Day1: Istanbul
Arrival in Turkey (Istanbul) and meeting at the airport, transfer to the hotel. Overnight in Istanbul.
Day2: Istanbul Old City
The tour starts with a visit to the ancient Hippodrome. The original building of the Hippodrome was built in the 3rd century A.D by Septimus Severus. The Hippodrome was the civil center for the people. In the Hippodrome, you may also see the Egyptian Obelisk (Dikilitaş), The Serpentine Column, The Constantine Column and the German Fountain of Wilhelm 2.
The tour continues with a visit to The Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Camii). It was built by Sultan Ahmet I in the 17th century. Visitors are fascinated with its beautiful blue tiles. This is followed by a visit to Topkapi Palace which was the second palace in Istanbul for the Ottoman sultans between the 15th and 19th centuries.
After lunch, the tour continues with a visit to the Hagia Sophia which was built by the Emperor Justinian. It was the largest church in the world for many centuries and today it is the fourth largest. You will see its beautiful mosaics, exquisite samples of Byzantine art.
We will also visit the Underground Cistern which is the largest and most ornate cistern in Istanbul.
The tour continues with a visit to the Grand Bazaar. (You will have free time in Grand Bazaar to wander through the vast maze and see the beautiful crafts.)
Overnight in Istanbul.
Day3: Istanbul, Ankara
Check out from the hotel and transfer to airport for the flight to Ankara.
Visit the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations. It is one of the most beautiful and richest museums in the world. In this museum, you may see many fine examples from the sites of all civilizations of Anatolia. The exhibits are arranged chronologically, from Paleolithic Age until today.
Tour continues with a visit to the Mausoleum of Ataturk (Anitkabir). Mustafa Kemal Ataturk is the founder of the Turkish Republic and he never requested a monumental tomb for himself. After his death, Turkish people built the Mausoleum for him to show their adoration and respect. The mausoleum includes statues, inscriptions, and reliefs on topics from Turkish history and Ataturk’s life.
Overnight in Ankara.
Day4: Hattusha (Bogazkoy), Yazilikaya
Check out from the hotel and drive to Corum to visit Hattusha, the capital of Hittites. Hittites were the first civilization of Anatolia and they lived in this land about 4000 years ago.
We will visit their capital Hattusha and their important sanctuary place Yazilikaya. You may see beautiful reliefs of Hittites and Hittite art in Yazilikaya.
Drive to Cappadocia.
Overnight in Cappadocia.
Day5: Cappadocia
In the morning first, we will visit Devrent Valley to see the lunar landscape and different rock formations. We will walk in Pasabag to see the highest fairy chimneys and the caves where the Christian monks secluded.
Lunch in Avanos and a visit to a traditional pottery workshop for a demonstration.
In the afternoon we will visit Goreme Open Air Museum and see the rock-cut churches and beautiful frescoes and paintings of 10th through the 13th century.
After the museum, we will go to the Uchisar rock castle for the beautiful view of Cappadocia valleys.
Overnight in Cappadocia.
Day6: Cappadocia
A visit to Kaymakli Underground City. It is one of the underground settlements in Cappadocia and it was used as a shelter by the Byzantines.
Drive to Soganli valley. A visit to rock-cut churches with the frescoes from 13th. A visit to the village in the valley which is surrounded by ‘tabletop’ mountains.
Lunch in Soganli village at a small village restaurant.
Drive to archaeological site Sahinefendi (Sobessos). It was discovered by the local people in 2002. You may see beautiful mosaics and a Roman bath.
Tour continues through the Keslik Monastery for the frescoes from 9th and 11th century. A visit to Mustafapasa Village. It is an old Greek village, you may see very fine examples of Greek houses.
Overnight in Cappadocia.
Day7: Cappadocia, Konya
After breakfast check out from hotel and drive to Sultanhan Caravansary. It is the biggest caravansary in Turkey. It was the place where the traders have rest on Silkroad.drive to Konya.
After lunch visits The Museum of Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi. Mevlana was a great poet and philosopher who lived in 13th c. and he was the founder of Sufism and the whirling dervish ceremony.
Overnight in Konya.
Day8: Konya, Pamukkale
Check out from the hotel and drive to Pamukkale.
Visit the travertine terraces and the ancient city Hierapolis. The terraces were formed by running warm spring water. These are of different colors and shapes in the form of terraces with pools. Pamukkale which means ‘cotton castle’ takes its name from these formations. After tour check-in the hotel.
Overnight in Pamukkale.
Day9: Ephesus
Check out from the hotel and drive to Ephesus. A Visit to the House of the Virgin Mary. Virgin Mary was brought here by St.John after the crucifixion and lived her final years near the city of Ephesus on an isolated mountaintop. It has been designated a pilgrimage site by the Pope.
After visiting the House of Virgin Mary we will visit Ephesus, the best ancient city of Turkey. Ephesus, where Heraclitus (the philosopher who said ‘’everything flows and nothing stays’’) lived, which is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world (The Temple of Artemis), where Alexander the Great visited and where St.Paul preached to the early Christians, is one of the beautiful ancient cities in the world.
Also, we may visit the Basilica of St.John where he was buried.
Overnight in Kusadasi.
Day10: Priene, Miletus, Didyma
Priene is an ancient Hellenistic city located just North of Miletus. It was an ancient Greek holy city and the home of an important temple of Athena. By the 8th century, BC Priene was a member of the Ionian League. The Leagues central shrine, the Panionion, lay within the city's boundaries, making Priene an important holy city.
Miletus owed its importance to its position on trade routes and was the home of the 6th century BC philosophers Anaximander, Anaximenes, and Thales.
Didyma is not an ancient city but it was a sanctuary place of Apollo. We will visit the Temple of Apollo in Didyma.
Overnight in Kusadasi.
Day11: Pergamum
Check out from the hotel and drive to Pergamum. Pergamum was one of the important kingdoms in the Hellenistic period. In archaic age, Pergamum had the second biggest library in the world, after Alexandria.
We will visit Acropolis and Asclepion. Asclepion was a sanctuary and healing center built for the god of health Asclepius.
Drive to Assos. Overnight in Assos.
Day12: Troy
Check out from your hotel and drive to Homer’s legendary Troy. There had been a settlement in Troy from 3000BC until 400 AD in nine different layers. After the visit, Troy drive to İstanbul. Check into your hotel.
Overnight in Istanbul.
Day13: Istanbul Bosphorus Cruise and Dolmabahce Palace
Today we will go to the Bosphorus. First, we will visit the Egyptian Spice Market. It was built in 1664 as part of the Yeni Cami complex. Today, you may buy spices and Turkish delight. The tour continues to the Galata Bridge and Golden Horn.
We will visit the incredible 19th-century Dolmabahce Palace. The palace was built by Sultan Abdulmecid. It consists of 285 rooms and 46 halls that house approximately 600 paintings. We continue up the Bosporus and cross over to Asia, going up Camlica Hill for a view of Istanbul.
After lunch, we will visit the Sadberk Hanim Museum, with its well-organized archeological and ethnographical sections.
The Bosphorus cruise (ferry) begins in the afternoon. Bosphorus is a narrow strait between Europe and Asia connecting the Black Sea to the Marmara Sea. We pass by the Rumeli Fortress and you will enjoy crossing from continent to continent.
Overnight in Istanbul.
Day14: Istanbul
Free day for the last chance to complete your visits.
Overnight in Istanbul.
Day15: Istanbul
Transfer to the airport for your international flight and leave Turkey.
