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SUNDAY
Istanbul Turkey
Arriving to the airport for a flight to Istanbul Turkey for overnight
MONDAY
Istanbul City Tour
Visit the Topkapi Palace which was the official and primary residence in the city of the Ottoman Sultans for approximately 400 years (1465-1856). The Palace contains the Muslim holy relics of Muhammad’s cloak and sword, and a fabulous display of Ottoman treasure and jewelry, including the fourth largest diamond in the world featured in the famous 1965 film “TopKapi”. From there continue to the unique Blue Mosque, called for the blue tiles adorning the walls of its interior, nown for its six minarets. Then to the Roman Hippodrome Square and the Hagia Sophia, a former Orthodox
Christian basilica, later a mosque, and now a museum. Famous for its massive dome, it is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture and served as a model for many other Ottoman mosques. We end the tour with a visit the world’s famuse Grand Bazaar with over 4,000 tiny shops
TUESDAY
Istanbul-Ankara-Cappadocia-Göreme
In the early morning transfer from your hotel to the airport for a flight to Ankara, the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of 938 m. and a population of 4,500,000. The city tour will start from the airport and will include both the ancient and the modern parts of the town. Among the highlights is the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of the Republic of Turkey. Completed in 1953, it is located on an imposing hill and constitutes an impressive fusion of ancient and modern architectural styles. To learn more about the history of Ankara we shall visit the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations. Situated at the entrance of Ankara Castle, it is an old "bedesten" (covered bazaar) that has been beautifully restored and now houses a unique collection of ancient Hatti, Hittite, Phrygian, and Roman treasures. By the way Ankara was formerly known as Angora, famous for its “Angora” cats and fine “Angora” wool.
From Ankara drive Cappadocia. Dinner & overnight.
WEDNESDAY
Tour in Cappadocia- Kaymakli
Cappadocia in Central Anatolia, is a region of exceptional natural wonders, and a unique historical and cultural heritage. We shall explore the best and the most important.After breakfast , morning visit to the Kaymaklı Underground City consisting of houses constructed around the nearly one hundred underground tunnels. Kaymakli is one of several historical underground cities carved out of unusual geological formations formed via the eruptions of ancient volcanoes. The cities were initially inhabited by the Hittites, then later by early Christians as hiding places. From underground we go to the hill and Citadel of Uçhisar. After lunch continue to the Göreme valley, where the rocks have eroded into hundreds of spectacular pillars and minaret-like forms. The volcanic soft rocks have been carved out to form houses, churches and monasteries. The Göreme Open Air Museum, contains more than 30 rock-carved churches and chapels, some of them have superb frescoes inside, dating from the 9th to the 11th centuries. The tour continues to the Paşabağları valley with the highest concentration of fairy chimneys. Here, they have particularly sharp points and thick trunks. Finally, a visit to the old city of Avanos, with its superb view overlooking Turkey’s longest river the Kızılırmak (Red River). The town’s most famous historical feature, which is still relevant and very visible today, is its production of earthenware pottery.Return to hotel for dinner & overnight.
THURSDAY
Cappadocia- Konya-Pamukkale
Edfu is known for the major Ptolemaic temple, built between 237 BCE and 57 BCE. The Temple of Horus also known as Apollonopolis Magna, after the chief god Horus-Apollo, is the second largest temple in Egypt after Karnak and one of the best preserved. The inscriptions on its walls provide important information on language, myth, and religion during the Greco-Roman period in ancient Egypt.
We continue our sail on the Nile to the town of Kom Ombo to visit the Temple of Kom Ombo, an unusual double temple built during the Ptolemaic dynasty. The building is unique because everything is perfectly symmetrical along the main axis and there were courts, halls, sanctuaries and rooms duplicated for two sets of gods. The southern half of the temple was dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek, god of fertility and creator of the world. The northern part of the temple was dedicated to the falcon god Horus the Elder, A few of the three-hundred crocodile mummies discovered in the vicinity are displayed inside the temple.Sail on the Nile to Aswan for overnight.
FRIDAY
Pamukkale-Kusadasi
Pamukkale, meaning "cotton castle" in Turkish, contains hot springs and terraces of carbonate minerals left by the flowing water. We shall visit the ancient city of Hierapolis which was built on top of the white "castle". People have bathed in its pools for thousands of years and formerly was a healing centre where doctors used the hot thermal springs as a treatment for their patients A Jewish congregation grew in Hierapolis with an estimated population as high as 50,000 in 62 BCE. Several sarcophagi in the vast adjacent necropolis attest to their presence. The area has been declared a world heritage site. The tour will include a visit to the Basilica and the impressive calcium cliffs. Drive to Aphrodisias the Greco-Roman settlement dedicated to the Goddess of Love, Aphrodite and also famous for its marbles. Drive to Kusadası, dinner and overnight.
SATURDAY
Kusadasi-Ephesus-Izmir-Istanbul
Kuşadası is a resort town on Turkey's Aegean coast. The area has been a centre of art and culture since the earliest times and has been settled by many civilizations. After breakfast at the hotel, drive to Meryemana The House of the Virgin. Some believe that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was taken to this stone house by Saint John and lived there until her Assumption. The site is venerated by Muslims as well as Christians, and pilgrims drink from a spring under the house which is believed to have healing properties. Continue to Ephesus, an ancient Greek city, and during the Roman period for many years the second largest city of the Roman Empire. Ephesus contains the largest collection of Roman ruins in the eastern Mediterranean that give some idea of the city's original splendor. We shall visit the most important: The Library of Celsus, built c. 125 AD which once held nearly 12,000 scrolls. The Basilica of St. John, built in the 6th century AD, over the supposed site of the apostle's tomb. The Odeon, a small roofed theater seating about 1,500 people as a “small” salon for plays and concerts. The Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, unfortunately represented only by one inconspicuous column. The Temple of Hadrian dating from the 2nd century that has been re-erected from the surviving architectural fragments. The Temple of Domitian, one of the largest temples on the city. The Theater with 44,000 seating capacity was the largest outdoor theater in the ancient world. Two Agoras, one for commercial and one for state business. Drive to Izmir airport for flight to Istanbul overrnight
SUNDAY
Istanbul- Bosphorus Tour
Visit Egyptian Bazaar and Galata Bridge that spans the Golden Horn in Istanbul to take a cruise on the Bosporus which connects the Sea of Marmara to the Black Sea, and divides the city between the two continents of Europe and Asia making Istanbul the only bi-continental city in the world. On the way we shall have the opportunity of photographing marvellous marbles; ancient wooden villas of Ottoman architecture besides modern residential and luxury apartments. We stop to visit Beylerbeyi Palace, built in the 19th century and used by the Ottoman Sultans as a summer residence and a place to entertain visiting heads of state and Camlıca Hill that presents the best panoramic view of Istanbul and the Bosporus.
Transfer to the airport for a flight to Israel for overnight in Tel Aviv
Optional locale flight for a day Tour in Cyprus The Aphrodite's Island and from there fly to join the tour in Israel.
MONDAY
Tel Aviv - Beersheva - Arad - Massada - Jerusalem
Leave Tel Aviv to - Beersheba. for a short visit to the Negev capital and the site of Abrahams well. Then via Arad to Massada. Mountain which was the last stronghold of the Jewish Zealots in their war against the Romans. Ascend by cable car to the fortress, Visit the excavations, Herod's palaces, the synagogue, bathhouse, etc. Enjoy the breathtaking view of the Roman camps and the Dead Sea.
Descend to the Dead Sea the lowest place on earth. Take a break near Ein Gedi for a short Swim or float in the salty minerals water.
Proceed to Jerusalem for overnight.
TUESDAY
Jerusalem - sightseeing of the new city
Drive to Mt. Scopus for a panoramic view of Jerusalem.
Then to the Garden of Gethsemane and Church of the Agony.
Visit the tomb of King David on Mt. Zion, the Room of the Last Supper and Dormition Abbey. Visit the Israel Museum's Shrine of the Book with the famous Dead Sea scrolls,Drive by the Supreme Court bldg & Mt. Herzl.
visit in “Yad Vashem” (the memorial for the millions who were killed in the Holocaust). visit the model of the Herodian city of Jerusalem dating back to the time of the Second Temple. Afternoon visit of the Hadassah medical center in the synagogue with Marc Chagall stained glass windows, then drive thrue the old village of Ein Karem (the birth place of John the Baptist) to the Hotel for overnight.
WEDNESDAY
Jerusalem (Old City) and Bethlehem*
Walk through one of the Gates to the walled Old City: the renewed Jewish Quarter;
visit the Temple area, the last standing Western Wall or the Wailling wall, walk the Via Dolorosa, and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Walk out of the old city of Jerusalem via the colorful bazaars; and drive to Bethlehem* to visit Rachel Tomb and the Church of the Nativity and return to Jerusalem for overnight.
THURSDAY
Jericho* - Jordan river - Tiberius - Galilee
Leave Jerusalem, driving via Bethany and Jericho*, the oldest city in the world. continue northward via Jordan Valley and the new settlements to Beit Shean. After a short visit stop in Yardenit when you can walk into the Jordan river , proceed to Tiberius the old center of Jewish learning. Drive along the shores of the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum to visit the ruins of the ancient synagogue. Continue to a Kibbutz hotel for overnight.
FRIDAY
Upper Galilee - Golan Heights – Nazareth
Drive to the Golan Heights. Visit the former Syrian fortifications, Birkat Ram, and the Druze villages, Via Banias, source of the Jordan River. Proceed via Kiryat Shmone and the Hula Valley to Safed, city of the Kabala, to visit synagogue and the artists colony and then to Nazareth to visit the Christian Holy Sites. Return to the Kibbutz hotel for overnight.
SATURDAY
Acre - Haifa -Carmel - Tel Aviv
After Breakfast drive west to Acre for a visit of the old, famous Crusader stronghold and medieval fortifications. Continue to Haifa, sightseeing tour of Haifa, including the Bahai Shrine, Persian Garden and Mount Carmel for a panoramic view of the city. Proceed southwards to Caesarea to visit the Roman theater and the Crusader fortress. Continue south for a short city tour of Tel Aviv-Jaffa and transfer to the airport for a night flight back home.
Optional Visit In Petra Jordan for a day or more.
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