Gay friendly
Turkey package tours from very experienced gay & lesbian owned travel agency of Turkey
Attention ! We cooperate with the
most gay & lesbian friendly hotels, guides, tour operators transportation
companies as much as possible and where available. Please
kindly remember that there is no such a big potential for
such gay exclusive
tours to be organized everyday in Turkey. Consequently, it is a
coincidence if there will be other gay or lesbian clients at
the same time you reserve this tour package.
After approximately 1 hour early morning Istanbul-Izmir flight, you
will be transferred to Ephesus, the best preserved ancient city of
Roman period which used to contain one of the seven wonders
of the ancient world, the Temple of Artemis.
Transfer to Ataturk Airport Flight from Istanbul to Izmir (approximately 1 hour) Transfer and check in to your hotel in Kusadasi (or Selcuk) Full day tour of Ephesus and House of Virgin Mary, including transfers, entrance
fees, guide. Lunch during the tour is included.
Where you visit:
Ephesus - Enter through the Magnesia Gate and begin a slow,
downhill walk with your guide into the ruins of this Roman
provincial capital. Your route takes you past the Odeum, the Celsus
Library, the Temple of Hadrian, the Fountain of Trajan and the Great
Theater. The Theater had seating for 25,000, was the site where St.
Paul preached to the Ephesians, and is used today for a local spring
festival. House of the Virgin Mary - The Vatican has recognized this
small house in the Solmissos Mountains as the final resting place of
the Virgin Mary. A small shrine dedicated to St. Mary was found when
the ruins of the house were first discovered.
Besides being a popular summer
resort, Kusadasi is also a major base for visiting many
neighborhood ancient sights.
What you see along the way: From Kusadasi, you travel north
to St. Johns Basilica, passing the Byzantine fortress at Selcuk and
the ruins of the Temple of Artemis. Continue to Ephesus Open Museum
then up to the House of Virgin Mary located in Bulbul Mountain.
After the visit head for the upper gate of Ephesus. By the end of
touring Ephesus, return to Kusadasi. Special notes: Ephesus requires walking long distances over
uneven surfaces Transfer back to hotel. Dinner at your hotel included.
Hotel accommodation
in Kusadasi (or Selcuk if requested). Private rooms with air condition and
bath/WC.
Possible hotels in Kusadasi are:
Dabaklar Hotel
Coast Light Hotel
Hotel Atinc or similar quality/location hotels to be selected by us
if they are not available or too overpriced at the time or
tour period.
DAY
2 : PAMUKKALE
Hot spring pools of Pamukkale are
created by nature in thousands of years
Breakfast
at hotel included Pamukkale & Hierapolis tour including transfers, entrance
fees, guide. Lunch during the tour is included. (Visiting the amazing white colored travertines, hot spring
pools and water terraces have been created by nature in millions of
years on the mountain slopes of Pamukkale and the ancient city of
Hierapolis which has the biggest ancient Necropolis of Turkey with
1200 gravestones) Transfer to airport after the
tour
Evening flight to Istanbul. End of our service with your arrival to Ataturk airport
in Istanbul
Extra transfer to your hotel in
Istanbul, 30 Euro for 1-3
pax
TOUR PRICE
Tour Price: 450 Euro
per personin single room (1 pax) 380 Euro
per person in double room (2 pax) 350 Euro
per person in triple room(3 pax) ATTENTION: 1) %7
winter discount from
November 01-March 31, except Christmas period (December
23-January 03)
2)
Occasionally, higher prices may apply based on flight
availabilities, especially on special days or weekends. Early
reservation is highly recommended to secure these prices. 3)
Ask for group discount for participants over 7 pax
Above tour prices include:
All taxes.
Accommodation in private rooms at 4 star or equal quality
special class hotels
(Hotel upgrade possible, if requested)
Mentioned guided day tours with lunch.
Entrance fees for museums
All mentioned meals above in the itinerary
2 way transportation by plane from/to Istanbul
All connecting transfers in between the tour period, as
mentioned
Possible add-ons : Airport hotel transfers in Istanbul for your international
flights.
Hotel accommodation in Istanbul before or after the tour
with discounted rates.
Daily Istanbul Tours with discounted rates as a part of this
package.
Extra hotel accommodation in Cappadocia, if requested. Hotel upgrade possible, if requested.You can
also inform us any hotel of your own selection.
Click Here for Other Turkey Tour Packages
PAYMENT AND
RESERVATION
Payment and reservation:
Depending on season and flight availabilities we will request 20-30% of the total tour price for
guaranteed reservations. We will send you a detailed
reservation contract by e-mail after all details are
confirmed mutually.
For advance payments we accept Visa and Master and
American express credit cards by mail order method or money
transfer. The balance of payment can also be made in cash in
Euros or in other internationally accepted currencies from
the cross exchange rates valid on payment day.
EPHESUS
Library of Celcus
Temple of Hadrian
Antic Theater
During
both the Hellenistic and Roman periods Ephesus was the most
important port and cultural center of the eastern world. The remains
of the city are still spellbinding today. Of
all the ancient cities of Turkey, Ephesus is the best preserved and
most visited in all ages and is as popular as it was in ancient
times. This is due to the miraculous discovery of the House of the Virgin
Mary. The city had splendid buildings
and was dedicated to the Goddess Artemis, whose temple was
considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The main monuments
that we will see during the visit of this fascinating city are: the
street of Arcadiane, the majestic theatre, marble road, library of
Celsus, market place street of the Curettes, baths of Scholastic
state agora, prytaneion, odeon. The town of Seljuk, is dominated by
a Byzantine citadel close to the basilica of St. John built in the
5th century, on the site of tomb of the Apostle. Seljuk has also an
exceptionally fine archaeological museum. The Artemis Temple
was destroyed in 356BC, and when Alexander the Great passed through
in 334 BC he offered to pay for the cost of a new construction,
provided it was dedicated to him. The Ephesus people declined, and
rebuilt it with great success.
When the Romans made Ephesus their provincial capital, it became a
busy town with great commercial, trading and political importance,
and a population that grew to around 250,000. A significant
Christian community grew, and the city was visited by St John the
Evangelist in the 1st century, then by St Paul, who was there
between 51-53 AD and wrote some of his epistles. It was also the
venue of two Ecumenical Councils.
But the success of Roman Ephesus began to dwindle, mainly because of
problems connected to the harbour, which was the main source of
trade. The Cayster River was pushing silt up the harbour and despite
attempts to dredge it and rebuild the harbour, the sea was pushed
back to Pamucak, 4km away, and therefore Ephesus lost its source of
wealth. By the 6th century, the city was unliveable and was shifted
near to St Johns Basilica, and by 1090 it was taken over by
the Turks.
HOUSE OF VIRGIN
MARY:
Outer view of the St Mary's
House
Statue of Mary
Basilica of St John
The resolutions of the council of 431 held that the Virgin Mary came
to Ephesos. According to them, she came here together with Saint
John, four to six years after the death of Christ. After the
proclamation of Pope Paul VI in 1967, Pope John Paul II came to
Ephesos and declared the House of Mary to be a place of pilgrimage
for Christians. The house on the top of Mount
Bulbuldag
is believed to be the last home of the
Virgin Mary. It is a world-famous place of pilgrimage. The structure
is a church that dates to the seventh century, and was restored in
1951. The church was supposedly built on top of the house in which
the Virgin Mary lived. The structure is cruciform, and has a domed
roof. The nave and its apse are accessible from the vestibule. The
House of Mary is a place of pilgrimage not only for Christians, but
also for Muslims. Muslims use the room to the south, which is
believed to be the bedroom of the Virgin Mary, as a prayer chapel.
Translations of the Quranic suras that mention Mary are on display
here.
This house, where the Virgin Mary is supposed to have lived during
her last days, and to have died with Johanna at her side, is
situated 7 km south of the antique city of Ephesus in Izmir. The German Nun
Katharina Emmerich (1774-1824) described the surroundings of the
house from a dream she had.
PAMUKKALE-HIERAPOLIS
Bathing in pools is no more
allowed
Ancient graves
Agora entrance of the ancient city
Pamukkale (Hierapolis) is one of the most enchanting and remarkable
sights in the whole of Turkey with the great dazzling white plateau,
almost 400 feet high, rising in a curtain of stalagmites and shallow
pools, giving one into another on hundreds of different levels, and
ancient city of Hierapolis located on this plateau. The great baths
were constructed in the second century and are so well-preserved
that they now serve as a museum. The impressive and recently
restored theatre, the Martyrium of St. Philip the Apostle of the 5th
century a colonnaded street erected by Domitian, a monumental gate
of the same period, another bath stretching on for over a Mile, the
necropolis with a fascinating variety of tombs and sarcophagus are
the famous monuments of this antique city.
