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Priene - Miletus - Didyma Guided Shore Excursion
Meet your tour guide at Kusadasi or Izmir Port and start today's explorations at the Ionian city of Priene – pleasantly situated at the base of a cliff on Mt. Mycale. Priene is one of the most attractive and well preserved ancient sites on the west coast. The intimate scale and layout of the city gives you a sense of the community that once thrived here. Alexander the Great ordered the building of the Temple of Athena, a classic example of the pure Ionic style. Wander through the nearby agora, stoa, and surprisingly intact theater, where you can rest in one of the armchair seats (complete with lion-paw armrests). Our next stop is Miletus, an ancient city located at the mouth of the Meander River and once the most important port in this area. Miletus was the home of notable philosophers Anaximander, Anaximenes, Thales (admired by Aristotle), town planner Hippodamus (father of the “grid plan”), and architect Isidorus (co-designer of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul). From the 7th century B.C. the city has been controlled in turn by Persians, Romans and Seljuk Turks. Travel 12 miles south along a sacred road to Didyma. Enjoy the views of the temple across the street while you relax at lunch at a local restaurant. Once the most important oracle in the ancient Greek world, Didyma attracted travellers from afar who came seeking guidance. Explore and photograph the colossal and awe-inspiring Temple of Apollo at Didyma. After the tour, you will be transferred back to your cruise ship... |
