These great tour features are also Included

Excursions & Sights

• Visit charming Cumalikizik Village
• Visit Bursa’s Green Mosque & Mausoleum complex, the Grand Mosque, the Bazaar & the colorful Silk Market
• Visit the Synagogue, Roman Gymnasium & the Temple of Artemis in Sardis
• Visit the House of the Virgin Mary at Ephesus
• Visit the Archeological Museum at Selcuk
• Visit Pergamon’s Temple of Athena, Theatre, Library & the Asklepion ruins
• Visit the legendary city of Troy
• Visit Istanbul’s Blue Mosque, Basilica of St. Sophia and the famous Grand Bazaar

Guided City Tours

• In-depth sightseeing tours in Istanbul, Bursa, Ephesus, Pergamon, Troy and Gallipoli

Insight's Service

• Insight Hotels include all service charges, taxes and porterage
• Travel by luxury air-conditioned 40 seat coach with onboard toilet
• Insight’s professional multilingual Tour Director to escort you
• Insight Traveler document wallet, map book journal and information pack

Complimentary Transfers

• Complimentary arrival and departure transfers between Istanbul airport and your Insight tour hotel

Quality Dining

• 7 Buffet Breakfasts (BB) and 4 three-course table d’hôte Dinners, or Buffets,plus tea or coffee (D)

DAY 1 - WED - DEPART USA.
Overnight flight to Istanbul.

DAY 2 - THU - ISTANBUL.
Welcome to Turkey - a land rich in archeological sites, historic monuments, warm-hearted people and an enormous variety of spectacular scenery. On arrival at Istanbul Airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. This evening, get together with your Tour Director and fellow passengers for a Welcome Drink.
Hotel: Crowne Plaza Old City Istanbul.

DAY 3 - FRI - ISTANBUL - BURSA.
Upon seeing Istanbul this morning, take a short ferry trip and drive to the charming Cumalikizik Village with its traditional wooden houses, and very narrow cobblestone streets. Continue on to beautiful Bursa for your overnight stay. There is time this afternoon to visit the glorious Green Mosque & Mausoleum complex, the Grand Mosque, the Bazaar and the colorful Silk Market, where you might be able to find some bargains. Tonight you might consider experiencing the Turkish bath at your hotel.
Hotel: Kervansaray Termal. (BB,D)

DAY 4 - SAT - BURSA - PAMUKKALE.
Drive to Sardis, where you visit the Synagogue, Roman Gymnasium and the Temple of Artemis. Now continue to Pamukkale, famous for its �Cotton Castle', a dazzling chalk-white array of fantastically shaped limestone terraces. Visit the ruins of ancient Hierapolis and the fairyland terraces and see the glistening pools and cascades in scallop-shell basins.
Hotel: Spa Hotel Colossae Thermal/Pam Thermal Hotel. (BB,D)   

DAY 5 - SUN - PAMUKKALE - IZMIR.
Journey to Ephesus, significant to early Christianity as well as to the ancient world. View the marvelous facade of the Library of Celsus, walk the Arcadian Way and see the amazing Amphitheatre. Also visit the House of the Virgin Mary. In nearby Selçuk visit the Archeological Museum where many of Ephesus' artifacts are displayed. After visiting a Turkish carpet center it's on to the pretty port city of Izmir.
Hotel: Hilton Izmir. (BB,D)

DAY 6 - MON - IZMIR - CANAKKALE.
Your first stop today is Pergamon to visit the Temple of Athena, the Theater, and the Library, which is said to have contained 200,000 volumes. Also visit the Asklepion ruins, probably the world's earliest medical center. Before leaving, admire the Red Courtyard. Next stop is Homer's legendary city of Troy; visit the ruins and see an enormous reconstruction of the fabled Wooden Horse. Stay tonight in the seaport of Çanakkale, on the southern of the Dardanelles at their narrowest point.
Hotel: Kolin. (BB,D)

DAY 7 - TUE - CANAKKALE - ISTANBUL.
This morning cross the Dardanelles Straits and drive to the Gallipoli Peninsula to visit Anzac Cove and the emotive Lone Pine Cemetery. Then return to Istanbul. Upon arrival, embark on a superb Highlight cruise along the Bosphorus Waterway. The scenery complements the grandeur of the Ottoman palaces, old mansions and fortresses.    
Hotel: Crowne Plaza Old City Istanbul. (BB)   

DAY 8 - WED - ISTANBUL SIGHTSEEING.
Get your cameras ready today. Visit the Blue Mosque with its beautiful tiles and the Hippodrome where Roman chariot races were held, and visit St Sophia, at one time a cathedral and a mosque, and now a magnificent museum. Move on to visit the fabulous Topkapi Palace, a walled city perched above the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn, where in the Treasury Section, among other treasures, some of the world's biggest emeralds and diamonds are at display. Finish your sightseeing tour at the famous Grand Bazaar where - all under cover - there are more than 4,000 shops, cafes and tea houses. Tonight you might consider celebrating your tour with your new friends by watching some belly dancing at an optional farewell Dinner & Show at a local night club. (BB)

DAY 9 - THU - RETURN TO USA.
This morning, your tour comes to an end with a transfer to the airport. (BB)

• Insight Hotels include all service charges, taxes and porterage
• Travel by Luxury air-conditioned 40 seat coach with onboard toilet
• Insight’s professional multilingual Tour Director to escort you
• Insight Traveler document wallet, map book journal and information pack

Complimentary Transfers

• Complimentary arrival and departure transfers between Istanbul airport and your Insight tour hotel

Quality Dining & Entertainment

• A spectacular highlight folklore show in an underground cave in Cappadocia (HD)
• 10 Buffet Breakfasts (BB) and 6 special-menu Dinners, or Buffets, plus tea or coffee (D)

12 Days ~ Turkey

Tour Pace
This tour captures all the fabulous highlights of Turkey in 12 days, so the pace can be fairly brisk. However, there are two-night stays in Istanbul and Cappadocia, and driving days are of reasonable length with regular comfort stops for refreshment and sightseeing.

DAY 1 – THU – DEPART USA
Overnight flight to Istanbul.

DAY 2 – FRI – ISTANBUL AT LEISURE
Welcome to Turkey – a land rich in archeological sites, historic monuments, warm-hearted people and an enormous variety of spectacular scenery. On arrival at Istanbul Airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel for your two-night stay. This evening, get together with your Tour Director and fellow passengers for a Welcome Drink.   
Hotel: Crowne Plaza Old City.

DAY 3 – SAT – ISTANBUL SIGHTSEEING
Get your cameras ready today. Visit the Blue Mosque with its beautiful tiles and the Hippodrome where Roman chariot races were held, and visit St Sophia, at one time a cathedral and a mosque, and now a magnificent museum. Move on to visit the fabulous Topkapi Palace, a walled city perched above the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn, and then the famous Grand Bazaar where – all under cover – there are more than 4,000 shops, cafes and tea houses. Consider sampling some traditional apple tea, or spending the evening watching some belly-dancing. (BB)

DAY 4 – SUN – ISTANBUL – ÇANAKKALE
Drive along the shores of the Sea of Marmara to the peninsula of Gelibolu, better known in the west as Gallipoli. Here are the battlefields where, for nine disastrous months during the Great War, Anzac troops fought unsuccessfully to gain control of the strategic Dardanelle Straits. Visit Anzac Cove and Lone Pine Cemetery, final resting place of soldiers who gave their lives over the entire Gallipoli campaign. From Eceabat, a 30-minute sea crossing to Çanakkale takes you from one continent to another as you leave Europe for Asia.
Hotel: Kolin. (BB,D)

DAY 5 – MON – ÇANAKKALE – IZMIR
Drive to Homer’s legendary city of Troy, where archeological excavation has established nine levels of habitation. See an enormous reconstruction of the famous Trojan wooden horse before continuing to Pergamon, the seat of an ancient kingdom. Visit the Acropolis, the Temple of Athena and the famous library, which is said to have contained 200,000 volumes. View the Red Courtyard and visit the ruins of the Asklepion, one of the most famous shrines and therapeutic centres in the ancient world. Continue to the pretty port of Izmir on the Aegean Sea.
Hotel: Hilton (BB,D)

DAY 6 – TUE – IZMIR – KUSADASI
En route to Ephesus, visit the archeological museum at Selcuk where many of the excavated artifacts of Ephesus are displayed, and visit the House of the Virgin Mary, spectacularly situated above the Ephesus ruins. Finally, tour Ephesus itself, one of the world’s finest archeological sites. Visit the colonnaded Arcadian Way, the splendid façade of the Library of Celsus and see the Amphitheatre, the largest and most impressive structure to survive from Hellenistic Ephesus. Head to the lively coastal town of Kusadasi for an overnight stay. Your hotel is one of the newest and most luxurious in this resort town – relax with a cool drink and take advantage of the hotel’s indoor pool, Turkish bath and fitness centre.
Hotel: Charisma. (BB,D)

DAY 7 – WED – KUSADASI – PAMUKKALE
Drive inland to Pamukkale, famous for its ‘Cotton Castle’, a dazzling chalk-white array of fantastically shaped limestone terraces. Visit the ruins of ancient Hierapolis and the fairyland terraces and see the glistening pools and cascades in scallop-shell basins. The rest of the day is yours to relax and enjoy the blissfully warm thermal pools at the hotel.
Hotel: Colossae Thermal. (BB,D)

DAY 8 – THU – PAMUKKALE – CAPPADOCIA
Head to Konya, the old capital of the Anatolian Seljuk Empire, now Turkey’s most religious city and home to the mystic Whirling Dervish sect. Visit the Mevlana Tekke, a museum and national monument, with its beautiful fluted turquoise dome, which contains the tomb of the Whirling Dervishes’ founder. See the Karatay Medrese and Ince Minaret before driving on to the historic region of Nevsehir in Cappadocia.
Hotel: Dedeman. (BB,D)

DAY 9 – FRI – CAPPADOCIA – FULL DAY EXCURSION TO GöREME
Enjoy an excursion to Göreme, a unique region of volcanic landscapes and rock-hewn churches decorated with ancient wall paintings, some of which you can see in the open-air museum. Continue to the Zelve Valley where the scenery is dotted with churches, caves and troglodyte dwellings. Tour the underground city Kaymakli, and see the cone of Uchisar. Enjoy dinner at the hotel followed by a colorful folklore show in an underground cave, featuring dances from different regions. (BB,HD)

DAY 10 – SAT – CAPPADOCIA – ANKARA
Visit Agzikarahan, one of the best-preserved Seljuk caravanserais in Anatolia. Continue on to Ankara to visit the Hittite Museum and Anit Kabir, the mausoleum of Ataturk, Turkey’s greatest modern leader.
Hotel: Sheraton. (BB,D)

DAY 11 – SUN – ANKARA – ISTANBUL
Leaving Ankara, take the highway for a scenic drive through the Turkish countryside to Istanbul. Upon arrival, embark on a superb Highlight cruise along the Bosphorus Waterway. Travelling towards the old city from close to the Black Sea, the scenery complements the grandeur of the Ottoman palaces, old mansions and fortresses. Consider celebrating the tour with a farewell dinner with your new friends at a colorful local restaurant.    
Hotel: Crowne Plaza Old City. (BB)

DAY 12 – MON – RETURN TO USA
This morning, your tour comes to an end with a transfer to the airport. (BB)

• Insight Hotels include all service charges, taxes and porterage
• Travel by luxury air-conditioned 40 seat coach with reclining seats and onboard toilet
• Insight’s professional multilingual Tour Director to escort you
• Insight Traveler document wallet, map book journal and information pack

Complimentary Transfers

• Complimentary arrival and departure transfers betweenIstanbul airport and your Insight tour hotel

Quality Dining & Entertainment

• A spectacular highlight folklore show in an underground cave in Cappadocia (HD)
• 14 Buffet Breakfasts (BB) and 10 special-menu Dinners, or Buffets, plus tea or coffee (D)

16 Days ~ Turkey

Tour Pace
A well paced tour with relaxing two-night stays punctuating the itinerary where necessary. Day 9 in Antalya is completely at leisure for guests to relax or hit the beach and shops. In towns and cities with one-night stays, the driving days are not too long and have frequent stops for sightseeing.

DAY 1 – DEPART USA
Overnight flight to Istanbul.

DAY 2 – ISTANBUL AT LEISURE
Welcome to Turkey! You are met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. In the evening, meet your Tour Director for a Welcome Drink.
Hotel: Conrad.

DAY 3 – ISTANBUL – BURSA
Embark on a superb Highlight cruise along the Bosphorus past Ottoman palaces, old mansions and fortresses. Leaving Istanbul, take a short ferry trip and drive to Iznik. Visit the ruins of St Sophia and see the city walls before continuing to Bursa. In the afternoon there is time to haggle in the bazaar and silk markets.
Hotel: Kervansaray Termal. (BB,D)

DAY 4 – BURSA – ANKARA
Visit the glorious Green Mosque and Mausoleum complex and Grand Mosque in Bursa before driving to the charming Cumalikizik Village with its traditional wooden houses and narrow cobblestone streets. Visit Gordion, where Alexander the Great cut the famous Gordion Knot, en route to Turkey’s modern capital, Ankara.
Hotel: Sheraton. (BB,D)

DAY 5 – ANKARA – CAPPADOCIA
Sightseeing includes visits to the Hittite Museum and Anit Kabir, the mausoleum of Ataturk, Turkey’s greatest leader in modern times. Visit the mausoleum of Sufi philosopher Haci Bektas before heading to Nevsehir in the historic Cappadocia region.
Hotel: Dedeman. (BB,D)

DAY 6 – CAPPADOCIA – GöREME EXCURSION
In this unique region of volcanic landscapes and ‘fairy-chimneys’, visit Göreme’s rock-carved churches, see ancient frescoes in the open-air museum and see the Zelve valleys, where the scenery is dotted with caves and troglodyte dwellings. Visit the underground city of Kaymakli and see the cone of Uchisar. Enjoy dinner at the hotel followed by a colorful folklore show in an underground cave, featuring dances from the different regions. (BB,HD)

DAY 7 – CAPPADOCIA – KONYA
Visit the Caravanserai of Sultanhani before driving to Turkey’s most religious city, Konya, which was once the home of the mystic sect of Whirling Dervishes and the old capital of the Anatolian Seljuk Empire. Visit the Mevlana Museum, with its beautiful fluted turquoise dome, and see the Karatay Medrese and Ince Minaret.
Hotel: Dedeman. (BB,D)

DAY 8 – KONYA – ANTALYA
Descend the Taurus mountains and drive to Aspendos to visit what is considered the best preserved Roman Theatre anywhere in the world. Drive to the Hellenistic or Roman city of Perge to visit the extensive ruins, including the great Theatre, the Stadium, and the gate-towers leading into a street where ancient chariot ruts can still be seen. As night falls, enjoy a walking tour of Antalya’s Old Town.
Hotel: Sheraton Voyager. (BB,D)

DAY 9 – ANTALYA AT LEISURE
The day is set aside to relax and explore Antalya or enjoy the leisure facilities of the hotel. Other suggestions include a stroll around the harbour area or taking a boat trip off the coast. (BB,D)

DAY 10 – ANTALYA – PAMUKKALE
Pass pine forests and cross the Taurus mountains on your way to Pamukkale. On arrival, visit the ruins of Hierapolis and the beautiful ‘Cotton Castle’ – an apt description of its dazzling white limestone terraces.
Hotel: Colossae Thermal. (BB,D)

DAY 11 – PAMUKKALE – KUSADASI
Visit the Temple of Aphrodite at amazing Aphrodisias before continuing to your beautiful beach-front hotel in the lively coastal town of Kusadasi.
Hotel: Korumar/Charisma. (BB,D)

DAY 12 – KUSADASI – IZMIR
Tour one of the world’s finest archeological sites, Ephesus. Visit the Amphitheatre and walk along the Arcadian Way to view the splendid facade ofthe Library of Celsus. Visit the House of the Virgin Mary, situated above the ruins, before continuing to the Selçuk archeological museum, where many artifacts from Ephesus are displayed. Stay overnight in the Aegean port of Izmir.
Hotel: Hilton. (BB,D)

DAY 13 – IZMIR – ÇANAKKALE
Stop in Pergamon, the impressive site of an ancient kingdom, to visit the Acropolis, the Temple of Athena and library, before viewing the Red Courtyard and the ruins of the Asklepieon. Drive to Homer’s Troy to see the ruins of nine cities built on top of each other, and an enormous reconstruction of the famous wooden horse. The evening is spent in Çanakkale.
Hotel: Kolin. (BB,D)

DAY 14 – ÇANAKKALE – ISTANBUL
Cross the Dardanelle Straits by ferry and continue to the Gallipoli Peninsula, scene of fierce fighting in World War One. Pay your respects at Anzac Cove and visit the emotive Lone Pine Cemetery before returning to Istanbul.
Hotel: Conrad. (BB)

DAY 15 – ISTANBUL SIGHTSEEING
Visit the Blue Mosque and the Hippodrome, where Roman chariot races were held. Also visit St Sophia, a former cathedral and a mosque which is now a magnificent museum. The afternoon is dedicated to the Topkapi Palace, a walled city perched above the Bosphorous and the Golden Horn. Test your haggling skills now as you visit the glittering Grand Bazaar. Consider an evening of dinner and belly-dancing. (BB)

DAY 16 – RETURN TO USA
The tour ends after breakfast with transfers to the airport. (BB)