DAY 1:
Welcome to Istanbul, crossroads of East and West, as well as the world’s only city that spans two continents. Tour enables you to discover Istanbul’s major sites on this morning’s tour. Discover the ancient Hippodrome, which once served as the public center of Byzantium for more than a thousand years. Then behold the breathtaking Blue Mosque, built by Sultan Ahmet and decorated with exquisite blue Iznik tiles. Continue to the magnificent Topkapi Palace, once the residence of the Ottoman sultans. After lunch we visit the magnificent Byzantine Church; Hagia Sophia, one of the finest architectural works in the world. We finish off our tour with a visit to the Basilica Cistern. This is one of the most popular visits in Istanbul. Overnight in Istanbul
DAY 2:
Travel to Bursa this morning, located at the foot of Mount Olympus which was first capital of Ottoman Empire, one of the largest empires in the history. Explore this absorbing destination with its famous Grand Mosque a landmark example of early Ottoman architecture and richly decorated Green Mosque and the Green Mausoleum. Have lunch in one of the traditional restaurants in the old town famous for its Iskender Kebab and especially candied chestnuts. After lunch, wander through the fascinating Kozahan the silk bazaar which was at the heart of the ancient silk trade. Overnight in Bursa
DAY 3:
Depart for Iznik (ancient Nicaea) once served as the capital of the Byzantine Empire and has been an important center for Christianity since 325. After arrival, have a short orientation drive around 1700-year-old gates and city walls which surround Iznik are relatively well preserved and tour the city ruins. Visit one of the significant historical monuments Hagia Sophia of Nicaea and the Green Mosque, with its beautifully tiled minaret. After the tour, drive to Bolu passing by beautiful countryside. On the way you will be pleasantly surprised by the environmental treasures surrounded by dense forests, mountain views and clear lake waters. Soak in the beauty of nature at the region’s natural treasures. Overnight in Bolu.
DAY 4:
This morning drive to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed town of Safranbolu; one of the very important stops on the Silk Road. We start our tour from Hidirlik Hill to get a city view, which was an open-air prayer place where people came together to pray for rain or for a fruitful, fertile and blessed summer. Then discover Safranbolu’s well-preserved wooden houses, Cinci Inn and Bath, old government building, the clock tower and the Arasta Bazaar where we will learn about the traditional handicraft shops. In the afternoon we drive to Yoruk village where you can find great examples of traditional Turkish houses. Overnight in Safranbolu.
DAY 5:
Early morning departure to the capital city of Ankara where we visit Anitkabir, mausoleum of the famed Mustafa Kemal Ataturk; founder of modern Turkey. After lunch, enjoy this afternoon visiting Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, also known as Hittite Museum holding artifacts from up to 7500 years old, including the most extensive and valuable collection of Hittite artifacts in the world. Overnight in Ankara
DAY 6:
After breakfast, drive to Cappadocia with an en-route visit to Hattusha, the ancient capital of the Hittite Empire. Today explore two of the most fascinating and important sites of the Hittites; the archaeological site of Hattusha and the rock sanctuary of Yazılıkaya. At Hattusha, the capital, stroll through the celebrated Lion Gate, King’s Gate, Sphinx Gate and see the city’s ramparts, palaces and temples. Explore the impressive ruins of fortifications, placed on rocky peaks in the centre of the Upper City, bear witness to the complexity of Hittite rock masonry, and the longest known Hittite hieroglyphic inscription from the Hittite Empire in the Upper City. Also visit the best-preserved ruin of a Hittite Temple from the 13th century B.C., known as Great Temple in the Lower City. En route to the famous rock sanctuary of Yazılıkaya, stop for lunch. Then, discover the Yazilkaya Sanctuary, which is an open-air temple with two natural chambers cut into the bedrock, lies 2 km northeast of the capital, on a slope of a mountain barrier, where you can still see richest and most striking samples of Hittite relief art, featuring the chief gods and goddesses and the figures of the Great King Tuthaliya IV. After visits, drive to Cappadocia for overnight
DAY 7:
Your first real encounter with Cappadocia almost Martian landscape is in the Zelve valley, one of the earliest inhabited and latest abandoned monastic settlements in Cappadocia with its troglodyte houses. Visit Çavuşin, an abandoned rock village known for its old Christian churches and houses. After lunch in Mustafapasa at an old Greek house hosted by a local family, drive to Kaymakli Underground City, the widest and one of the best-preserved underground cities in the region. Roam this subterranean network of homes, stables, cellars and kitchens and learn how it was used by early Christians to escape persecution. Continue to Uchisar Rock-Castle where you can enjoy a sweeping view of the area from the highest point in the region. Return to your hotel and stay overnight in Cappadocia.
DAY 8:
An early wakeup call awaits you today. The fairy tale chimneys of Cappadocia rank as one of the world’s most magical destinations, but the most spectacular views are by air. During this sunrise hot air balloon ride, you’ll float above rock-cut churches, scenic valleys, and centuries-old beehive homes for an unforgettable bird’s eye panorama. After this once in a lifetime experience, head back to your
hotel for your deserved breakfast before a full day tour of Cappadocia. Immerse yourself in some of the most historic and cultural sites in Turkey. The rock formations beyond belief in Devrent Valley with the lunar landscape of Cappadocia formed millions of years ago by massive volcanoes is a perfect place to start. Visit Pasabag’s fairy chimneys and then continue on your way towards Avanos center of terracotta art which is a popular destination because of its attractive old town and views over the river and its production of earthenware pottery. In the afternoon, visit the famous Goreme Open Air Museum to see the best examples of Byzantine art in Cappadocia where you can find early Christian Churches decorated with unique frescoes depicting various scenes from Bible. Return to your hotel and stay overnight in Cappadocia.
DAY 9:
After breakfast, drive through Central Anatolian Plateau to Konya with an en-route visit to the famous Sultanhan Caravanserai, which is the biggest caravanserai on the Silk Road. Continue to Konya and upon arrival, enjoy lunch with the locals in a traditional local restaurant. After lunch explore the city of Konya which was the capital of the Seljuq sultanate of Rum (Anatolia) and reached its greatest prosperity under their rule and was accounted one of the most brilliant cities of the world. Its enlightened rulers were great builders and patrons of art who endowed the city with many buildings, including some of the finest existing examples of Seljuq art. . Take a stroll through streets and admire the marvelous stonemasonry while visiting İnce Minare, Karatay Medrese and the Sirçali Medrese. Then, visit the museum of Mevlana Celaleddin-I Rumi, great philosopher and thinker who founded the Mawlawiyyah (Mevleviye) order of mystics, known in the West as the “Whirling Dervishes”. Explore the Dervish Lodge and The tekke (“monastery”) of Rūmī, comprising a number of buildings and his mausoleum which has beautiful tiles. Stay overnight in Konya.
DAY 10:
An early departure after breakfast, travel through the most spectacular and picturesque route from Konya to Antalya over Taurus Mountains. On the way to Antalya, Begin your Greco-Roman quest by visiting Aspendos and admire the marvelously complete theatre which is the best-preserved in the whole of the Roman world and also Roman aqueduct at Aspendos which is the best-preserved in Asia Minor. After visits, proceed to Perge which has substantial Hellenistic and Roman gates and where a mere scrape of the shoe will reveal mosaic walkways through colonnaded streets. Continue to Antalya for overnight.
DAY 11:
Enjoy a late breakfast at the hotel before our visit to Antalya Archaeological Museum, one of the country’s finest archaeological museums with exhibits from prehistory to Ottoman. After a panoramic city tour by the Mediterranean Coast, stop at Karpuzkaldiran Waterfall where
Duden River reaches the Mediterranean. Return to city center to take a stroll through the narrow streets of Antalya; founded by (and named after) Attalus II of Pergamum and discover the harbor which was the principal port in Pamphylia in ancient and Roman times. Spend the day discovering the natural beauty and the cultural depth of the city of Antalya. Stay overnight in Antalya.
DAY 12:
After breakfast, drive alongside the azure blue Mediterranean Sea. After arrival, have a short orientation drive through Demre; hometown of St Nicholas of Myra, the inspiration for Santa Claus. First, visit Church of St Nicholas where St. Nicholas was a bishop then drive to ancient city of Myra for its rock-cut tombs and extensive theater. After lunch enjoy a boat trip to discover the few remains of Lycian sunken city of Kekova immersed under the water after an earthquake. After the boat trip continue to Kas for overnight. Your evening is at your leisure to explore this pretty town.
DAY 13:
After breakfast, drive to Beautiful Patara Beach; one of Turkey’s most famous beaches and the nesting ground of the loggerhead sea turtles. Then discover archaeological site of Patara including the Assembly Hall of the Lycian League, Arch of Mettius Modestus and Vespasian Bath. After lunch, drive to Xanthos-Letoon which is one of the Unesco World Heritage sites of Turkey. On the way to Fethiye stop at Tlos to see the rock carved tombs and continue to Fethiye for overnight. Your evening is at your leisure to explore this delightful town.
DAY 14:
After breakfast drive to Dalyan Laguna where you’ll enjoy a boat ride to see the rock carved Lycian tombs and admire the seven kilometer long sandbar known as Iztuzu Beach, the nesting ground of the caretta caretta sea turtles. After lunch, leave the coast and drive into the interior of Anatolia to visit one of the most beautiful classical sites in Turkey, Aphrodisias which was the centre of a Roman cult of Aphrodite and home of an important school for the production of high-quality and widely exported sculpture, where you can find many fine examples in the museum. Take time to visit the archaeological site including Temple of Aphrodite and the largest and most complete stadium to have survived from the ancient world. Continue to Pamukkale for overnight.
DAY 15:
Enjoy a late breakfast at the hotel before our visit to Pamukkale; an unreal landscape, made up of mineral forests and outstanding universal value which is preserved as a World Heritage by UNESCO. Spend the day discovering the natural beauty and the cultural depth of Pamukkale to marvel at the extraordinary formations caused by calcite-laden water which have given rise to its Turkish name, literally translated as “Cotton Castle”. Visit Roman health spa of Hierapolis and enjoy a swim and bathe in the same pools as the Attalid kings of the second century BC. After lunch visit the nearby archaeological site of Hierapolis and its necropolis which is the largest of the ancient world. After visits drive to Kuşadası for overnight passing by beautiful countryside.
DAY 16:
After breakfast start a busy and exciting day in Ephesus, the principal centre on the Aegean coast under the Roman Empire and capital of the province of Asia, with a population of 400,000 in the second century AD. Today’s full day tour begins at the remains of the Artemis Temple, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and the most popular pagan pilgrimage destination in the Greco-Roman world. Then proceed to the Ancient City of Ephesus, which has become the most extensively excavated site of the ancient world to explore its breathtaking range of buildings with its amazing two-storey Library of Celsus and the enormous theatre, originally seating 24,000 and scene of the protest against St Paul described in the Acts of the Apostles. Wander the ancient marble streets to see ruins of Odeon, Hercules Gate, Temple of Hadrian, and Agora and view the luxurious terrace houses with marble-lined halls, mosaics and beautiful frescoes reflecting the life of the highly sophisticated roman citizens. After lunch drive up to Bulbul Mountain to visit the chapel believed to be the house where the Virgin Mary spent the final days of her life. In complete contrast, also discover the remains of St John’s Basilica, built by the Emperor Justinian over the tomb of St John who was entrusted to care for Virgin Mary and it’s believed she travelled with him to Ephesus. After visits to the House of Virgin Mary and Basilica of St John, both are pilgrimage sites for many people of all denomination, continue to the picturesque village of Sirince or return to the hotel with the rest of the day free to enjoy at leisure.
DAY 17:
Early morning departure, drive to the ancient city of Pergamon; was the most powerful city-state in Asia Minor, rivalling Athens and Alexandria as a center of culture under the Hellenistic Attalid dynasty. Visit the Acropolis with breathtaking views over the valley and discover remains of Attalid palaces, an Altar of Zeus (most of which is now in Berlin) and the remains of the most impressive Hellenistic theater in Asia Minor on a steep-sided hill. Then visit the nearby archaeological site of Asclepieon lie on flat ground below, a highly significant medical center in the ancient world. After lunch, visit the legendary city of Troy, the site of one of the most famous wars of ancient times, immortalized in Homer’s Iliad. Discover the many layers of this ancient city, the Trojan horse and the 3700 year old city walls and here hear about the stories of Helen of Troy and the famous battle between Achilles and Paris. Continue to Çanakkale for overnight.
DAY 18:
After breakfast, cross the Strait of Dardanelles by ferry to discover Gallipoli; the site of one of the most famous battles of the World War I and where so many brave soldiers on both sides fought and died. First start with the Helles sector where British and French forces landed at several beaches. Here visit the sites of the Landing Beaches, The Turkish Martyrs’ Monument, Morto Bay, The Helles Memorial of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC). Stop for lunch at Eceabat, before heading to the ANZAC Sector. After lunch start the tour of ANZAC battlefields and memorials to visit Brighton Beach, Beach Cemetery, ANZAC Cove, Ariburnu Cemetery, ANZAC Commemorative Site, Lone Pine Australian Memorial, Johnston’s Jolly, parts of Turkish and ANZAC trenches & tunnels, 57th Regiment Turkish Memorial, The Nek and Chunuk Bair New Zealand Memorial and Gallipoli Epic Presentation Center (Kabatepe War Museum). Late afternoon depart for Edirne for overnight.
DAY 19:
After breakfast explore the city of Edirne and visit Selimiye Mosque with its single great dome and four slender minarets, dominates the skyline of the former Ottoman capital of Edirne. Admire the spectacular decorated interior space, meticulous craftsmanship, marble courtyard and brilliant Iznik tiles from the peak period of their production. Then discover its Social Complex, a group of buildings constructed around a mosque considered to be the ultimate architectural expression ever achieved of the Ottoman külliye by the master architect Sinan, the most outstanding architect of the Ottoman Empire. After a visit to this spectacular landmark declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site recently discover historic center of the city including an Old Mosque, Ali Pasha Arasta Bazaar and Sultan Beyazid II Complex also known as the Health Care Museum or Darüssifa is one of the mystic and interesting places where a mentally ill were treated with water and the sound of music. After lunch in one of the traditional restaurants in the old town, continue to Grand Synagogue of Edirne, a historic Sephardi synagogue which was Europe’s third-largest and the largest in Turkey. After visits, continue to Istanbul for overnight.
DAY 20:
Istanbul is geographically situated straddling two continents and your visit would not be complete without a tour of the Bosporus Strait that divides Europe from Asia. Let’s begin Bosphorus journey at the Dolmabahce Palace built in 19th century is one of the most glamorous palaces in the world. It was the administrative center of the late Ottoman Empire with the last of Ottoman Sultans was residing there. After visiting the Dolmabahce Palace, take a boat trip up the Bosphorus with authentic local atmosphere and amazing views of both the Asian and European sides of Istanbul. Depending on your flight departure time, the rest of the day is free to enjoy for last minute shopping at the worldwide famous Grand Covered Bazaar, the oldest and one of the largest covered markets in the World with its more than 4000 shops.
Transfer to Airport for the return flight back home. End of Services
Your package concludes but; you can choose to extend your stay in Istanbul to explore more.