Arrival in Istanbul and 12-Day Turkey Highlights Journey
DAY 1: ARRIVAL TO ISTANBUL
Welcome to Turkey. Upon arrival at Istanbul Airport, meet our representative and enjoy a private transfer to your hotel for an overnight stay in Istanbul. A panoramic tour on the way to the hotel can be arranged depending on your arrival time at the airport. Overnight in Istanbul.
DAY 2: ISTANBUL OLD CITY TOUR
After breakfast, depart from the hotel for a Sultanahmet Old City tour of Istanbul. Today, we will visit Topkapı Palace to see the sacred holy relics of the Prophets and the valuable collections of the Ottoman dynasty. After a couple of hours, we will visit the Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Mosque) and the Hippodrome. Lunch break at 1 pm, followed by a one-hour visit to Hagia Sophia Mosque. The Grand Bazaar will be our last stop of the tour. Return to the hotel around 6 pm. Overnight in İstanbul.
DAY 3: ISTANBUL - BURSA
After breakfast, check out from the hotel and drive for 4 hours to Bursa. Visit the Grand Mosque and the oldest silk bazaar in the city centre. Lunch break. Then visit the Green Mausoleum. Check in to the hotel. Overnight in Bursa.
DAY 4: BURSA - KUSADASI
Check out from the hotel and drive for 5 hours to Kusadasi. Lunch break on the way. Visit the Ephesus area, including Ephesus Ancient City. Ephesus, one of the best-preserved ancient cities in the world, is a highlight of any visit to Turkey. It was one of the commercial, religious, and social centres of antiquity and is a treasure trove of Greek, Roman, and Byzantine ruins. Then visit one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Temple of Artemis. Continue to Isa Bey Mosque, one of the Seljuk-period mosques built in the 13th century. The last visit will be Şirince village, a perfect synthesis of a traditional Turkish village and a traditional Greek village. Overnight in Kuşadası. Activities/visits: Ephesus Ancient City, Isa Bey Mosque, Temple of Artemis, and Şirince village.
DAY 5: PAMUKKALE
Check out from the hotel and drive to Pamukkale for 3 hours. Lunch break at Pamukkale. Visit ancient Hierapolis, including the Theatre, Apollo Temple, magnificent Necropolis, the graveyard, and the travertine terraces. The travertine terraces at Pamukkale are one of the most spectacular natural wonders, formed by various mineral springs on a vast white cliffside about 200 m above the plain. Calcite-laden waters have dripped down over a series of terraced levels, creating a fairyland of bizarre solidified cascades and shell-shaped basins. It looks like creations made from snow or balls of cotton, which gave the scenery the Turkish name Pamukkale, meaning "cotton castle." Moreover, the water in the basins changes colour according to how the light enters. Overnight in Pamukkale. Activities/visits: Acropolis, Necropolis, Travertines, and a visit to a textile shopping mall.
DAY 6: PAMUKKALE - ANTALYA
Check out and depart from the hotel after breakfast. While driving to Antalya, after 2 hours we will have a half-hour break at Salda Lake. Then we will drive for 2 more hours to Antalya, on Turkey's Mediterranean coast. Lunch break at your hotel or at a restaurant in the old town. Check in to the hotel. After some time to refresh, drive to the city centre for a panoramic tour of Antalya Old Town. Visits include Düden Waterfall, the old town, Seljuk Mosque, and Hadrian's Gate. Overnight in Antalya.
DAY 7: ANTALYA - FREE DAY
Today you are free to enjoy your leisure time at the hotel. The day is yours. You can enjoy the facilities of your hotel, relax on your own, or take optional tours for the day. Overnight in Antalya.
Antalya is situated at the end of a gulf that shares the city's name and extends over a green plateau lying parallel to the sea. With its blue sea, luminous sky, the ever-changing colours of its mountains, and lush green vegetation, the city is a festival of colours. Today, it is one of the world's best-loved tourist resorts, with numerous five-star and four-star hotels, holiday villages, and entertainment establishments.
DAY 8: ANTALYA - KONYA - CAPPADOCIA
Check out from the hotel and drive for 2 hours to Side Apollon Temple for a one-hour break. Then continue for 2 more hours to Konya. Lunch break in Konya. Visit Rumi's tomb and the dervish lodge for a couple of hours.
Then drive to Cappadocia for 3 hours. Check in to the hotel. Overnight in Cappadocia.
DAY 9: CAPPADOCIA
Optional hot air balloon ride early in the morning. After breakfast, take a full-day tour starting from Devrent Valley (Imagination Valley), known for its spectacular fairy chimneys and beautiful landscapes. After Devrent Valley, visit Paşabağları (also known as Monk Valley), where double- and triple-headed rock formations can be seen. Then enjoy a presentation about pottery making by master artisans in Avanos. Lunch in Avanos, famous for its pottery art and the Red River (Kızılırmak). After lunch, visit Göreme Open Air Museum, the heart of Cappadocia. Göreme Open Air Museum is famous for its wall paintings (frescoes), dating back to the 10th century and describing the life of Jesus Christ and monks. The last stop will be Uçhisar Castle, a natural formation and one of the biggest mass fairy chimneys in the region. Overnight in Cappadocia. Optional night programme: Traditional Turkish Night Show and Dervish Show.
DAY 10: CAPPADOCIA - ANKARA
Late check-out from the hotel. Enjoy a panoramic tour of Love Valley and then experience one of the most popular traditional occupations of housewives: weaving. Lunch break. Leave Cappadocia after lunch for Ankara, the capital city of the Republic of Turkey. After a 4-hour drive, we will reach Ankara. Enjoy a 1-hour panoramic night tour of Ankara at Kızılay Square. Check in to the hotel. Overnight in Ankara.
DAY 11: ANKARA - ISTANBUL
Check out from the hotel at 8 am. Today we will visit the old town and castle of Ankara, including the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations. Spend around a couple of hours there. Then depart from Ankara to Beypazarı, an old Ottoman village on the ancient Silk Road where architecture and traditions are still preserved. Enjoy a walking tour of this old town for an hour, followed by a lunch break. Then drive to Nallıhan, another Silk Road town, for its natural park known as Bird Paradise. Have a photo break on the way and a short stop at the village centre for tea or coffee refreshments. After refreshments, drive directly to İstanbul. Overnight in Istanbul.
DAY 12: DEPARTURE
The rest of the day is yours until your departure to the international airport. Flight back home. End of our services.
