Day1: Istanbul
Arrival in 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, 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.
Day4: Istanbul, Cappadocia
We will take the early morning flight from Istanbul Ataturk Airport to Kayseri airport. After arriving in Kayseri, we will make the 1-hour transfer to Cappadocia.
Visit Kaymakli Underground City. It is one of the many underground settlements in Cappadocia, and it was used as a shelter by the Byzantines.
Drive to Soganli valley. Visit rock-cut churches with frescoes dating from the 13th century. Then enter the village which is surrounded by Tabletop mountains.
Lunch in Soganli village at a small village restaurant.
Drive to the archaeological site Sahinefendi (Sobesos), a roman town from the 4th to 9th centuries. It was discovered by the local people in 2002. You will see beautiful mosaics and a Roman bath.
The tour continues to the Keslik Monastery and a look at the cave community with its frescoes from the 9th and 11th century.
Next, visit Mustafapasa, an old Greek village. You will see very fine examples of Greek houses and churches.
Overnight in Cappadocia.
Day5: Cappadocia
After breakfast in the hotel, we will visit Devrent Valley to see the lunar landscape and different rock after breakfast in the hotel we will visit Devrent (Imagination) Valley to see the lunar landscape and fantastic rock formations.
We will walk in Pasabag to see the tallest fairy chimneys and the caves where the Christian monks lived in their small communities.
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 the 10th through 13th centuries.
After the museum, we will go to Uchisar rock castle for a beautiful view of Cappadocia's valleys.
Overnight in Cappadocia.
Day6: Cappadocia
In the morning we will walkthrough Ihlara Canyon up to Beliserma village along the Melendiz River. The canyon is a deep, narrow river gorge which was formed by the Melendiz River and offers one of the most enjoyable hiking routes in the region.
Lunch in Beliserma village in a local restaurant by the river.
We will continue up to Selime village and stop to enjoy the panoramic view of the valley. You will swear you have been transported to an alien planet.
Overnight in Cappadocia.
Day7: Cappadocia, Ephesus
Take the early morning flight from Kayseri airport to Izmir.
Drive to Selcuk. Visit the House of the Virgin Mary. The Virgin Mary was brought here by St. John after Jesus' 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 the Virgin Mary we will visit Ephesus, the best-preserved ancient city of Turkey. Ephesus, where Heraclitus (the philosopher who said "There is nothing permanent except change.") lived, boasted the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
This Temple, which Alexander the Great visited and in which St.Paul preached to the early Christians, was beautiful beyond compare. Lastly, we will visit the Basilica of St.John in which he was buried.
Overnight in Kusadasi.
Day8: Aphrodisias, Pamukkale
Check out from the hotel and drive to Pamukkale. On the way to Pamukkale, we will visit Aphrodisias, one of the ancient cities dedicated to the goddess of love, Aphrodite. The city was an art center with a famous school of sculpture during the Roman period. You will see beautiful statues with captivating faces.
After lunch, we drive to Pamukkale to visit the travertine terraces and the ancient city of Hierapolis. The terraces were formed by hot spring water flowing over the surface and down the hill. These are different colors and shapes in the form of terraces with pools. Pamukkale, which means cotton castle, takes its name from these formations.
Transfer to Denizli airport for the flight to Istanbul. Drive to hotel.
Overnight in Istanbul.
Day9: Istanbul
Transfer to airport for your international flight to leave Turkey.
