Sardis Ancient City Tour
**SARDES ANCIENT CITY**
Places to Visit
*Sardes Ancient City
*Sefarad Synagogue
*Çakırağa Mansion
*Ulu Mosque
*Birgi
*Birgi Dede Tomb
*Ödemiş
*Nazar Village
In the early morning hours, we start our journey with a short but enjoyable breakfast break, making an energetic start to the day. After breakfast, our first stop is Sardes Ancient City, which has a historical background and is essentially an open-air museum, having been the capital of the ancient Lydia Kingdom.
Known as the place where money was first minted and used, Sardes is an exceedingly significant settlement not only in Anatolian but also in world history. Here, we follow the traces of the past step by step with the magnificent Temple of Artemis, the Gymnasium famous for its columns, the uniquely architectured Sefarad Synagogue, and the ruins that evoke the essence of the ancient city. With our guide’s explanations, we become witnesses to the secrets of this unique city and embark on a short but impactful journey into the depths of history. After our visit to Sardes, we move to another cultural stop in Birgi. In this charming town, which has survived from the Ottoman period to the present and is the jewel of the Büyük Menderes Valley, we visit Çakırağa Mansion, a graceful example of wooden architecture. We admire the mansion's decorations, ceiling designs, and wall paintings depicting different cities, which showcase the aesthetic understanding of the past.
We continue our cultural tour in Birgi with the Ulu Mosque, an architectural masterpiece from the Seljuk period, built in the 14th century. Then, we visit the Birgi Dede Tomb, where an important figure, commonly referred to as "the blessed one" and held in great esteem by the locals, is buried, soaking in this mystical atmosphere. After this history- and culture-filled trip, we head to the center of Ödemiş, where we have a break for lunch to taste local delicacies and have a short free time.
In the final part of our journey, we go to Nazar Village, famous for its handicrafts and particularly known for producing evil eye beads. Here, we observe how the traditional evil eye bead is made and witness the skillful hands of glass artisans shaping the beads.
Guests wishing can also have the opportunity to shop for these colorful and meaningful beads.
After our delightful time in Nazar Village, we start our return journey, ending a day filled with culture, history, and nature. We look forward to seeing you on the next Kyzikos Travel tour…
NOTE: Depending on traffic congestion, fog, and weather conditions, our arrival time in Erdek may be later than planned. A specific return time is not provided; an average hour is indicated according to the program flow.
OUR RECOMMENDATIONS:
Having comfortable shoes during the trip makes your walks more enjoyable.
And most importantly, don't forget to bring your camera, charger, and power bank!
INCLUDED SERVICES IN PRICE:
*Transportation
*Personal Accident Insurance
*Guiding Service
NOT INCLUDED SERVICES IN PRICE:
*Museum and Archaeological Site Entries
*Meals
*Shopping made
GENERAL CONDITIONS
1. The customer who purchases services from KYZIKOS TRAVEL agency agrees to abide by the rules stated below.
2. The customer is obliged to provide accurate details of themselves and the other participants joining the tour, such as name, surname, and ID number, and inform the other participants about the pre-information and general conditions.
3. The customer must carry their ID card during the tours.
4. The customer accepts full responsibility for their luggage and its contents, agreeing that KYZIKOS TRAVEL or its employees have no legal or criminal liability for lost, stolen, or damaged items, and will not make requests against KYZIKOS TRAVEL or its employees for these reasons.
5. The customer agrees to comply with the laws and customs applicable to the vehicle they are traveling in and will obey the rules set out by the guide, facility, agency, tour workers, and transportation vehicle authorities regarding the services purchased, and will be personally and primarily responsible for any harm to third parties’ safety.
6. According to the Law No. 1618 on Travel Agencies, KYZIKOS TRAVEL or its employees determine the business for breaks based on customer benefits in the regions they are located. In case of force majeure situations, the opinions of majority guests on the bus will be consulted.
7. The customer agrees to pay for any food, drinks, personal expenses, and all goods and services not expressly included in the services purchased.
8. Tour fees do not include museum card fees; the museum card is valid in museums and archaeological sites affiliated with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and is not valid in venues where the carrying capacity is low and historical preservation could be compromised due to overload.
9. On tours prepared by KYZIKOS TRAVEL, seat numbers will be determined based on the order of reservation, and guests who cancel their pre-reservation will have their empty seats filled by others moving from back to front. Group members requesting to sit together will not disrupt the seating arrangement, and will be moved forward if there are empty seats behind them.
10. Guests with a firm reservation for tours organized by KYZIKOS TRAVEL are obliged to keep the 'payment receipt' they receive in exchange for the amount they paid, as guests without this receipt shall have no claim to the paid tour fee.
11. Guests who make a preliminary registration for one-day tours must pay the current tour fee to KYZIKOS TRAVEL up to 7 days prior to the tour date; otherwise, KYZIKOS TRAVEL reserves the right to cancel the preliminary reservation.
12. Guests registered for one-day and accommodation tours who wish to cancel their participation, without providing a valid reason (such as medical report or certificate), agree to forfeit their paid fee.
13. In accommodation and overseas tours organized by KYZIKOS TRAVEL, guests must make a down payment as indicated by KYZIKOS TRAVEL’s employees to confirm the tour, and pay the full tour fee at least 30 days prior to the tour date.
14. Customers can transfer their service to a third party who has met the service conditions up to 7 days before the service begins, provided they notify in writing. The transferee is jointly responsible along with the transferor for any balance and costs arising from the transfer.
15. In confirmed tours, guests must be ready at the tour departure point at least 15 minutes before the departure time. KYZIKOS TRAVEL personnel may proceed without waiting for late guests to avoid disrupting other participants' schedules. Guests who miss the tour despite having paid the fee accept that KYZIKOS TRAVEL has no legal or criminal liability and shall not be entitled to a refund or any claims.
16. Tours will start at the location communicated to participants and will end at the same point. Guests can join the tour at designated points defined by KYZIKOS TRAVEL along the route and will also disembark at points specified for return.
17. In case of force majeure or situations beyond the control of KYZIKOS TRAVEL personnel, the tour program may change. Guests accept that KYZIKOS TRAVEL and its employees bear no legal or criminal responsibility for such changes.
18. Guests who provide contact information during registration are responsible for any inconvenience due to failure to reach them using the provided information. They cannot claim rights from KYZIKOS TRAVEL or its employees regarding this issue.
19. Despite all precautions taken by KYZIKOS TRAVEL, they reserve the right to cancel a tour due to adverse weather conditions, roadblocks, strikes, terror threats, fog, war possibility, unforeseen technical matters, and all emergencies. Customers accept that no refund will be made for tours canceled due to such circumstances. However, guests presenting valid documents like medical reports are eligible for a refund. Registrants of canceled tours may have their booking transferred to the next tour at their request, or the paid amount may be held in trust by KYZIKOS TRAVEL, which can be redeemed for any tour at any future date.
20. All one-day and accommodation tours organized by KYZIKOS TRAVEL will be conducted with vehicles deemed appropriate by KYZIKOS TRAVEL based on the program suitability.
21. Termination and Change Conditions
In Case of Customer Termination:
After making a one-day tour agreement, the customer can only terminate by written notification to the agency. In the event of unilateral cancellation, the following policy applies:
- Cancellations made up to 30 days before the tour date will incur a 10% fee of the tour price.
- Cancellations made between 15-30 days before the tour date will incur a 50% fee of the tour price.
- Cancellations made 15 days or less from the tour date must still pay the full tour fee.
The customer agrees to pay the tour fee based on the above terms in the event of cancellation. Otherwise, the agency reserves the right to claim for any legal fees and resulting damages.
In Case of Agency Cancellation:
The agency may cancel any trip without prior approval but with notification to the customer at least 3 days prior for one-day trips, 7 days for domestic accommodation trips, and 14 days for international trips, with a full refund provided. However, the customer agrees not to seek any material or moral compensation for this cancellation.
Change Conditions:
If the customer wishes to change the date or content of the tour, requests must be made at least 14 days in advance. Additional fees may apply based on the changes in the details. The customer is permitted to transfer their purchased tour to any third party with the agency's approval up to 21 days before the trip, except for specific conditions noted in the detailed itinerary. The transferee is jointly liable for any balances and costs incurred.
