At the remarkable antiquities of Ephesus, you’ll visit sites that have withstood the test of time such as the Library of Celsus (above) – another trip highlight is your two-night stay in the “cave suites” of Anatolian Houses.


(legend says the city was founded by Amazons) and site of the largest temple dedicated to Artemis, the hunter-goddess of Greek mythology – of which only one column remains standing. Ephesus was also a major center of early Christianity, established by St. Paul. Explore the remains of its former glory... the Greek amphitheatre, the Library of Celsus, the paved streets, the frescoed walls, and the scholastic baths... and imagine the days when pagan goddesses and female artists ruled. Meals BL


that once belonged to Hekimbasi Salih Efendi, a scholar and reformer who was the last Chief Physician to the Ottoman court; it retains its original architectural style and original furniture. Tonight, dine at a restaurant on the Bosphorus known for its seafood. Meals BD


4. IZMIR AND THE RUINS AT SARDIS Fly to Izmir, the “Pearl of the Aegean,” a modern shipping port with 3,000 years of history. Depart for Sardis, a commercial center of antiquity at the foot of the Tumulus Mountains, where Romans and Persians once vied for its wealth (the first gold currency in the world was minted here) evident in the extravagant ruins of the Temple of Artemis, the Gymnasium, and the Roman synagogue, one of the largest of its time, with its Greek and Hebrew inscriptions, marble columns, and mosaic floors. Meals BLD


5. EPHESUS – THE AMAZON CITY A lecture this morning on the role of women in modern Turkish society (the most secular in the Muslim world) is a prelude to your visit to Ephesus and its spectacular ruins. The city was a bastion of women’s rights and education in the ancient world


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6. ANTALYA PLUS THE RUINS OF PERGE Fly to the resort town of Antalya on the Mediterranean, gateway to the Turkish Riviera. Drive to the ruins of Perge, one of the richest cities in the ancient world, whose remains include a colonnaded street once lined with statues (which you’ll see tomorrow at the museum in Antalya). Home to some of the oldest Christian communities, St. Paul delivered one of his first sermons here. Unwind tonight at Kempinski Hotel The Dome, a luxury hotel on the Belek beachfront, featuring Seljuk décor and stunning views of sea and mountains. Meals BLD


7. ALL ABOUT ANTALYA,MUSEUM & OLD TOWN Turkey’s history unfolds through art and artifacts dating from the Stone Age onward in the Antalya Museum’s exhibition halls; most impressive is the Hall of Gods, featuring extraordinary mythological statues. Wander the colorful backstreets of Kaleici, Antalya’s Old Town, a maze of shops, tea gardens and coffeehouses. Tonight, learn the secret of making Turkish coffee (kahve), a process that leaves dregs in the cup, suitable for fortune-telling. Meals BD


8. KONYA,RUMI’S TOMB AND CATALHÖYÜK A scenic drive through the Taurus Mountains brings you to Konya, once a trading center on the Silk Road, famous as the resting place of the Sufi poet Jelaluddin Rumi (1207-1273) who founded the order


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