Syria and Turkey
Tour these two gems of the East Mediterranean in two
weeks
We'll show you the wonders of fabled Syria--Roman citadels,
Biblical sites, great Omayyad mosques and the ancient/modern city
of Damascus , then fly over to Istanbul , the city of Sultans . Come
see the wonders of "Imperial Constantinople in the Belle Epoque"
(late 19th century), the exotic romance of the "Paris of the East:"
. Istanbul and Central Turkey : Cappadocia . Tour
operates Weekly . Year Round - Jordania
, Siria Y Libano
DAY
1 - Thursday ( Arrive weekly in Istanbul on Thursday and Friday ) .
ISTANBUL (B)
Upon arrival at Istanbul , you're met at the airport by our representative,
who sees you to your hotel, and answers any questions you may have about
getting to know the city. As you ride into the great metropolis from
the airport, two thousand years of history are revealed: towering Roman
walls, ancient Byzantine churches, slender minarets framing the bulbous
domes of graceful mosques. These ancient monuments float on the skyline
of a bustling modern metropolis of ten million people.
DAY
2 - Friday . ISTANBUL (BL)
The center of ancient Constantinople and Istanbul was on Seraglio Point,
framed by the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmara. We
visit the Blue Mosque, built by Sultan Ahmet III to challenge the architectural
primacy of neighboring Sancta Sophia. We then walk next door to compare
achievements in Justinian's great Sancta Sophia. Right behind Sancta
Sophia is our next stop, sumptuous Topkapi Palace, the sultans' seraglio
for centuries, filled with breathtaking exhibits of priceless jewels,
golden thrones, delicate colored tiles, and lavish court costumes. We
finish up in the bustling Grand Bazaar, where you can find jewelry,
carpets, goat-hair rugs, hand-painted ceramics, copper and brass in
labyrinthine streets holding nearly 4000 shops.
DAY 3 - Saturday . ISTANBUL (B)
Full day at leisure. Explore Istanbul on your own .
DAY
4 - Sun, ANKARA / CAPPADOCIA (BLD)
Morning Flight to Ankara, tour the Museum and Atatürk Mausoleum
, then proceed by private air-conditioned vehicle to Sultanhani the
Seljuk Turkish caravanserai before arriving to biblical Cappadocia and
your Hotel
Day
5 - Mon. CAPPADOCIA (BD)
We explore the "moonscape" of Cappadocia, visiting the painted churches
in the Göreme and Zelve Valleys, the rockhewn dwellings in Ortahisar,
the pottery-making center of Avanos, and the incredible underground
city of Kaymakl (or Derinkuyu).
Day
6 - Tue. CAPPADOCIA / KAYSERI / IZMIR, EPHESUS (BLD)
Proceed by private car to Kayseri, board your flight on to Istanbul
& connect to Izmir , and your hotel. Remainder of the day at leisure.
DAY
7 - Wed. Ephesus / ISTANBUL (B)
We proceed to time capsule & the gem of ancient cities of the Greco
Roman world: Ephesus, the capital of Roman Asia Minor, we spend most
of the day in Ephesus and touring the Basilica of St. John, said to
mark his tomb. Then fly back to Istanbul & our hotel, one last chance
for shopping spree in the legendary covered Bazaar. Istanbul is all
yours, any way you like it. Grab your Lonely Planet guidebook and stroll
along the restored 19th-century thoroughfare of Istiklal Caddesi, once
known as the Grand Rue, DE Péra. Search for spices and folk remedies
in the Egyptian Bazaar. Admire the medieval mosaics in the city's many
Byzantine churches. Shop in the chic boutiques around Taksim Square.
Climb the Galata Tower, built by the Genoese six centuries ago, for
a panoramic view of Old Istanbul.
DAY
8 - Thu. ISTANBUL, Damascus (B)
Air fare is issued in Istanbul by Mr. Gokhan, and delivered to you
in Istanbul, air fare Istanbul Damascus is in economy class, tax included
.
Our local rep. greets you at Damascus International Airport and escorts
you to your hotel. You can begin your explorations of this "Arabian
Nights" city just after you arrive. Private air-conditioned vehicle,
private chauffeur.
DAY 9 - DAMASCUS (BL)
Breakfast is included at the hotel. Lunch is included at a charming
local restaurant. Private
air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur. Today we explore
the Syrian capital, visiting the National Museum, with treasures dating
from the 1400s BC; the bustling Old Bazaar, the Eastern Gate (Bab ash-Sharqi)
in the Roman city walls; the Street Called Straight (Via Recta); the
house of Anania; and the chapel with a window from which disciples lowered
St. Paul so he could escape those who sought to kill him (Acts 9:24-25).
DAY 10 - PALMYRA (BLD)
Breakfast is included at the hotel. Lunch is included at a charming
local restaurant. Dinner
is included at your hotel . Private air-conditioned vehicle, private
chauffeur.
We drive to ancient Palmyra (Tadmor), in a desert oasis on the
trade route between the Mediterranean and Mesopotamia, to visit its
museum, the temples of Bel, Baal Shamin and Nebo, the Roman baths, the
Tetrapylon, Diocletian's camp, and the Valley of the Tombs, before
settling in at our Palmyra hotel.
DAY 11 - KRAK DES CHEVALIERS, HAMA & ALEPPO (BLD)
Breakfast is included at the hotel. Lunch is included at a charming
local restaurant. Dinner
is included at your hotel . Private air-conditioned vehicle, private
chauffeur.
Get your camera ready, for today we see the famously photogenic Krak
des Chevaliers, the most spectacular 12th-century Crusaders' castle
of all. From this marvel of military architecture we head north to Hama,
one of Syria's prettiest towns, to see its great norias (water wheels),
some up to 65 feet in diameter, scooping water from the fabled Orontes
River. We continue to Aleppo for the night.
DAY 12 - ALEPPO (BLD)
Breakfast is included at the hotel. Lunch is included at a charming
local restaurant. Dinner
is included at your hotel . Private air-conditioned vehicle, private
chauffeur.
The sights of Aleppo (Halab) include the Grand Mosque, the vast
Ottoman bazaar, the 12th-century Citadel, and a camel caravanserai.
We visit them all, then continue to the church (Qala'at Samaan) built
to honor the Byzantine ascetic St. Simeon Stylites, who lived atop a
column for over 35 years in the 5th century. We return to our comfortable
Aleppo hotel for the night.
DAY 13 - SERGELLA, APAMEA, MAALULA & DAMASCUS (BL)
Breakfast is included at the hotel. Lunch is included at a charming
local restaurant
.
Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur.
We head south to Sergella, one of the 500 Dead Cities, fabled
ghost towns built between the 4th and 7th centuries which were abandoned
mysteriously around the 9th century. Our next stop is Apamea
(Qala'at al-Mudiq), the Hellenistic "city of a thousand columns"
built by Seleucus I Nicator in the 2nd century BC and named in honor
of his wife. We continue to Maalula, where villagers still speak
Aramaic, the language of Jesus, for a visit to the chapel of St. Sergius,
before returning to Damascus for the night.
DAY 14 - Damascus - Istanbul (B)
Our local rep. escorts you to the airport for your flight to Istanbul,
departure tax is included . Air fare is included Damascus Istanbul,
in economy class, tax included , air ticket issued & delivered in
Damascus. All transfers are always in a private
air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur.
In Istanbul our local will escort you to your hotel.
While
this tour operates daily , yet please keep in mind that we keep the
right to substitute some site based on the following: Topkapi Palace
is closed on Tuesday. Ayasofia is closed on Monday. Kariye Museum is
closed on Wednesdays. The Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays.
DAY
15 -- ISTANBUL (BL)
Breakfast is included at the hotel. Lunch is included at a charming
local restaurant.
We dive right into this fascinating city with visits to its top sights:
Topkapi, the palace of the Sultans for centuries; Hagia Sophia,
the greatest church in Christendom for a thousand years; the Blue
Mosque, with its exquisite blue tiles; the Byzantine Hippodrome,
scene of chariot races and gladiator combat; and the eerie Sunken Palace
cistern beneath it. Then we go on a shopping spree at the labyrinth
of the Grand Bazaar.
Day
16 - "Imperial Constantinople in the Belle Epoque"
(late 19th century), the exotic romance of the "Paris of the
East:" (BL)
Morning walking tour : We start with our guide in Karaköy where
the foreign bankers and shipping companies had their headquarters, then
take the Tünel up to istiklal Caddesi; stop in the whirling dervish
tekke, and walk past the various old embassy buildings (now consulates),
and point out the architecture. Stop for tea (included) at the
famous Pera Palace Hotel.
Walk at least as far as Galatasaray Square, and have lunch in
the Çicek Pasaji (Flower Passage); then walk up to Taksim Square and
be picked up for the afternoon tour. In the afternoon the tour visit
Yildiz Palace Park and the Ihlamur Kasri, a mini-palace south of Yildiz,
and finish up with a visit to the Military History Museum in Harbiye
in time to hear the "Mehter," or Ottoman military band (mid-afternoon).
DAY
17 -- DEPARTURE (B)
We escort you to the airport for your flight home. Breakfast . Bon Voyage
. Extend to Cappadoccia .
Rates per person in USD $
|
Deluxe |
First Class |
| Triple |
US$
4850 |
US$
4540 |
| Double |
US$
5060 |
US$
4770 |
Single |
US$
6490 |
US$
6030 |
Your
tour includes :
- All
transfers always on a private basis , private air-conditioned vehicle,
private chauffeur.
- Air
fare Istanbul / Damascus in economy class , tax included
- Hotel
accommodations, including tax and service charges.
-
Meals as indicated with preset menu (cB = continental breakfast,
L = Lunch, D = Dinner).
-
Sightseeing by air-conditioned vehicle with guide , and entrance
fees as indicated
-
Visa fee for Syria . Visa issued upon arrival, American, EU ,Japanese,
Canadian passport, your passport must be valid at least for 6 month
beyond arrival date.
To allow us to secure your visa for Syria, we must have a legible
scan of your passport info page at least 45 days prior to your arrival
- Guide
books for Syria and Istanbu
Our
hotels include the following, as available, similar hotels may be substituted:
| |
Deluxe
Hotels |
First
Class Hotels |
| Istanbul
|
Conrad
, Hilton or Hyatt
Arena Boutique Hotel
or similar |
Aygun
Plaza or similar |
| Damascus |
Le
Meridien |
Fardos
Tower/ Carlton |
| Plamyra |
Cham
Palace |
Heliopolis |
| Aleppo |
Cham
Palace |
Amir
Palace |
Visa
information : Important
Syria will not issue visas for any passport holder that may carry any
stamp or visa for Israel. Border crossings may take some time, depending
of several circumstances (traffic, police, documentation, visas, etc.)
Not
Included :
- Visa
Fee for Turkey :in cash upon arrival,
,
or from any of the Turkish Consulates ( specific
number of nationalities such as USA , Canadian, Australian, NZ , EU
etc)
-
Trip interruption and cancellation insurance (please see your insurance
agent ).
- Personal
expenditures and beverages.
-
Tips to guide and driver (suggested US$ 5 per person per day for the
guide , and $3 USD per person for the driver for full day touring)
- Airport
taxes.
- International
air fare from /to your home country
Recommendations
and conditions:
Every
effort is made to adhere to the planned itinerary, however, for reasons
beyond our control, it may be necessary to change routings, sequence of
visits, and departure times.
More
Choices :
Sample
Charming Boutique Hotels in Syria :
Talisman Hotel: Damascus
Talisman is more than an hotel: it is more like a home. We will provide
you all the services and luxury of a five stars residence. Two wide opened
courtyards with outdoor swimming
pool. Private and exclusive Turkish Hammam.
The Talisman is a luxury «charm» hotel situated in the old
town of Damascus, twenty minutes from the airport, a hundred yards from
the old Roman straight way (Medhat Pacha) and the historical Bab Sharqi,
famous now for its souks and street markets. This old Jewish palace, built
in a quiet side street and easily accessible by car, has been restored
in the most authentic tradition of an Arab house.
Each
of the 16 rooms and suites at Talisman is unique with its personalized
lay-out and decoration. All the rooms are equipped with the latest commodities:king
size bed, mini bar, central heating, individual air-conditioning, plasma
television set with decoder so that you may choose any channel you please,
DVD reader, wi-fi internet connection, telephone. Executive suites are
larger and have a desk corner. The bathrooms are spacious and planned
for your rest and well-being: finely worked wooden basins with their matching
mirrors, old cement tiled or beige marble floors, bath tub or shower cabin,
or both, hair-drier and comfortable bathrobes.
Zenobia hotel: Palmyra
built in 1920 … Agatha Christy was one of the welcomed guests ,
the Zenobia Hotel is ideally located in the middle of Palmyra archeological
site; rooms offers a wonderful view of the traces of past civilizations,
which you can explore at your ease.
The
26-room hotel offers a wonderful view of the traces of past civilizations,
which you can explore at your ease. The hotel is a masterpiece of elegance
and warm hospitality that is part of our commitment to tradition particularly
amidst this historical surrounding. You are welcome to the world of Zenobia
hotel where you relive the past and feel the glorious days of Palmyra.
The hotel rooms; all are air-conditioned, with central heating and a telephone.
The Countess suite is a duplex room, with two double beds and a private
bathroom on each deck. ( Supplement applies, and you must really book
in advance to get this suite)
The
Oasis restaurant offers a wide variety of delicious cuisine whether it
is indoors or in the open air with a direct view on the ruins.
Palmyra
was known as the bride of the desert, where once stood as one of the greatest
Roman oasis cities of all times. The extensive roman ruins, only a three-minute
walk from the hotel; stand gracefully to remind us of the glory of Palmyra's
past
Beit Wakil Hotel: Aleppo
A true example of the distinguished 16th century Aleppine architecture,is
a charming palace situated just outside the old city walls.This perfectly
preserved structure which has stubbornly defied the destructive elements
of time,ranks among the most elegant and
beautiful palaces in the region.
The
Hotel is in " Jadidah" which is a particularly picturesque quarter.
Next to the main Maronite church is Sissi Street, which is full of old
Arab residences. Most have now been converted into small boutique hotels
and restaurants serving the delicious local Arab-Syrian cuisine for which
Aleppo is famous. Beit Wakil is one of the loveliest examples. Simple
on the outside, but you enter a beautiful courtyard with a fountain, a
majestic arch, coloured marble flooring and arabesque glass windows. You
can descend past an underground bar into stone-built cellars with a labyrinth
of tunnels, said to lead all the way to the Aleppo Citadel.
Beit
Wakil,a true example of the distinguished 16th. century Aleppine architecture,is
a charming palace situated just outside the old city walls.This perfectly
preserved structure which has stubbornly defied the destructive elements
of time,ranks among the most elegant and beautiful palaces in the region.
Faithful to the old Aleppine tradition the exterior is castle like,simple
and void of any decoration,but as soon one enters inside a magical oriental
story like world comes into existence
The
beautiful courtyards with breathtaking relief and tracery work of their
walls, the marble fountains among the jasmine and lemon trees, the unique
iwan with its majestic arch and colors marble flooring,the elegant arabesque
woodwork of the wall cupboards,the hand drawn wooden ceilings with corniche,
the famous central Qa'a (large room: Lobby ) with its suspended dome and
coloured arabesque glass windows,the stone built cellars and the lime
stone caves below with a labyrinth of tunnels , one of which , links the
palace to the Citadel of Aleppo , are just few of the many elements which
distinguishes the Aleppine masonry art and Arabian architectural genius
Today,
Beit Wakil welcomes its guests as a four star hotel with all the modern
comfort facilities. Beit Wakil rooms and suits are centrally air conditioned,
with traditional comfortable Aleppine furniture, minibar, music, T. V
and satellite services, phone and private bathrooms. Both our summer and
winter restaurants offer a wide verity of delicious Aleppine mezes and
specialties together with an oriental entertainment program of classical
Arabic music and dancing.
Aleppo
includes a virile population, a splendid architecture,and a fine Arab
tradition. Aleppo AL-Chahba, 355 Kilometers from Damascus, has been a
prosperous city since the 3rd millennium B.C. and has maintained its status
through town development and an increasing population. It has played a
vital role in the history of the area from the time of the Akkadian and
Amorite Kingdoms. Until recently it has always been the center of the
junction of the ancient trade routs. The old city was surrounded by a
wall incorporating defense towers and fortified gates built during the
Islamic period. A large part of the wall still standing, for example Bab
Qinisrin, Bab Al-Nasser, Bab Al-Hadid, Bab Antakia. Aleppo is also known
for its mosques and churches and is considered the third city in the Islamic
world because of the number of its mosques and schools. The Archaeological
Museum contains exhibits from the stone age to modern times. It has particularly
interesting collection of antiquities from some of the most ancient site
in Syria (Mari, Ugarit, Ebla) , objects found in the Euphrates Basin,
Hama, Tell Halaf and Ein Dara, in addition to remains from Greek, Roman,
Arab and Islamic periods. Most famous of Aleppo's sights is the citadel,
from where all of the city can be seen.
Add
a spa package to your stay
|
