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EPHESUS AND PAMUKKALE TOUR BY PLANE (FROM ISTANBUL) |
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Turkey package tours from experienced gay &
lesbian owned travel agency of Turkey |
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Please briefly read this page to have a better idea about
our gay-friendly package tours.
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TURKEY TOUR #3 (2 DAYS/1 NIGHT) |
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TOUR ITINERARY |
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DAY
1 : EPHESUS |
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After approximately 1 hour early morning Istanbul > Izmir flight, you
will be transferred to Ephesus, the best preserved ancient city of
Roman period which also used to contain one of the seven wonders
of the ancient world, the Temple of Artemis.
Transfer from your hotel to Ataturk Airport
Flight from Istanbul to Izmir departing between 07:00-08:00
am. (approximately 1 hour)
Transfer to Ephesus tour from the airport.
Full day tour of Ephesus and House of Virgin Mary, including
transfers, entrance fees, professional guidance in English.
Lunch during the tour is included.
Where
will you visit:
Ephesus - Enter through the Magnesia Gate and begin a slow,
downhill walk with your guide into the ruins of this Roman
provincial capital. Your route takes you past the Odeum, the Celsus
Library, the Temple of Hadrian, the Fountain of Trajan and the Great
Theater. The Theater had seating for 25,000, was the site where St.
Paul preached to the Ephesians, and is used today for a local spring
festival.
House of the Virgin Mary - The Vatican has recognized this
small house in the Solmissos Mountains as the final resting place of
the Virgin Mary. A small shrine dedicated to St. Mary was found when
the ruins of the house were first discovered.
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Besides being a popular summer
resort, Kusadasi is also a major base for visiting many
neighborhood ancient sights. |
What you see along the way: From Kusadasi, you travel north
to St. Johns Basilica, passing the Byzantine fortress at Selcuk and
the ruins of the Temple of Artemis. Continue to Ephesus Open Museum
then up to the House of Virgin Mary located in Bulbul Mountain.
After the visit head for the upper gate of Ephesus. By the end of
touring Ephesus, return to Kusadasi.
Special notes: Ephesus requires walking long distances over
uneven surfaces
Transfer back to hotel.
Dinner at your hotel included.
4* Hotel accommodation
in Kusadasi.
Palm Hotel
Grand Onder,
Derici
Hotel Hotel
Atinc or similar quality/location hotels to be selected by us if
they are not available at the time of booking.
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DAY
2 : PAMUKKALE |
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Hot spring pools of Pamukkale are
created by nature in thousands of years |
Breakfast
at hotel included
Pamukkale & Hierapolis tour including transfers, entrance
fees, guide.
Lunch during the tour is included.
(Visiting the amazing white colored travertines, hot spring
pools and water terraces have been created by nature in millions of
years on the mountain slopes of Pamukkale and the ancient city of
Hierapolis which has the biggest ancient Necropolis of Turkey with
1200 gravestones)
Transfer to airport after the
tour
Evening flight to Istanbul.
Transfer from airport to your hotel in Istanbul.
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TOUR PRICE
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Prices starting from:
380
Euro
per person in single room (1 pax)
310 Euro
per person in double room (2 pax)
290 Euro
per person in triple room
(3 pax)
ATTENTION: Final price of this tour package is highly based
on flight costs, which may differ from day to day and season to
season. We will try to keep the above prices as much as possible.
Early reservation is highly recommended for better prices.
Price will include:
All taxes. Some charges may apply for payments with credit cards
of which you will be informed in advance.
1 night accommodation in 4 star hotels in Kusadasi (Half
board)
Mentioned guided day tours with lunch.
All entrance fees for museums
All mentioned meals above in the itinerary
2 way transportation by plane from/to Istanbul
4 airport and all other connecting transfers in between the tour period, as
mentioned
Possible add-ons :
Hotel accommodation in Istanbul before or after the tour
with discounted rates.
Daily Istanbul Tours with discounted rates as a part of this
package.
Extra hotel accommodation in Kusadasi, if requested.
Hotel upgrade is possible, if requested. You can
also inform us any hotel of your own selection.
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Click Here
for other Turkey tours and to have a
better idea about our gay-friendly package tours
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PAYMENT AND
RESERVATION |
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Depending on tour type, season, number of participants
we will request some 15-30% of the total service cost in
advance to finalize reservation procedures. We will send you
a detailed reservation contract by e-mail after
availability, dates and all details are confirmed mutually.
For payments we accept Visa, Master and American Express
credit cards. Online payments with PayPal is also accepted,
which is a good option for people who want to make secure
payment. We normally meet our clients upon their arrival to
Istanbul to handle balance of payment when we also provide
further details, necessary vouchers and documents related
with the reserved tour. Final payments can be also made
cash in US Dollars, British Pounds or other internationally
accepted currencies from cross rates valid on the payment
date.
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EPHESUS |
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Library of Celcus |
Temple of Hadrian |
Antic Theater |
During
both the Hellenistic and Roman periods Ephesus was the most
important port and cultural center of the eastern world. The remains
of the city are still spellbinding today.
Of
all the ancient cities of Turkey, Ephesus is the best preserved and
most visited in all ages and is as popular as it was in ancient
times. This is due to the miraculous discovery of the House
of the Virgin
Mary. The city had splendid buildings
and was dedicated to the Goddess Artemis, whose temple was
considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The main monuments
that we will see during the visit of this fascinating city are: the
street of Arcadiane, the majestic theatre, marble road, library of
Celsus, market place street of the Curettes, baths of Scholastic
state agora, prytaneion, odeon. The town of Seljuk, is dominated by
a Byzantine citadel close to the basilica of St. John built in the
5th century, on the site of tomb of the Apostle. Seljuk has also an
exceptionally fine archaeological museum.
The Artemis Temple
was destroyed in 356BC, and when Alexander the Great passed through
in 334 BC he offered to pay for the cost of a new construction,
provided it was dedicated to him. The Ephesus people declined, and
rebuilt it with great success.
When the Romans made Ephesus their provincial capital, it became a
busy town with great commercial, trading and political importance,
and a population that grew to around 250,000. A significant
Christian community grew, and the city was visited by St John the
Evangelist in the 1st century, then by St Paul, who was there
between 51-53 AD and wrote some of his epistles. It was also the
venue of two Ecumenical Councils.
But the success of Roman Ephesus began to dwindle, mainly because of
problems connected to the harbour, which was the main source of
trade. The Cayster River was pushing silt up the harbour and despite
attempts to dredge it and rebuild the harbour, the sea was pushed
back to Pamucak, 4km away, and therefore Ephesus lost its source of
wealth. By the 6th century, the city was unliveable and was shifted
near to St Johns Basilica, and by 1090 it was taken over by
the Turks.
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HOUSE OF VIRGIN
MARY: |
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Outer view of the St Mary's
House |
Statue of Mary |
Basilica of St John |
The resolutions of the council of 431 held that the Virgin Mary came
to Ephesos. According to them, she came here together with Saint
John, four to six years after the death of Christ. After the
proclamation of Pope Paul VI in 1967, Pope John Paul II came to
Ephesos and declared the House of Mary to be a place of pilgrimage
for Christians. The house on the top of Mount
Bulbuldag
is believed to be the last home of the
Virgin Mary. It is a world-famous place of pilgrimage. The structure
is a church that dates to the seventh century, and was restored in
1951. The church was supposedly built on top of the house in which
the Virgin Mary lived. The structure is cruciform, and has a domed
roof. The nave and its apse are accessible from the vestibule. The
House of Mary is a place of pilgrimage not only for Christians, but
also for Muslims. Muslims use the room to the south, which is
believed to be the bedroom of the Virgin Mary, as a prayer chapel.
Translations of the Quranic suras that mention Mary are on display
here.
This house, where the Virgin Mary is supposed to have lived during
her last days, and to have died with Johanna at her side, is
situated 7 km south of the antique city of Ephesus in
Izmir. The German Nun
Katharina Emmerich (1774-1824) described the surroundings of the
house from a dream she had.
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PAMUKKALE-HIERAPOLIS |
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Bathing in pools is no more
allowed |
Ancient graves |
Agora entrance of the ancient city |
Pamukkale (Hierapolis) is one of the most enchanting and remarkable
sights in the whole of Turkey with the great dazzling white plateau,
almost 400 feet high, rising in a curtain of stalagmites and shallow
pools, giving one into another on hundreds of different levels, and
ancient city of Hierapolis located on this plateau. The great baths
were constructed in the second century and are so well-preserved
that they now serve as a museum. The impressive and recently
restored theatre, the Martyrium of St. Philip the Apostle of the 5th
century a colonnaded street erected by Domitian, a monumental gate
of the same period, another bath stretching on for over a Mile, the
necropolis with a fascinating variety of tombs and sarcophagus are
the famous monuments of this antique city.
Source: Ministry of tourism and Culture
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