AYVALIK -DEVIL’S TABLE -CUNDA ISLAND – TAKSIYARHIS   CHURCH -THE CHURCH of AGIOS YANNIS-LIBRARY-HISTORICAL MILLS -AYVALIK          50 KM

You will discover today Ayvalık the North of İzmir .

The first place you will visit before entering Ayvalık is Devil’s Table.It is not to mention the Devil’s Table ,which should be seen by everyone who goes to Ayvalık.With its unique view ,Seytan Sofrası ,which overlooks Ayvalık,attracts everyone’s attention with its memorable story.According to the mythological story ,the devil ,who was expelled from Heaven,searches for a paradise on Earth,finds this place and leaves a footprint in the place he stepped on.People who come to see the footprint of the devil do not neglect to make their wishes.

Then drive to Cunda ısland , also called Alibey Island, (Turkish: Cunda Adası, Alibey Adası), Greek Moschonisi is the largest of the Ayvalık Islands archipelago in Turkey, which was historically called the Hekatonisa or Moschonisia archipelago in Greek. It lies in the Edremit Gulf on the Turkey's northwestern coast, off the coast of Ayvalık in Balıkesir Province, Turkey, with an area of 23 square kilometres (9 sq mi). It is located 16 kilometres (10 miles) east of Lesbos, Greece.

You will visit Taksiyarhis Church.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.

In 1927-1928 ,the church building was converted into a mosque without a minaret .In the following periods ,it stood abandoned for a while,then it was registered as an’’immovable cultural property to be protected and preserved for a long time by temporary measures.In 2011,the church building allocated to the Rahmi M.Koç Museum and Culture Foundation was restored and took its current form.

The bell inside was removed during the World War II and used to inform the public.It was later revealed that this bell was the largest bell in the World.this bell is now exhibited in the Bergama Museum in Berlin,the capital of Germany.

You can see the church of Agios Yannis .The church ,which is one of the most striking buildings with the windmill,on the top of the ısland center was restored and started to serve as Sevim and Necdet Kent Library.

You will have Lunch in Cunda Island.

Another historical texture that you should not leave without seeing during your visit to Ayvalık is the historical mills.There are 3 mills in cunda Island.While one of the mills is used as a restaurant by a private enterprise,another mill is not open to use.The third mill ,along with the Agios Yannis Church,eas bought and restored by Rahmi Koç.

You will drive to the Hotel in Ayvalık .

AYVALIK -ANTANDROS ANCIENT CITY -ZEUS ALTAR-ASSOS  ANCIENT CITY-TROY ANCIENT CITY & MUSEUM- ÇANAKKALE 215 KM

You’ll visit first on the way 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.

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.

After the visit of Zeus Altar ,you arrive to Assos Archaelogical Site. (except historical Harbour). 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 drive to 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.

End of the day ,you arrive to the hotel in Çanakkale

ÇANAKKALE-BOZCAADA (TENEDOS ISLAND ) -AYVALIK       215 KM

You’ll drive to Bozcaada (Tenedos Island). Bozcaada, a formerly-Greek now Turkish island 52 km (32 miles) south of Çanakkale (map), is a favorite summer retreat for Istanbullus.

Known for much of its history as Tenedos, it became part of the new Turkish Republic in 1923, mostly for reasons of national security: Bozcaada and nearby Gökçeada (Imbros) are two islands at the southern end of the strategic Dardanelles strait. They were used by the Allies against the Ottoman Empire during the Gallipoli campaign(1915-1916), and the Turks didn’t want it to happen again.

Today tourism is Bozcaada’s prime industry, but vineyards and winemaking are still important here as they have been for a millennium or more. The Corvus, Çamlıbağ and Talay wineries maintain the tradition, with vineyards and restaurants where you can discover their wines.

Also, fishing boats set sail daily in suitable weather from the island’s only town to bring in the daily catch. You can see their nets piled on the wharf.

Places to see: Bozcaada castle,Ayazma monestary,the museum of Bozcaada and the church of V.Mary

After the Lunch , you’ll drive to the hotel in Ayvalık

AYVALIK- THE ANCIENT ACROPOLİS AND ASCLEPION -RED  BASILICA -PERGAMON MUSEUM-KUŞADASI                 265 KM

You’ll visit first the Acropol by Cable car or  mınıbus .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’’.

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

Then you’ll drive to the museum of Pergamon .Pergamon Museum was founded in 1924 and moved to its present building in 1936.It has a rich collection of archaelogical and ethnographical remains which makes it a very important museum.The collection includes findings from Early Bronze Age period to the Byzantine period.There are a number of parks in the vicinity of the museum as well as an ‘’Arasta’’ or market where you can browse the carpets on sale other souvenirs.

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.

Then you’ll drive to the hotel in Kuşadası

KUŞADASI- THE HOUSE OF V.MARY-EPHESUS ANCIENT SITE -THE  MUSEUM of EPHESUS – THE BASILICA of St JOHN-SİRİNCE  VILLAGE – KUŞADASI 75 KM

After breakfast ,you’ll drive to Selcuk ,first you’ll visit the house of V.Mary. The House of Virgin Mary beautifully situated in the solmissos Mountain and built in II Century,place for pilgrimage .The house of V.Mary is considered by the Vatican to be final resting place of the Virgin Mary.

After the visit the house of V.Mary arrive to Ancient Ephesus, the UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Seven churches of Apocalypse. walk on the remarkably preserved wide marble streets,flanked by colomns,temples and fountains. We look at all the famous highlights like the Celsus Library,the Odeon magnificent temple of Hadrian, Great Theater for 25000 capacity of spectators which is still used for performances and special events today

You’ll have Lunch in Selcuk ,before you visit the museum of Ephesus

The museum of Ephesus, unlike most of other museums, is not designed according to the chronological order but the galleries are filled with artifacts according to a theme.

Galleries include:

1- Sculptures from the fountains

2- Finds from the Terrace Houses

3-Coins

4-Ephesus through the Ages

5-Courtyard with column capitals and tombs

6- Hall of Mother Goddess cult

7- Hall of Ephesus Artemis

8- Hall of Imperial Cult

9-Museum Shop and Cafe

Before visiting these galleries, one should not miss the 3D simulation video of ancient Ephesus where visitors can visualize the setting of the ancient city and may have an idea about how the buildings used to look like. The video can be watched in three languages; Turkish, English and German and it lasts 10 minutes. The video room is the first room before the fountain statues gallery.

Some of the most remarkable artifacts in the museum are the Ephesus Artemis statue, Priapos statue, the head of Socrates, the Egyptian priest, the Eros with rabbit and the oldest piece – a stamp- found in Cukurici Mound- dating back to 6200 BC.

Our next stop the Basilica of St.John.This site is the burial place of St.John,the writer of the gospel of the same name and the disciple who brought the Vırgın Mary to Ephesus.Built to the shape of a cross it has six large domes.The Byzantine Emperor Justinian and his wife Theodora had the church built over the site of the grave.In the Byzantine period the entrance in the walls had embossed friezes which showed the pursuit of Achilles and for this reason is known as the ‘’Takip kapısı’’(Pursuit Gate). From the courtyard of the church there is a wonderful panorama of the temple of Artemis İsa Bey Mosque and the Aegean at Pamucak.

Then drive to Sirince Village ; It is a beautiful hill town only 8 km east of Selcuk, near Ephesus, in the Aegean hinterland south of İzmir It's famous for its olive oil, fruit wines, other natural products, and its atmospheric boutique hotels. A dozen small restaurants cater to day-trippers, hotel guests, and locals alike.

In the 19th century ,it was a Greek town with 1800 houses,famous for its fig production,especially for export.Population Exchange between Greece and Turkey in 1923 ,result of the departure of the Greeks were settled by emigrants from the village.There are two Greek churges in the quarter.In Şirince no house blocks the vıew of the other.

Some say the Orthodox Christian Greeks who lived here during the Ottoman Empire were famed for the excellence of their wine. The Muslim Turks who moved here from Thessaloniki in 1924 re-started wine-making using local fruits, including apple, apricot, banana, blackberry, blueberry, cranberry, mulberry (black, and white), mandarin orange, melon, orange, peach, quince, sour (Morello) cherry and strawberry. You can taste the results and judge for yourself when you visit. They sell red, white and rosé, dry and sweet. A few local producers have switched from the local vines, which in fact produce table grapes, to Turkey's better wine grapes such as Narince.

You’ll going back in the evening to the hotel in Kuşadası

KUŞADASI -DOMATIA GREEK VILLAGE ,THE ANCIENT CITIES of  PRİENE,MILETOS,MILET MUSEUM,DIDYMA ANCIENT CITY- İZMİR            270 KM

You will visit today coastal history and tourism city Didim .You will see on the way the ancient city of Priene.

Priene is one of the important ancient cities established on the southern slope of Samsun Mountain,15 km southwest of Söke district.370 m.Establishment on a steep rock at a heıght has provided an advantage in resisting attacks.In addition ,its being in a high place allows the city to be seen from different directions.the first information about Priene ,who is considered to be a member of the Ionian League like Miletus,is BC.It is found in ancient sourches in the middle of the 7th century.

After the visit of the ancient city Priene our direction is the historical greek village of Domatia (Doganbey) and Karina bay.The old village of Doğanbey ,formerly Domatia village,BC.It has a history extending from the 7th century to the present .In the immediate vicinity are Karina,where there are old customs buildings,ancient settlements Thebes and Lade Island.It is known that the Domatians come from Samos ,Chios,Dodecanese and Cyprus .In the past ,houses were built in a large forest as seperate rooms ,each with large courtyards and these rooms were called Domatia in greek.When the settlement developed a little more and the village was formed ,this name also became the name of the village.

The Greek houses in Domatia have been restored with the condition of staying true to the original.This place aimed to preserve the historical texture in time and became a village where the natüre-loving wealty people lived.Architectural wonder stone houses leaning on the mountain also have a seaview.The streets are cobblestone,the gardens are well -maintained .After strolling through the streets of our charming village ,we take lots of photos and then drive to the ancient city of Milet.

We will visit by informing our guide,it was seaside port city when it was first established ,but today it is 10 km from sea.The first settlements in the ancient city of Milet started in the middle of 2000BC,continued with the Mycenaean colony ,and then re-established by the Ions.It is one of the four important city ports of the Ionians.Milet Ruins is known for its grid plan applied in the foundation of the city .That’s why the city is very well organized .the ancient city of Miletus acquired its autonomy in 38 BC thanks to the special interest of the roman emperors and reached the metropolitan level among other Ionian cities.After listening to our guide,we also took our photo shoots ,drive to the museum of Milet.

Milet Museum exhibition areas; It consists of two main parts: the garden display and the indoor display.In the garden display ,lion sculptures ,inscriptions ,tomb steles, sarcophagi,architectural elements and column heads,which are the city of Miletus ,are exhibited

Closed exhibition area is located in the administarive building of the museum.The finds of the Ancient City of Miletus,Priene Ancient City and the Temple of Apollo in didim are exhibited in an area of approximately 600 m2.Belonging to the ancient city of Milet ; There are animation of the Minoan Period (20-15 centuries BC) Kitchen,Minoan Period finds,Zeytintepe Archaic Aphrodite Sanctuary finds,Gacartepe Tomb finds.Findings of the sacred road Miletus Ancient City to the Temple of Apollo in didim and the votive objects of the Temple of Apollo are located in the exhibition hall.

The ancient city of Priene,known as the Pompei of Anatolia,is in the Priene section,especially the finds of its rich houses.In the interior showcases,coins from various periods,ornaments,glass fragrance bottles ,bronze items and figurines,terracotta items,and the Ilyas bey Mosque from the Menteseogulları Principality period are among the Works on display.In addition,tomb steles from the Archaic period and an unfinished scuplture group are in the exhibition space.The Miletus Museum is a technically ,visually and scientifically exemplary museum

Now you have lunch nearby Didim.After lunch ,we move towards Didim.We go to the Temple of Apollo,which is considered to be the largest and most magnificent temple by the ancient geographer Strabon.the temple ,which is famous as one of the most important prophecy centers of the ancient World,is surrounded by 124 columns on a platform that is climbed by steps on all four sides.The temple was destroyed in 494 BC by the Persian army attacking Miletus.Its reconstruction begins with Alexander the Great’s liberation of the region from Persian rule.The construction of MS. The magnificent temple ,which lasted until the middle of the 2nd century,was not fully finished.The temple ,which took its current from during its reconstruction,is approximately 109 x51 meters .Located in the middle of the building ,the 53x21 m.’’Sella Sanctuary ‘’ in size is worth seeing

Then drive back to the hotel in İzmir

Transfer to the Airport İzmir 20 KM