Greek Pearls Route

Meeting Points: 20:00 Kadıköy Marriage Office Parking Lot 20:30 Mecidiyeköy İstikbal Altunbaş Front 21:00 In front of İncirli Ömür Plaza 21:45 In front of Silivri Vega Mall 23:59 Tekirdağ Namık Kemal Rest Area After meeting our guests at the departure points specified in the tour program, we reach the İpsala Border Gate by following the Tekirdağ – Malkara – Keşan – İpsala route and taking the necessary breaks. After completing our exit procedures here, we cross over the Meriç River and arrive at the Greece Kipi Border Gate. After our passport and customs procedures here, we enter Greece.

After our entry into Greece, we will stop for breakfast along the way. Following the break, we proceed to Meteora. Meteora is a sacred area containing many monasteries. Orthodox monks built these monasteries, which are also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, during the early periods of Christianity in order to withdraw into solitude and be closer to God. This area, which was under the sea millions of years ago, emerged over time as the waters receded, revealing these immense rocks, and the monks built their monasteries at the very top of the rocks. At the time they were built, no access route to the tops of the rocks was possible, so the monks reached the monasteries for years by pulling one another up with rope-made net elevators. After the tour, we depart for Ioannina. Upon arriving in Ioannina, we begin our city tour. Known as the largest city in the Epirus region, Ioannina is also known as the city of Tepedelenli Ali Pasha. Among the places we will see are the Aslan Pasha Mosque, built in the name of Ali Pasha, also known as the Governor of Ioannina (the Lion of Ioannina), the Fethiye Mosque, Ali Pasha’s Tomb, the Byzantine Museum, and the Ottoman Castle District. After the city tour, we give free time. Following the free time, we transfer to our hotel for accommodation. Overnight stay at our hotel in Ioannina.

After breakfast at the hotel, our first stop will be the town of Parga, where Pargalı Ibrahim Pasha, the Grand Vizier of Suleiman the Magnificent, was born. In Parga, where narrow streets and Ottoman architecture have been preserved to the present day, we will take a panoramic city tour. After our Parga tour, we will depart for Preveza. Preveza is remembered in Ottoman history for the naval battle of 1538 between the Ottoman naval forces under the command of Kaptan-ı Derya Barbaros Hayreddin Pasha and the Crusader Army. After our city tour of Preveza, where we will see its narrow streets and marina, we will have free time. We will then continue to Nafpaktos, known in the Ottoman period as İnebahtı. After free time in Nafpaktos, where the Battle of Lepanto took place in Ottoman history, we will depart for Patras, the 3rd largest city in Greece. Upon our arrival in the city, we will transfer to our hotel. Accommodation will be at our hotel in Patras.

After breakfast at our hotel in the morning, we complete our check-out procedures and depart from the hotel, then head to Nafplion, the first capital of Greece after gaining independence. According to legend, Nafplion was founded by Nafplios, the son of Poseidon, the god of the seas, and Amymone, Princess of Argos. During our city tour of Nafplion, the Bourtzi Castle built on the sea, Greece’s first parliament building, Three Admirals Square, and the colorful, flower-covered houses will be among the sights we see. After the city tour and free time, we depart for Athens, the capital of Greece. On the way, we stop at the Corinth Canal. After seeing this 6.5 km-long artificial canal, which separates the northern mainland of Greece from the Peloponnese Peninsula and connects the Aegean and Ionian seas, we arrive in Athens. Upon arrival, we begin our city tour of Athens. The Agora, Temple of Zeus (panoramic view), Parliament Building, Syntagma and Omonia Squares, the Presidential Mansion and Prime Minister’s Residence, the Historic Olympic Stadium, Panepistimiou Boulevards, the National Library, and the Academy of Athens University are among the places to be seen. After the panoramic city tour, there will be free time for sightseeing and shopping throughout the day. Then we check into our hotel. Accommodation at our hotel in Athens.

After breakfast at our hotel in the morning, we depart for Thessaloniki, the 2nd largest city in Greece. Upon arrival in Thessaloniki, we carry out our city tour. As part of the panoramic city tour, the main places to be seen include the Waterfront, White Tower, Rotunda Tower, Fairgrounds, Thessaloniki Castle, Heptapyrgion, Arch of Galerius, Rotunda, Bey Hamam, Hamza Bey Mosque, Church of Saint Demetrius, the statue of Alexander the Great, and Atatürk’s House, after which we will have free time. After free time, we transfer to our hotel. In the evening, guests who wish may join the optional tavern tour (Tavern Tour: €55). Our tavern tour includes dinner with limited drinks, accompanied by surprises and shows. After the tavern tour, return to the hotel. Accommodation at our hotel in Thessaloniki.

After breakfast at the hotel in the morning, we complete our check-out procedures and depart from the hotel, heading to Kavala. One of the most important centers of Western Thrace, Kavala dates back to the 600s BC. Founded by migrants from Thasos Island in Greece under the name Neapolis (New City), the city remained Ottoman territory from 1387 until 1912. Today, a large part of the city’s population consists of Greeks. In particular, during the population exchange in 1923, Greeks living in Cappadocia were settled here. Upon our arrival in Kavala, we begin our panoramic city tour. Among the places to see in Kavala is the Old Town called Panagia. On the way to the old town, the first place we will see is St. Nicholas Church. The mosque, built in 1530 by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent in honor of Ibrahim Pasha, was shortened at its minaret in 1926, converted into a bell tower and turned into a church, with Christian mosaics added in front of it. Other historical places we will see on our tour include Kavala Castle, the house of Muhammad Ali Pasha of Kavala, the Imaret, which is now used as a hotel, the aqueduct, and the old town within the castle. After our city tour in Kavala, we head to Porto Lagos. We will visit the Agios Nikolaos Church by walking on the bridge built over Vistonida Lake. After a photo break with the lake view, we head toward the Kipi Border Gate on the Greek side. Upon arrival, we complete our passport and customs procedures, then have the opportunity for free shop shopping and proceed to the Ipsala Border Gate. After passport and customs procedures, we continue to Istanbul via the Keşan – Tekirdağ – Silivri highway. Along the route, after our meal break in Tekirdağ (with the opportunity to taste the famous Tekirdağ meatballs), we continue to Istanbul. Upon arrival in Istanbul, we drop off our guests at the points listed in the tour program (along the return route) and conclude our tour. We hope to meet again on our next trips…