Classic Mosque
Architecture in rural
Turkey

AN ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE OF 10,000 YEAR IN ANATOLIA
17 DAYS

This tour, designed especially for those interested in architecture and art history, was created in response to requests from architects who have participated in our tours. After shooting about 60 rolls of film throughout his tour of Asia Minor, an American architect said: "What a learning experience; almost as good as going to the university again!" Asia Minor, which has been home to many civilizations that were created by different people who arrived from different regions of the world, is an architectural treasure that would inspire many innovative ideas for future designs. Some seminars, with the participation of architects from Turkey, are included to provide a more professional interaction and learning experience.

DAY 1: ANKARA Arrival in Ankara. Welcome Cocktail and dinner at the hotel.(D)

DAY 2: ANKARA Morning seminar, with Turkish architects, on "Architecture in Asia Minor Over the Last 10,000 Years". After lunch at a local restaurant, visit the Museum of Ancient Anatolian Civilizations and the Mausoleum of Ataturk. Special dinner. (B,L,D)

DAY 3: CAPPADOCIA Early morning departure from Ankara for Hattusas, capital of the Hittite Empire. Lunch in a restaurant near the site. Then, drive to Cappadocia for dinner and overnight at the hotel. (B,L,D)

DAY 4: CAPPADOCIA Full-day sightseeing in Cappadocia. Tonight, dinner with Entertainment in a restaurant carved into the rocks. (B,L,D/E)

DAY 5: KONYA After breakfast, drive to Konya (ancient Iconium), capital of the Anatolian Selçuk Kingdom and the center of the "Whirling Dervishes". En route, visit a Selçuk caravanserai (inn) that is about 1,000 years old. Afternoon sightseeing in Konya. Dinner and overnight at the hotel. (B,L,D)

DAY 6: ANTALYA Morning: Visit the Mausoleum of Mevlana, founder of the Mevlevi Sect (Whirling Dervishes). Then, drive to the "Turkish Riviera" on the Mediterranean to spend the night in Antalya. (B,L,D)

DAY 7: ANTALYA Full-day sightseeing in Side, Perge and the great theater of Aspendos, with architectural masterpieces to marvel about. Dinner at a local restaurant. (B,L,D)

DAY 8: ANTALYA Day at leisure. For those who are interested, a tour toTermessos can be arranged. Lunch on your own. Dinner at the hotel. (B,D)

DAY 9: PAMUKKALE Departure from Antalya for the drive to Pamukkale, or "Cotton Fortress", to see a natural wonder and to visit the ancient city of Hierapolis. Dinner and overnight in Pamukkale. (B,L,D)

DAY 10: KUSADASI In the morning, visit the marble ruins of Aphrodisias, a very extensive city where excavations have been continuing. Lunch at a local restaurant. Then, continue on to Priene, one of the first cities to be designed using the Hippodamian Plan. If time permits, a stop in Miletos, the home town of Hippodamus, will also be arranged. Dinner and overnight in Kusadasi. (B,L,D).

DAY 11: KUSADASI One of the highlights of the tour awaits you today, as you visit the magnificent city of Ephesus, with the Grand Theater, the Library of Celsus, the great terraced houses, marble streets, agoras, etc., which should give much inspiration to a professional architect! Dinner and overnight in Kusadasi. (B,L,D)

DAY 12: ASSOS Drive to Izmir, ancient Smyrna, and continue on to Pergamum, with its Acropolis and Aesculapion (ancient hospital). After lunch at a local restaurant, drive north to Assos on the Aegean Coast for dinner and overnight. (B,L,D)

DAY 13: BURSA Morning: Sightseeing in ancient Troy, made immortal by Homer's Iliad. Then, continue driving close to the southern shores of the Sea of Marmara to arrive in Bursa, the first major capital of the Ottoman State. Dinner and overnight at the hotel, with optional visit to authentic Turkish baths. (B,L,D)

DAY 14: ISTANBUL In the morning, a look at the architecture of the early Ottomans, visiting the Green Mosque, the Green Mausoleum, old Turkish houses and the Grand Bazaar (where the Silk Market was located). Lunch at a Doner Kebap restaurant, the birthplace of a meat dish that is approximated as "gyro" in other countries. Then, continue to Istanbul. Transfer to the hotel for dinner and overnight. (B,L,D)

DAY 15: ISTANBUL Morning: Seminar with local Turkish architects on Byzantine and Ottoman architectures. After lunch, a private cruise on the Straits of Bosphorus between Asia and Europe, viewing architectural styles of many centuries. Dinner at a restored mansion. (B,L,D)

DAY 16: ISTANBUL Full-day tour of Istanbul, visiting the Blue Mosque, the Basilica of St. Sophia, and the Underground Cistern. After lunch, visit Topkapi Palace and the Covered Bazaar. Tonight, a farewell dinner at the Ciragan Palace. (B,L,D)

DAY 17: Transfer to airport for departure from Istanbul. (B)

B = Breakfast included, L = Lunch included, D = Dinner included, D/E = Dinner and entertainment included
NOTE: The city or region designated next to a tour day (e.g., DAY 6: ANTALYA) indicates the location of overnight stay.