8 DAYS TURKEY AND GREECE ESCAPE TOUR ITINERARY:
Day 1 - Istanbul - Arrival Day
Welcome to Turkey Istanbul Airport. Meet with TravelShop Turkey staff and
transfer to your hotel. Overnight in Istanbul.
Day 2 - Istanbul City Tour
(Breakfast included)
Pick up at 08:30am from your hotel for the a day tour of old Istanbul city.
Visit to ST. SOPHIA This ancient basilica, built by Constantine the Great in the
4th century and reconstructed by Justinian in the 6th century, is one of the
architectural marvels of all time. TOPKAPI PALACE The great palace of the
Ottoman sultans from the 15th to the 19th centuries housing an exquisite
collection of cyrstal, silver, and Chinese porcelain, robes worn by the sultans
and their families, the famous jewels of the Imperial Treasury, miniatures, the
Holy Mantle; enshrining relics of the Prophet Mohammed. SULTANAHMET IMPERIAL
MOSQUE Across from St. Sophia built in the 16th century by the architect Mehmet,
is known as the BLUE MOSQUE because of its magnificent interior decoration of
blue Iznik tiles. HIPPODROME Ancient Hippodrome, the scene of chariot races,
with the three monuments; the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine
Column and the Column of Constantine. Murtis Tour will then take you to the
GRAND COVERED BAZAAR In this labyrinth of streets and passages are more then
4,000 shops with each trade having its own area: the goldsmiths' street, the
carpet sellers, Turkish arts and crafts, such as handpainted ceramic plates,
hand-honed copperware, brassware and trays, water ewers, onyx-ware and
meerschaum pipes. After the tour, transfer back to your hotel. Free Evening and
optional Istanbul Evening Shows or Bosphorus Dinner Cruise incluing traditional
Turkish entertainment and dinner. Overnight in Istanbul.
Day 3 - Istanbul Bosphorus Cruise and Shopping Tour
(Breakfast included)
Pick up at 08:30am from the hotel and depart for the Istanbul Bosphorus Cruise
and Shopping Tour. Visit the SPICE BAZAAR (Egyptian Bazaar) The air here is
filled with the enticing aromas of cinnamon, caraway, saffron, mint, thyme and
every other conceivable herb and spice.
BOSPHORUS BY BOAT a traditional excursion by boat along the waterway separating
Europe and Asia. The shore is lined with old wooden villas, palaces of marble,
fortresses, and small fishing villages. During the excursion you will see the
magnificent sights of the following attractions from your boat. See Dolmabahce
Palace, and further along, the parks and imperial pavilions of Yildiz Palace. On
the coastal edge of this park, is Çiragan Palace, 300 meters of its marble
facade faces the shore. At Ortakoy a great variety of artists gather every
Sunday to display their work along the street. Ortakoy is a symbol of tolerance
with a church, a mosque and a synagogue existing side by side for centuries.
RUMELI FORTRESS Built by Mehmet the Conqueror in 1452 prior to the conquest of
Istanbul was completed in only four months to control and protect the infamous
Bosphorus passage. It is one of the most beautiful works of military
architecture anywhere in the world.
BEYLERBEYI PALAS (PALACE) The summer residence of Ottoman sultans exists in its
original renovated glory featuring original antique furniture and magnificent
gardens with the Harem on the Asian side of Istanbul. BOSPHORUS BRIDGE enjoy a
unique chance to step from one continent (Asia) to another (Europe). CAMLICA
HILL the highest point in Istanbul. At the top of it you can rest and admire the
magnificent panorama of Istanbul and the Bosporus from the beautiful gardens,
landscaped in traditional Turkish Ottoman style. SHOPPING TOUR (after cruise)
Experience the traditional silk weaving skills of Turkish women at the carpet
weaving courses provided by The Ministry of National Education. You will get the
opportunity to see jewellery, handcrafts centre and a modern leatherwear show.
Enjoy the experience of shopping whilst gaining the knowledge of the ancient
craftsmen, with Murtis Tours local escort full of knowledge about how to haggle
the streets of Istanbul. The rest of the evening is yours to explore Istanbul.
Overnight in Istanbul.
Day 4 - Istanbul - Athens
(Breakfast included)
After breakfast check out from the hotel and depart by international flight to
Greece. Upon arrival our friendly staff will transfer you to the hotel in Athens
downtown. Rest of the day at leisure to discover Plaka (old city of Athens) as
well as modern Athens. Overnight in Athens.
Day 5 - Athens City Tour
(Breakfast included)
After breakfast, leave for an Athens city tour. This tour gives you an
opportunity to observe the striking contrasts that make Athens such a
fascinating city. Our expert guides take you to see the center of the city,
CONSTITUTION SQUARE (Syntagma), the HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT, the MEMORIAL to the
UNKNOWN SOLDIER and the NATIONAL LIBRARY. Driving down Herod Atticus Street, you
will see the Evzones in their picturesque uniform and the PRESIDENTIAL PALACE.
On your way to the Acropolis you will see the Hadrian’s Arch, visit the Temple
of Olympian Zeus and you will make a short stop at the Panathenaic Stadium where
the first Olympic Games if the modern era were held in 1896. On the ACROPOLIS
visit its Museum and the architectural masterpieces of the Golden Age of Athens:
the PROPYLAEA, the TEMPLE of ATHENA NIKE, the ERECHTHEION and, finally, “the
harmony between material and spirit”, the monument that “puts order in the
mind”, the PARTHENON. Return back to your hotel in early afternoon. Rest of the
day at leisure. Overnight in Athens.
Day 6 - Delphi Tour
(Breakfast and lunch included)
Drive through the fertile plain of Boeotia, crossing the towns of THEBES
connected with the tragedy of king Oedipus - LEVADIA and ARACHOVA, famous for
its colorful rugs and carpets (short stop). Arrive at DELPHI, the center of the
Ancient world - the “Omphalos” (Navel) of the Earth - whose prestige extended
far beyond the boundaries of the Hellenic world. On the slopes of MOUNT
PARNASSUS, in a landscape of unparalleled beauty and majesty, lie the ruins of
the SANCTUARY of APOLLO PYTHIOS. Visit the TREASURY OF THE ATHENIANS, the TEMPLE
OF APOLLO and the MUSEUM containing such masterpieces of ancient Greek sculpture
as the bronze Charioteer and the famous athlete Aghias. Lunch in the modern
village of DELPHI; return to ATHENS by the same route. Overnight in Athens.
Day 7 - Cruise to Aegina, Poros and Hydra
(Breakfast and lunch included)
After breakfast, transfer to the port for embarkation on the one day cruise. At
8:15 the ship sails for the three beautiful islands of the Saronic Gulf. The
order in which we shall visit the islands is either Poros - Hydra-Aegina or
Aegina - Poros - Hydra, without any change in the duration of our stay on each
island.Within 2 hours, we shall arrive to the island of POROS, the smallest of
the three islands, separated from the Peloponese by a narrow strait and offering
you the most impressive view .Our stay in Poros will be of about 50 minutes.
Then we will proceed to Hydra. After about 1 hour and 15 minutes, we shall enter
the port of Hydra, built like an amphitheater. From the decks, you will be able
to admire the very special architecture of this island, with its stone houses
and mansions. As soon as you disembark, it’s all there, the small narrow paved
streets to enjoy the most beautiful walk, a donkey-ride around the town, the
crystal clear waters, You will be conquered by the beauty of Hydra, forever! You
will have about 1 hour and 30 minutes to enjoy the unique charm of Hydra, and
going back on board, you will receive the welcome you get when returning home.
Time will fly quickly and after a two hours trip, we shall arrive to our last
port of call, the island of Aegina. AEGINA is the largest of the three islands.
There are a lot of interesting things to discover on the island - apart from its
harbor. After Aegina we will return back to Piraeus port, transfer to your
hotel. Overnight in Athens.
Day 8 - Athens - End of Tour
(Breakfast included)
After breakfast check out from the hotel. We hope your tour was a memorable one
and we would like to see you in the future in one of our tours again. Have a
nice trip back home and thanks for choosing TravelShop Turkey.
8 DAYS TURKEY AND GREECE ESCAPE TOUR INCLUDES:
- Arrival airport transfer from Istanbul Ataturk Airport
- 3 nights hotel in Istanbul
- 3 open buffet breakfasts
- Guided Istanbul city tour
- Guided Istanbul Bosphorus cruise and shopping tour
- Return transfer to Istanbul Ataturk Airport
- Arrival airport transfer from Athens Airport
- 4 nights hotel in Greece
- 4 breakfasts
- Half day Athens sightseeing tour
- Acropolis site and museum tour (closed on mondays)
- Delphi site and museum tour including lunch
- Cruise to Aegina, Poros and Hydra including lunch
- All entrance fees mentioned in the itinerary
- Transportation in a fully air-conditioned, non-smoking coach
- Professional English-speaking tour guides
- Return transfer to Athens Airport
8 DAYS TURKEY AND GREECE ESCAPE TOUR DOES NOT INCLUDE:
- International flights
- Visas
Please Note: In Istanbul Hagia Sophia closed on mondays, Topkapi Palace closed on tuesdays, Grand Bazaar closed on sundays. In Athens Acropolis Museum closed on mondays.
8 DAYS TURKEY AND GREECE ESCAPE TOUR PRICES IN EURO:
Per Person |
Shared Double |
Single |
|
€ 629.00 |
€ 895.00 |
|
€ 719.00 |
€ 985.00 |
|
€ 989.00 |
€ 1459.00 |
Please click on the calendar icon to see our guaranteed departure dates (green).
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