Historic Eastern Turkey

For travelers interested in venturing off-the-beaten-track, this journey explores the highlights of eastern Anatolia. Discover the influences of layers of civilizations and surrounding lands in the historic regions from the Black Sea coast, along the mountainous Armenain border, across the southeastern plains to the Mediterranean. For those with less time, consider ending the tour in Van on day 9.

Days 1 & 2 Istanbul

Arrive in Istanbul where you will be met and transferred to your selected hotel. Visit Topkapi Palace, built by Mehmed the Conqueror in 1453, and take in the spectacular views of Istanbul from the various terraces. Step inside the 17th-century Blue Mosque where you’ll discover the reason for its name. The highlight of your time in Istanbul will, no doubt, be a visit to Hagia Sophia, the famous landmark that has graced the city for almost 1,500 years.

Days 3 & 4 Trabzon

Fly to Trabzon, an important port city on the Black Sea coast of northeastern Turkey dating from the 7th century BCE. Visit the 13th-century Byzantine church, Hagia Sophia, and see the splendid frescoes on its interior walls. Spend time at the Ottoman Gulbahar Mosque, and then proceed to Irene Tower from where you can see a beautiful view of the city and coastline.

Days 5 & 6 Erzurum

Travel by road to Macka, a beautiful town on the slopes of the Eastern Black Sea Mountain Range and gateway to Altindere National Park. Here, you can see the legendary Sumela Monastery high on the side of the cliff. It was originally founded in the year 386 by two priests who reportedly discovered an icon of the Virgin Mary in a cave on the mountain. It has been rebuilt several times throughout its history and attained its present form in the 13th century. Stop in Gumushane, once an important point on the ancient trade route between Trabzon and Iran, and Bayburt, a city on the old Silk Road. Arrive in Erzurum, situated at an altitude of 6,400 feet on a plateau in eastern Anatolia. Discover the long history of this city as you tour its monuments – the city walls and fortress, the unusual 12th-century Ulu Mosque, the Cifte Minareli Medrese with elaborate stone carvings and the 13th-century Mausoleum, Hatuniye Turbesi.

Day 7 Kars, Ani & Dogubayazit

Journey to Kars and discover its Russian legacy in the town’s architecture. See the impressive Seljuk fortress dating from the 12th century and the nearby 10th-century Church of the Apostles before traveling on to Ani on the ancient Silk Road. The once glorious medieval Armenian capital of Ani lies mostly in ruins, but you can still see the impressive city walls and tower as well as the remains of ten of the original 1,000 churches of ancient Ani. Near Dogubayazit, Turkey’s most scenic natural monument and tallest peak, Mount Agri (Mount Ararat), rises to a height of 16,843 feet. This mountain is believed to be where Noah’s Ark came to rest.

Days 8 & 9 Van

As you leave Dogubayazit, observe the spectacular hilltop Ottoman-period Ishak Pasa Palace, whose construction took 99 years from 1685 to 1784. Nearby, you can see a bas-relief of an Urartian king, and a rock tomb from the 9th century BCE. Make a stop at the Muradiye Waterfalls with its peaceful tea garden and small restaurants. Arrive in Van, the ancient Urartian Capital on the eastern shore of the lake by the same name. Take a full-day tour of Van and see the imposing 9th century BCE citadel and Urartian fortress. In the Old City, the Ulu Mosque, Husrev Pasa Mosque, Kaya Celebi Mosque and the Ikiz Kumbet reflect Seljuk and Ottoman architecture. Visit the interesting Archaeological Museum in the new city, then sail to the Island of Akhdamar. Lake Van is the largest lake in Turkey and, at an altitude of 5,640 feet, it is surrounded by beautiful mountains. Many of the islands in Lake Van have monasteries and churches built on them. Akhdamar Island is the most important of these and you can see the sacred pilgrimage site of the Armenian Church of the Holy Cross, now a museum.

You may choose to end your journey in Van and fly to Istanbul for your connecting flight home. For those with more time, continue into southeastern Anatolia.

Days 10 & 11 Bitlis, Diyarbakir, Mount Nemrut & Adiyaman

Drive west to Bitlis, and see the intriguing Byzantine citadel with polygonal towers overlooking the city, the Serefhan Medrese and several other interesting mosques. Arrive in Diyarbakir in the late afternoon. Situated on a plateau, the old town is surrounded by triple black basalt walls with 16 keeps and five gates. They are among the longest in the world and are a fine example of the military architecture of the Middle Ages. On the summit of Mount Nemrut, the highest mountain in Northern Mesopotamia, sits the gigantic funerary sanctuary erected in the 1st century BCE by King Antiochus of Commagene. Adiyaman’s impressive Archaeological Museum houses regional finds from the Lower Euphrates, which date from the Neolithic and Chalcolithic ages. The city was founded in the 7th century and one can find the ruins of an Arab castle, the Abbasid citadel, restored by the Seljuks, the 14th-century Ulu Cami and the historic old bazaar.

Days 12 & 13 Sanliurfa & Harran

Visit the Ataturk Dam and learn about the Southeastern Anatolian Project en route to Sanliurfa, known in ancient times first as Ur and later as Edessa. Discover the legacy of all the civilizations that have prospered in this region. The remains of the castle with two Corinthian columns rising above the ruined walls stand atop a small crest. At the foot of the hills, the lovely Halil Rahman Mosque is built around the legendary Pool of Sacred Fish. The pond sits atop the site where Abraham was reportedly thrown into the fire by Nimrod. Step back in time as you wander through the vaulted eastern bazaar and linger in the courtyards of the old inns.

Spend a half day in ancient Harran, often identified as the residence of Abraham before he reached Canaan.

On the Harran plain, there are hundreds of mounds reflecting the rich past of the region, the most important of which is the Harran mound. Harran, well known since early times, is also a very important site on the road linking the Mediterranean to Mesopotamia. Research reveals that the site was continuously inhabited from 5000 BCE until the 13th century CE. The archaeological remains include those of the largest Islamic University, 8th-century city walls, four gates and a citadel.

Day 14 Antakya

Also known as the biblical city of Antioch, Antakya lies at the southeastern tip of Anatolia, near the Eastern Mediterranean.

Stop in Gaziantep, the principal city of the region of Hittite origin and the center of pistachio nut cultivation in Turkey. See the Seljuk fortress, a medrese (ancient school) and an archaeological museum.

Antakya was once the capital of the Seleucid kings and was known for its wealth and luxury. In Roman times, the city continued to thrive with commerce and culture. It featured prominently in early Christianity; St. Barnabas, St. Paul and St. Peter all visited the city. The Antakya Museum houses one of the richest collections of Roman mosaics in the world. Outside the town, see the Grotto of St. Peter, the cave church that was declared a holy site by the Vatican.

Days 15 & 16 Tarsus & Adana

In the morning, depart for Tarsus, the birthplace of St. Paul. The city was invaded and destroyed several times and remaining monuments include: the Cleopatra Gate, through which Mark Antony and Cleopatra passed when they came to Tarsus to meet; an ancient church and the Ottoman Ulu Cami. Walk through narrow streets past old houses to find St. Paul’s well.

Enjoy idyllic scenery on the journey on to Adana, Turkey’s fourth-largest city set in the heart of Cukurova Plain. The Taskopru (Stone Bridge), built by Hadrian, spans the Seyhan River, which bisects the town. See the 16th-century Ulu Mosque, the Eski Mosque, the Hasan Aga Mosque, the 19th-century clock tower and the old covered bazaar. Visit the Archaeological Museum, which displays locally excavated Hittite and Roman remains, the charming Ethnography Museum and the Ataturk Culture Museum.

Days 17 & 18 Istanbul & Homeward Bound

Fly to Istanbul and take in an afternoon cruise on the Bosphorus before you bid farewell to the ancient and fascinating country of Turkey and head for home.