Day 1; Arrive in Istanbul
Upon arrival at The Istanbul Ataturk Airport, You will be
met and assisted to
The Blue
House Hotel in Sultanahmet district for dinner and
overnight.
Meals : Dinner (D)
Day 2; Istanbul
Meet your guide at hotel lobby
at 8:45 for a full day to explore the magical city of
Istanbul. We first walk to the
Rustem Pasha Mosque and then the
Spice Market, where Geneose and Venetian goods were sold
at a time when there was no Suez Canal, and all the spices
from the East were also brought here after being loaded on
vessels in Egypt. We get on board and take the leisurely
Bosphorus Cruise from Eminonu, to the still unspoiled
village of Sariyer. The
Topkapi Palace is our next visit. More than a
palace, it is an assemblage of museums, containing the
collections amassed by the Sultans over almost five centuries.
Dinner in Istanbul.
Accommodation:
The Blue
House Hotel
Meals : Breakfast (B), Lunch (L), Dinner (D)
Day 3; Istanbul
Following breakfast, we will visit the
Dolmabahce Palace, the
Chora Church and the
Suleymaniye Mosque. After lunch at a local restaurant, ,
we finish the day with
Grand Bazaar visit. Dinner in Istanbul.
Accommodation:
The Blue
House Hotel
Meals : (B, L, D)
Day 4; Istanbul - Flight to Izmir - Sirince
Following breakfast taken at the hotel, check out of your
room and start our third morning in Istanbul strolling to the
great square which was once the
Byzantine
Hippodrome. Now it is a great park like area surrounded by
the
Blue Mosque,
Hagia Sophia, and the
Underground Cistern, commonly called the Basilica Cistern.
After that, transfer to Istanbul airport for the evening
flight at 18.00 o’clock to
Izmir . Arrival in
Izmir at 19.00 o’clock. Transfer to the hotel for check-in and
accommodation. Dinner at hotel.
Accommodation:
Gullu
Konaklari
Meals : (B, L, D)
Day 5; Ephesus
Today we first drive to the
Virgin Mary's House; after that we visit
Ephesus which was founded in the eleventh century BC by
the Ionians. Strolling through the streets of Ephesus, we will
witness the perfection of the Graeco-Roman Art. Later in the
afternoon we will visit
St John's Basilica, believed to be the tomb of the Apostle
John, Christ's beloved disciple. From the basilica, we will be
able to look down on the remains of the temple of Artemis. We
end the day with our visit to the
Isa Bey Mosque, then we head on to Kusadasi for rest.
Dinner, and overnight in Kusadasi.
Accommodation:
Gullu
Konaklari
Meals : (B, L, D)
Day 6; Priene - Miletus - Didyma
After breakfast, we drive first to
Prienne, formerly a leading member of the Panionic League.
As we drive further South, we visit
Miletus and then arrive at
Didyma, where we have lunch at a local restaurant,
circumstances permitting, across the road from the temple. As
the historian Pausanias wrote; 'The sanctuary of Apollo at
Didymoi, and the oracle there are more ancient than the Ionian
settlement.' Dinner and overnight in Kusadasi.
Accommodation:
Gullu
Konaklari
Meals : (B, L, D)
Day 7; Aphrodisias - Pamukkale
As we check out, we drive to
Pamukkale giving an en route visit to Aphrodisias, which
was the city dedicated to the cult of Aphrodite. As we visit
the Sculptor's Museum in
Aphrodisias, we have lunch at a local restaurant. We visit
Hierapolis on arrival, then have time to stroll over the
calcareous terraces of Pamukkale, or to enjoy the thermal
facilities. Dinner and overnight in Pamukkale.
Accommodation:
Richmond Thermal Hotel Pamukkale
Meals : (B, L, D)
Day 8; Phaselis - Antalya
Do not forget to bring your swim wear for
this day. After a spectacular drive enjoying views of the
mountains, and then pine and cedar trees, we arrive at the
scenic coastal route which is surrounded by the turquoise blue
waters of the Mediterranean and the pine forests above.
Phaselis, where Alexander the Great wintered before he marched
on for the rest of his campaign, is a beautiful Roman port
city. If Alexander ever took his armour off and went for a
swim, it should be the harbor at Phaselis; and our guests will
enjoy swimming in the same harbor with a view of the ruins and
the Taurus Mountains.
On arrival to Antalya, we visit the Archaeology Museum which
was awarded the Museum of the Year in Europe.
Dinner and overnight in Antalya.
Accommodation:
The Marmara Antalya
Meals : (B, L, D)
Day 9; Perge - Aspendos
In the morning, we first visit
Perge, one of the most impressive sites of Pamphylia, and
then
Aspendos, the world's best preserved ancient theatre.
After lunch at a local restaurant near the Aspendos Theatre,
we spend the afternoon at leisure. We suggest spending the
afternoon at the Konyalti Beach, which is one of the best
beaches of Antalya district. Dinner and overnight in Antalya.
Accommodation:
The Marmara Antalya
Meals : (B, L, D)
Day 10; Antalya/Konya
In the
morning, we visit the
Antalya Archaeology Museum and head to
Konya. After having our lunch at a local restaurant, we
visit the world famous
Mevlana Museum, formerly the place where the mystic
philosophy of Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi was taught. Dinner and
overnight in Konya.
Accommodation:
Rumi Hotel
Konya
Meals : (B, L, D)
Day 11; Konya/Cappadocia
Today, we drive to Cappadocia, with an enroute visit to
Sultanhan Caravanserai, where the medieval merchants used
to stay overnight. After this, we arrive in
Ihlara Valley and have our lunch at a local restaurant by
the river. After the lunch, we walk through the canyon via the
Steps of Anatolia to Belisirma village, the ancient
Peristrema. Set by the Melendiz River this is known as the
“Valley of the Sky”. Churches carved from the rocks form a
gallery of early paintings that are remarkable for their
accuracy. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.
Accommodation:
Yunak Evleri
Urgup
Meals : (B, L, D)
Day 12;
Cappadocia
Today we introduce you to the lunar landscape of
Cappadocia at
Dervent Valley, then we head on to
Zelve Open Air Museum, which is one of the earliest
inhabited and latest abandoned monastic settlements of
Cappadocia. Seeing the best examples of the fairy chimneys at
Pasabag Fairy Chimneys Valley, we drive further to
Avanos, where we have lunch at a local restaurant.
Goreme Open Air Museum is where we visit the rock carved
churches and colorful frescoes. We end the day hiking up to
the top of
Uchisar Castle, which is the highest and the most dominant
point, giving us a breathtaking panorama. Dinner in
Cappadocia.
Accommodation:
Yunak Evleri
Urgup
Meals : (B, L, D)
Day 13; Cappadocia
Our first stop is the
Soganli Valley, which is one of the earliest settlements
in Cappadocia. After this, we drive back to Urgup through the
unspoiled villages of Cappadocia, surrounded by the
“table-top” mountains. On the way we visit the Medrese in
Taskinpasa, a Theological School of the Seljuk Turks. After
lunch in
Mustafapasa at an old Greek house hosted by a local
family, we descend towards the centre of the earth, with a
trip to the
Underground City of Kaymakli, one of the largest and
deepest of Cappadocia’s many such settlements. Dinner and
overnight in Cappadocia.
Accommodation:
Yunak Evleri
Urgup
Meals : (B, L, D)
Day 14; Cappadocia - Home
Transfer to Kayseri Airport to board a morning flight to
Istanbul. Board your homeward flight or book additional nights
in Istanbul. Please advise us on your departure flight out of
Istanbul so that we could book you on the best connecting
flight from Kayseri. Accommodation: You may book additional
nights in Cappadocia or Istanbul.
Meals: (B)
Accommodation at the mentioned hotels
including breakfast
customary tips