Cappadocia is a magical region of the Asia Minor land with unique sights and history lost in the depths of centuries. An area with underground cities, theoretical stone sculptures-natural “chimneys” – a lunar, surreal landscape, in which multitudes of peoples and cultures left their traces and was the theater of many important events. The “Eighth Wonder of the World”, the “Meteors of the East”, is an open-air museum and world heritage site.
Ionia was the cradle of Greek civilization. Letters and the arts flourished very early in her land. Thought and philosophy flourished there. Poets, sages, scholars, artists, created ceaselessly. In cities such as Miletus (Thales, Anaximander, Anaxagoras, Anaximenes, Hecatios, Hippodamus), Ephesus (Heraclitus), Colophon (Xenophanes, Apellis), Clazomenes (Anaxagoras), Halicarnassus (Herodotus), Pergamum (Galenus) etc. laid the foundations of all sciences (mathematics, physics, biology, medicine, geography, history, topography, etc.), but also literature, poetry, music, ceramics, painting, plastic, architecture , of rhyotomy.
And above all, the concept of justice, which does not depend on the individual and society on the will of a god or his representative, but which is based on right reason and justice. “From Ionia the light”!
8 days in Iconium – Hierapolis/Pamoukale – Ephesus – Kirkintze – Kusadasi – Priene – Miletos, Didyma – Caesarea – Prokopi – Dervish Dance – Passabag, Ikhlara and Gyorem Valleys – Utchisar – Avanos – Sinassos – Malakopi – Karvali – Aksaray Accommodation in hotels 5 * (local classification) with half board.
Meeting at the airport and flight via Istanbul to one of the most important cities of Central Anatolia, Caesarea, the capital of Cappadocia and its largest city. Arrival and short tour of the city, dominated by the castle with its huge walls and towers, preserved in excellent condition. We continue by road to Prokopi (Urgup), in the heart of Cappadocia, which will be our base to explore the wider area with its rock-hewn monasteries and troglodyte dwellings over the next three days. Check in at the hotel. Dinner. Overnight.
This morning we begin our exploration of Cappadocia, this volcanic region where wind and rain have worked for centuries to sculpt the lava and create the giant cones, gorges and valleys that make up this wonderful surreal landscape. Our first stop is Avanos, which is built on the banks of the Red River (Kizil Irmak, the Alys of the ancients) and is famous for its elaborate ceramics. City tour and departure for Paşabağ Valley (Pasabag/Paşabağları) with its characteristic chimney-shaped rock-cones forming one of Cappadocia’s most postcard and most photographed landscapes.Return to the hotel. Dinner. Overnight.
** For those who wish to live an exciting experience, we recommend a unique hot air balloon ride over the Cappadocia region, which offers magnificent images during sunrise
Morning departure for the Göreme valley (Korama, Göreme) and the town of the same name, one of the most characteristic of Cappadocia, with its troglodyte houses carved and tucked into the rocks. The city and the volcanic valley of the region are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Our last stop, the beautiful small Troglodyte town of Uçhisar, built high on the rock, from whose castle we will admire the panoramic view of the area. Return to the hotel.Dinner and then we will enjoy the ecstatic Dance of the Dervishes, who spin around themselves to the sounds of traditional religious music, in their quest to unite with God. Overnight.
This morning we will depart for Konya. During our route we will stop at the small town of Sinasso (Mustafapaşa) with a strong Greek element, where we will visit the church of Constantine and Helen, the most well-preserved church in the area. Continuing our trek, we will reach the underground state of Malakopi (Derinkuyu), which is dug about 80 meters below a hill with entire rooms, storerooms, chapels, etc.Then we will cross part of the Ikhlara valley (Peristrema) with the famous carved churches. Our next stops will be in the ancient Greek settlement of Karvalis – home of Gregory of Nazianzus – and in Aksarai (Archelais), a city-station on the Silk Road. Arrival in Iconium, the capital of the Seljuk state from 1097 to 1243. Today it is a deeply religious city, with many mosques and particularly conservative residents. Check in at the hotel. Dinner. Overnight
Morning tour of Iconium and departure for Hierapolis/Pamukkale, another UNESCO world heritage site. City of ancient Phrygia, from which admirable monuments are preserved, such as the theater with 50 rows of seats, the ruins of the temple of Apollo, the necropolis, etc. Pamukkale, the “Cotton Castle”, is also famous for its impressive natural shallow pools (troughs), fed by the area’s hot springs – a truly unique phenomenon. After our visit we will transfer to the hotel. Dinner. Overnight.
Morning departure for the Asia Minor coast. Our first stop is Ephesus, which is one of the most important cultural monuments in the world and is under the auspices of UNESCO. During our visit to this unique archaeological site we will see the ruins of the Library of Celsus, the ancient theater, the Artemisium and other monuments that bear witness to the city’s glorious past. This is followed by a visit to the nearby village of Kirkince (Şirince), the place where Dido Sotiriou was born. We continue to Kusadasi, which is opposite Samos. Arrival and check-in at the hotel. After dinner walk in the city center. Overnight.
This morning we will depart for the ancient Greek city of the Ionian Dodecapolis, Priene, the city where one of the seven sages of antiquity, Byas the Prieneus (625-540 BC), was born. Upon arrival we will visit the archaeological site with the brilliant temple of Athena, the theater, the walls etc. and we will continue to the historic Miletus, one of the most ancient and powerful cities in Asia Minor, with numerous colonies from Russia to Egypt. The city is built near the mouth of the serpentine Maiandros river and was the birthplace of Thales, Anaximenes, Anaximander and Aspasia.Arriving we will see the famous theater, which is preserved in excellent condition, the baths and the Ionic Stoa. The last stop of our today’s route is Didyma, where we will see the huge temple-oracle of Apollo, one of the most impressive in the Greek world. Return to Kusadasi in the afternoon and free time for city walks. Dinner. Overnight.
Morning departure for Smyrna, today’s Izmir, one of the oldest cities and ports of the Mediterranean. Until 1922, the city was divided into the “Upper Mahala”, where mainly Turks, Jews and a few Greeks lived, and the “Kato Mahala” or “Lower City”, where the mainly Christian population – Armenians and Greeks – lived. Before the destruction, there were 16 Orthodox churches in Kato Mahalas, the most important being the metropolitan church of Agia Fotini. Arrival and guided tour of the city during which we will see the central square with the Clock Tower, a trademark of Smyrna, which does not remind anything of its old glorious era, before the Asia Minor Catastrophe.Passing by the waterfront we will see some preserved houses, which survived the devastating fire of 1922. Transfer to the airport and board the flight to Athens via Istanbul.
