ITINERARY

Transfer to Istanbul airport for our morning flight to Trabzon.  Visit the church of Hagia Sophia of Trepizond, raised on a terrace overlooking the Black Sea where Hadrian once built a temple to Apollo.  After lunch, we continue to visit the Gulbahar Hatun Mosque which was built in 1584 by the Father of Suleyman the Magnificent in honor of his mother.  We walk to our hotel through the narrow streets and the fortifications of the old city which gives a flavor of the people of Trabzon.  
Dinner and overnight in Trabzon.

We leave hotel today for our visit of the famous Monastery of Sumela.  Far from any village or habitation the Monastery is often shrouded in mist, and has a haunting quality that makes it appear to cling to a sheer rock face above the heavily wooded slopes.  Here we meet the local Laz people who are one of the last 3 Georgian tribes left in Turkey. They will entertain us with their music. We continue to Erzurum after lunch and drive inland crossing the Pontic mountain ranges.  This was the route which Xenophon and his Ten Thousands followed in 400 BC.  We arrive in the afternoon and check into our hotel in Erzurum for dinner and overnight.

We leave hotel for our morning visit of Erzurum.  Here we visit the Cifte Minareli Madrasa, Yakutiye Madrasa, Uc Kumbetler, which are the finest examples of Secuk architecture.  Our visit also includes the Citadel of the city.  After lunch we continue to Kars.  We arrive in the afternoon and check into our hotel.  After dinner we will enjoy a local Caucasus dance show. Overnight at the hotel in Kars.

We leave our hotel for our tour of Ani, the former Armenian Capital.  In its size and magnificence in the mid-10th century, nothing in Europe could touch Ani, and in the East Constantinople and Baghdad were its rivals.  After our visit of Ani, we have lunch and drive to Dogubeyazit. En route, we will see the famous Mt. Ararat with its snow covered peak in dark clouds.  
After we check into our hotel in Dogubeyazit we visit the famous Ishak Pasha Palace with a magnificent setting, and enjoy the sunset before returning to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

We leave our hotel to drive further south to Van which was the capital of the famous Urartian Kingdom and gives its name to the largest lake in Turkey.  We visit the Archeological Museum of Van which displays artifact belonging to the Hurrian and Urartian Civilizations.  The rest of the day is spent visiting the Van Castle which has a dramatic location. It served not only the Urartians, but also the Ottomans.  
Dinner and overnight in Van.

We depart this morning for our visit of the Church of Akdamar located on a small island in Lake Van.  This is one of the best and most sophisticated Greco-Armenian Churches of the 10th century.  It is unique with its decorations carved on the outer walls of the church depicting scenes from Old Testament.  We continue further to Tatvan and have lunch there.  We arrive in the afternoon in Diyarbakir and visit the famous ancient city walls with five monumental gates which are the longest in Turkey.  We also isit the grand Mosque (Ulu Cami).  This remarkable mosque was the very first of the Great Selcuk mosques in Anatolia.   
Dinner and overnight in Diyarbakir.

We leave Diyarbakir and drive south towards Mardin.  We drive first to see the Monastary of Mar Gabriel. It is still a practicing monastery and attracts students sent by Turkish emigrants to learn the Syriac language.  On to Mardin and check into our rooms.  After lunch we begin our tour of the city which is built up on a craggy rock facing south over the Syrian desert.  It is an important Syrian Christian center with wonderful Syrian-influenced architecture.  We will see the citadel and a number of Islamic masterpieces of the 14th and 15th centuries.  Dinner and overnight in Mardin.

After breakfast, our journey takes us to Urfa, the ancient city of Ur and later Edessa.  En route, we visit the Biblical Harran famous with its beehive-style mud houses.  Genesis refers Harran as Terha, the place where Abraham took his wife and son.  It is difficult to believe that this deserted place on the edge of the Syrian desert was once a major economic, religious and learning capital.  In Harran we enjoy lunch in a beehive style building. From there we drive to Urfa to check in.  In the afternoon we visit the Pool of Abraham which is charming and very peaceful with attractive gardens and canals leading to the pool.  The reminder of the day is on your own to explore old bazaar of the city which has a very Syrian flavor.  
We will be joined by locals for dinner and listen to a musical performance. Overnight at the hotel in Urfa.

Today we witness one of the greatest projects of Turkey, the Ataturk Dam.  It was built on the Euphrates and has changed the entire silhouette of the area.  Following our visit, we arrive at our hotel in Kahta to check in and have lunch.  In the afternoon we visit to the Nemrut Dag which houses the colossal statues and the testimony of the King Antiochus of the Commergene kingdom.  It is unique and is a breathtaking experience.  Return to our hotel.  
Dinner and overnight in Kahta.

We leave our hotel and drive to Antioch, which is situated on the Orantes river.  After lunch we will visit the Grotto where St. Peter preached for the first time and founded the first Christian community.  We then visit the famous mosaic museum. The mosaics on display are ample testimony to the luxurious life style enjoyed by its citizens.  The reminder of the day is at leisure.  
Dinner and overnight in Antakya.

We leave hotel for our visit to Karatepe, one of the best neo-Hittite settlements which is located within the Aslantepe National Park.  After lunch we transfer to the airport in Adana for our afternoon flight to Istanbul and our Farewell dinner.  
Overnight in Istanbul.

Transfer to the airport in Istanbul for outgoing flights.