› Alternative 1 - Istanbul & Antalya

day 1 - March 25 - Istanbul --- Arrive in Istanbul. Dinner will follow the welcome get together and briefing.

day 2 - March 26 - Istanbul --- Byzantine Istanbul Hagia Sophia Cathedral - 6th C - the main cathedral of Constantinople. The masterpiece of the Byzantine Empire. Underground Cistern - 6th C - incredible water reservoir to the royal palaces has more than 300 columns. Hippodrome - 2nd C - see the monuments that decorated the horse track from the Roman times. Chora Church - 14th C - the very best examples of Byzantine wall mosaics. Spice Market - 17 C - Free time to explore and enjoy the market built to house the spice traders on the Silk Road. Still used as a spice market, very colorful, lots of local activity, great place to observe daily life besides shopping for spices.

day 3 - March 27 - Istanbul --- Ottoman Imperial Istanbul Topkapi Palace - 15th C - the royal residence and the seat of the Ottoman government for 400 years. Holds several very important exhibits like the royal treasury, Chinese porcelain, armors, the Harem (ladies quarter), sacred relics of Islam, etc... Blue Mosque - 17th C - the imperial mosque of Sultan Ahmet I, decorated with priceless 17th C tiles. Turkish - Islamic Arts Museum - in a 16th C Grand Viziers palace - for a better understanding of the Turkish culture and arts along with the Islamic arts. Boat trip on the Bosphorus - on a private boat for the group, narrated tour of the strait, a chance to observe architecture of centuries. Grand Bazaar - 15th C - Free time to enjoy the biggest of all bazaars built on the Silk Road.

day 4 - March 28 - Antalya --- to the Mediterranean Activities to be revised due to flight schedule. sleep in Antalya

day 5 - March 29 - Antalya --- the Solar Eclipse 4 minutes and 7 seconds of totality! Enjoy an unusually long lasting total solar eclipse from the shores of the Mediterranean. After the Mediterranean breakfast in our hotel, we will travel east of Antalya to Side or Manavgat, about 1 hour driving distance to get to an ideal place for viewing the eclipse. 11:38:24 am - first contact, the partial phase begins 12:55:00 pm - totality begins, second contact, lasting for almost 250 seconds 12:58:45 pm - the third contact, totality ends 14:13:35 pm - the fourth, partial phase ends In the late afternoon, visit Aspendos to learn more about the architectural talent of the Romans and to see the best preserved theater in the world - 2nd C-. sleep in Antalya

day 6 - March 30 - Istanbul --- Back to Istanbul. Activities to be revised due to flight schedule.

day 7 -March 31 --- Tour is over after breakfast.

Individual pre- & post- tour extensions are available to alternative destinations This tour is physically demanding

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