Itinerary

Turkey: From Religious Empires to Secular Republic

June 17-July 3, 2006

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This itinerary is custom designed to reveal the history and religious underpinnings of Turkey's earliest civilizations and the ways in which religious beliefs and practices were expressed in art and culture. Site visits help us examine the early presence of Western Christianity, Eastern Orthodox Christianity and Islam. We also consider the ways in which Turkey has westernized itself, and the implications secularization has had for the expression of religion. Closer to departure, this itinerary will be updated with details about daily seminars.

Saturday, June 17
Depart Minneapolis/St. Paul for Istanbul

Sunday, June 18
Arrive Istanbul (D)
Transfer to hotel in private, air-conditioned coach. Group dinner. Overnight Istanbul.

Monday, June 19
Istanbul (B, D)
Morning guided tours of Topkapi Palace, Hippodrome and Yerebatan cistern. Group lunch. Afternoon visit to a Turkish bath. Dinner on your own and evening free.

Tuesday, June 20
Istanbul (B, D)
Guided tours of Hagia Sophia, Sultanahmet/Blue Mosque, Museum of Turkish/Islamic Art. Lunch on your own and remainder of the afternoon free. Group dinner and evening free.

Wednesday, June 21
Istanbul (B, L)
Guided tours of Kariye Camii Church/Mosque and Suleymaniye Mosque. Visit Orthodox Church Patriarchate - Fener region. Group lunch. Afternoon visit to the Kapali Carsi bazaar and spice market. Dinner on your own and evening free.

Thursday, June 22
Istanbul - Selcuk (B, D)
Flight from Istanbul to Izmir. Coach to Selcuk. Tour Ephesus Museum, St. John Basilica, Isa Bey Mosque. Lunch on your own. Group dinner.

Friday, June 23
Selcuk - Ephesus (B, D)
Coach to Ephesus. Tour archeological museum, temple of Diana, Aphrodisias and Pammukale spa. Lunch on your own along the way. Group dinner.

Saturday, June 24
Ephesus - Konya (B, D)
Travel to Konya. Lunch on your own. Visit the bazaar/downtown Konya. Group dinner and evening Dervish dance.

Sunday, June 25
Konya (B, D)
Guided tour of the Mevlana shrine/mosque/museum, Alaettin Hill, Camii Karatay Medrese ceramics museum. Lunch on your own. Group dinner.

Monday, June 26
Konya -Urgup (B, D)
Coach along the Lhlara Gorge through Derinkuyu or Kaymakli underground cities on the way to Urgup.

Tuesday, June 27
Urgup (B, D)
Guided tours of Uchisar, Goreme, Zelve, Urgup, Cappadocia cave churches. Lunch on your own. Group dinner.

Wednesday, June 28
Cappadocia - Ankara (B,D)
Coach to Ankara, stopping along the way at Avanos and Hacibektas. Lunch on your own along the way. Group dinner.

Thursday, June 29
Ankara (B, D)
Guided tours of Museum of Anatolian Civilization, Citadel, Haci Bayram and Arslanhane mosques. Lunch on your own. Group dinner.

Friday, June 30
Ankara (B, L)
Tour Ataturk Mausoleum, Haci Bayram and Kocatepe mosques, Roman ruins. Group lunch. Remainder of the afternoon free with dinner on your own.

Saturday, July 1
Ankara - Istanbul (B, D)
Travel to Istanbul. Lunch on your own. Visit Beyoglu area, Istiklal, Taksim. Group dinner.

Sunday, July 2
Istanbul (B, D)
Morning free with lunch on your own. Afternoon boat tour of Bosphorus. Group farewell dinner.

Monday, July 3
Depart for U.S.A.
Transfer to airport for flights home.