İZMİR-SARDES ANCIENT CITY-KULA OLD HOUSES – ULUBEY CANYON –  BLAUNDUS ANCIENT CITY- USAK 270 KM

After Breakfast you drive to Sardes or which is called Sardis by Lydians, was the capital of a state with major economic and political power in the 6th and 7th centuries BC .The ancient city of Sardis contains many historical values from Lydians and Romans, under the rule of which it has gotten after Lydians.

The Temple of Artemis, one of Anatolia's seven temples and Sardis Synagogue, which one of the most impotant evidences of the Jewish presence in Western Anatolia in ancient times, which are located in historical conservation area are quite prominent and unique cultural artifacts in respect of ruins of Bath-Gymnasium Complex of the Roman period.

Many typical mausoleums of the ancient age, which are called tumulus and located in Bintepeler territory near Sart which is thought to be the acropolis of Sardis Ancient City, are in this region as an ancient memory of the rich and glorious history of Lydians

Then you are going to visit Kula old houses , which are products of an Ottoman architectural tradition that has continued in the 19th century as well, carry the typical Ottoman urban pattern to our day quite successfully.

You’ll have Lunch at the local restaurant in Kula

Then drive to Kula to see Kula volcanic Geopark.This Area was accepted and certificated by UNESCO on 6 September 2013 at 37th UNESCO general conference in Naples. So that Kula Volcanic Geopark joined UNESCO Global Geopark Network. Also this patent became the first geopark of Turkey, 58th geopark in Europe, and 96th geopark in the world.

Then you’ll drive the Blaundus ancient city .

Blaundus was a Roman episcopal city in Asia Minor, presently Anatolia (Asian Turkey), and is now a Latin Catholic titular bishopric. The ancient city left ruins at Sülümenli (formerly Süleimanli), near Ulubey (formerly Göbek) in Uşak Province of modern Turkey. It was in the Roman province of Lydia.

Next stop is Ulubey Canyon..

The canyon is the second longest in the world after the Grand Canyon in the United States. The park provides suitable habitat for many species of animals and plants and is being developed as a centre for ecotourism.

In 2015, a 135 m2 (1,450 sq ft) glass-floor observation deck in the form of a ship bow, constructed 131 m (430 ft) above the canyon floor, and a cafeteria were opened for tourism purposes.

You’ll drive to the hotel in Uşak ( Breakfast and Dinner)

USAK ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM- USAK OLD HOUSES-AIZONAI ANCIENT  ITY-KUTAHYA 160 KM

Morning you will start to visit the Archaeological Museum of Uşak, where the famous Lydian, or Karun, Treasure has finally come to rest. More than 350 pieces from the tomb of a wealthy 7th-century BC Lydian, possibly King Croesus himself (Karun is Persian for Croesus )

Uşak which became an important city in the Germianoğulları period (14th-15th century) and later became a famous center for carpet-making during the Ottoman period, is situated in the region of Central Western Anatolia. Traditional Uşak houses reflect the Turkish classic houses in their special features. When we analyze these houses in terms of the region, it is possible to see the similarity with Aegean and West Anatolian Turkish houses. Like other houses in Anatolia, these houses are an expression of Turkish cultural heritage and the artistic taste of the regional public.

Then drive to Aizonai ancient city to Çavdarhisar. The ancient city experienced its golden age in the second and third centuries AD and became the centre of episcopacy in the Byzantine era. The city has a temple built for Zeus which is the best-preserved temple in all of Anatolia. There is also a large theatre and a stadium adjacent to theatre. There are two Turkish-style baths, one of them decorated with mosaics, plus a gymnasium, five bridges on Kocaçay which are still used today, an old dam, a trading building, and avenues with columns on both sides, necropolis areas and the sacred cave of Metre Steunene.

You’ll have Lunch in Kutahya

Then you will visit the city of Kutahya ,where the famous Ceramic tile in Turkey and in the World.you will see here Ceramic Bazaar an done of the historical Mosque of Kütahya (Ulu Camii) You’ll have lunch in Kütahya

End of the day you will arrive to the hotel in Kütahya. (Breakfast and Dinner)

KUTAHYA- PHRYGIAN VALLEY- THE CASTLE OF IZNIK- THE LAKE OF IZNIK- THE ANCIENT THEATER -NIKAIA ANCIENT CITY-HAGIA SOFIA CHURCH (MOSQUE)- THE CHURCH OF TRYPHONOS - BURSA                 270 KM

After Breakfast you will arrive to Phrygian Valley.

Most people are familiar with the stunning Cappadocian landscape,but far fewer visit the almost equally beautiful Phrygian Valley(Frig Vadisi) in western Anatolia even thought it harbours the finest relics of the lost civilization of King Midas ,the king with the famous golden touch.

The Phrygian valley is not really so much one valley as an area spread out between Seyitgazi,Kütahya and Afyon,with its focal point at Midas Sehri(Yazılıkaya village).this was the heartland of Phrygians ,an Indo-European people who seem to have moved into Anatolia from Thrace c.1200 BC and who flourised especially in the seventh and sixth centuries BC

You’ll have Lunch in İznik before you visit the castle of İznik and Nikaıa ancient city

The castle dates back to 258 B.C. There are 4 gates in the castle: İstanbul, Yenişehir, Lefke and Göl, respectively. In addition to these, there are 12 secondary entrances. To strengthen the 4970 m long and the 10-13 m tall walls, the 114 towers were built along them. The old towers are round while the newer ones are square. There are also another 131 towers along the defensive line in front of the castle walls. The walls of Iznik have been often repaired with much of the rubble from the old city being used for this task. In the Byzantine era, in the strengthening of the walls against the Arab invaders a variety of materials were used. The reliefs on the Istanbul and Lefke Gates depict a battle of the 3rd century B.C.

You’ll visit the Church of Hagia Sofia.(now Mosque).The Hagia Sofia Church in İznik

İs one of the main reason why İznik is important for Christians .It is in the middle of the city ,at the intersection of two main streets.It is a Byzantine work and has been renovated ,presumably after the earthquake in the XI century.It was named Orhan Gazi Mosque in 1331.It was damaged by earthquakes and fires .It was greatly altered and renovated by Mimar Sinan in the XVI century.

The ancient Theater is located close to Lake İznik.It occupies a large Palce between Yenısehır Gate and İznik Lake.Its construction was made in the 2nd century AD roman Empire .It was built by Bithinia Governor Plinius on the orders of Trajanus,the Roman emperor of the period.Its total capacity is is 15000

The Church of Tryphonos is among the most interesting historical places in Turkey and is one of historic churches to see in İznik. This historical church started to be built in 1255 during the period of Byzantine Emperor Theodoros Laskaris.It can said that its architecture is similar to the Kariye Church in Istanbul.This structure ,which fascinates

Those who see it with its magnificent mosaics and columns made of Granite ,stands out among the churges in İznik.

You’ll visit the ceramic workshop and see the Lake of İznik.

End of the day you will arrive to Bursa. (Breakfast and Dinner)

BURSA-THE VILLAGE OF CUMALIKIZIK-GREEN MOSQUE &MAUSOLEUM AND  IPEKHAN,GRAND MOSQUE ,KOZAHAN, GRAND BAZAAR-GÖLYAZI- ÇANAKKALE 285 KM

Today you’ll start the tour with the visit of Cumalıkızık village.Cumalıkızık village ,which is one of the first settlements of the Ottomans in Bursa reflects the Ottoman period housing texture with a total of 270 houses ,180 of which are still in use and some of them are preserved and restored.

Then you’ll visit the sightseeings of Bursa .First you’ll see Green Mosque .

The earliest example of Bursa’s style is the Yeşil (Green) Mosque, which was built in 1419 by the architect Vezir Hacı İvaz Paşa for Çelebi Sultan Mehmed. The tiles which lend their name to the mosque are the work of Mecnun Mehmed. The marble carving on the façade, window frames, door, stone inscriptions and ceiling above the door is exquisite. The early mosques of Bursa and İznik are characterized by plain lines emphasizing spatial form, and a controlled use of decoration. Gradually the Ottoman decorative arts acquired their own style, and new masters emerged. The first Ottoman nakkaş -a decorator who painted and stenciled designs on plaster- was Ali bin İlyas Ali, who did all the painted decoration for the Yeşil Mosque.

Next stop is İpek (Silk) Han (Arabacılar): Next to the İvaz Paşa Mosque, it was built by Çelebi Mehmet as a source of income for the Yeşil Complex. It is the biggest han in Bursa. What started out as the congregating place of the silk tradesmen eventually became the gathering place of the carriage drivers.

Then you’ll drive to the Ulu Mosque.Bursa Ulu Mosque belongs to the early Islamic style of mosque architecture, with a multi-domed roof supported by numerous piers and columns and a covered court. The mosque was built by the architect Ali Neccar for Yıldırım Bayezid in 1399. It has two large minarets and twenty domes of more or less equal size resting on twelve square pillars, the central dome being glazed. Inside are 192 inscriptions written by famous calligraphers on the walls and panels.

Then you’ll see Koza Han: Situated between the Ulu Mosque and the Orhan Mosque, this han was built in 1490 by Bayezid II as a source of income for charities in Istanbul. It is the most beautiful han in Bursa and the most frequented. In the middle of the court, there is a small mosque made of stone set on 8 pillars with a fountain for ritual cleansing underneath.

Grand bazaar (Kapalı Çarşı), located behind the Grand Mosque, is one of the oldest bazaars of Bursa, with a history going back to the era of Orhan Gazi in the 14th century. It was established during the transformation of Bursa from a military zone to a commercial center. The inns were covered by roofs and shops and trade centers were established inside. In time, several other inns and bazaars close to the area were added. The shopping center was nearly destroyed by several fires and the latest restoration was made in 1960. There are several exchange offices at the main center and you can find various brands of the Bursa textile market in the underground bazaar. Another heaven for textile shopping is Uzun Çarşı, the shopping area starting from the exit of Kapalı Çarşı. Bedesten, the jewelry bazaar in Kapalı Çarşı, bazaars of furniture, footwear and handcrafts are also worth exploring. This grand bazaar is located at Heykel, which is literally the heart of the city.

After you left Bursa you’ll arrive to Gölyazı. The town’s history goes over to B.C 6th century. According to written instruments; Antique name of Gölyazı Town is “Apollonia ad Rhyndacum” that we say Orhaneli Brook (Kocaçay) today and this comes from Ryndacus River. Apollonia was the God of the Light at the old eras. It is known that nine towns, named “Apollonia”, were located in Anatolia at Antique Eras.

Some of the beauties of this village, which is known Apolynot at antique era, are: the trees, which remain in the water when the lake rises; the ducks swim on this water, the marshy places, the fisher women, hunt fishes on the boats, and the cobblestoned pavement streets.

You’ll have Lunch at the local restaurant in Bursa or Gölyazı depending on the tourtime

You drive to the hotel in Çanakkale (Breakfast and Dinner)

ÇANAKKALE -TROY ANCIENT CITY AND MUSEUM- ASSOS ANCIENT CITY- ZEUS  ALTAR-ANTANDROS ANCIENT CITY-AYVALIK              210 KM

You’ll visit first to the Troy ancient city. 

‘’IN THE ILIAD, HOMER DESCRIBES TROY AS ‘WELL-FOUNDED’, ‘STRONG-BUILT’ & ‘WELL-WALLED’.

Troy is one of the world’s most famous ancient cities, renowned for being the site of the Trojan War, as described by Homer in The Iliad. Today’s Troy—a UNESCO World Heritage-listed area of ruins and archaeological excavations—contains the remains of multiple settlements, some dating back 5,000 years.

The archaeological sites at Troy include remains from at least nine different periods of settlement and were found in many layers of excavation. Get a sense of the area’s rich history by walking around the remains of city walls, temples, theaters, bathhouses, and homes. You can also climb inside a replica of the infamous Trojan horse (which stands near the entrance) to enjoy elevated views of the ruins.

The Troy Museum opened in 2018 and is located at the entrance to the Troy archaeological site. The striking red building houses over 2,000 ancient artifacts that have been excavated from the site, including a sarcophagus, statues, jewelry, tools, and pottery. Descriptive panels, dioramas, and interactive displays help bring the story of Troy to life. Visitors can also enjoy views of the ruins from the building’s rooftop terrace.

Then you’ll drive to the ancient city of Assos .You will see ancient harbour of Assos due to safety and restoration work from outside.

Assos Archaeological Site is located in the southwestern part of the Biga peninsula, within the borders of Behramkale village, 17 km south of the district of Ayvacik in the province of Canakkale. The archaeological site is under protection, since it was registered as a 1st degree archaeological site in 1982.

It is possible to come across the Doric column heads, column bases and other architectural ruins around the ancient city. Places of interest in Assos include the 5000 seat theatre, the agora, the stoa, the gymnasium, the bathhouse, the city walls and gates, and the ruins of the Temple of Athena on the acropolis.

You’ll have Lunch at the local restaurant .

Then you’ll continue to the altar of Zeus .In the Iliad ,Homer mentions that the Gods lived on Mount Ida and that they watched and ruled the Trojan War from here.It is also included in this epic that Zeus ,the God of Gods ,lived here and watched and ruled the war.Researchers waorking in the region also think that high place ,built on a hill overlooking the sea and Edremit gulf,belongs to the chief god Zeus.

Your next stop is the ancient city of Antandros in Altınoluk.

Only 15 years ago, almost none of the travelers knew of the existence of the ruins of the ancient city Antandros, located on the Gulf of Edremit, in the southern part of the Troad. The only visible traces of the once mighty city were the scattered fragments of buildings, hidden in an olive grove, and not encouraging an in-depth exploration. However, a lot has changed since then, and the team of researchers led by Professor Gürcan Polat has made remarkable discoveries in Antandrus. The biggest attraction of this place is a wonderfully preserved Roman villa, adorned with mosaic floor and wall frescoes.

In addition to the villa, in Antandros you can see the remains of huge baths, Roman cisterns, and an extensive necropolis.

End of the day ,you arrive to the hotel in Ayvalık (Breakfast and Dinner)

AYVALIK-TAKSIYARHIS CHURCH AND CUNDA ISLAND - AKROPOLIS,  ASKLEPİON,RED BASILICA – IZMIR 200 KM

You will visit Taksiyarhis Church and Cunda Island.The church was built by the Alibey(Cunda) Island Greek Orthodox (Moschonese) community on its old foundations as the Metropolitan Church.At the time of its construction ,the majority of Cunda Island was Greek and the Greek population was around 8.000-10.000.the church is attributed to ‘’Taksiyarhis’’,the Guardian Archangels Gabriel and Mikhail.It still constitutes the most important monument of Cunda Island.

You’ll have Lunch in Bergama at the local restaurant.

You’ll drive to visit the Akropolis by Cable car.The Acropol is at an elevation of 300 meters and is especially rich in structures from the Hellenistic period.The palaces of the kings of Bargama,the theater ,holy areas and temples ,the agora ,the gymnasium,heroon (tomb of a deified hero) and other remains from the Roman period are all to be found on this hill.The excavation at Bergama began in 1877 and the most important find is the Zeus Altar which was taken to Berlin to be displayed there.It is only possible to see the base of the altar at Bergama.The most impressive structure on the ancient site is undouptedly the Traianus Temple which has been reerected after very successful restoration work.Other structures worthy of note are :the Temple to Dionysus ,which was constructed completely from marble in the Ionic style ,the 15.000 seat theater which is the steepest of its kind,the second largest library of its time containing 200.000 works and the Bergama Library ,built by King Attalos 1,which is located behind the Temple to Athena.

After the visit of Acropol ,you’ll continue to Asklepion.This is situated to West of the ancient site.It was constructed in the 4th century BC and this area was dedicated to the god of health,Aesculapius and is the remains of one of the first health centers in the World.In its day Asklepion ,was famous for its motto,’’Death cannot enter the place its forbidden’’.On the ‘’Blessed Way’’ you can find the symbol used today by pharmacists-the snake entwined round a stick.Among some of the methods of treatment used here were music and psychotherapy .During the Romanperiod the famous pharmacist and physician,Galenos ,worked here at the Asklepion before working as the court physian. Locally the Asklepion is known as ‘’Ayvaz Ali’’.

Finally you’ll visit the ‘’Red Basilica’’ in Bergama.

The "Red Basilica", also called variously the Red Hall and Red Courtyard, is a monumental ruined temple in the ancient city of Pergamon, now Bergama, in western Turkey. The temple was built during the Roman Empire, probably in the time of Hadrian and possibly on his orders. It is one of the largest Roman structures still surviving in the ancient Greek world. The temple is thought to have been used for the worship of Egyptian gods – specifically Isis and/or Serapis, and possibly also Osiris, Harpocrates and other lesser gods, who may have been worshipped in a pair of drum-shaped rotundas, both of which are virtually intact, alongside the main temple.

Although the building itself is of an immense size, it was only one part of a much larger sacred complex, surrounded by high walls, that dwarfed even the colossal Temple of Jupiter in Baalbek. The entire complex was built directly over the River Selinus in a remarkable feat of engineering that involved the construction of an immense bridge 196 metres (643 ft) wide to channel the river through two channels under the temple. The Pergamon Bridge still stands today, supporting modern buildings and even vehicle traffic. A series of tunnels and chambers lies under the main temple, connecting it with the side rotundas and giving private access to different areas of the complex. Various drains, water channels and basins are located in, around and under the main temple and may have been used for symbolic reenactments of the flooding of the Nile.

The temple was converted by the Byzantines into a Christian church dedicated to St John but was subsequently destroyed. Today the ruins of the main temple and one of the side rotundas can be visited, while the other side rotunda is still in use as a small mosque.

End of the day drive to İzmir.Overnight in İzmir .(Breakfast and Dinner)

TRANSFER TO  ADB  IZMIR      AIR PORT   20 KM

Transfer to the Aırport of ADB İzmir  depending on the flight time.