ANZAC Day Memorial Tour

Itinerary

Day 1 Istanbul

Arrive in Istanbul at any time. A G.A.P Adventures representative will meet you at the airport and bring you to our joining point hotel. There are no planned activities, so check into to the hotel (check-in time is approx 3pm) and enjoy the city. In the late afternoon (approx 5pm) meet your fellow group members to go over the details of your trip; this is also when your leader will collect your local payment. Check the notice board or ask reception to see the exact time and location of this group meeting. After the meeting, head out for a meal in a nearby local restaurant (optional). If you arrive late, no worries, the leader will leave you a message at the front desk.

Day 2 Istanbul (B)

Today venture into the city that spans two continents. There are no planned activities so you are free to explore Istanbul on your own. Highly recommended are the Haghia Sophia Museum, one of the most important monuments in Christianity; the Basilica Cistern, an incredible water storage facility built in 532, the Hippodrome and the legendary blue Mosque. Then end of the day can be spent in the covered bazaar.In the evening we embark on an overnight train journey to Denizli.ISTANBUL: Istanbul has a population of 13 million, including its autonomously governed 28 municipalities. The city lies upon two different continents: Europe and Asia, connected by two bridges, which span the Bosporus Strait, meaning "Strait of the Cow" in Ancient Greek. According to ancient myth, God of the Gods Zeus was married to Goddess Hera. However, Zeus was not satisfied with only one woman; being Zeus, he used his attractiveness and skills to have affairs with other women. One of these was Io; once jealous Hera realized the affair between Io and Zeus, she turned Io into a cow, and ordered a bee to chase Io incessantly. In pain from the constant stinging, Io began to run madly; the route she ran became today's Bosporus.Constructed in 1973, the Bosporus Bridge connects the areas of Ortakoy (Europe) and Beylerbeyi (Asia), and has a span of 1.1km (0.7 miles). The strait’s second bridge, Fatih Sultan Mehmed Bridge, was constructed in 1988 and takes its name from sultan "Mehmed (the Conqueror)" who conquered Istanbul (Constantinople) in 1453 from the Byzantine Empire.Istanbul is a city of mosques and universities: over the centuries, over 8000 mosques of all sizes have been constructed in the city. The first university, University of Istanbul, was founded in the 15th century by order of Sultan Mehmed "the Conqueror." Today, the city boasts 16 private and public universities.Blue Mosque:Istanbul’s Sultan Ahmed Mosque is one of several mosques known as the Blue Mosque for the blue tiles that adorn walls of its interior. It was built between 1609 and 1616, during the rule of Ahmed I. Like many other mosques, it also comprises a tomb of the founder, a madrasah (Islamic school) and a hospice. The Sultan Ahmed Mosque has become one of the greatest tourist attractions of Istanbul.Hippodrome:The Hippodrome of Constantinople was a horse-racing track that was the sporting and social centre of Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire and the largest city in Europe in its time. It is estimated that the Hippodrome of Constantine was about 450 metres long and 130 metres wide; its stands were capable of holding 100,000 spectators.Haghia Sophia:Haghia Sophia is a former patriarchal basilica, later a mosque, now a museum, in Istanbul. Famous in particular for its massive dome, it is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture. It was the largest cathedral in the world for nearly a thousand years, until the completion of the Medieval Seville Cathedral in 1520.The current building was originally constructed as a church between 532 and 537 AD on the orders of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian, and was in fact the third Church of the Holy Wisdom to occupy the site (the previous two had both been destroyed by riots). It was designed by two architects, Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles. The Church contained a large collection of holy relics and featured, among other things, a 50 foot (15 m) silver iconostasis. It was the patriarchal church of the Patriarch of Constantinople and the religious focal point of the Eastern Orthodox Church for nearly 1000 years.In 1453, Constantinople was conquered by the Ottoman Turks and Sultan Mehmed II ordered the building to be converted into a mosque. The bells, altar, iconostasis, and sacrificial vessels were removed, and many of the mosaics were eventually plastered over. The Islamic features - such as the mihrab, the minbar, and the four minarets outside - were added over the course of its history under the Ottomans. It remained as a mosque until 1935, when it was converted into a museum by the secular Republic of Turkey.For almost 500 years the principal mosque of Istanbul, Haghia Sophia served as a model for many of the Ottoman mosques such as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque of Istanbul), the Şehzade Mosque, the Süleymaniye Mosque, and the Rüstem Pasha Mosque. The Basilica Cistern is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that still lie beneath the city of Istanbul. The cistern was built during the reign of emperor Justinian I in the 6th century, the age of glory of Eastern Rome, also called the Byzantine Empire.

Day 3 Pamukkale (B)

Arrive in Denizli in the early morning and check into your hotel. In the afternoon we take a guided tour of the Pamukkale formations, wade through the natural pools and explore the ruins of Hierapolis.Located 20 kilometres from the town of Denizli in the Aegean region of Turkey, Pamukkale is one of the most interesting places in the world, justly famous not only for the entrancing beauty of its unique geological formations but also for its historical remains. The calcium oxide-rich waters flowing down the southern slope of Caldag located north of the ruins have, over the millennia, built up deposits of white travertine on the plateau, thus fully justifying both the site's ancient name of Hierapolis (Holy City) and its modern one of Pamukkale (Cotton Castle).Ancient Hierapolis appears to have been founded by King Eumenes II of Pergamon, and its name is derived from Hiera, the wife of King Telephos, legendary founder of Pergamon. The city became subject to Rome in 133 BC. In 17 BC, during the reign of Tiberius, it suffered a heavy earthquake that destroyed the city, requiring it to be rebuilt. Preliminary excavations at Hierapolis were undertaken by a German team towards the end of the last century. Since 1957, excavation and restoration work has been going on under the direction of a group of Italian archaeologists from the University of Lecce.

Day 4 Selcuk (B)

Travel to Selcuk with a stop along the way at Izmir, Turkey's third largest city. Visit the incredible ruins of Ephesus, one of the foremost cities of the world in its time. After our tour there will also be time to explore Selcuk at leisure.Trade centre of the ancient world, religious centre of early Christianity and today a unique tourism centre, Ephesus has always been the centre of something. Established as a port on the mouth of the river Cayster and spreading up the sides of a fertile valley, the ruins of Ephesus are extensive, and include a theatre, library and gymnasium. Linguists accept that the word “Ephesus” derived from “Apasas,” the town’s name under the rule of Ahhiyava Kingdom mentioned in the written records of Hittites of the 14th and 13th centuries BC.

Day 5 Ayvalik (B)

Before travelling to Ayvalik, visit the ruins of Troy. Making our way down the Aegean coast, arrive in Ayvalik and explore the town at leisure or just sit back in one of the cafes. There is also time for a relaxed boat cruise to see the magnificent coastline from the sea. Ayvalik and the numerous islands encircling the bay area are popular Turkish holiday resorts. The most important and the biggest of these islets is Cunda Island (Alibey Island) which was connected to the mainland by a bridge in the late 1960s. Ayvalik also has two of the longest sandy beaches in the whole country: Sarimsakli and Altinova; these extend as far as the Dikili district of Izmir, nearly 30 km to the south. In recent years Ayvalik has also become popular with SCUBA divers. Today, the population of Ayvalik is nearly 30000, and much more during the summer tourist high season.

Day 6 Canakkale (B)

Travel to the Gallipoli peninsula to visit the historical WWI site, and learn more of the tragic history this peninsula on a guided tour. Afterwards, make our way to Canakkale for the night. Çanakkale is a city of education, culture, nature and history. The history of the region dates back 5000 years, and unfortunately includes two of the bloodiest wars in history – the mythological war of Troy and the Battle of Gallipoli. Owing to its strategic position, Canakkale has always been the strongest point in the defence of Dardanelles (the narrow strait connecting the Aegean to the Sea of Marmara); whether during the Trojan War or the First World War. Homer immortalized Troy (Truva) and the characters of King Priam, Hector, Pans and Helen, in the Iliad. The 1915 Battle of Gallipoli (known as the Battle of Canakkale in Turkey) took place between the defending Turks and a joint WWI Allied force, which was keen to capture the Ottoman capital of Constantinople (Istanbul), and secure a sea route to Russia. The attempt failed, with heavy casualties on both sides; on the Allied side, troops were made up of troops from the UK, Australia, New Zealand, France, India and Canada. All told, 100 000 soldiers lost their lives between the two sides.The campaign resonated profoundly among all nations involved. In Turkey, the battle is perceived as a defining moment in the history of the Turkish people—a final surge in the defence of the motherland as the centuries-old Ottoman Empire was crumbling. The struggle laid the grounds for the Turkish War of Independence and the foundation of the Turkish Republic eight years later under Atatürk, himself a commander at Gallipoli.In Australia and New Zealand, the campaign was the first major battle undertaken by a joint military formation, the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC), and is often considered to mark the birth of national consciousness in both of these countries. Anzac Day (April 25) remains the most significant commemoration of military casualties and veterans in Australia and New Zealand, surpassing Armistice Day/Remembrance Day.

Day 7 ANZAC Cove/Istanbul (B)

Very early we head to ANZAC cove for the dawn service commemorating the Battle of Gallipoli/Canakkale (1915). After the service, travel back to Istanbul for one last night with the group.

Day 8 Depart Istanbul (B)

You are free to depart at any time on Day 8, though remember check out from the hotel is approx 10am.