan, and then the GRAND COVERED BAZAAR (most fascinating and crowded shopping center in the World, with nearly 4000 shops). Evening transfer to the Haydarpasa Train Station for overnight SLEEPER TRAIN to ANKARA. ( B, L )

DAY 5,  SUNDAY:  Upon arrival in Ankara, proceed to tour the "Anitkabir" (the Mausoleum of Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey), and then the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations (which is housed in a restored Caravanserai, displaying exhibits in chronological order). Then continue to CAPPADOCIA, (where nature has scoured surrealistic moonscape shapes as a result of erosion of the volcanic tuff from the ancient eruptions of the Mt. Erciyes and Mt. Hasan), visiting the Agzikarahan Caravanserai along the way. Dinner and overnight in CAPPADOCIA. ( L, D )

DAY 6,  MONDAY:   Full day touring in CAPPADOCIA; visit the GOREME Open-Air Museum with its fairy chimneys and dozens of cave churches decorated with frescoes depicting various scenes from the Bible, see the natural Citadel of UCHISAR and the PIGEON Valley, visit the ZELVE Valley and the pottery town AVANOS, with opportunity to shop for local handicrafts like carpets, ceramics, pottery, and tiles. Visit the underground city of KAYMAKLI, extending several stories below ground (including living quarters, cisterns, storage spaces, wine cellars, and tombs) built by the early Christians during the 9th Century, to escape from invading armies.  Dinner and overnight in CAPPADOCIA.  ( B, L, D )

DAY 7,  TUESDAY:  After breakfast, depart to visit the Seljuk period Sultanhan Caravanserai located on the “Silk Road”. Proceed to KONYA (the ancient ICONIUM, which later became the capital of Seljuk Empire), to visit the Mevlana Museum, the “Whirling Dervish” Monastery, and to admire the Seljuki architecture all around. Drive, via the beautiful Egridir Lake, to PAMUKKALE “Cotton Castle”, the ancient healing city of HIERAPOLIS. Dinner and overnight in PAMUKKALE. (Optionally, you may enjoy a therapeutic bath in the hot mineral spring waters of your hotel’s pool). ( B, L, D )

DAY 8, WEDNESDAY:   Tour the snow-white limestone terraces formed on the mountainside by accumulation (for thousands of years) of calcareous deposits from the hot spring mineral waters. Visit ancient HIERAPOLIS; the Main Street, the Main Gates, the Thermal Baths, the Roman Theater, and the magnificently preserved cemetery “Necropolis”. Continue to APHRODISIAS, the city of Aphrodite; to visit the Odeon, the Agora, the Hadrian Baths, the Stadium, and the Bishop’s Palace. Then, for dinner and overnight, continue to the beautiful Aegean resort town of KUSADASI. ( B, L, D )

DAY 9,  THURSDAY:  Full day touring of EPHESUS, the Ionian city dating back to 13th Century B.C.  Visit the HOUSE OF VIRGIN MARY (where she last resided), and then tour EPHESUS; including the Celsus Library, the marble Arcadian Road, the Roman Baths, and the Theater (where St. Paul preached). Then, proceed to Selcuk to visit the St. John’s Basilica (built for the evangelist who accompanied Virgin Mary here and wrote a Gospel), and then, admire the statue of “Ephesian Artemis” at the Archaeological Museum of Ephesus. Dinner and overnight in KUSADASI. ( B, L, D )

DAY 10,  FRIDAY:  Early departure to PERGAMUM (where parchment was invented), to see the ruins at the ASCLEPION (the World’s First Medical Center, built for the “God of Medicine Asclepius”, and where the renowned surgeon Galen taught), and the ACROPOLIS (the city built on four terraces, perched upon a hill, overlooking the Bergama Plain) to visit the Library (which once held over 200,000 volumes), the Altar of Zeus, the Temple of Trajan, and the “Steepest Theater of the Ancient World”. Drive on to CANAKKALE  (or ASSOS) for dinner and overnight. ( B, L, D )

DAY 11, SATURDAY:   Visit Homer’s legendary TROY (with its Wooden Trojan Horse symbolizing the Trojan War fought between the Greek and Trojan warriors for the honor of Helen), where actually at least nine cities were built upon each other in different eras. Then, cross the DARDANELLES by car-ferry, to tour the battlegrounds and the monument in GALLIPOLI. Continue, for overnight, to ISTANBUL. ( B, L )

DAY 12, SUNDAY:   After breakfast, transfer to Istanbul Airport for your NON-STOP flight to USA for same day arrival. ( B, S )