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TURKEY TOUR BY AIR & LAND
Day 01 Sat Arrive ISTANBUL
Arrive at Istanbul Ataturk International Airport and transfer to your hotel.
Dinner at guests' expense.
Day 02 Sun ISTANBUL
Today after breakfast you start your visits with the Hagia Sophia Church, built
in the 6th century as a Christian basilica which became the largest church in
the world for many centuries with magnificent Byzantine mosaics; the Blue
Mosque, built by the order of Ottoman Sultan Ahmet in the 17th century with six
minarets and fine interior tiles from Iznik, it's the most important mosque of
the city; Byzantine Hippodrome, where chariot races were once held and several
monuments, such as 3600 years old Egyptian obelisk, were erected for decoration.
After lunch visit world famous Topkapi Palace, main residence of the Ottoman
Sultans for about 400 years, where you can see incredible collections of
imperial treasury, sultans' costumes, silverware, porcelains etc. Dinner at
guests' expense. (B-L)
Day 03 Mon ISTANBUL
Breakfast is included in the hotel. Whole day at leisure, or you can book an
optional Bosphorus cruise and Asian side tour. Dinner at guests' expense. (B)
Day 04 Tue ISTANBUL - Ankara - CAPPADOCIA
After breakfast transfer to the airport for a domestic flight to Ankara, capital
city of modern Turkey. Upon arrival visit the Anatolian Civilizations Museum
located in the ancient Citadel offering great views of the city from a high
location. The museum is one of the most beautiful archaeological museums in
Turkey, containing wonderful relics found during excavations and dating as far
back as to Early Stone ages, Hittites, Phrygians, Lydians and so on. Before
leaving the city for Cappadocia you'll also view the Mausoleum of Ataturk, the
founder of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, resting in peace in his final
residence. On the way to Cappadocia you'll drive around the Salt Lake, second
largest lake of Turkey covered completely with salt in the Summer time because
of high evaporation. Check-in to your hotel and dinner. (B-L-D)
Day 05 Wed CAPPADOCIA
After breakfast visit this unique region with its incredible volcanic formations
and housing carved into the rocks. Today's visits will include natural rock
citadel of Uchisar, for a panoramic view of the region; the Underground City of
Kaymakli or Derinkuyu, carved into the rock under the ground in the early years
of Christianity by that community escaping from persecutions, where you can
visit several levels full of bedrooms, galleries, storages etc. After lunch
you'll visit the Göreme Open Air Museum, with its 10th - 13th century churches
carved into the rock with magnificent interior frescoes; Continue to see more of
these unusual formations and traditional villages such as Cavusin; Pasabag
Valley, and finally Avanos Village, founded next to the longest river of Turkey
- Red River, famous for its pottery. Today you'll also have some time for
shopping as Cappadocia is known for its handicrafts and nomadic carpets. Dinner
at hotel. (B-L-D)
Day 06 Thu CAPPADOCIA - Konya - PAMUKKALE
Following breakfast, depart for Konya to visit the Mausoleum of Mevlana, founder
of the Whirling Dervishes. Lunch en route. Arrive to your hotel in Pamukkale in
the evening after driving the valleys and mountains of Anatolia. Dinner at
hotel. (B-L-D)
Day 07 Fri PAMUKKALE - Aphrodisias - KUSADASI
After breakfast at the hotel visit Hierapolis, a Greco-Roman city famous for its
largest necropolis in Asia Minor, colonnaded streets, thermal baths and a well
preserved theater. Then drive to Aphrodisias, a hidden paradise over the
mountains, dedicated to the goddess Aphrodite and once capital of Lydia, where
you'll see a perfect Roman theater, best-preserved ancient stadium and of course
temple of the Goddess. Lunch en-route. After visits drive to Kusadasi. Dinner at
hotel. (B-L-D)
Day 08 Sat KUSADASI - Ephesus - ISTANBUL
After breakfast depart for Ephesus to visit this spectacular and huge ancient
capital of Asia Minor. During your visit you'll see the Marble Road, the huge
Antique Theater, the Roman Baths, Agoras and the Celsius Library. After lunch
visit the peaceful House of Virgin Mary, where it's believed that she spent her
last years and it's recognized as a shrine by Vatican. Drive to the airport in
Izmir for a domestic flight to Istanbul. Arrive in Istanbul and transfer to the
hotel. Dinner at guests' expense. (B-L)
Day 09 Sun DEPART ISTANBUL
After breakfast transfer to the airport. End of services. (B) Or you can extend
your stay in Istanbul if you wish.
(B) Breakfast -
(L) Lunch - (D) Dinner
PLEASE NOTE: This tour is Guaranteed Departure and run every
Saturday (Day 01) from Istanbul in English language. It is run on all other
languages on Fridays and after the first two nights in Istanbul clients will fly
to Ankara on Sunday to join the group, that one night in Istanbul will be added
to the end on the tour. Hagia Sophia is closed on Mondays, Topkapi Palace on Tuesdays, Grand
Bazaar on Sundays & Turkish public holidays. On these specific days they'll be
substituted with other museums/sites depending on the convenience of the program
and schedule. Order of the visits may be changed for the convenience of the
tour. Cappadocia - Pamukkale track is a long drive. Depending on seasonal
occupancies Kusadasi stay may be swapped to Izmir.
ALL TRAVEL SERVICES FOR THIS TOUR ARE BEEN ARRANGED BY A GOVERNMENT LICENSED
& RELIABLE TRAVEL AGENCY
. .
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