Iliad meander river1/3/2024 ![]() ![]() Most groups are 8-10 days, so visit Asia Minor plus 2-3 other regions. There is so much to see, so you have to pick what interests you. If you visited all seven extensions, you would have an exhausting 18-day trip. The map below shows the regions (red underlines) and a common route for visiting them (blue line). Most groups fly to/from Istanbul, so its usually at least one day on the itinerary. ![]() Istanbul is a world-class city on the water, with great history. It features the most monumental structures in Turkey, such as Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar, and Topkapı Palace (of the Ottoman Sultans). Istanbul-The capital of modern Turkey was the Byzantine capital, Constantinople. The top sites are Assos, Troas (especially its harbor area), and Troy (yes, the city of Homer’s Iliad). ![]() Troas-The peninsula in northwest Turkey has some strategic cities that were travel nodes in antiquity. You can visit the coastal cities of Patara/Adrianake, Patara, and Xanthus. Lycia-The southwest coastline of Turkey features scenic mountains and a great coastline. Other notable sites are Termesoss, Aspendos, and Side. The biblical sites are Attalea (modern Antalya) and Perge. Pamphylia-Explore the Mediterranean coast of southern Turkey. Only Pisidian Antioch has a notable ancient site and museum to visit the others are unexcavated. Galatia-Biblical tours can visit Pisidian Antioch, Konya, Derbe, and Lystra (the churches of Acts 13–14 and Paul’s letter to the Galatians). More info about Asia sites here.Ĭilicia-Visit Syrian Antioch (modern Hatay/Antakya), a wonderful multicultural city in southeast Turkey, then Tarsus and perhaps Adana.Ĭappadocia-Enjoy the surreal geography of Cappadocia’s fairy chimneys and spectacular valleys with hundreds of medieval, Byzantine cave churches and monasteries. You can also add another day to visit sites in the Meander River Valley (e.g., Priene, Miletus, and Didyma), or take a day trip by boat to visit Patmos. For this time, while visiting Asia Minor, you can establish a base around Ephesus (at a beach resort in Kuşadası or a budget hotel in Selcuk) or in downtown Smyrna near the waterside. The cities of Ephesus, Pergamon, and Sardis were all regional capitals at one point in antiquity and have been well excavated, so they are the top sites. John’s Basilica), Pergamon (acropolis, Red Basilica, Asklepion), Lycus Valley (Hierapolis/Pamukkale, Laodicea), and the Lydia region (Sardis, Philadelphia, and Thyatira, with the latter two being small sites only for biblical tours). The four days are usually spent as follows: Ephesus (ancient site, museum, St. Asia Minor, situated along the Aegean coast in western Turkey, is the meat and potatoes of group tours in Turkey because the spectacular ancient sites are close to each other. Asia Minor/Seven Churches of Revelation (four days). ![]()
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