Turkey Tour Package

Day 01: Friday Istanbul (D) Arrival in Istanbul  
Upon arrival in the legendary city of Istanbul, you are met by our representative with a friendly "Merhaba" (hello) and escorted to your hotel. Relax, unwind and prepare for the cultural adventure through time ahead. During dinner get acquainted with the other members of your group. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 02: Saturday Istanbul (BLD)
A full day tour to explore Istanbul, a fascinating city that bridges Europe and Asia which, under the name Byzantium and Constantinople was the capital of the Roman and Byzantine Empires, and in 1453, became the third and last Capital of the Ottomans. Visit the Blue Mosque, renowned for its six minarets. Built between 1609 and 1616 for Sultan Ahmet I, it is the beautiful 21,043 Iznik tiles dominant shade of blue that give the mosque its name. Next discover the Hippodrome where political, cultural, and sports activities took place during Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman times. After lunch, explore Topkapi Palace, the opulent residence of the Ottoman sultans overlooking the Bosphorus between the end of the 15th and the first half of the 19th centuries. You will discover why it is renowned for its treasures. In the late afternoon, make the most of your free time wandering through the labyrinth tunnels of one of the oldest covered market places in the world, the Grand Bazaar. Barter for colorful kilim, jewelry and leather products in over 3,000 shops. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 03: Sunday Istanbul (BLD)
Begin your discovery of Istanbul's natural beauty and rich historic heritage with a morning cruise on the Bosporus. Glide past the minarets and palaces, stone fortresses and wooden Ottoman mansions of the only city in the world that bridges Europe and Asia. In the afternoon visit St Savior in Chora whose mosaics and frescoes are among the most beautiful in the Byzantine World and magnificent Haghia Sophia, originally the largest church in the Christian world, it was converted into a mosque in 1453 by Mehmet II and under Atatürk, it became a museum and is a living testament to the beauty of Christianity and Islam that adorn the interior. Finalize your day wandering through the Spice market. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 04: Monday Istanbul - Ankara  (BLD)
Morning drive to Ankara, Turkey's political capital and second biggest city. Since 1923, it has been capital of the Turkish Republic, a secular nation. Lunch. In the afternoon, visit the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations housed in the beautifully restored 15th century "bedesten" (covered bazaar). The museum displays rich and unique collections of Anatolian civilizations, such as treasures of the Hittite Empire. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 05: Tuesday Ankara - Hattusa - Cappadocia (BLD)
In the morning, drive to Bogazkale to visit Hattusa, the capital of the powerful Hittites, where numerous cuneiform tablets have been discovered. You will see the Lower City with the Great Temple, the Upper City with the citadel and the double walls, the Royal Gate, the Lions Gate and the tunnel. You will also visit the rock sanctuary of Yazilikaya with its friezes and reliefs depicting the Hittite divinities. In late afternoon, drive into the heart of central Anatolia to the volcanic region of Cappadocia known for its seemingly lunar landscape. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 06: Wednesday Cappadocia  (BLD)
A full day tour to explore the rugged beauty of this fantastic region. The winding landscape is decorated at every twist and turn with a maze of cones, slopes and fairy chimneys, products of centuries of wind and rain. Visit the the Göreme Valley. Now an open-air museum, Goreme's churches were carved into the stone between the 7th-13th centuries and are decorated with frescoes that provide a record of early Christianity. Some of the churches you may see include the Church of St Barbara, the Church of the Serpent, the Church of the Sandal and the Church of the Apple. Continue your exploration of this intriguing region with a visit to the hidden, monastic valley of Pasabagi, which has a large number of carved rock houses and churches. Stroll through the red valley of Derbent and a photo stop at the ancient natural citadel of Uchisar. Lunch during sightseeing. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 07:  Thursday Cappadocia  (BLD)
This morning learn how the colorful kilims (carpets) that echo the earth tones of the region are made during a demonstration by local weavers. Descend 8 stories beneath the surface of the earth to explore the underground city where approximately 15, 000 early Christians, fleeing persecution, lived for months at a time undetected. The city was sub-divided into separate sections for better defense purposes with comfortable living rooms, wine cellars, meeting halls and churches. After lunch continue to explore Cappadocia's beauty in the local village of Soganli. Explore early rock carved churches, see typical Cappadocia houses and barter at the local handicraft market. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
 
Day 08: Friday Cappadocia - Konya - Antalya  (BLD)
In the morning, drive through the plain of Konya, the granery of Turkey. En route, stop at the Caravanserai built during the Seljuk period in the 13th century. The largest in Anatolia, it provides excellent insight into life for an early traveler. Continue to Konya, the capital of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum from the 11th to the 13th centuries. Visit the Museum of Mevlâna, the famous mystic and poet who founded the Sufi Order of the Whirling Dervishes in the 13th century. After lunch, continue south to Antalya. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 09: Saturday Antalya - Perge - Aspendos - Antalya  (BLD)
Begin your Greco-Roman quest today by visiting Perge where you can stroll along the mosaic sidewalk of a colonnaded street past the stadium and theatre. Continue to Aspendos, whose theatre is the best preserved Roman theatre in Asia Minor. The acoustics are still as perfect as they were when it was built in the 2nd century AD that a coin dropped from the orchestra pit can be heard in the top row. Lunch . Afternoon enjoy a visit to a jewellery center which makes one of fames of Antalya then stroll through the ottoman houses of Antalya's old city enclosed by roman walls and Hadrian Gate. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 10: Sunday Departure  (B)
Transfer to airport for your flight home.