Itinerary

- Day 1 - Arrival in Istanbul
HOS GELDINIZ! Welcome to Turkey!
We will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel. After a short briefing about your tour, you will have the afternoon free to rest and explore Istanbul on your own. Overnight in Istanbul

- Day 2 - Istanbul - (B/L)
Today is dedicated to exploring Istanbul's most historic sites:
Sites youíll see today:
* Blue Mosque/Sultanahmet Mosque (Camii) built during the reign of Sultan Ahmet I during 1609-1616. It is the only mosque in Turkey with six minarets. Due to its magnificent hand-dyed blue, green and white Iznik tiles it has been named the "Blue Mosque" by Europeans. The central dome is 43 m in height and is 33.4 m in diameter; it also boasts 260 windows.
* Hagia Sophia/Aya Sofya is a truly awe-inspiring, 1,400-year-old Byzantine cathedral which houses mosaics, relics and iron work. Hagia Sophia was, for nearly a thousand years, the largest enclosed space in the world, and still seen as one of the world's most important architectural monuments. It is one of Turkey's most popular attractions, drawn by the sheer spectacle of its size, architecture, mosaics and art. Built during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Justinian in the 6th century AD.
* Hippodrome: the backdrop of chariot races and the center of Byzantine civic life. Of the ornaments which once decorated it, only three remain: The Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column, and the Column of Constantine.
The Obelisk is in the Egyptian style and was erected in 1547 BC and stood 60m tall. The German Fountain is also within the hippodrome area, constructed in Germany to mark German Emperor Wilhelm II's second visit to Istanbul; it was imported and officially opened on January 1 1901. The fountain's three domes are decorated with gold mosaics.
* Topkapi Palace was the imperial residence and administrative heart of the massive Ottoman Empire, beginnng with Fatih Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror, in 1453, until 1856. It was converted to a museum in 1924. Parts of the palace such as the Harem, Baghdad Pavilion, Revan Pavilion, Sofa Pavilion, and the Audience Chamber distinguish themselves with their architectural assets. The museum also has collections from the Imperial Treasury, as well as Chinese porcelain, weapons, calligraphy, etc. The Treasury also houses the Topkapi Dagger, the 86-carat "Spoon Maker's Diamond", and the jewel-encrusted bones of St. John the Baptist. *The Grand Bazaar will also be visited during the tour. Overnight in Istanbul.

- Day 3 - Istanbul - (B)
* The Spice Bazaar/Egyptian Bazaar (Misir Carsisi) transports you back to the Silk Road days with its mystical aromas of various spices. Here, you'll also find other shops selling fruits, vegetables, teas, flowers, fish, and Turkish Delight (lokum).
* Bosphorus Cruise takes you though the waterway separating the two continents, Europe and Asia; along its shores, you can take photographs of marble palaces and antique wooden Ottoman-era villas that sit beside luxurious modern residences.You will also see Dolmabahce Palace, Beylerbeyi Palace, and Ortakoy Mosque.After the tour, we will take you to the Grand Bazaar and give you free time to explore and do some souvenir shopping. Overnight in Istanbul

- Day 4 - Istanbul to Athens - (B)
After breakfast, we will provide a transfer to the Istanbul airport for your 1-hour flight to Athens.
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KALOS ORISATE! Welcome to Greece! We will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel. After a short briefing about your tour, you will have the afternoon free to rest and explore Athens on your own.
Overnight in Athens

- Day 5 - Athens - (B)
After breakfast around 8:30 AM, we will meet you at your hotel for your guided tour of Athens.
You will explore Temple of Olympian Zeus, Panathinaiko Stadium (where the first Olympic Games took place in 1896). After that, we will drive by the Prime's Minister's residence, the Royal Palace, (guarded by colorful Evzones), Zappion (Conference and Exhibition Hall), National Garden, Hadrian's Arc, St. Paul's Church, Parliament, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Schlieman's House (Numismatic Museum), Catholic Cathedral, Academy, University, National Library, Old Parliament, Constitution Square, and the impressive Russian Orthodox Church.
At the ACROPOLIS, you will visit Propylaea, Temple of Athena Nike, Parthenon, Erechtheion and the Museum of the Acropolis.
In the early afternoon, we will provide a transfer to your hotel, or we can also drop you off at the Plaka so you can wander and explore. Overnight in Athens

- Day 6 - Athens - (B/L)
After breakfast, you will be picked up from your hotel and will continue on with a full-day guided tour of Delphi.
On the way, we will be passing by the OLYMPIC STADIUM, site of the 2004 Olympics. We continue on to Thebes, Levadia (short stop) and Arachova/Delphi, once known in ancient times as "the navel of the world". We'll pass by Castalia Spring, visit the Temple of Apollo famous for its oracle and its museum, with its spectacular artifacts, including the bronze Charioteer sculpture, the Naxian Sphinx and the Statue of Antinous.
After lunch, return to Athens via the picturesque mountain village of Arachova, which was built on the southern slopes of Parnassus. This town is well-known for its attractive hand-woven carpets, rugs and quilts, as well as for its wine and cheese. After the tour, you will be transferred to your hotel. Overnight in Athens.

- Day 7 - Athens to Cairo - (B)
After breakfast we will provide a transfer to Athens international airport and put you on a 2-hour flight to Cairo.
(International flight: Greece to Egypt)
MARHABAN! Welcome to Egypt!
We will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel. After a short briefing about your tour you will have the afternoon free to rest and explore Cairo on your own. Overnight in Cairo

- Day 8 - Cairo - (B)
After breakfast, we will take you on a guided tour of Cairo.
Sites you will visit today:
The Great Pyramids of Giza are the oldest and largest of the three pyramids in the Giza Necropolis that borders Cairo; additionally, the Great Pyramid is the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World that has survived substantially intact. It is believed the pyramid was built as a tomb for Fourth dynasty Egyptian King Khufu (Cheops in Greek) and constructed over a 20-year period concluding around 2560 BC.
The Sphinx is a zoomorphic mythological figure which is depicted as a recumbent lion with a human head. It has its origins in sculpted figures of Old Kingdom Egypt, to which the ancient Greeks applied their own name for a male monster, the "strangler", an archaic figure of Greek mythology.
The Valley Temple was built during the reign of Pharaoh Chefren; its unique feature is its core limestone masonry.
After the tour, we will bring you back to your hotel. Overnight in Cairo

- Day 9 - Exploring Cairo - (B)
After breakfast, we will meet you at the lobby of your hotel and continue with your full day tour.
Sites you will see today:
Egyptian Museum, or the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, is home to an extensive collection of ancient Egyptian antiquities. It has 120,000 items, with a representative amount on display, with the remainder in storerooms.
The stunning Royal Mummy Room, which contains 27 royal mummies from pharaonic times, was closed on the orders of President Anwar Sadat in 1981. It was reopened, with a slightly curtailed display of New Kingdom kings and queens in 1985. Today there are about 9 mummies on display. One of them is the newly discovered mummy of Queen Hatshepsut.
After visiting the museum, we will next take you to Old Cairo and give you free time to walk around and explore.
Old Cairo contains the ruins of the cities that are ancestors to Ciaro, such as Fustat, as well as some other elements from the city's varied history, showcasing Coptic and Roman influences. We will then take you to your hotel.
Overnight in Cairo

- Day 10 - Cairo to Home - (B)
MA AS SALAAMA good bye, itís time to go home. We will transfer you to the airport and wish you well, asking you to keep Egypt and all of us in your heart. We hope our paths cross again.

Total: 1,485 Euro per person, double room & 1,985 Euros, single room

Price includes:
* Flight tickets from Istanbul to Athens
* Flight tickets from Athens to Cairo
* All hotels
* All land transfers in comfortable vehicles
* All of the meals mentioned in the itinerary ( B-breakfast, L-lunch & D-dinner)
* Professional, English-speaking tour guides
* Admissions to ancient sites
* All taxes and service charges

Excludes:
* Drinks with meals
* Optional Turkish Night Showî in Istanbul
*Light Showî in Egypt
* Tips

As always, we can add days in Turkey and/or Egypt, including: Ephesus, Cappadocia in Turkey and Aswan in Egypt