Social & Spouse Program

T01 Half-day without lunch OTTOMAN ART Afternoon

Half Day-Afternoon 14:00-18:00 28 September, Wednesday 45€

Departure from the hotel. Visit the legendary Museum of Topkapi Palace to visit the dazzling displays of the treasures of the Ottoman Sultans. Later visit the Mosque of Suleyman the Magnificent. Then drive along the coast of the Golden Horn overlooking the historical walls and churches of the Byzantine period. Return to the hotel.

* Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays. Topkapi Palace will be replaced by the Dolmabahce Palace.

Topkapi Palace

T02 Half -day without lunch BYZANTIAN ART Morning

Half Day-Morning 09:00-13:00 29 September, Thursday 45€*

Departure from the hotel. Visit the Museum of St. Sophia, the masterpiece of Byzantine architecture, Hippodrome, where chariot races and athletic events took place during the Roman period. The Blue Mosque, famous for its six minarets and magnificent interior with blue tiles, continue to the Sts. Sergius and Bachus Church, originally constructed in the sixth century as the church of Sts. Sergius and Bacchus and was located within the confines of the Hormisdas Palace on the Sea of Marmara, south of the Hippodrome. Grand Bazaar. You will have shopping opportunities for carpets, leather goods, jewellery, copper-ware etc. and return to the hotel.

* The Museum of St. Sophia is closed on Mondays. Museum of St. Sophia will be replaced by the Museum of "St. Saviour" of Chora.

* The Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays.

St. Sophia

T03 Half-day without lunch ISTANBUL IN ASIA Morning

Half Day-Morning 09:00-13:00 28 September, Wednesday 45€*

Departure from the hotel. Drive over the intercontinental Bosphorus Bridge to Camlica Hill (Pine Hill) on the Asian Side to see the beautiful panoramic view of Istanbul, then visit the Beylerbeyi Palace, the summer residence of the Ottoman Sultans with its original furniture and magnificent gardens. Then visit a typical fisherman’s village along the Bosphorus with shopping possibilities. Return to the hotel.

* Beylerbeyi Palace is closed on Mondays & Thursdays.

Camlica Hill

T04 Half-day without lunch ARCHAEOLOGY Morning

Half Day-Morning 09:00-13:00 30 September, Friday 45€*

Departure from the hotel to visit the Cinili Kosk or Pavilion (the Museum of Turkish Tiles) built by Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror in the 15th century where there are fine examples of Seljuk and Ottoman tiles & ceramics. Then visit the famous Archaeological Museum with a very rich collection of classical antiquities including the celebrated Alexander Sacrophage and the Temple of Athena. After seeing different displays of antiquities from the Sumerian, Babylonian, Assyrian, Hatti and Hittite civilizations. Return to the hotel.

* Cinili Kosk - Archaeological Museum are closed on Mondays.

Archaeological Museum

T05 Half -day without lunch TURKISH BATH "HAMMAM" EXPERIENCE

Half Day-Afternoon 14:00-17:00 29 September, Thursday 45€*

Departure from the hotel for the Turkish Bath. The baths or "hammams" as they are named, are for many aspects of health, not just for external cleanliness. The bather enters the dry heat of a sweating area. Afterwards, the bather begins to perspire heavily because of a wet steam. The skin is then washed with soap and warm water and the muscles massaged. After being scoured and washed, the bather's body temperature returns to normal from swimming in cold water. Return to the Hotel. Necessities are provided. We suggest that you bring your own moisturize, shampoo etc. Return to the Hotel.

Turkish Bath "Hammam"

T06 Full-day with lunch BYZANTINE MARVELS OF ART

Full Day with lunch 01 October, Saturday 45€*

Morning visit the site of the famous Hippodrome, where chariot races and athletic events took during the Roman period. Begun in 203 AD, it was continually enlarged until it could seat 100,000. Nearby is the Underground Cistern, which was the water source for both the Grand Palace of the Byzantine Emperors and for the Ottomans' Topkapi Palace. Contunie to the St. Sophia Museum, the masterpiece of Byzantine architecture. Lunch. Afternoon visit to the Kariye Museum, the old church of St. Saviour in Chora treasuring the marvelous mosaics and frescoes which represent scenes drawn from, the cycle of the life of the Virgin and of Christ which have been restored under the guidance of the Byzantine Institute of Boston. Visit the Ecumenical Orthodox Patriarchate at Phanar. Return to the Hotel.

- St. Sophia Museum is closed on Mondays.

- Kariye Museum is closed on Wednesdays.

Hippodrome

T07 Full-day with lunch OTTOMAN HERITAGE

Full Day with lunch 01 October, Saturday 45€*

Breakfast at the Hotel. Morning visit to the Topkapi Palace Museum with Treasury and Harem Sections to enjoy the dazzling displays of the Treasures of Ottoman Sultans, and the porcelain collection, which is unique in the world. Nearby is the Blue Mosque; the most splendid mosque in the city, built in the early 18th century, distinguished by six slender minarets and walls covered with blue Iznik tiles. After lunch, continue to the Mosque of Suleyman the Magnificent. This is the largest mosque and was built for Suleyman the Magnificent in the 1550's by the great architect Sinan. The Sultan and his wife are buried in exquisitely tiled toms here. Continue to the Grand Bazaar, by the 18th century, the Grand Covered Bazaar held more than 3.000 shops supplied by 30 major warehouses or hans. Return to the Hotel.

- Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays. Topkapı Palace will be replaced by the Dolmabahce Palace.

- Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays.

*Daily Tours will operate with min. 10 pax.

Tour Includes:

• Transportation by A/C deluxe vehicle + driver
• English speaking guide
• Entrance fees to the sites and museums as stated on the program

Tour does not include:

• Lunch on half day tour and drinks at lunches
• Personal expenses
• Drinks at lunch on full day tours
• Tips to the guide and driver

Topkapi Palace - Harem

T08 Two days, full board TROY / GALLIPOLI

455.-EURO per person in dbl room / 495.-EURO per person in sgl room**

Day 1 - Early morning drive to Canakkale by private car or minibus (184 miles - 295 km). Visit the Anzac Bay and the Memorials of Gallipoli, the place where one of the fiercest battles of history was fought during the World War I. After lunch, cross the Dardanelles. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Canakkale (Lunch & Dinner).

Day 2 - After breakfast at the hotel, departure for the excursion of the ancient city of Troy, the legendary city of beautiful Helen and the Wooden Horse. After lunch, drive back to Istanbul and return to the hotel (Breakfast & Lunch).

Accommodation: KOLIN HOTEL or similar

Troy

T09 Two days, full board MARVELS OF CAPPADOCIA

335.-EURO per person in dbl room / 385.-EURO per person in sgl room**

Day 1 - Morning transfer to the airport, fly to Kayseri Airport. Arrival in Kayseri. Meeting and assistance at the airport. Drive to Cappadocia. First stop at the wonderful Dervent Valley where the weather has eroded the stone into peaks, cones and obelisks called fairy chimneys. Paşabağı, a three-capped chimney in the middle of valley was the retreat to the monk Simeon. Visit Avanos, experience pottery making. After Lunch, drive to Göreme National Park which is like an open-air museum. There are 15 churches large and small, seven refectories, and various tombs and cellars including wine cellars. Visit the Citadel of Uchisar and Guvercinlik Valley also called Pigeon Valley for the hundreds of holes perforating the rock face whose droppings provided valuable fertilizer to the neighboring farmers. Last stop will be at Esentepe. Check in to the Hotel. Evening at leisure. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Cappadocia (Lunch & Dinner).

Day 2 - Buffet breakfast. Full day tour of Cappadocia, Drive to "Derinkuyu the Underground City” an extremely complex underground city consisting of seven layers, rooms for grain storage, the stabling of animals, aging of wine and every possible necessity of rural life. Continue to Kizilcukur Valley and Cavusin. After Lunch, visit Ortahisar Valley, (throughout to come from the 50 year period in the 11th century when bureaucrats had effectively ousted the army). fly back to Istanbul. Transfer to the hotel (Breakfast & Lunch

Accommodation: DEDEMAN HOTEL or similar

Cappadocia