TenTATive iTinerArY FOr AlASKA cruiSe - Senior Tours Canada

DAY 1
DAY 2
DAY 3
DAY 4
DAY 5
DAY 6
DAY 7
DAY 8
TenTATive iTinerArY FOr TurKeY & Greece
departure. We depart for Istanbul with a
change of planes in Paris.
istanBuL. Arrival in Istanbul and transfer to
our hotel. The afternoon will be at leisure
followed by our Welcome Dinner.
istanBuL. Our full day tour starts at the
magnificent Byzantine Church of St. Sophia,
one of the first and largest architectural works
of art in the world; then on to the famous
Suleyman's Mosque and the beautiful Blue
Mosque. We also see the Hippodrome and
Topkapi Palace, from where the great
Ottoman sultans ruled. We finish at the Grand
Bazaar, the largest souk in the world with
nearly 4000 shops of antiques, gold, carpets
and leather.
Bosphorus cruise - istanBuL. We first
visit Moni Hora (originally a Byzantine
Monastery) and then the intoxicating Spice
Market where the aroma of exotic oils, herbs
and spices have perfumed the arched stone
corridors for 350 years. Next we see the
Rustem Pasha Mosque with its exquisite floral
and geometric tiles. This afternoon we cruise
the Bosphorus, sailing past palaces, churches,
villages, old wooden houses and modern villas
which form the elegant section of Istanbul.
gaLLipoLi / troY / canaKKaLe. We
travel to Gallipoli, the National Park of
Remembrance for the many soldiers who died
there in World War 1. Then we proceed to the
legendary city of Troy to see the
archaeological excavations and learn about
the ancient history. We overnight in Canakkale.
pergaMuM / iZMir. We drive to
Pergamum, an ancient centre of learning and
the arts. Here we visit the Acropolis, Theatre,
Trojan Temple and the Antiquity Library.
Nearby lies the ruins of Asklepion, one of the
foremost medical centres of classical times.
We overnight in the modern city of Izmir.
sardis / phiLadeLphia / hierapoLis.
Our touring takes us to Sardis, the capital of
the ancient Lydian Empire where we visit the
Roman Way, Gymnasium and the ancient
Synagogue. Next is ancient Philadelphia and
one of the “seven great churches”. Then we
continue to Hierapolis with its Necropolis,
Baths, Theatre and St. Phillips's Martyrium.
aphrodisias / ephesus / Kusadasi.
Our first stop is Aphrodisias, the city of the
Love Goddess and one of Turkey's most
impressive archaeological sites. We then
DAY 9
DAY 10
DAY 11
DAY 12
DAY 13
DAYS
14 & 15
visit the spectacular ruins at Ephesus before
proceeding to Kusadasi for our overnight.
cruise / patMos. This morning we board
our ship for our 3-night cruise. In the afternoon
we sail to the Greek Island of Patmos where
St. John wrote the Book of Revelations. The
11th century monastery and church are well
worth a visit. Optional tours will be offered.
cruise / rhodes. We stop at the beautiful
island of Rhodes. The old town here is in
excellent shape with its vast array of medieval
castles and fortresses, art galleries and
museums. The new town has an excellent
beach with many sidewalk cafes and bars
where you can sit and watch the world go by.
cruise / crete / santorini. This
morning we visit Crete, largest of the islands
and home of the 4,000 year-old Minoan
Empire and the Palace of Knossos (optional
tours available). After our visit here we cruise
to Santorini, noted for its dramatic volcanic
landscapes with sheer black cliffs surrounding
a fantastic cauldron-shape bay. This island is
said to have links with the legendary Atlantis.
athens. We disembark in Athens where we
will enjoy a city tour. Highlights include
Hadrian's Arch, Temple of Zeus, the Stadium,
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the former
Royal Palace. The highlight will be the
Acropolis and the incredible Parthenon.
athens. At leisure to explore Athens on your
own. Why not enjoy a stroll in the Plaka, a
lively old section of Athens?
Meteora / KaLaMBaKa. We drive to
Kalambaka for a 2-night stay. This area is
famous for an impressive series of
DAY 16
monasteries built by Byzantine monks 600
years ago on the top of 24 huge rocks. The
view of the mountains and valley from the top
is breathtaking. The town of Kalambaka lies at
the foot of a majestic rock formation and has
an impressive cathedral and church built with
materials from ancient temples.
deLphi. Heading into the mountains we first
visit Arahova, known for its colourful carpets.
We proceed to Delphi, once known as the
centre of the world, and visit the Temple of the
Greek god, Apollo, and the nearby Museum.
DAY 17 athens. We return to Athens for an
afternoon at leisure, Farewell Dinner and
overnight.
DAY 18 hoMe. We fly home via Paris.
59.