http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kocatepe_Mosque

Day Two: ANKARA

· Explore the ruins of Hattusha, a city from the widespread Hittite empire that flourished during 1500 BCE. It is recommended to brush up on the history of the Hittite Empire before you visit this historical site!
· Visit the Anatolian Civilizations Museum
· Take a stroll in the Genclik Park (watch out for the roses!)

Day Three: ANKARA TO GOREME (5 hours by car)

· Goreme is located in Cappadocia, an ancient region of Turkey (known as Anatolia). It was an important area during the Roman Empire after Diocletian separated the Empire into East and West.
· Walk around the quaint town which is surrounded by high rocks

Goreme Landscape http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cappadocia

Day Four: GOREME

· Explore Goreme National Park (a world Heritage Site). It has small monasteries carved into the side of volcanic rocks. Cappadocian Monasteries were established around the 4th century CE.
· Swing by Goreme Open Air Museum (the interior caves have Byzantine wall paintings!)
· Take a taxi to Avanos Oren Yeri, a small village famous for its Turkish pottery

Day Five: GOREME TO KONYA (3 ½ hours by car)

· Investigate the Seljuk Palace remains. The Seljuks were a Muslim group that ruled Anatolia during the 12th century.
· See the Alaeddin Camii Mosque built by Alaaddin Keykubat
· See a Sema (Whirling Dervish Ceremony). It is a mystic dance performed by Sufi Muslims.

Sufi Whirling http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sufi_whirling

Day Six: KONYA to MARMARIS

· Driving day! It takes about 7 ½ hours from here to the coastal city of Marmaris. There is a bus for this route as well.

Day Seven: MARMARIS

Aphrodite of Knidos http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akt

Day Eight: Day trip from MARMARIS to RHODES

· From 4,000 BCE to modern times, Rhodes has remained a lively center at the crossroads between Europe and Asia. It is most famous for purportedly having the massive “Colossus of Rhodes” at its harbor entrance
· Ferry from Marmaris to Rhodes here
· See Archaeological Museum of Rhodes (6 euro fee)
· See the Roloi Clock Tower (panoramic)
· Relax at the Socratous Garden pub

Colossus of Rhodes http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Colossus_of_Rhodes2.jpg

Day Nine: RHODES TO EPHESUS

· Ephesus was a city in classical antiquity that was famous for the Temple of Artemis, one of the Ancient Seven Wonders of the World. It contains a wealth of ancient Greek and Roman ruins.
· See the remains/the sight of the former Temple of Artemis
· Celsus Library (built in 110 CE by Julius Aquila)
· Temple of Hadrian
· The Arcadian Way

Day Ten: EPHESUS

· It will probably take two days to explore the remainder of the architecture (i.e. the Agora and Temple of Domitian)
· Remains of the Heracles Gate
· There is a plethora of other ancient ruins to see. Access them here

Temple of Domitian http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:7.1_Temple_of_Domitian_in_Ephesus.JPG

Day Eleven: EPHESUS TO PERGAMON (2 hours)

· See the Asklepieion and Acropolis of Pergamon (a famous city of Hellenism in the 3rd-1st century BCE)
· Marvel at the Theatre
· Red Basilica (one of the seven churches of the Apocalypse in Revelations)

Day Twelve: PERGAMON to TEVFIKIYE (TROY) (3 hours)

· Explore the amazing ruins of Troy, the legendary city immortalized by Homer’s Iliad. It was excavated by Heinrich Schliemann in the late 1800s.
· See the Kilitbahir Castle
· Pithos Garden and ruins of the Temple of Athena

Day Thirteen: TROY

· Relax in the city or take a day trip to Assos, Turkey, which has a stunning view of the Assos Harbor
· You will have a long drive tomorrow!

Sarcophagi relief of Hector being carried back to Troy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hector

Day Fourteen: TROY to IZMIT (ancient Nicomedia) (5 hours)

· Explore the ruins of Nicomedia, a city that gained importance during the tetrarchy of Diocletian
· See a film at the Dolphin Sinemalari Theater

Day Fifteen: IZMIT to ISTANBUL (1 ½ hours)

· Walk along the Sultanahmet District
· Learn about the Ottoman Empire at the Topkapi Palace
· View the stunning Bosphorus Strait, the body of water between Europe and Asia
· End the day at Camlica Hill

Day Sixteen: ISTANBUL (CONSTANTINOPLE)

· See the Hagia Sophia
· Blue Mosque
· Basilica Cistern
· Marvel at the Walls of Constantinople, built by the Christian Roman Emperor Constantine

Hagia Sophia (Church of Holy Wisdom) http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hagia_Sophia_(5_Aug_2008).jpg

Day Seventeen: ISTANBUL

· See a Whirling Dervish Ceremony at the Dede Efendi house
· Istanbul Archeology Museum
· Mosaic Museum
· End the day at the Miniaturk

Day Eighteen: Fly home from Istanbul Atatürk Airportome