Turkey / North CyprusTwo Centre Holiday

EasternTurkeyTours

Exceed your expectations Email: info@easternturkeytour.org

The Adventure begins

This spectacular 14 day holiday takes you from the stunning metrop-olis of Istanbul to the golden sands of the Mediterranean. The tourwill take you back in time from Istanbul, the Imperial capital of threeempires to modern Ankara and through early Christian settlementsin central Anatolia to the sun kissed shores of the Mediterraneanending with pristine beaches of North Cyprus. The tour is fully inclu-sive, and the cost covers all domestic travel, guides, museum/siteentry, accommodation and all meals (some exceptions noted in touritinerary in Istanbul). Not included are costs of visa, internationaltravel, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages

Days 1 & 2

Arrive in Istanbul - over two days sightseeing including the TopkapiPalace, Aya Sofia, the Archaeological Museum, the Yerebetan Saray,the Mosaic Museum, the Blue Mosque and the Hippodrome as wellas a cruise up the Bosphorus to Anadolu Kavagi, the last ferry stopon the Asian side just where the channel joins the Black Sea. AtAnadolu Kavagi you may take the opportunity to enjoy a delicioussea food meal at one of the many fish restaurants. Journey backalong the Asian side by coach to visit the Beylerbeyi Palace, the sum-mer palace of the last Ottoman Sultans. (B)

The Blue Mosque, Istanbul

The Egyptian Bazaar, Istanbul

Day 2 (evening)

evening: Istanbul- See the Bosphorus by night on the ferry travellingacross to the Asian side to begin your Anatolian adventure. Dinnerand then depart from Istanbul's Haydarpasha station in your ownsleeper compartment on the night train to Ankara. (D)

Travel is by the new Turkish Rail sleeper service from Istanbul toAnkara then on by road in fully air-conditioned coaches. Railway sleeper carriage

Rumeli Hisari, the Bosphorus

Day 3

After an early breakfast on board your train you arrive in Ankara at8 o'clock. In the morning we will visit the tomb of Ataturk, thefounder of modern Turkey. Called Anit Kabir, Ataturk's mausoleum isone of Ankara's major landmarks.

Completed in 1953 it is designed to capture the spirit of monumen-tal architecture found in Anatolia from the Hittites and Romansthrough to the Seljuk Turks. The final effect is both ancient and mod-ern; a stark memorial for an impressive man.

In the afternoon the tour of Ankara takes in the Citadel and theMuseum of Anatolian Civilisations. Housed in a beautifully restoredcovered bazaar built in 1471 by the Grand Vizier Mahmut Pasha,and in an adjoining Han of the same period, this is one of the out-standing museums of Turkey. In a country that has such historicalriches this museum will give you a rich taste of what you will see onyour tour through Anatolia. (B, L, D)

Standing Guard

Anit Kabir, main building

Day 4

After a leisurely breakfast we depart for Goreme, via the Great SaltLake and the Old Silk Road to the ancient Christian centres ofAnatolia. Overnight at Goreme. (B, L, D)

The “Fairy Chimneys” of Cappadocia

Day 5

We spend the morning exploring the Ihlara valley- a deep gorge cutby a river through the dusty plains and providing a beautiful, cooland tranquil refuge from the heat above.

From Ihlara we go to the fascinating underground city of Derinkoyu;a labyrinth of passages going down at least eight levels, Derinkoyuwas a fully self sufficient refuge in times of conflict and, it isbelieved, connected by extensive tunnel systems to other under-ground cities many miles distant. Overnight in Goreme. (B, L, D)

Ihlara Valley

Derinkuyu, underground city

Day 6

Early start for the journey to Mt. Nemrut in Adiyaman to see thesummit and the magnificent funerary monument built by KingAntiochus III. Lost for nearly 2000 years and only rediscovered byaccident in the 1890s this monument is an enigmatic memorial to along lost king.

We will stay at the summit to witness the setting of the sun and toenjoy this unforgettable experience.

Return to your hotel for dinner and refreshments. (B, L, D)

Mt. Nemrut

Statues at the Tumulus on the summit of Nemrut

Day 7

Depart for Gaziantep. En route we will visit the Ataturk Dam, whichis part of the South eastern Anatolia Project (GAP). An impressive,huge, hydro-electric and irrigation project on the upper reaches ofthe Euphrates River. Well worth a visit not only as a great feat ofengineering masterpiece but also to see the unusual monument tothose who lost their lives whilst building the dam. Taking Turkish teawill be part of the ritual!

Gaziantep is one of the several cities in the Middle East that claimto be the oldest continuously inhabited places in the World. Todayit is known as the capital of Turkey's pistachio industry and thismakes it a particularly fine place to enjoy Baklava.

While in Gaziantep we will visit the Mosaic Museum. The museumhouses the enormous collection of mosaics from the now sunken cityof Zeugma most of them in almost perfect condition and with asophistication and artistry that tells us that inhabitants of Zeugmawere people of considerable wealth and taste. . (B, L, D)

Alexander the Great?

Monument at the Ataturk Dam

Baklava

Day 8

Travel to Mersin. This is a free day for shopping and sightseeing. Here you will find a bustling sea front with walk-ways, parks and statues, where the locals like to promenade and sit out in the cafés and patisseries of smart neigh-bourhoods such as Pozcu or Çamlıbel. These are established neighbourhoods where there are many well-known shopsand restaurants with years of experience serving a discerning clientele. The city centre is a maze of narrow streets andarcades of little shops and cafes, with young people buzzing around on scooters. The old quarter near the fish marketis where you will find the stalls selling tantuni and grilled liver sandwiches. . (B, L, D)

Day 9

After a leisurely breakfast we will drive along the coast to Tasucu stopping to view the awesome coastal fortification

of Kizkalesi- Maiden's Castle. We will also have the opportunity to visit both “Heaven” and “Hell”; two caverns

formed by underground chemical erosion. The larger of the two, “Heaven” contains an ancient chapel dedicated to

the Virgin Mary.

Overnight in Tasucu. (BLD)

Kizkalesi

Day 10

Today we travel from Tasucu by high-speed hydrofoil to Girne in North Cyprus. Transfer time is two and a half hourswith arrival in Girne at 14.30. By five o'clock you can be on the beach or next to the pool at your hotel enjoying acivilised “sundowner”.

North Cyprus

The island of Cyprus, at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea has a rich and varied historical and cultural her-itage reflecting its unique position as a crossroads for some of the great civilisations of the world. Because of its loca-tion in the Eastern Mediterranean, Cyprus provided a meeting point and a link with the great cultures of North Africa,the Middle East, Anatolia and Europe. The island can be seen from both Turkey and the Levantine coast and it is thisfusion of cultures and influences that makes Cyprus unique today.

From the fortified Venetian port of Famagusta, the setting for Shakespeare's Othello, to the busy cosmopolitan har-bour town of Kyrenia with its imposing Crusader castle. North Cyprus is full of gems for the traveller enthused by his-tory and romance.

Kyrenia Harbour from the Castle

The most beautiful of Cyprus' many historical gems is the stunningvillage and abbey at Bellapais; built in the 13th century and thehome of the author Laurence Durrell, Bellapais commands sweepingviews of the unspoilt North Cyprus coast. It is also the setting forDurrell's novel “Bitter Lemons” and where you can relax in theshade of the tree he named “the Tree of Idleness.”

From here you can travel across the jagged spine of North Cyprus tovisit Nicosia and the architectural curiosity that is the SelimiyeMosque, originally a Catholic cathedral and converted to a Mosqueat the time of the Ottoman conquest in 1571.

The alternatives to touring come in a range of beach or sportingactivities that cater to all levels of fitness. The obvious first choiceleads you to the sea where snorkelling and diving provide a fabu-lous opportunity to experience the wonderful marine world aroundCyprus. For those who cannot dive but are keen to learn we can pro-vide courses with fully PADI qualified instructors. As well as theamazing marine life there are also wrecks that are safe to dive onand we can organise marine expeditions will cover all these possi-bilities We can organise “pamper” days with a visit to the TurkishBaths (Hamam) with beauty treatments and shopping to follow. Forthe fit and active there is paragliding, mountain biking and horse-back riding as well as jeep safaris through the mountains and alongthe coast.

Selimiye Mosque, Nicosia

Bellapais Abbey, Bellapais

For those who want to use their time in Cyprus to play golf we can organise packages from one day to four and

set up enjoyable and stimulating alternatives for those golfing widows. There are a number of choices of world class

golf courses in fabulous and stunning locations along the coast of North Cyprus.

We have a range of hotels from 3* up to 5* including:

Korineum Golf Course, North Cyprus

Denizkizi

This family run 4* hotel, Denizkizi, is situated on a small hill over-

looking the sea outside the village of Aslancak. It has a swimming

pool and a spa bath and a short walk will bring you to a private

cove and sandy beach.

Website: www.denizkizi.com

The Merit Crystal Cove Hotel

Situated 8 miles west of Kyrenia this 5* hotel is on a promontory

jutting out into the Mediterranean. The Merit Crystal Cove Hotel

has a private beach and has its own extensive gardens. There are a

wide range of in house recreational opportunities from the swim-

ming pool and aquarium bar to top quality restaurant and casino.

Website: www.meritcrystalcove.com/eng/

Sempati

The Hotel Sempati is a 3* family hotel 10 miles west of Kyrenia

with beautiful views of the Mediterranean to the fore and the

jagged Five Finger Mountain Range behind. On offer is a fabulous

pool with PADI qualified diving instructors on hand for those who

want to learn how to scuba dive.

Website: www.hotelsempati.com

Onar Holiday Village

The Onar Holiday Village, 3*, offers a relaxing atmosphere with

traditional Cypriot hospitality. It is a complex of large and small vil-

las, hotel rooms and self catering villas with a freshwater swim-

ming pool and stunning coastal views.

Website: www.onarvillage.com

This is just a selection of what North Cyprus has to offer. In conjunction with our partners in North Cyprus we are ableto offer the widest range of hospitality, accommodation and activities. For more information, please contact us; it willbe our pleasure to provide for you the best that Cyprus and Turkey have to offer.

Turkey / North CyprusTwo Centre Holiday

EasternTurkeyTours

Exceed your expectations Email: info@easternturkeytour.org

Visit: www.easternturkeytour.org