Best of Turkey Tour - BOT

babyRat.jpg
Mike and Stephie
May 05, 2021

This 10 day guided tour explores the best of Turkey.

Welcome to Turkey! If you are looking for something special and extraordinary then look no further. The best tour in Turkey, including Istanbul - Kusadasi - Ephesus - Pamukkale - Antalya & Capppadocia. This an exquisite tour for you with all the bells and whistles. There are no long bus rides just domestic flights getting you to your destination comfortable and relaxed.

Itinerary

Welcome to Turkey Istanbul airport. Meet with the guide and transfer from airport & check in to your hotel. Tonight we have an Indian dinner at an Indian restaurant. Overnight in Istanbul.

There are two airports in Istanbul. Istanbul Airport is 20 km away from the city centre and Sabiha Gokcen airport is 55 km away from the city centre. Transfer from Ataturk airport to your hotel is included.

Pick up at 08:30 am from your hotel for a day tour of old Istanbul city. Visit ST. SOPHIA This ancient basilica, built by Constantine the Great in the 4th century and reconstructed by Justinian in the 6th century, is one of the architectural marvels of all time. TOPKAPI PALACE The great palace of the Ottoman sultans from the 15th to the 19th centuries housing an exquisite collection of crystal, silver, and Chinese porcelain, robes worn by the sultans and their families, the famous jewels of the Imperial Treasury, miniatures, the Holy Mantle; enshrining relics of the Prophet Mohammed. SULTANAHMET IMPERIAL MOSQUE Across from St. Sophia built in the 16th century by the architect Mehmet, is known as the BLUE MOSQUE because of its magnificent interior decoration of blue Iznik tiles. HIPPODROME Ancient Hippodrome, the scene of chariot races, with the three monuments; the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column and the Column of Constantine. Lunch break at 1:00 pm after the lunch Murtis Tour will then take you to the GRAND COVERED BAZAAR In this labyrinth of streets and passages are more than 4,000 shops with each trade having its own area: the goldsmiths'' street, the carpet sellers, Turkish arts and crafts, such as handpainted ceramic plates, hand-honed copperware, brassware and trays, water ewers, onyx-ware and meerschaum pipes. After the tour, transfer back to your hotel. Overnight in Istanbul.

Please Note: Hagia Sophia is closed on Mondays, Topkapi Palace closed on Tuesdays, Grand Bazaar closed on Sundays. If your tour is on one of these days we would offer you to visit Underground Cistern instead of Hagia Sophia and Topkapi palace museum, instead of Grand Bazaar you will visit Spice Bazaar. B, L, D

After breakfast depart for Bosphorus Cruise tour. Enjoy a magical Istanbul Bosphorus Boat Cruise and Spice Market Tour starting at 08:30. Enjoy the array of sites you can see from the boat including the SPICE BAZAAR (Egyptian Bazaar). BOSPHORUS BY BOAT a traditional excursion by boat along the waterway separating Europe and Asia. We have a lunch break at a Turkish restaurant. After lunch, we depart for Istanbul Airport for domestic flight to Izmir. Transfer from airport & check in to your hotel in Kusadasi. Dinner and overnight in Kusadasi. B, L, D

08:30 Departure from hotel for a fully guided tour of Ephesus, one of the best preserved ancient sites in the world en-route, visiting the Temple of Artemis, Curetes street, famous Roman baths, Celsus Library, Grand theatre and House of the Virgin Mary. Lunch break around 1:00 pm. After lunch, we will visit a place which continues to perform one of the oldest arts of Turkey; a carpet weaving centre. After Lunch, we will do a Turkish Village Tour. Sirince's construction style today belongs to Anatolian Greeks. The houses on the slope are all Orginal with their white paints. Sirince Village also has a fantastic reputation for making some of the best wines in Turkey, especially fruit wines. We will visit the vineyards and it is time to learn how to make fruit wine with Turkish winemakers. In the evening you will be tested about your knowledge of making fruit wine. On the way, we will visit one of the famous leather production centres of the region, where you will have the opportunity to get a good factory rate. On this guided tour, you will avoid the constant nagging and sometimes bullying that is well known in the markets of Turkey. Enabling you to enjoy the shopping experience whilst gaining the knowledge of the ancient craftsmen Overnight in Kusadasi. B, L, D

At 08:30 we depart for Pamukkale. We will check at the hotel around 12.00 and we have a lunch break until 13.30. Afterwards, we shall visit the calcium terraces of Pamukkale (cotton castle) and the ruins of Hierapolis, then walk around this natural phenomenon and have the option of lying in the waters of the natural springs. Overnight in Pamukkale. B, L, D

Today, from Pamukkale to Antalya, we may use a luxury public bus. This service is door to door, we pick you up from your hotel and drop you to Denizli bus station and again we pick you up from bus station in Antalya and drop you to your hotel in Antalya. Tea, coffee, snacks and TV are available on the buses. We will also have one break on the way after 2,5 hours. Only 5 hours drive to Antalya. Overnight in Antalya. B, D

After breakfast, we will depart for Perge and Aspendos.

PERGE: According to the geographer Strabon. Perge has been founded by Akhas who came down here after the Trojan wars. Perge was first mentioned in 334 BC when Alexander the Great passed through here. In the following years, Perge went under the control of Pergamon when the Kingdom of Pergamon became a part of the Roman city. In the first and the second centuries BC, Perge became one of the richest towns in Pamphylia. Therefore it is not a surprise that St. Paul started his campaign in Anatolia from Perge in 46 AD. After Perge, we will depart for Aspendos. Lunch break on the way.

ASPENDOS: The eastern land of Antalya was called Pamphylia in ancient times. Aspendos (Belkis) lies 47 km east of Antalya in the Pamphylian plain. In 486 BC, Greeks and Persians had a great battle here (Greeks won, they didn't stay for long). During the reign of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius (161-80 AD) Aspendos got its theatre, which is the best preserved of all. It was built by Romans and maintained by Byzantines and Seljuks. The ruins of the ancient city are extensive and include a stadium, an agora, and a basilica. Dinner and overnight in Antalya. B, L, D

After breakfast, 12:00 hrs check out and free time till departure. Then we depart for Antalya airport for our domestic flight to Cappadocia. Transfer from Kayseri airport to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to explore Cappadocia. Dinner and Overnight in Cappadocia. B, D

Today we will get to know the Cappadocia region, a volcanic area in which the geological formation started 10 million years ago. As a result of these formations phallic like pillars have come to life. The beautiful horse country Katpatuka, (as the Persians called her) is an unbelievable strip of land, enchanting and mysterious. Cappadocia region is also famous for its arts, including ceramic and carpets. You will be picked up approximately 09:30 from your hotel to join our regular tour. Tour starts with Uchisar Castle, the highest point of Cappadocia. After Uchisar, you visit Goreme Open Air Museum, the Heart of Cappadocia. Goreme Open Air Museum is famous for frescoes dating to 10th century describing the life of Jesus Christ and monks. Next stop is Cavusin, which is an abandoned village with old cave Greek houses. After Cavusin you go to the restaurant in Avanos to have lunch. After lunch, you visit a pottery workshop, to see how to make potteries. Then you go Pasabagi where you can see three-headed fairy chimneys. After Pasabagi you visit another workshop to see Cappadocian handwoven carpets and kilims. Next stop is Devrent Valley, which is also called Imagination Valley, where you can see natural rock formations looking like animals. Then you head to a wine shop in Urgup for wine tasting. Last stop is Three Beauties, three beautiful fairy chimneys with their hats, which is the symbol of Cappadocia. This tour will end approximately 18:00 and you will be returned back to your hotel. Overnight in Cappadocia. B, L, D

After breakfast, you will have free time shopping in Cappadocia. Today we depart for Kayseri Airport for our domestic flight to Istanbul and then onward travel arrangements. B

Similar Post

Package details