Day1: Istanbul, Cappadocia
Arrival in Turkey (Istanbul) and meeting at the airport, continue to Domestic Terminal take a flight to Cappadocia. Transfer to the hotel. Overnight in Cappadocia.
Day2: Cappadocia
After breakfast start to tour in Cappadocia. A visit to Kaymaklı Underground City. It is one of the underground settlements in Cappadocia and it was used as a shelter by the Byzantines. Drive to Soğanlı valley. A visit to rock-cut churches with the frescoes from 13th c. A visit to the village in the valley which is surrounded by ‘tabletop’ mountains.Lunch in Soğanlı village in a small village restaurant. Drive to archaeological site Şahinefendi(Sobessos). It was discovered by the local people in 2002.
You may see beautiful mosaics and a Roman bath. Tour continues through the Keşlik Monastery for the frescoes from 9th and 11th century. A visit to Mustafapaşa Village. It is an old Greek village,you may see very fine examples of Greek houses. Overnight in Cappadocia.
Day3: Cappadocia
After breakfast in the hotel, we will visit Devrent Valley to see the lunar landscape and different rock formations. We will walk in Paşabağ 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 Göreme 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.
Day4: Cappadocia, Ephesus
Take the early morning flight from Kayseri airport to İzmir. Drive to Selcuk. 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.
Day5: Pamukkale, Istanbul
Check out from the hotel and drive to Pamukkale. Pamukkale to see the travertine terraces and the ancient city Hierapolis. The terraces were formed by running warm spring water. Their shapes are in the form of terraces with pools. Pamukkale which means ‘cotton castle’takes its name from these formations. Take a flight from Denizli to Istanbul. Overnight Istanbul.
Day6: Istanbul (Old City)
The tour starts with a visit to ancient Hippodrome. The original building of the Hippodrome was built in 3rd century A.D by Septimus Severus. The Hippodrome was the civil center for the people. In hippodrome, you may also see The Egyptian Obelisk(Dikilitaş), The Serpentine Column, The Constantine Column and German Fountain of Wilhelm 2. The tour continues with the visit to The Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Camii). It was built by Sultan Ahmet I. in the 17th century. The tourists are fascinated with its beautiful blue tiles.
This is followed by a visit to the 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 St. (Hagia) Sophia which was built by The Emperor Justinian. It was the largest church for many centuries and today it is the fourth largest church in the world. You will see its beautiful mosaics that are samples of Byzantine art. We will visit the Underground Cistern which is the largest and most ornate cistern in Istanbul.
Tour continues with The Grand Bazaar. (You may have free time in Grand Bazaar to see beautiful crafts.) Overnight in Istanbul.
Day7: Istanbul, Bosphorus Cruise and Dolmabahce Palace
Today we will go to Bosphorus. Firstly we visit the Egyptian Spice Market. It was built in 1664 as a part of the Yeni Cami complex. Today, you may buy spices and Turkish delights. The tour continues through Galata Bridge and Golden Horn. We will visit the incredible 19th c.Dolmabahce Palace. The palace was built by Sultan Abdulmecid. It consists of 285 rooms,46 halls and there are approximately 600 paintings.
We continue up the Bosphorus and cross over Asia, go to Camlica Hill for a view of İstanbul. After lunch, we will visit the Sadberk Hanim Museum, with its well-organized archeological and ethnographical sections. The Bosphorus cruise begins in the afternoon(ferry). 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.
Day8: Istanbul
Check out from hotel Transfer to International Airport.
