Tour Itinerary
15 Days Greece to Turkey ANZAC Tour ITINERARY:
Day 1 - Athens & Paros - Monday, 13th April 2015
Arrival to Athens. Transfer from Athens airport overland to Galatas by coach. Stop at the Corinth Canal. Arrival to Poros Island by water taxi, check -in. Free time and dinner.
Day 2 - Paros & Delphi - Tuesday, 14th April 2015
Breakfast and hotel check -out. Transfer from Poros to Epidavros by coach and visit theatre and the Sanctuary of sklepios. Transfer to Mycenae and visit the Archaeological Site. Transfer to Nafplio and visit old town and castle. Transfer to Delphi, overnight stay with dinner.
Day 3 - Delphi & Athens - Wednesday, 15th April 2015
Breakfast and hotel check out. Sightseeing of Delphi and Delphi's archaeological sites with guide. Return trip to Athens and overnight stay in hotel with dinner
Day 4 - Cruise Ship & Piraeus to Myconos - Thursday, 16th April 2015
Breakfast and check out of hotel. Transfer to cruise ship in Piraeus port by coach. Departure from Piraeus at 11:00hrs. Cruise to the most cosmopolitan Islands in Greece - Myconos. Arrival to Myconos at 18:00hrs.
Free time or optional excursions. Departure from Myconos at 10:00 pm Overnight on board.
Day 5 - Cruise Ship to Patmos - Friday, 17th April 2015
Arrival to Patmos - Island of St. John at 6:30hrs. Free time or optional excursion. Departure from Patmos at 10:00hrs and cruise to Kusadasi in Turkey.
Day 6 - Crete Island & Santorini - Saturday, 18th April 2015
Arrival to Heraklion city on Crete Island at 7:00 am in the morning. Free time or optional excursion to the Knossos and visit Minoan Palace. Departure from Crete at 11:30hrs and cruise to the most beautiful Cyclades Island - Santorini. Arrive at Thira at 16:30hrs. Free time on the Island or optional excursion. Departure from Santorini at 21:00hrs. Overnight on board.
Day 7 - Santorini to Samos - Sunday, 19th April 2015
Early morning arrival to Athens to start the City Tour with Acropolis visit and free time in the Plaka of Athens. Afternoon Sounio trip and finishing in Piraeus Port to take ferry to Samos y
Day 8 - Samos to Kusadasi - Monday, 20th April 2015
Arrival to Samos and immediate departure for ferry to Kusadasi. Transfers will be made to your hotel where you will be met by your Tour guide and checked into your room in Kusadasi
Day 9 - Ephesus & Kusadasi - Tuesday, 21st April 2015
At 8:30 am departure to Ephesus (20 minutes distance) - once the commercial centre of the ancient world - is a highlight of any visit to Turkey. Ephesus, whose wealth and patronage supported its splendid architectural program, was dedicated to the goddess Artemis. Her enormous temple, considered one of the Seven Wonders, dates in its latest form from the third century B.C. The guided Ephesus tour also includes a theatre, gymnasium, agora and baths, as well as the Library of Celsus. After lunch, we will make a shopping tour in which you will become aware of the ancient arts of Turkey like jewellery and leather manufacturing. On this guided tour, you will avoid the constant nagging and sometimes bullying that is well known in the markets of Turkey. Enabling you to enjoy the shopping experience whilst gaining the knowledge of the ancient craftsmen. Overnight in Kusadasi.
Day 10 - Bergama & Canakkale - Wednesday, 22nd April 2015
(Breakfast included) Today we drive to Pergamon (4 hours distance) - see Asklepion, Zeuss alter, the Red Bassilcia etc. Bergama is the site of the Hellenistic - and later Roman city of Pergamon, ruled for several centuries by a powerful local dynasty. Its foremost attraction is the Red Basilica, a huge edifice on the river not far from the acropolis, originally built as a temple to the Egyptian god Osiris and converted to a basilica by the early Christians, when it was one of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor addressed by St John in the book of Revelation - though sadly it's now a crumbling ruin with a mosque in one of its towers. Overnight at the famous ANZAC Hotel in Canakkale.
Day 11 - Gallipoli Tour - Thursday, 23rd April 2015
(Breakfast included)
We depart for Gallipoli. On the way we will watch the latest documentaries about the Gallipoli campaign. A stop will be provided on the way down for supplies.
We start our tour of the Gallipoli peninsula a little after midday. The Gallipoli tour includes the Kabatepe War Museum, ANZAC Cove, Lone Pine (Australias Memorial and Cemetery), Quinns Post, Turkish 57th Regiment Cemetery, the Nek and Chunuk Bair (New Zealands Memorial and Cemetery). Overnight at the famous ANZAC Hotel in Canakkale.
Day 12 - Troy Tour and ANZAC Cove - Friday, 24th April 2015
(Breakfast inclusive - BBQ buffet dinner optional)
The governments of Australia and New Zealand have announced that the Gallipoli peninsula will be closed on 24th April 2015 for safety and security purposes, cemeteries and memorials cannot be visited as in previous years. Therefore, we have visited the Gallipoli peninsula and done our guided Gallipoli tour yesterday already.
Today we will visit the ancient city of Troy, located on the other side of the Dardanelles (approx. 1 hour distance).
Troy is one of the most famous cities in the history, remembering us Hector, Achilles and Achaean Greeks, the sake of Helen, Paris, Agamemnon and Priam. Your guide will explain the mythology surrounding Troy, the Trojan Horse and Helen of Troy.
After your guided Troy tour we drive to the coast of Gabatepe for our optional ANZAC BBQ and buffet dinner. At approx 9:30pm we depart to ANZAC Cove to get a good spot for the ANZAC Dawn Service. Overnight at ANZAC Cove Commemorative Site.
If you do not wish to stay outside at the ANZAC Commemorative Site overnight, we provide optional hotel accommodation at ANZAC hotel in Canakkale. This option is not available after your arrival in Turkey, pre-booking is required.
Day 13 - Dawn Service at Commemorative Site Gallipoli - Saturday, 25th April 2015
Don't forget your warm clothes, sleeping bags, wet weather gear, torches, hat, sunscreen and good walking shoes because Gallipoli is still as cold and dark as it was 100 years ago! Optional we provide sleepings bags for rent, please let us know at time of booking.
05:30-06:15 Dawn Service, ANZAC Commemorative Site, North Beach
10:00-10:45 Australian Memorial Service, Lone Pine
11:15-12:00 Turkish 57th Regiment Memorial Service
12:30-13:15 New Zealand Memorial Service, Chunuk Bair
After attending the ANZAC services, at approx 3:00 pm we will travel back to Istanbul (4.5 hours distance).
Day 14 - Istanbul City Tour - Sunday, 26th April 2015
We depart from the hotel after breakfast at 8:30 am for your guided Istanbul City Tour.
Topkapi Palace: Beginning from the Mehmed the Conqueror, the Topkapi Palace which was the official residential of the Ottoman Sultans until the Sultan Abdulmecid the thirty-first Sultan's time has been used as a center for the state administration, education and art of the Empire approximately 400 years. The palace is full of examples of Ottoman architecture and also contains large collections of porcelain, robes, weapons, shields, armor, Ottoman miniatures, Islamic calligraphic manuscripts and murals, as well as a display of Ottoman treasure and jewelry.
Sultanahmet Imperial Mosque: The mosque, built between 1609 and 1616, is popularly known as the Blue Mosque for the blue tiles adorning the walls of its interior. With its six minarets and a great cascade of domes, the mosque is a worthy sibling to Ayasofya (Hagia Sophia). Pope Benedict XVI visited the Sultan Ahmed Mosque on 30th November 2006 during his visit to Turkey. It marks only the second papal visit in history to a Muslim place of worship.
Hippodrome: Today the area is officially called Sultan Ahmet Square, and is carefully maintained by the Turkish authorities. The course of the old racetrack has been indicated with paving, although the actual track is some 2 m below the present surface. The surviving monuments of the Spina, the two obelisks and the Serpentine Column, now sit in holes in a landscaped garden. The German Fountain, an octagonal domed fountain in neo-Byzantine style, which was constructed by the German government in 1900 to mark the German Emperor Wilhelm II's visit to Istanbul in 1898, is located at the northern entrance to the Hippodrome area, right in front of the Blue Mosque.
Spice Bazaar: The Spice Bazaar, or Egyptian Bazaar is one of the oldest bazaars in the city. Located in Eminonu, it is the second largest covered shopping complex after the Grand Bazaar. The air here is filled with the enticing aromas of cinnamon, caraway, saffron, mint, thyme and every other conceivable herb and spice.
After your Istanbul City Tour there is an option to experience a Bosphorus boat cruise, enjoy the magnificent views of the Bosphorus straight which is connecting Asia to Europe, the best way of seeing the Bosphorus in all its beauty. With the shores rising to heights up to 200m, lined with palaces, ruins, villages, and gardens, this is one of the most beautiful stretches of scenery in Turkey. Overnight 3 star hotel in Istanbul.
Day 15 - Istanbul - End of Tour - Monday, 27th April 2015
After breakfast, check-out from your hotel before 11:00 am. Please make your own arrangements for departure transfers or simply ask TravelShop Turkey staff.
We hope you had a memorable ANZAC day tour and we look forward to seeing you in the future on another TravelShop Turkey Tour. Have a safe trip back home and thanks for choosing TravelShop Turkey.
15 DAYS GREECE TO TURKEY ANZAC TOUR INCLUDES:
The places that Greece & Turkey ANZAC Tour visits are:
Athens Greek Site
Paros Greek Site
Paros Greek Site
Delphi Greek Site
Delphi Greek Site
Piraeus Greek Site
Myconos Greek Site
Patmos Greek Site
Crete Island Greek Site
Santorini Greek Site
Samos Greek Site
Kusadasi Turkish Site
Ephesus Turkish Site
Pergamon Turkish Site
Assos Turkish Site
Troy Turkish Site
Gallipoli Turkish Site
Istanbul Turkish Site
Tour Includes Turkey Section:
5 breakfasts, 5 dinners
1 night hotel in Istanbul with breakfast
2 nights hotel in Kusadasi with breakfast and dinner
2 nights hotel in Cannakale with breakfast and dinner
Guided Ephesus tour
Guided Bergama Tour
Guided Gallipoli Tour
Guided Troy Tour
Dawn and National Services (Australian & New Zealand)
Professional English-speaking tour guides
Transportation in a fully air-conditioned, non-smoking coach
All entrance fees mentioned in the itinerary
Arrival airport transfers between 8:00 am and 11:00 pm every two hours
FREE ANZAC Tour T-Shirt
Tour Includes Greece Section:
Transfer from Athens Airport to Poros Island
1 night 3 star hotel New Aegli on HB Basis at Poros
1 night 3 star hotel at Delphi on HB at Delphi
1 night 3 star Hotel Dorian in Athens
Transfer from hotel to Galatas to follow Argolis trip with all entrance fees and guide
One day excursion to Delphi with entrance fees and guide
Transfer from hotel to Piraeus port for cruise departure
3 days, 4 nights cruise or similar cruise fare on full-board basis, 3 nights in double cabin
Port taxes, entertainment program on board
Transfer from Cruise ship to Athens City Tour with guide
Acropolis entrance fees
Sounio visit with guide and entrance fees included
Overnight ferry to Samos with inside quadruple cabins
Ferry from Samos to Kusadasi
Visitors should register their intention to visit at www.gallipoliregistration.com to assist with advance planning for the commemorations and to receive updates should there be any changes to the arrangements for the commemorations.
TOUR PRICES:
Euro: 2,129.00 per person (double, twin or triple share)
Euro: 2,699.00 per person (single room)
