Day 1: DESTINATION – ISTANBUL.
Arrival in Istanbul. Transfer to the hotel and accommodation.
Day 2: ISTANBUL – ANKARA – CAPADOCIA. (BREAKFAST – LUNCH – DINNER) (SUNDAY)
Breakfast. Departure in the morning for Ankara, passing through the Bolu Mountains. In Ankara, visit the Atatürk Mausoleum. In 1953, this mausoleum, dedicated to the founder of modern Turkey, Atatürk, was inaugurated. It is a marble block with 40-ton columns, reached by a long avenue lined with lions, ending in a vast plaza. Lunch We'll have lunch at a local restaurant and then continue on to Cappadocia. En route, we'll also visit the Salt Lake. Arrival, dinner and hotel accommodation.
Day 3: CAPADOCIA. (BREAKFAST – LUNCH – DINNER)
Breakfast. At the hotel. Visit this fascinating region with its unique landscape, formed by lava ejected from the Erciyes and Hasan volcanoes 3 million years ago. Visit the Göreme Open Air Museum, an incredible Byzantine monastic complex comprised of churches carved into the rock and adorned with beautiful frescoes. Visit the Avcilar and Güvercinlik valleys, which boast a spectacular landscape of the so-called Fairy Chimneys. Lunch During the visit, we'll stop at a local restaurant. We'll then continue with panoramic views of the Cappadocia valleys. During the excursion, we'll have the opportunity to visit typical workshops where carpets, onyx, and turquoise are made, offering quality products at good prices. Dinner at the hotel. Hotel accommodation in Cappadocia.
(During your stay in Cappadocia you will have the opportunity to participate in a folk dance performance in a typical cave with unlimited regional drinks and take an optional hot air balloon excursion at sunrise).
Day 4: CAPADOCIA – PAMUKKALE. (BREAKFAST – LUNCH – DINNER)
Breakfast and departure for Pamukkale. Along the way, visit a caravanserai, an ancient type of building that arose along the main roads where caravans made long journeys of many days—for trade, pilgrimage, or military purposes. Lunch at a local restaurant. Then, to Pamukkale, a place where the high concentration of calcium in its waters has created one of the most spectacular formations in the world. Dinner and hotel accommodation.
Note:We can visit Pmaukkale (cotton castle) on this day depending on our arrival time at Pmaukkale.
Day 5: PAMUKKALE – EPHESUS – IZMIR AREA. (BREAKFAST – LUNCH – DINNER)
Breakfast. At the hotel. Departure for Hierapolis, an ancient Hellenistic city now in ruins. Visit to the famous Cotton Castle, a natural wonder of gigantic white waterfalls, stalactites, and natural pools formed over centuries by the flow of water rich in calcium salts from thermal springs. Continue to Selçuk, the center of Ephesus. Excursion to Ephesus, the best-preserved ancient city in Asia Minor. During the 1st and 2nd centuries, it had a population of 250,000 and monopolized the wealth of the Middle East.LunchWe will meet at a local restaurant. We will visit the Temple of Hadrian, the Roman Baths, the Library, the Odeon, the Theater, etc. Later, we will visit the House of the Virgin Mary, and in the afternoon, a leather workshop where we can see the famous leather goods of the Aegean region. Finally, we will continue to the Izmir area.Dinnerat the hotel. Hotel accommodation in the Izmir area.
Day 6: IZMIR AREA – TROY – CANAKKALE. (BREAKFAST – LUNCH – DINNER)
Breakfast. At the hotel. Morning departure for the mythical Troy of Canakkale. Visit to the ruins of the city where the mythical Trojan War took place, and the famous wooden "Horse".Lunchat a local restaurant. Departure for Canakkale, located on the shores of the Dardanelles Strait.Dinnerand accommodation.
Day 7: CANAKKALE – ISTANBUL. (BREAKFAST)
Breakfast. We will depart early to cross the Dardanelles Strait and reach the European side. Free time for lunch (not included) before continuing on to Istanbul. Upon arrival, transfer to your chosen hotel. Overnight stay.
Day 8: ISTANBUL. (BREAKFAST)
Breakfast. Check in to the hotel. Morning departure to visit the Rustum Pasha Mosque. Afterwards, we'll enjoy one of Istanbul's most famous activities: a boat trip on the Bosphorus, the strait that separates Europe and Asia. During this journey, you'll see the palaces of the Sultans, traditional wooden houses, and experience history in a unique way. We'll end our day with a visit to one of the city's highlights: the Spice Bazaar, established by the Ottomans five centuries ago and still in use today. Enjoy some free time. The tour concludes at the Egyptian Bazaar.
Day 9: ISTANBUL - CITY OF ORIGIN. (BREAKFAST)
Breakfast. At the hotel. At the scheduled time, transfer to the airport. End of services.
