Explore Ankara, the nation's capital since 1923. Visit the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations with its rich collection from the Hittite, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk, and Ottoman periods; Arslanhane Mosque from 13th century; Ankara Citadel with its narrow streets; and the Mausoleum of Ataturk, the father of modern Turkey. In the afternoon, drive to Safranbolu. Dinner and overnight.

From the 13th century to the advent of the railway in the early 20th century, Safranbolu was an important caravan station on the main East-West trade route. The Old Mosque, Old Bath and Süleyman Pasha Medrese were built in 1322. During its apogee in the 17th century, Safranbolu's architecture influenced urban development throughout much of the Ottoman Empire. Stroll this museum town to discover the Cinci Caravanserai, Kaymakamlar Kiosk, Izzet Pasha Mosque, Clock Tower, and Kazdaglioglu Mosque, as well as bazaars (blacksmiths and shoemakers). Lunch at the village Yoruk famous for its old houses Drive to Amasya to see its impressive remains. Appreciate the special architectural features of old mansions (konak). Marvel at the Ancient Castle, the Pontic Kings' tombs, and Gok Medrese, as well as Torumtay Turbesi (Seljuk mausoleum with Mongol mummies). Visit the medieval mental hospital Ilhanli Bimarhane, and the beautifully landscaped Sultan Beyazit Mosque. Dinner and overnight.

Drive to Bogazkoy. After lunch, visit Hattusa, Hittite capital in the second millennium BC. Discover the city's Lion Gate, Great Temple, Walls, Royal Gate, and Tunnel. Continue to Yazilikaya, a rock sanctuary decorated with reliefs of deities of the Hittite pantheon. Continue to Cappadocia. Dinner and overnight.

Take a full day to discover Cappadocia. Visit the Goreme Valley, an open-air museum with rock-hewn churches (7th-13th c.) adorned with biblical frescoes. Marvel at the cave dwellings and fairy chimneys. At a handicraft center, learn about the arts of rural Turkey and watch a demonstration of rug weaving. Tour an Underground City, a multi-level labyrinth for protection during invasions. Take photos at Uchisar and Avcilar, magnificent vista points. Admire the impressive rock formations at sunset. Dinner and overnight.

Drive to Kayseri, ancient Caesarea, capital of Cappadocia region. Visit Honat Hatun Mosque from Seljuk period and make a picture stop in front of Selcuk Kumbets, funerary monuments from the 13th century. Continue to Sivas, an important trade city in medieval Anatolia. In this old Seljuk city, see the Buruciye Medresesi; the Ulu Mosque; Kursunlu Han; Tas Han; and the intricately carved façade of the Sifaiye Medresesi. Dinner and overnight.

Drive to Divrigi to see the complex built in the 13th c. by Emir Ahmet Shah, ruler of the Seljuk Mengucek Emirate (Beylik). Admire the exquisite geometric and floral reliefs of the Great Ulu Mosque and its hospital, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Continue to Kahta in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight.

Early morning, ascend Mount Nemrut to explore the site where King Antiochus I of Commagene erected a sanctuary of huge statues in the 1st C BC. Return to Kahta for lunch. In the afternoon, drive to Urfa, the ancient city where Abraham allegedly spent several years. On the road, make a stop at Gobeklitepe to investigate the recent discovery of the oldest temple in the world. Dinner and overnight.

In Urfa, visit Abraham's Caves and Balikli Gol, a large carp-filled pool reflecting mosques. Drive to Harran to see beehive houses with cone-shaped roofs. Return to Urfa for lunch. In the afternoon, drive to Gaziantep. On the road, we'll make a picture stop for the ancient city of Zeugma, partially covered by the dam water. At the Mosaic Museum in Gaziantep, admire magnificent mosaics from Roman era discovered at Zeugma. Dinner and overnight.

Travel to Antakya, ancient Antioch, where the disciples of Jesus were first called "Christians." After lunch, visit the Mosaic Museum, which displays one of the richest collections of Roman and Byzantine mosaics in the world. Tour the Grotto of St. Peter (designated by the Vatican as a place of pilgrimage) where the Apostle Peter allegedly preached. Drive through the Plain of Issus (Dörtyol) where Alexander the Great crushed the Persian army of Darius III and Crusaders built the Fortress of Toprakkale. Continue to Tarsus, birthplace of St. Paul. Visit St Paul's Well, Ulu Cami Mosque, and Eski Mosque, as well as the Gate of Cleopatra. (Note that Mark Anthony allied with Cleopatra VII in Tarsus.) In the evening, arrive in Adana for dinner and overnight.

Drive to Silifke. En route, visit the Roman-Byzantine city of Kanlidivane with its enormous red-walled chasm. Stop at Kizkalesi, see the "Fortress of the Beauty" built on an island off in the distance. Drive high (3,700 ft.) in the Taurus Mountains to admire Alahan Monastery, an excellent example of early Byzantine architecture (tentatively a UNESCO World Heritage Site). Travel to the holy city of Konya, capital of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum (11th-13th c.). Dinner and overnight. Drive to Silifke. En route, visit the Roman-Byzantine city of Kanlidivane with its enormous red-walled chasm. Stop at Kizkalesi, see the "Fortress of the Beauty" built on an island off in the distance. Drive high (3,700 ft.) in the Taurus Mountains to admire Alahan Monastery, an excellent example of early Byzantine architecture (tentatively a UNESCO Drive to Silifke. En route, visit the Roman-Byzantine city of Kanlidivane with its enormous red-walled chasm. Stop at Kizkalesi, see the "Fortress of the Beauty" built on an island off in the distance. Drive high (3,700 ft.) in the Taurus Mountains to admire Alahan Monastery, an excellent example of early Byzantine architecture (tentatively a UNESCO World Heritage Site). Discover Catalhoyuk, which was the oldest cultural center in the Near East dates back to 6750 BC. Travel to the holy city of Konya, capital of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum (11th-13th c.). Dinner and overnight.

Visit the Museum of Mevlana honoring the famous mystic poet who founded the Sufi Order of the Whirling Dervishes; Alaaddin Mosque from 13th century; and Karatay Medresa, today a tile museum. Drive to Pamukkale to admire the unreal landscape at the "Cotton Castle" with its white terraces of limestone deposited by thermal waters through the ages. See the ancient spa still used today at Hierapolis. Discover the necropolis, one of the largest cemeteries of the ancient world. Dinner and overnight.

Tour Aphrodisias, the ancient site dedicated to the goddess of beauty, love, and fertility. Appreciate Anatolia's best-preserved stadium. At this site which drew artisans to its famous school of sculpture, enjoy the Temple of Aphrodite, the Tetrapylon, the Theater, and the Museum. After lunch, continue to Sagalassos to visit the remains of this Greco-Roman city recently discovered. The site is exceptional for its natural beauty. Drive to Antalya. Dinner and overnight.

Drive to Aspendos, a treasure with the world's best-preserved Roman Theater still used today for festivals and concerts. Tour Perge, a spectacular Greco- Roman city. Return to Antalya to stroll through the picturesque streets of the old town, Kaleici. Dinner and overnight.

Drive to ancient Myra to see stunning Lycian rock tombs in the cliff above the Roman Theater. At Demre, visit the Church of St. Nicholas. Take a boat ride over the sunken city of Kekova (weather permitting). After lunch,drive to Xanthos, known for its typical funerary monuments. Visit Letoon, the religious center of the Lycian League. Dinner and overnight.

From there you will take a boat ride following the Dalyan River to Caunos ancient city, all the way to Iztuzu Beach. After lunch, continue to Selcuk (Ephesus). Dinner and overnight.

Visit the fascinating city of Ephesus. Explore the Marble Street, Agora, Odeon, and Theater, as well as the Fountain of Trajan, the Temple of Hadrian, and the Library of Celsius. View the remains of the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Visit also Ephesus Museum where you will discover statues of Artemis. Dinner and overnight.

Drive to Sardis, capital of the Kingdom of Lydia. In this Pactolus Valley city famous for its wealthy King Croesus and the invention of coinage, visit the Bath - Gymnasium Complex, the marble-paved Synagogue (3rd c. AD), and the Temple of Artemis. After lunch, continue to Pergamum, the ancient capital of the Attalid dynasty and the place where parchment was invented. Ride a cable car to the upper city to take in the ruins of the Acropolis. In the lower city, visit the Asclepion, a sanctuary and a healing center dedicated to the god of healing, Asclepius. Dinner and overnight at Kucukkuyu.

In the morning, depart for Assos to see the Temple of Athena overlooking the sea from the highest spot on the acropolis. Explore the site of the ancient city of Troy, whose 3,400-year history spans nine superimposed settlements (Troy I to Troy IX). Deepen your understanding of Homer's epic poem, The Iliad, which immortalized King Priam's glorious city through the stories of Helen, Menelaus, Paris, Agamemnon, Achilles, and Hector. Pose at a reconstruction of the legendary Trojan Wooden Horse at the entrance to the site. Continue to Canakkale. Dinner and overnight in Canakkale.

Ferry across the Dardanelles Strait and drive to Edirne, the Ottoman summer capital. Visit Selimiye Mosque and its Kulliye (complex with hospital, school, library, and baths); Eski Cami Mosque; Uc Serefeli Mosque; and Old Bazaar (Bedesten). Drive to Istanbul in the afternoon. Overnight.

Explore Istanbul for a full day. In the morning, visit the Blue Mosque, recognizable by its six minarets. Built between 1609 and 1616 for Sultan Ahmet I, the interior is decorated with some 21,000 blue Iznik tiles. Visit the Hippodrome, where political, cultural, and athletic activities took place during Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman times. Visit the imposing Hagia Sophia, which marked the apogee of Byzantine Emperor Justinian's reign. After lunch, visit treasure-filled Topkapi Palace (residence of the Ottoman sultans from the 15th to the 19th century) with its terraces overlooking the Marmara Sea, the Bosphorus, and the Golden Horn. End the day at the historic Grand Bazaar. Dinner is on your own. Overnight.

In the morning, visit Suleymaniye Mosque; Rustempasa Mosque; and the Spice Market. Cruise on the Bosphorus, separating Asia from Europe and connecting the Marmara Sea to the Black Sea. Relish the best views of the city and its historic monuments. Discover beautiful marble palaces (Dolmabahce and Beylerbeyi), wooden Ottoman villas (yalis), and medieval fortresses. Lunch at a seafood restaurant along the Bosphorus. In the afternoon, visit St. Savior in Chora whose mosaics and frescoes are among the most beautiful in the Byzantine World. Also visit Eyup Mosque and its cemeteries. Dinner is on your own. Overnight.