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Day 1: Arrival to Istanbul.
Welcome to Turkey! You’re greeted upon arrival and escorted to your hotel located in the Old City area-Sultanahmet. According to your arrival time you can either check in to the hotel and relax or check out the Old city area. The remainder of the day is at leisure before meeting your tour guide for a short welcome briefing. Overnight in Istanbul.
Day 2: Istanbul walking tour – Old city (B-L)
After having breakfast at the Hotel, Our guide meets you and We start our Walking trip around 09:00 am We see how old meets new when you visit Istanbul's five "must-see" historic sites. Begin with a visit to Topkapi Palace, the main residence of the Ottoman Sultans, with its jewel encrusted treasury and elegant four courts. Visit the main sights around Sultanahmet Square, including the famous Hagia Sophia Museum, once the largest church in the world for 1000 years, and decorated with stunning 6th century golden mosaics. Then visit the Blue Mosque, designed with 6 delicate minarets and a striking blue Iznik tiled interior. Nearby, take a stroll through the site of the ancient Hippodrome, once the sporting ground of chariots and political riots, and see the Egyptian Obelisk, Serpentine Column and Fountain of Wilhelm II.
*Lunch in an old city restaurant
We walk the Divan yolu - the "Road to the Imperial Council," was once the imperial road from Constantinople to Rome. past shops and restaurants, past Ottoman sultans' tombs, mosques and medreses (theological schools), past Byzantine forums and monuments such as Cemberlitas (the Burnt Column) to Beyazit Square . Finally, visit the Grand Bazaar, where you can shop or haggle with local merchants over unusual antiques, colorful spices, beautiful jewelry and richly textured fabrics. End of tour return to hotel.
Overnight in Istanbul
Day 3 : Istanbul Walking tour – Old city to Taksim (B)
After having breakfast at the Hotel, We start our walking tour with Gulhane Park (The Rose Garden Park) It is one of the oldest parks in old city of Istanbul. İt is located between Sarayburnu, the Topkapi Palace and the ancient walls. It took its name from the rose gardens of the Topkapi Palace. Sirkeci Train station This is where the famous Orient Express ended its run from Paris, at the 19th-century Orientalist station, right next to Eminonu, its ferry docks, an great view of Golden horn.Then we get in to the streets of Spice Market and Stroll through the market’s shops with Spices, dried fruits, nuts and seeds, lokum (Turkish Delight) and more.Once we are out we walk the side markets to the Rustempasa Mosque which creates a beautiful sight in the busiest commercial center in Istanbul.it s one of the masterpieces of Architect the great Sinan,it is also famed with the finest examples of Iznik tiles. Then we stroll through the Galata Bridge located on Golden horn with a dominating view of old city and Pera. Finally we arrive to the Galata Tower still offers the best panoramic views of the city with Bosphorus , Princess Islands, Golden horn and behind the old city. After having a 360 view walking around the terraces of tower we hit to the Istiklal Street is now hosting hundreds of shops, cafes and restaurants surrounded with historical charming buildings, and the street is pedestranized and only a historical tram is running from one end to another. Our Istanbul walking tour ends with Taksim Square, it s the heart of the new city area decorated with a small but a meaningful statue of liberty for Turkish people.
Overnight in Istanbul
Day 4 : Cappadocia - Goreme Walking Tour (B-L)
After having breakfast at the hotel, We take an early morning flight from Istanbul to Kayseri airport in Cappadocia. We drive 70 km east to the heart of volcanic area of Cappadocia in Goreme. Check in to a rock –cave hotel. After having some leisure time we do an afternoon Zemi Valley walking tour to see the rock Fairy chimneys and ruck cut cave churches of Goreme open air museum famous for its matchless monasteries and hermit’s caves.
*Lunch in a local restaurant
We return to the hotel after seeing the sunset from Aydin Kiragi Hill.
Overnight in Cappadocia in a cave hotel
Day 5 : Cappadocia Balloon Flight & Meskendir Valley Walking Tour (B-L)
Early morning (at dawn), you will be transferred from your hotel to the take-off point by vehicles. The flight starts and from the sky you will admire the bizarre Cappadocia's topography, a fantastic and incredible panoramic view with the sunrise coloring the landscape in warm tones of golden.
End of balloon tour return to Hotel. After having breakfast at the hotel, We walk to the one of the most beautiful valleys of Goreme. Red Valley through orchards and vineyards, between fairy chimneys and rock-carved houses, You can see the old cave churches and pigeon dwellings in caves.
*Lunch in a local restaurant
Afterwards, visit the old Village of Cavusin with it’s deserted houses after 1960’s looks like a ghost town. Christian missionaries and communities once lived in the old Cavusin valley, now in ruins. Lunch in a small village house.
Overnight in Cappadocia in a cave hotel
Day 6 : Cappadocia - Ihlara Canyon & Underground city (B-L)
After having breakfast at the hotel, We drive to the Derinkuyu Underground City "Deep Well" is one of the Cappadocia's deepest and most elaborate underground cities,extends eight levels into the earth with its rolling-stone doors, Deep water wells,tall ventilation chimneys,ruck cut cave churches and tunnels. We drive 1 hour to the Ihlara Valley, Do a nice afternoon easy walk through the valley cut by Melendiz stream, holds hundreds of Roman churches, chapels, monasteries and hermits' caves dating from the 6 th to 13th centuries. It is a 16 km long valley cut into volcanic rock in the southern part of Cappadocia following several eruptions of Mount Hasan.
*Lunch in the old Village of Belisirma.
Selime Castle located at the northern opening of the Ihlara Valley with its rock cones. It has a great view of the valley. The complexes were carved into volcanic rock outcroppings in Byzantine period. Rooms (the kitchen, formal halls, bathing area, church with side chapel etc.) are arranged around two courtyards. End of the day return to the hotel.
Overnight in Cappadocia in a cave hotel
Day 7 : Konya Walking Tour (B-L)
After having breakfast at the hotel, We drive 3 hours to Konya - city of Whirling Dervishes. Upon arrival we have lunch at a local restaurant. Then our walking city tour start with the outstanding, and numerous great Seljuk buildings; Aladdin Mosque built on a hill in downtown. Selimiye Mosque of Konya is an example of the Ottoman style of mosque from the great period of Ottoman architecture.
*Lunch in a local restaurant in the center of Konya
Afterwards we walk to the Mevlana Museum the former tekke (dervish hall) that now holds the tomb of Mevlana Jelaleddin Rumi with dervish cells. After touring Konya city we drive to Pamukkale and arrive there in evening.
Overnight in a Thermal spring hotel in Pamukkale
Day 8 : Pamukkale and Aphrodisias Walking tour (B-L)
We depart early in the morning just after having breakfast. We start our Walking tour from the magnificently preserved a vast Necropolis of the ancient Hellenistic world of Hierapolis. We walk through the Roman basilical baths, Domitian gate, latrines, Agora, Colonnaded street and Byzantine gate and Roman fauntains & Grand Theatre ,and also other monuments at the site. Then we take a refreshing swim break for the Sacred –Thermal pools full of fallen marble columns, plinths and the occasional capital from the nearby Temple of Apollo, the pool is constantly refreshed by an inflow of hot calcium-laden mineral water. Later on We continue to the brilliantly white dramatic travertines shaped by the hot calcium waters spring from the ground and cascade over a cliff. There you will see the Pamukkale “Cotton Castle”.
*Lunch will be in a local restaurant in Pamukkale.
But our day is not over yet. We drive to the ancient city of Aphrodisias is one of the most important archaeological sites of the Aegean region in Turkey. Famous for its sanctuary of Aphrodite, the city of Goddess of Love Aphrodisias enjoyed a long and prosperous existence from the first century B.C. through the sixth century A.D. Today, many of the city's ancient monuments remain standing, and Excavations have unearthed numerous fine marble statues and other artifacts. Aphrodisias had a famous sculpture academy in Roman times,
At the entrance we visit a great museum dedicated to a good collection of Roman sculpture. Then we walk for the ruins, set amid fertile fields of cotton and groves of spindly cypresses, include an elaborate Tetrapylon, or monumental gate the foundations of the Temple of Aphrodite, the Christian bishop's palace, a white marble odeon (small theater) in excellent condition, and a the best preserved stadium still capable of seating nearly its original capacity of 30,000 spectators.
End of our Aphrodisias Walking tour, we drive to the town of Selcuk.
Overnight in Selcuk
Day 9 : Ephesus Walking Tour (B-L)
After having breakfast at the hotel,
We start our walking day from the St. John's Basilica, A part of the site, was built in the 6th century AD, under emperor Justinian I over the supposed site of the apostle's tomb. It is now surrounded by Seljuk. We go on with the visit of Isa Bey Mosque is one of the most delicate examples of Seljuk architecture, Then The Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of ancient world was a famous place of pilgrimage for centuries.
The Ephesus Museum holds the best of the archeological objects excavated at Ephesus, a few artifacts from Ephesus's great Temple of Artemis and finds from some of the many other significant ancient Hellenic, Hellenistic and Roman cities in the region.
*Lunch in a restaurant in Seljuk
After having Lunch we drive to the House of the Virgin Mary as the final resting place of the Virgin Mary, Which is 8 km from Ephesus on Mt. Nightingale. Then we drive down from the to the Ephesus. Our Walking Ephesus Tour starts from the upper entrance gate. Ancient city has 3 main streets .We see the Baths of Various , Odeon, Prytaneion, Fauntain of Polio, The Gate of Heracles ,State Agora, Public toilets, Temple of Hadrian , Temple of Domitian , Library of Celsius, Great Theater and Harbor street with necropolis.
End of Day transfer to Izmir airport and take a flight to Istanbul
Overnight in Istanbul.
Day 10 : Istanbul - Departure Flight (B)
After having breakfast at the Hotel, you may ask our office for other options while enjoying tea with us. Depending on your departure time, transfer to Airport for your return flight.
Please Note:
Closed
• Hagia Sophia Museum on Monday – Replaced with Basilica Cistern or Kariye Museum
• Topkapi Palace on Tuesdasy - Replaced with Kariye Museum
• Grand Bazaar & Spice Market on Sunday- Replaced with Authentic Shops
*You may extend your stay and request further information about our tours to highlights of Turkey from our office in Sultanahmet.
* Summer/Fall In warm weather, dress light, wear sun block and comfortable shoes. |
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