Essencial Turkey

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN - ISTANBUL

Arrival, reception and transfer from airport to hotel. Accommodation.

ISTANBUL

Free day. Optional excursion - BOSPHORUS TOUR AND TWO CONTINENTS (lunch included): Sailing along the Bosphorus Channel that separates Europe and Asia continents, you can see a wonderful view of the strait with its palaces, forts and summer houses. Visit to the Spice Market, built in the 17th century, its shops sell typical products such as pashmina, saffron, spices, dried fruits, teas, delicacies, perfumes and much more! Visit to the Beylerbeyi Palace in neoclassical style, summer palace of the sultans. Hill of Camlica, one of the highest points of Istanbul with beautiful panoramic view. Accommodation (breakfast).

ISTANBUL

Free day. Optional excursion - HEART OF CONSTANTINOPLE TOUR (lunch included): visit to the Roman Hippodrome, place of horse racing and later became center of civil activity of the Byzantine Empire and nowadays conserves the Obelisk of Theodosius. Visit to the Blue Mosque, built in 1616 and known for its interior decoration with 21,000 Iznik tiles. Visit to Saint Sophia Cathedral which is considered a masterpiece of Byzantine architecture, and is now a museum. Visit to the Topkapi Palace which was the residence of the Sultans between the 15th and 19th centuries. Visit to the famous Grand Bazaar which is a 15th century covered market, comprising 5,000 shops, and considered one of the first shopping centers in the world. Accommodation (breakfast).

ISTANBUL - ANKARA - CAPPADOCIA

Transfer to Istanbul airport for flight bound to Ankara. Arrival in Ankara, reception. Visit to the Hittite Museum and Mausoleum of Ataturk. Travel overland to Cappadocia, stopping by the Salt Lake. Arrival at hotel. Accommodation (breakfast, dinner). Flight TK 2108 08: 00-09:15.

CAPPADOCIA

Optional - BALLOON FLIGHT. After breakfast excursion in the region of Cappadocia, which is located between three cities of Turkey: Kirsehir, Nigde, Kayseri. Visit to the underground city and small troglodyte villages of Uchisar, a natural fortress. Visit to Göreme Valley, an incredible Byzantine monastic complex composed of rock-cut churches with beautiful frescoes. Pasabag Valley with its Fairy Chimneys and Avanos, village of ceramics. Accommodation (breakfast, dinner).

CAPPADOCIA- KONYA - PAMUKKALE

Early in the morning, trip to Konya. On the way visit to a Kervansaray, a fortification used as a dormitory by the vendors of the ancient silk road. In Konya visit to the Monastery of the Dancing Dervishes founded by the great philosopher and mystic poet Mevlana Rumi. Arrival in Pamukkale. Accommodation (breakfast, dinner).

PAMUKKALE - KUSADASI or IZMIR

Breakfast and visit to ancient Hierapolis and Cotton Castle, natural wonder of gigantic white waterfalls, stalactites and natural pools formed over the centuries by the sliding of waters loaded with limestone salts from hot springs. Travel by land, arrival and visit to the House of the Virgin Mary. Visit Ephesus, the Roman capital of Asia Minor, visiting the ruins of Odeon, the Gate of Hercules, Temple of Hadrian, the magnificent library, the Agora and the fantastic Greek-Roman theater. At the end of the visits transport to your hotel in Kusadasi or Izmir. Accommodation (breakfast, dinner).

KUSADASI or IZMIR - DESTINATION COUNTRY

Breakfast. At the scheduled time, transfer to the port or airport to travel to the country of destination (breakfast).