Turkey package tours from experienced gay & lesbian owned travel agency of Turkey

TURKEY TOUR #6 - 6 DAYS, 6 NIGHTS

EVERYDAY DEPARTURE

GALLIPOLI, TROY, EPHESUS, PAMUKKALE, CAPPADOCIA TOUR FROM ISTANBUL

Please briefly read this page to have a better idea about our gay-friendly package tours.
 

DAY 1 : ISTANBUL – GALLIPOLI – CANAKKALE  (L)

PS: Mentioned departure times can change slightly in different seasons. Exact times will be informed after reservation process is completed.

Pick up from Istanbul hotel early in the morning at around 06:30 am
Istanbul-Canakkale morning bus
Arrival to Canakkale by bus at around 12:00 noon time. (Non-smoking new model long distance coaches with air-condition)
Gallipoli tour including transfers, entrance fees, guide and lunch box.
(Visiting - Kabatepe Museum, ANZAC Cove, Lone Pine Australian Memorial, Johnston's Jolly (Turkish and Allied trenches and tunnels), The Nek, Chunuk Bair New Zealand Memorial)
Transfer to hotel
Hotel accommodation in Canakkale. Private rooms with air condition and bath/WC
Possible hotels in Canakkale are : Maydos Hotel  Helen Hotel or similar hotels to be selected by us if they are not available.

Troy Movie Trailer	Memorial for Turkish soldiers	Gallipoli Movie Trailer

GALLIPOLI: This area is known for the war cemeteries and memorials for the Turkish and foreign soldiers killed during the World War I, around Canakkale Province in 1915. There are sunken ships, trenches, castles, towers and hundreds of remains of the war. In total, there are graves and memorials of around 250,000 Turkish soldiers, and 250,000 from Australia, New Zealand, England and France. Thousands of people visit the war cemeteries every year, and it is one of the most famous sites in Turkey.

TROY: Ancient city of Troia (Troy), which was immortalized in Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey epics. According to archaeologists, Troy is only one of nine cities which were built on top of each other, the oldest of which dates back to 3000 BC. Its history covers an area beginning from the north side of the Edremit gulf, and reaches the southern shores of the Marmara Sea. To the south is Kazdagi (Ida Mountain), an attractive area to visit 30 km. away from Canakkale, in Hisarlik. Archeological excavations revealed the different time periods of various settlement areas, city ramparts, house basis, a temple and a theater. A symbolic horse made up of wood reminds the big Trojan war. Historical port, Alexandria - Troas was constructed during 3rd century B. C. St. Paul had visited here two times, and his third missioner voyage to Assos was started from here.
 

DAY 2 : TROY-CANAKKALE – KUSADASI (B)

Trojan horse built for the movie starring  Brad Pitt is now in Canakkale.

Breakfast at hotel included
Half day morning Troy Tour at 08:45, including transfers, and entrance fees.
Free time in the afternoon, until bus departure.
Early Evening Bus to Selcuk or Kusadasi. Transfer to hotel.

PS: If it matches with your itinerary Pergamum tour can be included on the way to Kusadasi, with an extra 15 Euro pp cost. Please ask available dates if you are interested.

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.


 

DAY 3 : KUSADASI (EPHESUS)

Breakfast at hotel included
Full day tour of Ephesus and House of Virgin Mary, including transfers, entrance fees, guide.
Lunch during the tour is included.
Hotel accommodation in Kusadasi (or Selcuk). Private rooms with air condition and bath/WC
Dinner at hotel included

Where 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.
What you see along the way:
From Kusadasi, you travel north to St. John’s 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

Ephesus
At the south of Izmir, the town of  Seljuk is a major tourist destination mainly as a base to visit the famous ruins of Ephesus a few kilometers away. The ancient classical city is one of the best preserved in the eastern Mediterranean and is a great example of Roman architecture. When the Romans made Ephesus their provincial capital, it became a busy town with great commercial, trading and political importance, 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.

House of Virgin Mary
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 Katharine Emmerich (1774-1824) described the surroundings of the house from a dream she had. Recently visited by Pope Benedict in 2006
 

Library of Celcus	Temple of Hadrian	House of Virgin Mary

DAY 4 : EPHESUS – PAMUKKALE – CAPPADOCIA

Breakfast at hotel included
Pamukkale & Hierapolis tour including transfers, entrance fees, guide
Lunch during the tour is included.
Overnight bus to Cappadocia. Non-smoking new model long distance coaches with air-condition and flexible seats suitable for sleeping. There will be breaks along the way for food, drink and other personal needs

Bathing in pools is no more allowed

Pamukkale & Hierapolis

Today you will be 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 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


 

DAY 5 : CAPPADOCIA (B/L/D)

Full day Northern Cappadocia tour including transfers, entrance fees, guide.
Lunch during the tour is included.
Hotel accommodation in Cappadocia. Private rooms with air condition and bath/WC.
Possible hotels are SOS Cave, Dedeli Cave, Vera Tassaray or similar quality/location hotels to be selected by us if they are not available at the time of booking..

Tour details: Your first meeting with the lunar landscape of Cappadocia will be incredible rock formations in Devrent valley; while walking in Zelve Open Air Museum famous with its troglodyte (cave) houses you will make a journey back in time; while visiting to Pasabag "fairy chimneys" where the voice of wind is said to be mixing with the "songs of the fairies". Lunch in Avanos town, center of terra cotta ceramic art since 3000 BC. A demonstration in a traditional pottery workshop is possible to watch if you are lucky. Afternoon, visit the famous Goreme Open Air Museum and see the best examples of Byzantine art in Cappadocia's rock-cut churches hiding on their inner walls amazing frescoes and paintings from 10th to 13th centuries. At the end of the tour Climb on top of the Uchisar Rock-Castle to watch the panoramic view of the Cappadocian valleys.

Amazing rock formations	Frescoes in a church	Cave house accommodations

Cappadocia is Turkey’s most visited area on account of its history because of its singularity and the strangeness of its lunar landscape. It is considered to be one of the wonders of the world and for centuries it has sheltered churches, frescoes, mosaics and paintings of Byzantine art. The history of Cappadocia begins with the eruption of two volcanoes Lava covered the entire region changing the landscape. In the course of millennia rain and wind eroded the tufa creating unusual valleys, fissures, canyons and bizarrely shaped cones.  Dwellings were excavated inside the rocks and after the first Christians arrived churches and monasteries were also built. Numerous hermits and ascetics lived in the forgotten valleys. Under the rule of the Byzantines, Cappadocia became a bulwark against attacks by the Arabs, and entire underground cities were built.
 

DAY 6 : CAPPADOCIA – ISTANBUL (B/L)

Breakfast in your hotel included.
Full day Southern Cappadocia Tour including transfers, entrance fees, guide. Lunch during the tour is included.
Tour details:  Tour will start will walking down into the center of the earth at the Underground city of Kaymakli or Derinkuyu which are one of the deepest of the 40 others. Then walking tour in Rose Valley. Rock-cut churches, spread across a wild plantation, will surprise you with their successfully painted representations from the Bible. Lunch in a local restaurant. Visit a caravansary from Seljuk period, the great Empire of Turks before Ottomans built on the legendary Silk Road for the accommodation of the traders and their camels.

Overnight bus to Istanbul arriving next morning with new model non-smoking and air-conditioned long distance coaches with flexible seats. There will be reasonable breaks along the way for food, drinks and personal needs.
 

DAY 7 : RETURN TO ISTANBUL (B/L)

End of the package upon arrival to bus terminal in Istanbul, in the morning. There will be free shuttles to various parts of the city from bus terminal.
 

PRICE LIST

Tour Price:

July-August-September
620 Euro per person in single room (1 pax)
535 Euro per person in double room (2 pax)
505 Euro per person in triple room (3 pax)

April-May-June-October
590 Euro per person in single room (1 pax)
520 Euro per person in double room (2 pax)
490 Euro per person in triple room (3 pax)

Winter Price  (from November 01 till March 31)
570 Euro per person in single room (1 pax)
485 Euro per person in double room (2 pax)
455 Euro per person in triple room (3 pax)

Ask for group discount for groups.

Above tour prices include:
All taxes. Various surcharges may apply for credit card payments, of which you will be informed in advance.
4 nights accommodation in private rooms at 3 star or equal quality special class/boutique hotels.
Mentioned 6 guided tours in English, including all entrance fees for museums,
Meals as mentioned above in the itinerary (B= Breakfast, L= Lunch, D= Dinner)
Transportation by non-smoking, air-conditioned long distance buses with flexible seats.
All connecting transfers in between the tour period.

Customize this tour package:

Flights
Instead of overnight bus on return, transfer from Kusadasi + Izmir-Istanbul evening flight (70-100 Euro extra cost depending on season and early reservation). In Summer season, Cappadocia-Kusadasi overnight bus can be replaced with a rare direct flight.  Ask for price and available days

Replace:
Either one or both Ephesus and Pamukkale tours can be replaced by Pergamum, Sardis or Priene + Miletus + Didyma tours: For Pergamum tour, extra 15 Euro pp required.  Click to see details for these tours

Add-ons:
Hot air balloon flight at sunrise before Southern Cappadocia tour: 135 Euro per person discounted price
Airport hotel transfers in Istanbul for your international flights.
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 Canakkale, Cappadocia or Kusadasi, if requested.

Hotels:
Hotels can be upgraded to 4 or 5 star or equal quality special class boutique hotels, if you pay the extra cost. You can tell us specific hotels you want to stay in each destination.
 

Click Here for other Turkey tours and to have a better idea about our package tours
 

PAYMENT AND RESERVATION

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 also be made cash in US Dollars, British Pounds or other internationally accepted currencies from cross rates valid on the payment date.