Turkiye, Egypt & Greece Tour

After breakfast, we start our tour of the Old City in Sultanahmet with visits to:

• Blue Mosque: An iconic building decorated with over 20,000 tiles.
• Hippodrome: Used for chariot races during Roman rule.
• Hagia (Aya) Sophia: A museum, formerly a Christian basilica, then a mosque during the Ottoman Empire. Known for its massive dome and Byzantine architecture.
• Dolmabahçe Palace: One of the largest palaces in Istanbul with more than 280 rooms, built in the 19th century.

Overnight stay in Istanbul.

Today’s tour includes:

• Spice (Egyptian) Bazaar: The 2nd largest covered market in the city.
• Bosphorus Cruise: A private boat tour along the strait that divides Europe from Asia, viewing historical sites such as mosques, castles, and palaces.
• Topkapi Palace: The former Ottoman residence and one of the world’s largest remaining historical palaces, is now a museum.
• Grand Bazaar: The oldest and largest covered market in the world with more than 3,000 shops, merchants, and vendors.

Overnight stay in Istanbul.

In the morning, we fly to Cappadocia and tour the region:

• Red Valley and Pasabagi: Gentle hike through orchards, unusual volcanic rock formations, and rock-cut houses.
• Goreme Open-Air Museum: Rock-carved churches and monasteries decorated with spectacular wall paintings from early Christianity.
• Uchisar: The tallest point in the Cappadocia region, with panoramic views and a visit to the natural rock citadel.

Overnight stay in Cappadocia.

Today we tour:

• Derinkuyu: The largest excavated underground city in Turkey.
• Ihlara Valley: Known to have more than 4,000 homes and 100 cave churches.
• Selime: The largest rock monastery in the region.

Overnight stay in Selcuk, Kusadasi, or Kusadasi (with optional flight from Kayseri to Izmir).

After the hotel check out, we tour:

• Ancient City of Ephesus: The best preserved classical city of the Eastern Mediterranean.
• House of Virgin Mary: Shrine and small chapel where she was supposedly brought by St. John and spent her last days.
• Artemis Temple: One of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World.

Overnight stay in Istanbul.

Hotel check out and transfer to Istanbul’s airport for departure flight to Cairo, Egypt. Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel and an overnight stay in Cairo.

We start the day in Cairo, one of the most thriving modern societies and most historical, with a tour to the Egyptian Museum located in Tahrir Square. This museum contains many important pieces of ancient Egyptian history and houses the world’s largest collection of Pharaonic antiquities, and many treasures of King Tutankhamen. We stop for lunch before continuing onto the Citadel of Saladin, a medieval Islamic fortification on Mokattam hill near the center of Cairo. Originally built to protect the old city of Cairo, this structure is now a historic site with museums and an Ottoman-style mosque, the Mohamed Ali Alabaster Mosque built in the 19th century. Lastly, we stop by the Khan El Khalili Bazaar, known as the Turkish Bazaar during the Ottoman period and built in 1382 to visit its numerous shops, restaurants, coffeehouses, and vendors. Finally, we are transferred back to the hotel and overnight stay in Cairo.

On this day we take a scenic drive to the ancient city of Memphis located 20 kilometers/12 miles south of Cairo, on the west bank of the Nile River. Memphis was the capital of Ancient Egypt for over 8 consecutive dynasties during the Old Kingdom. Here we visit the Saccara, a vast ancient burial ground featuring numerous pyramids, including the world-famous Step Tomb. At Saccara, the oldest complete stone building complex known in history was built. We stop for lunch and continue on to see the Sphinx of Giza, the largest monolith statue in the world and the oldest known monumental sculpture. Also, we see the Great Pyramid, the oldest of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World, and the only one to remain largely intact. This structure was at one point the tallest man-made structure in the world for over 3,800 years. We end the day with a drive back to Cairo and overnight stay.

After the hotel check-out and transfer to the airport, we take a 1.2-hour flight to Aswan city located in the south and Egypt’s hottest and driest inhabited city. Upon arrival, we are transferred to a luxury cruise ship to begin the journey on the Nile. Or you may choose an optional tour to Abu Simbel located about 280 kilometers/173 miles south of Aswan to visit the Abu Simbel temples known as the “Nubian Monument.” The twin temples were originally carved out of the mountainside in the 13th century BC. However, the complex was relocated in its entirety in 1968, on an artificial hill. Upon completion of the tour, you fly back to Aswan to meet up with the cruise ship and for an overnight stay in Aswan.

Today we cruise along the Nile River from Aswan to the town of Kom Ombo famous for the Temple of Kom Ombo. This is a unique temple because it has a double design duplicated for two sets of gods. Next, we sail to Edfu city to visit the Temple of Horus. Of all the temple remains in Egypt, this is the most completely preserved and the 2nd largest. Our last stop of the day is to Luxor city for an overnight stay.

The day begins with a tour of the West Bank which includes the Valley of the Kings where for a period of nearly 500 years tombs were constructed for the Pharaohs and powerful nobles. The valley is known to contain 63 tombs and some are decorated with scenes from Egyptian mythology and give clues to the beliefs and funerary practices of the period. Next, we visit the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, a mortuary temple dedicated to the sun god Amon-Ra, located beneath the cliffs at Deir el Bahari. Hatshepsut was the second historically confirmed female pharaoh and one of the most successful rulers in Ancient Egypt.

After lunch, we cross the Nile to visit the Karnak Temple, the largest ancient religious site in the world. The temple complex was built over 2,000 years ago and is dedicated to the Theban triad of Amun, Mut, and Khonsu. We continue on to the Luxor Temple, a large ancient Egyptian temple complex located on the east bank of the Nile River. The temple was built approximately 1400 BCE and was dedicated to the rejuvenation of kingship. It is believed that many of the kings of Egypt were crowned in this temple. We end the day with a transfer back to our cruise ship for dinner and overnight stay in Luxor.

After an early breakfast and disembarkation from the cruise ship, we are transferred to Luxor International Airport for a flight to Athens, Greece. Upon arrival in Athens, we are met by our local guide and transferred to our hotel. The remainder of the day is free to explore the city at your leisure, or to rest and relax at the hotel. Overnight stay in Athens.

Today we embark on a guided city tour of Athens, starting with the famous Acropolis, an ancient citadel located on a rocky outcrop above the city. The Acropolis contains the remains of several ancient buildings, including the Parthenon, a former temple dedicated to the goddess Athena. We continue to the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the largest temple in Greece, and the Ancient Agora, a central public space that was the heart of ancient Athens.

After lunch, we visit the Panathenaic Stadium, the site of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, and the National Archaeological Museum, one of the most important museums in the world dedicated to ancient Greek art. The day ends with a scenic drive through the city, passing by important landmarks such as the Parliament Building and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Overnight stay in Athens.

On this day, we take a full-day excursion to Delphi, an ancient sanctuary that grew rich as the seat of Pythia, the oracle who was consulted about important decisions throughout the ancient classical world. Delphi is both an archaeological site and a modern town in Greece. The site contains the Temple of Apollo, the ancient theater, and the Delphi Archaeological Museum. We return to Athens in the evening for an overnight stay.

We leave Athens and head to Delphi, one of Greece’s national treasures located about 2.5 hours away. Along the way, we pass through the towns of Levadia and Arahova. Delphi is a charming village situated on the slopes of the ancient Parnos Mountain, providing spectacular views. This village has dramatic ancient remains, including the Sanctuary of Apollo, the most important sacred site in the Greek world and home to the famous Oracle. After the Sanctuary of Apollo, we visit the Delphi Museum, which houses splendid archaeological treasures dating back to the 5th century, including the unique bronze charioteer.

We break for lunch before proceeding to visit the Athenian Treasury, made entirely of marble, and the Temple of Apollo. The day ends with dinner in Delphi or Athens, depending on time, and a transfer back to Athens for an overnight stay.

Free day at leisure and an overnight stay in Athens.

After the hotel check-out, there is a transfer available to Athens airport for the departure flight.