9 days / 8 nights: 
valid for travels 2007 - Subject to Availability

Itinerary:

Day 1:
Transfer from Airport to Hotel
Overnight in Istanbul

Day 2:
Hippodrome, the stadium of ancient Byzantium, held 100,000 spectators and featured objects from all corners of the empire. Of these, an Egyptian obelisk and a bronze sculpture of three entwined serpents from Delphi survive. Blue Mosque,which owes its name to the exquisite tiles adorning its interior. Dating from the 17th century, it is the only imperial mosque with six minarets.

Saint Sophia. Built by Emperor Justinian in the 6th century AD, this church is one of the marvels of world architecture. Its massive dome dominates the skyline of old Istanbul. It is famed for its mosaics, including glittering portraits of emperors and empresses.

Topkapı Palace, which, from the 15th to the 19th century, was the principle residence of the Ottoman Sultans. We will visit the fabolous Imperial Treasury and the Baghdad Kiosk. Topkapı Palace is now a museum and has unrivalled collections of jewelry, including the Spoonmaker’s Diamond, the 3rd largest in the world, Ottoman court costumes and ceramics, notably one of the world’s finest collection of early Chinese ceramics, much of it gifts from other rulers. Interestingly, some of the ceramics have a special glaze that was said to change color in the presence of poison.
Grand Bazaar, was the commercial heart of the old city and its 4,000 shops are full of treasures – including carpets and kilims, silks, jewelry, ceramics, icons, and leather goods.

DINNER AT FAMOUS BELLY DANCE SHOW AT KERVANSARAY NIGHT CLUB
Enjoy authentic Turkish cuisine, including the delicious array of appetizers known as meze. The Turks are justly proud of their food. They are equally proud of their traditional music, and after dinner folk musicians from different regions of Anatolia will perform for us. And of course no night out in Istanbul would be complete without Turkish belly-dancers. Overnight in Istanbul

Day 3:
Transfer to Dolmabahche Palace - Last residence of the Ottoman Sultans which marks a period of Westernization. Also the palace where Ataturk spent his last days St Chora Church - The mosaics and frescoes covering the interior are regarded as the most important and extensive series in the city and among the most significant in the world Lunch on account in Golden Horn - The estuary dividing the city is one of the best natural harbours of the world; yet another picturesque point of Istanbul. Overnigt in Istanbul

Day 4:
Transfer to Suleymaniye Mosque - The Suleymaniye Mosque is the largest and grandest of Istanbul’s imperial mosques. It dates from the 16th century heyday of the Ottoman Empire, and was designed by Sinan, the greatest architect of his day and originator of the Classical Ottoman style of architecture. Of the 2,000 structures Sinan designed, Süleymaniye Mosque and its complex of charitable institutions rank among the most important. After a brief visit to the 17th century Spice Bazaar, we embark on an unforgettable cruise along the Bosphorus, the beautiful strait that divides Europe from Asia. Winding between wooded hills, it is lined with mosques, castles, 19th century mansions, picturesque villages and the extravagant baroque places of the late Ottoman sultans. Our tour concludes with a drive along the Bosphorus to visit the Sadberk Hanım Museum, Istanbul’s best ethnological museum.
Lunch on account at Bosphorus

We begin by driving across the first Bosphorus Bridge and head for the summit of Çamlıca Hill, which affords panoramic views of Istanbul, the Sea of Marmara and the Princes’ Islands. From here a short brings us to the Palace of Beylerbeyi on the shore of the Bosphorus. Perhaps the most elegant of the late Ottoman palaces, Beylerbeyi boasts six sumptuously furnished reception halls. Overnight in Istanbul

Day 5:
We travel by ferry to Yalova, then  coach to Bursa, the first capital of the Ottoman Empire and one of the great treasure houses of Islamic architecture. We will visit the Green Mosque and the neighbouring Green Mausoleum, both world-renowned for their superb tile decoration, as well as the late 14th century Great Mosque and the Koza Han, which for centuries was the center of the silk trade. After lunch transfer to Canakkale. Overnight in Canakkale

Day 6:
After breakfast transfer to Troy and SS of Troy then transfer to Mount Ida ,where Paris used to live at Ilias of Homeros. Overnight in Mountain Village Lodge at the steps of Mount Ida

Day 7:
Depart from hotel for shopping at mountain food market. Spending free time at the market
Afternoon cooking course by the chief  and if requested availability of the customers to cook their own food that they bought at the market. Overnight in Ida

Day 8:
Depart from hotel and by ferry to European side of Dardanelles, SS of Galipoli 
Travelling from Gallipoli to Plovdive
The end of our services at the border.

What's Included:

• Arrival and departure transfers
  
• 8 Breakfasts, 7 Lunches, 7Dinners
  
• All museum entrances mentioned in the itinerary
  
• All room charges on twin room base per person and tips in the hotels except personal expenses
  
• All meals and tips to the restaurants mentioned in the itinerary
  
• All tips to the porters in the Airport and the hotels
  
• Service charges and local taxes
  
• Private transportation
  
• Guide thru from Istanbul Airport until the end of the tour.
  
• The hotel, meal and transportation of the guide and the driver

Not included:

• All services not mentioned in the itinerary
  
• All tips to the Guide and the driver
  
• Domestic and International flight tickets of the customers
  
• All personal charges such as tel. drinks etc