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Voysey House,
Barley Mow Passage
London W4 4GF
United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 (0)20 8742 3355
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Voysey House,
Barley Mow Passage
London W4 4GF
United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 (0)20 8742 3355
USA: 1-800-988-6168
Canada: (647) 382 1644
Australia: 1300 55 95 95
New Zealand: 61-7-3377-0141
Classical Turkey - Greeks & Romans in Anatolia
- The most prosperous region of the ancient Mediterranean world.
- The finest collection of Hellenistic and Roman city ruins to be found anywhere.
- All the major sites and many which are off the beaten track or difficult to get to.
- Scenically varied and spectacular: coast, mountain and plain.
ITINERARY
DAY 1
Fly at c. 11.25am from London Heathrow to Izmir (via Istanbul)—supper in the hotel—first of three nights in Izmir.
DAY 2
Pergamon—under the Hellenistic Attalid dynasty, Pergamon became the most powerful city-state in Asia Minor, rivalling Athens and Alexandria as a centre of culture—on a steep-sided hill are remains of Attalid palaces, Temple of Dionysus and Altar of Zeus (most of which is now in Berlin)—the Asclepieon and ‘Temple of Serapis’ (Red Fort) lie on flat ground below—overnight Izmir.
DAY 3
Sardis, Izmir—drive inland to Sardis, capital of the Kingdom of Lydia, whose last independent ruler was the fabulously wealthy Croesus (560–546 BC), it later became an important Roman city—see the impressive remains of the Temple of Artemis, the reconstructed theatre façade, ‘Marble Court’, gymnasium and the 3rd-century synagogue, the largest in the ancient world—free time in Izmir, Greek Smyrna—overnight Izmir.
DAY 4
Ephesus—drive south to Ephesus, the principal port and commercial centre on the Aegean coast under the Roman Empire and capital of the province of Asia, with a population of 400,000 in the 2nd-century AD—the most popular pagan pilgrimage destination in the Graeco-Roman world, the city was also key to the development of Christianity—ruined by the sedimentation of its estuary and finally sacked in the 7th-century, Ephesus has become the most extensively excavated site of the ancient world—begin with the remains of the Temple of Artemis, before the first visit to the main site which has an abundance of paved streets, public buildings, temples, gymnasia and courtyard houses—among the more striking buildings are the Library of Celsus and the theatre, originally seating 24,000 and scene of the protest against St Paul described in the Acts of the Apostles—first of three nights in Kusadasi.
DAY 5
Priene, Didyma, Miletus—a small city of the Dodecapolis in southern Ionia, Priene is magnificently sited above the Maeander plain—its hillside site ill-suiting it for Roman commerce, the remains date largely from the late Classical and early Hellenistic periods, and it exhibits one of the earliest of grid street layouts—the Temple of Athena Polias at the summit was designed by the architect Pythius—Didyma was a sanctuary with an oracle which, for a time, rivalled that at Delphi—impressive remains of the colossal Hellenistic Temple of Apollo—Miletus, massive, well-preserved Roman theatre, baths of Foeustina, wife of Marcus Aurelius—overnight Kusadasi.
DAY 6
Selçuk, Ephesus—in Selçuk see the restored Basilica of St John at the top of Ayasuluk hill, and the Isla Bey mosque at the bottom—a second visit to the vast site of Ephesus, or a free afternoon in the attractive coastal town of Kusadasi.
DAY 7
Aphrodisias—leave the coast and drive into the interior of Anatolia—one of the most beautiful classical sites in Turkey, Aphrodisias was the centre of a Roman cult of Aphrodite—an important school for the production of high quality and widely exported sculpture, there are many fine examples in the museum—among the architectural remains are the Temple of Aphrodite and the largest and most complete stadium to have survived from the ancient world—overnight Pamukkale.
DAY 8
Hierapolis, Antalya—Hierapolis prospered under the Romans and Byzantines as a centre of thermal healing, and the nearby modern resort of Pamukkale still prospers—the archaeological museum is housed in what was the 2nd-century Roman baths—founded by (and named after) Attalus II of Pergamum, Antalya was the principal port in Pamphylia in ancient and Byzantine times—the Archaeological Museum has exhibits from Pre-history to Ottoman—two nights in Antalya.
DAY 9
Perge, Aspendos, Termessos, Antalya—colonised by the Greeks after the Trojan War, Perge has substantial Hellenistic and Roman gates and colonnaded streets—while the Roman aqueduct at Aspendos is the best-preserved in Asia Minor, the marvellously complete theatre is the best-preserved in the whole of the Roman world—optional afternoon visit to Termessos, surrounded by rugged mountains, with spectacular views from the theatre on the edge of a precipice; or a free afternoon to explore Antalya.
DAY 10
Fly from Antalya (via Istanbul) arriving Heathrow c. 3.15pm.
DATES & PRICES
TOUR CONTAINS
TESTIMONIALS
The choice of itinerary was first class and the reason we booked this tour. Everyday was used to full advantage
P. B., Norfolk
All the sites were wonderful, with individual characteristics that avoided repetition L.B., Oxfordshire
Our trio of leaders had a nice combination of personalities which benefited us allJ.L., Worcestershire
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