Admire one of the world’s best-preserved theatres at Aspendos and explore the acropolis where people shook at the very sight of Alexander the Great. Stroll the colonnaded streets of Perge, Alexander’s key regional base, with its marble baths, stadium, and shops.
Upon your arrival at the Istanbul airport, you’ll collect your baggage, clear customs, and meet your transfer agent, who will be waiting just outside the customs area for you holding a sign with your name on it. Private transfer to your hotel.
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A full day in the great metropolis of Istanbul, the gateway between Asia and Europe. An introduction to the tour in the archaeological museum beside the Alexander Sarcophagus, followed by some of the city’s most remarkable sites, including the Topkapi Palace, St. Sophie, and the fabulous collections of the Archaeological Museum. After a break for lunch, view the Hippodrome remnants, the Blue Mosque.
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Follow the Marmara Sea to the mighty Hellespont. When Alexander the Great crossed, he sacrificed to Poseidon and poured libations of wine to the spirits of the sea. We visit Achilles’ tomb on the plain of Troy, where Alexander paid homage to the hero, running naked anointed with oil. At the legendary city itself, we explore the ruins swathed in myth. At the great temple of Athena, the fabled shield of Achilles was presented to Alexander. It would save his life during a siege in India. And many more such as the city walls of Troy the Sixth, the trench where Schiliman unearthed the priceless treasures of King Priamos.
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A morning visit to Canakkale’s splendid little archaeological museum which houses some artifacts from the ancient city of Troy. Then east into the hills. On the banks of the river, Granicus Alexander nearly died in his first victory over the Persians. We examine the most likely location of the battle. As a matter of fact, no one knows exactly where the battlefield was therefore we will be seeing and passing through the area.
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Drive onto Ephesus’s marvelous archaeology museum, close to the temple of Artemis, that reportedly burned down by a mad Greek man called Erostasus the night Alexander was born. We reach monumental Ephesus where we will see some of the best-preserved ruins of the World.
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A morning to relax in Kusadasi, then depart for nearby ancient city Priene perched up on the mountain. We walk the stepped streets of Priene, virtually unchanged since Alexander the Great was here. The city is considered the first one built in the so-called Grid Plan, first applied by the architect Isidorus of Priene. To the south lay Miletus, which refused him entry. It became his first significant siege and first chance to try out a new weapon, the torsion catapult. The city was battered into submission. The temple of Apollo at Didyma remains one of the most spectacular of all monuments. It was here that Alexander’s ultimate victory over the Persians was prophesized.
Beside the sea, we explored Iasus, one of the very prettiest sites in Turkey, where Alexander made a local boy, who swam with dolphins, a priest of Poseidon. Beside the sea, we explore Iasus, one of the very prettiest sites in Turkey, where Alexander made a local boy, who swam with dolphins, a priest of Poseidon.
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Drive to Bodrum. In Bodrum, the birthplace of Herodotus, we visit the site of the celebrated Mausoleum of Halicarnassos and the remains of the fortifications against which Alexander laid a desperate siege. We finish with a tour of the Castle of St. Peter.
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East to Xanthos, Lycia’s pre-eminent city, full of tombs, grand civic buildings, and a vast church floored with mosaics. Some say Alexander sacked it as Brutus later did. Nearby we visit Letoon’s moody sanctuary, and we stay overnight at Kalkan.
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Today we will drive to triple-harbored Phaselis: a city later renowned for possessing Achilles’ original spear and being a haunt for pirates. When Alexander arrived, they crowned him with golden wreaths. When he left, he gambled on a shortcut around the coast. Supposedly the sea parted in supplication, making way for his army. Later, visit the Church of St. Nicholas at Myra (Demre). Continue to Antalya overnight.
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Admire one of the world’s best-preserved theatres at Aspendos and explore the acropolis where people shook at the very sight of Alexander the Great. Stroll the colonnaded streets of Perge, Alexander’s key regional base, with its marble baths, stadium, and shops.
Discover Termessos, perched high on a mountain, one of the few cities to say ‘no’ to Alexander and survive.
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We walk along an ancient stone road heading north, once the main route to the central plateau. We visit Sagalassos, where archaeological excavations reveal a vast, impressive ancient city captured by Alexander in a bloody siege.
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Flight
To Gordion, the capital of ancient Phrygia, where we visit the tomb of King Midas. Here, Alexander cut the Gordion knot sparking a myth that foretold his rule over Asia. East to Ankara’s fabulous Museum of Anatolian Civilizations.
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South to Cappadocia, which Alexander put under the control of an Oriental, not wishing to waste time securing it. The area is a geological wonderland, full of fairy chimneys, rock-hewn churches, and underground cities.
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Breakfast at the hotel before exploring the lunar landscape of Cappadocia visiting the Devrent Valley, the Pasabag Valley, and Avanos, renowned for its handmade pottery. Visit the stunning valley of Goreme’s open-air museum.
We will finish the day with a visit to the Kaymakli Underground City. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.
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We retrace Alexander’s march south through the Taurus Mountains. Alexander hurried to seize Tarsus, rescuing it from burning by the Persians. Here he fell dangerously ill, spending several months in bed. All the while the Persian king mustered his forces nearby.
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As tension mounts, we follow the build-up to the great Battle of Issus. We explore the area and sites, like Kinet Hüyük (ancient Issus), now being excavated, that once reverberated with the Macedonian war cry, and witnessed Alexander the Great charging at the head of his cavalry.
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Private transfer to Antakya Airport for the flight home via Istanbul.
Start a private sightseeing tour of Istanbul. Visit the Egyptian-Spice Bazaar, which was known as a place where shops sold only spices during the Ottoman period. Today, there are only a few spice and herb specialists. The rest sell dried fruit, basketry, jewelry, etc., then take a boat for a cruise along the Bosphorus. The cruise takes you along the Bosphorus, passing the European-style palaces of the Ottomans, Dolmabahce, Beylerbeyi, and a beautiful wooden kiosk from the 19th century. Visit the Dolmabahce Palace, one of the most magnificent symbolic structures of the Ottoman Empire’s changing 19th-century identity. This elegant palace of the Bosphorus is one of the most glamorous palaces in the world.
Private transfer to Antakya Airport for the flight home via Istanbul.
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Price per person in double occupancy
The rate is based on 4-star, luxury and boutique hotel accommodation
Price excluding international flights
This trip is customizable for your private travel.
Please inquire to request a quote for your custom trip!
