Day 1 – Depart Hometown

Depart your home town today for an overnight flight to Istanbul.

Day 2 – Gaziantep

Arrive into Istanbul. After you have cleared immigration and customs you will be transferred to the domestic terminal for your flight to Gazinatep. Upon arrival into Gaziantep you will be met and transferred to your hotel for overnight.

Day 3 ~ Gaziantep

This morning we will visit the Gaziantep Synagogue built in the 10th century having burned completely rebuilt in 19th century to serve the community who had moved mostly from Aleppo.

Extensive ruins remain of the several buildings: the midrash, the yeshiva, the house of worship and even a matzah oven. Then we will explore the copper and spice market, the most interesting market in Turkey. Gaziantep (ancient Aintap), is the pistachio capital of Turkey, and the city where the traditional Turkish foods of baklava and kebab originated. We will also visit the Museum, where the beautiful mosaics rescued from Zeugma are on display, the best Roman Mosaics in Turkey.

Day 4 ~ Antakya

This morning we will drive to visit one of the most interesting and still active Antakya Synagogue in the old city that is a pivot of several religions and nationalities living side by side in peace and harmony. This synagogue may have been built in 1870 and continues to be in regular use. We will also visit the Archaeological Museum, famous for its mythological themes beautifully displayed in natural lighting, and its Roman fishing and hunting mosaics.

Day 5 ~ Adana

En route to Adana we will visit the Iskendrun (City of Alexander) Synagogue and walk around to see the diverse architecture, once a glorious city where Alexander the Great and Darius the Great had their final battle which ended with victory for Alexander.

We will continue to Adana to visit the Adana Synagogue. Jews organized into an independent community as early as the 4th century. After 1915 immigration from other Turkish cities and the Russian Revolution did the first synagogue open. Since 1987 the synagogue and been in a two story house with a courtyard.

Day 6 ~ Ankara

This morning we will drive through the famous clinician gates as the ancient Silk Road traveler did, except they went on camels!

We will cross the Taurus Mountains for the Anatolian Plateau above 3,000 feet to the Cappadocia region and proceed to Ankara.

Ankara, the ancient Ankuwash or the Angora, has been the capital of the Turkish Republic since 1923.

Day 7 ~ Ankara

In the morning, we will visit the Ankara Synagogue in the Jewish quarter. Jews of the Empire were granted rights by Caesar Augustus before 14AD. Sephardic Jews arrived in the 15th century. The synagogue was rebuilt after the big fire 1834 which devastated the whole district. The synagogue dates from that fire having a major restoration in 1947. In the afternoon we will visit the Museum of Ancient Anatolian Civilizations, the best museum in Turkey for pre-classic exhibits

Day 8 ~ Izmir

Our final destination today is Izmir, ancient Smyrna has had a large, prosperous Jewish Community since the 15th Century and there are several Jewish synagogues that are still in use. We will visit the Old Jewish quarter, the Senora (Sinyora) Synagogue Dario Moreno Street. Several fires between 16th and 19th centuries destroyed this synagogue. This one was built after 1841. Then we go to the large, active Bet (Beth) Israel Synagogue, built in 1907 after a petition to the Sultan.

Day 9 ~ Izmir

Today we will explore the fascinating Hellenistic and Roman city of Ephesus which has its beautiful theater, Celsus library, and many of the intriguing ruins of the once great city. Continue to Selcuk, to the Ephesus Museum and view the famous statues of Artemis. Return to Izmir.

Day 10 ~ Bursa via Sardis

We continue our drive to Sardis where synagogue ruins date back to 2nd century AD Roam time. There we see the beautiful geometric wall designs and floor mosaics of the remains of one of the largest, ancient synagogues.

Then we will drive to Bursa to spend the night.

Day 11 ~ Bursa

Bursa, ancient Prusa and the first capital of the Ottoman Empire where the silk trade flourished during Byzantine and Ottoman times, has some fine Ottoman architecture. Visit Gerush, built in the 16th century, restored after the 1855 earthquake and Mayor Synagogues, built by Sephardic Jews in the late 16th century. Damaged in the 1855 earthquake, it was restored, reopening in 2001. We will visit the famous Green Mosque – Green Tomb as well as the silk market.

Day 12 ~ Canakkale

On our way to Canakkale we visit Troy, the site of Homer’s classic epic “The Iliad” and where nine different layers of civilization have been uncovered and partially excavated. In Canakkale we will visit old city with its Mekor Hayim Synagogue recently beautifully restored, opened in 2005.

Day 13 ~ Edirne

Today we will take a ferry to cross The Dardanelles to Gallipoli Peninsula for Edirne, ancient Hadrianopolis with its beautiful Ottoman buildings including mosque, bridges, Caravanserais and Bedestans.

Once we arrive in Edirne we start to visit the old city with the Kal Kadosh Agadol Synagogue built in 1907 following a fire in 1905. It consists of three building: the Great Synagogue, small places of worship, a school and administration combined. Because of snow and other natural causes, it is in need of restoration. We proceed to the Selimiye Mosque which was built by Sultan Selim II in 1575 and designed by Ottoman master architect Sinan.

Day 14 ~ Istanbul via Kirklareli and Corlu

This morning we will drive to Kirklareli, ancient Verissa to visit the Musa Synagogue going back to the 17th century. It is believed the first Jewish settlers were Ashkenazi in the 14th century. The current synagogue was built on the site of the former structure.

Then we drive to Corlu to visit probably the most interesting synagogue mosque combination built as a synagogue in 1906 with its beautifully decorated ceiling by Italian craftsmen and converted to a mosque, about 1970, still in use. Our final destination today will be Istanbul.

Day 15 ~ Istanbul.

This morning we will walk to the Hippodrome, arena for political, cultural, and sports activities during Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman times. We also visit the Blue Mosque, famous for its Iznik blue tiles; and St. Sophia, the largest Christian church in the world for more than 1,000 years. Nearby is the Underground Palace, or Basilica Cistern, with its mystical atmosphere and marble columns sitting in water. Finally, we will visit the legendary Topkapi Palace, home to the Ottoman Sultans for more than 400 years. Overnight in Istanbul.

Day 16 ~ Istanbul.

Our motor coach follows the city wall to Balat. The first Jewish immigrants from Spain settled near Balat and Haskoy on the Golden Horn. We start our tour with a visit to the Ahrida Synagogue, the oldest in town, rebuilt in 1694 after a fire in 1660. We continue to the main Jewish quarter of Galata where we climb atop Galata Tower for a scenic view of the area. Reminders of ancient Spain (Toledo, etc.) in architecture, style and Hebrew characters are all around. Visit the Neva Shalom Synagogue, as well as the ornate Nissim Camondo staircase and the Jewish Museum. Later proceed to the Asian side of the Bosporus and visit Kuzguncuk and its still active Jewish cemetery. Overnight in Istanbul.

Day 17 ~ Istanbul. (The Prince’s Islands)

This morning we will take a boat to visit the Princes’ Islands seeing two synagogues. Buyukada is a most beautiful island on the Sea of Marmara and is a predominantly Jewish resort. We will visit the Hesed Le Avraam Synagogue, opening in1904 with some repairs in 1985.

Restaurants and shops predominate this special vacationers’ community (no cars are allowed, all transportation takes place by bicycle or horse-drawn carriages). Another synagogue is Beth Yaakov Synagogue in Heybeliada which opened in 1956.

Day 18 ~Home