Day 1
You will disembark at Bodrum early in the morning
and start the overland program with a walking
tour of St. Peter’s Castle.
The castle of St. Peter, with its tall, well-preserved
towers, was built by the Knights of St. John between
1402 and 1437. Later, other buildings were erected
within the precincts of the castle. During the
Ottoman period, it was used as a place of exile.
Today some of the buildings have been turned into
a prominent museum. As you tour the castle, you
will see a spectacular view of Bodrum and the
surrounding area from the top of the towers. Today,
the castle houses the Museum of Underwater Archaeology.
 After
a visit to the Bodrum Castle and Underwater Archaeology
Museum the guests will continue to Aphrodisias
Antique Site.
Before visiting the site, you will have lunch
at a very nice local restaurant located nearby.
Following the local lunch, you will have chance
to visit one of the most beautiful antique sites
of Anatolia.
Named after goddess Aphrodite, whose cult like
status became synonymous with the celebration
of sensual love and exquisite femininity, the
ancient city of Aphrodisias itself became renowned
throughout Asia Minor as a centre of medicine
and philosophy but above all, of sculpture and
the arts.
The site has been systematically excavated since
1961 by Professor Kenan Erim and has yielded a
wealth of art treasures. Names of many sculptors
from Aphrodisias have been seen in lots of works
in Italy, Greece and elsewhere. The highlights
of the site are the Tetrapylion, the stadium,
the Temple of Aphrodite.
In the evening arrive at Pamukkale. The calcium
cascade terraces of snow white stalactites, one
of Turkey’s great natural wonders is called Pamukkale
by the Turks. This means”Cotton Castle” and is
a rather suitable description for the eye catching,
beautiful and unlikely landscape, which has had
many different & extra ordinary names in the
past.
The great dazzling white ridges like a curtain
of crystal is the deposit from mineral rich volcanic
springs over several thousand years, and it even
buries about one meter of the foundation walls
of ancient buildings.
The water is reputed to be benefical to the eyes
and skin and to alleviate the ills of rheumatism,
asthma and dermatitis.
Before checking in to the hotel, you will have
a chance to see the remians of Hierapolis and
the “Cotton Castle” at sunset.
The ancient city of Hierapolis was founded by
Eumenes II, in the 2C BC. Hierapolis is believed
to derive its name from Hiera, the wife of Telephus,
both being legendary ancestors of kings of Pergamum.
During the visit, the Necropolis, the Roman Baths,
the Martyrium and the theatre will be seen.
Arrival at the hotel, check-in, dinner and overnight. |
Day 2
After an early breakfast taken at the hotel you
will check-out and depart from the hotel for Antalya.
On the way to Antalya, there will be a comfort
stop at Korkuteli town. Arrival at Antalya and
lunch at a local restaurant at the city center.
After lunch, you will continue to Perge Antique
Site, which is the best example of the complete
Roman City in the Pamphylian plain. It developed
from a Hellenistic hilltop settlement to a proper
Roman city. Perge is also one of the cities that
St. Paul visited with Barnabas and his cousin
John Mark.
 Perge,
like Ephesus, is a typical of its region in the
years of the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. It was
a prosperous city then : A system of large public
fountains, and the canal through the center of
town helped lower the summer heat. There are a
large theater, an equally large stadium, and a
handsome double set of city gates.
Then visit to the one of the best archaeological
museums in Turkey to see the finds from the antique
sites located around Antalya especially Perge.
At the end of the program arrival at Antalya
Port in order to board the ship. |
