Itinerary
Upon arrival, you will be welcomed and transferred to your selected hotel. Accommodation and free time in Istanbul.
Breakfast. Option to take a full-day tour of the magnificent city of Istanbul, exploring its historic sites such as Hagia Sophia, the culmination of Byzantine art and the crown jewel of Istanbul. Also visit the famous Topkapi Palace, residence of the Ottoman sultans for four centuries, which includes a visit to the treasury and sacred relics. At midday, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant in the Sultanahmet area. Continue the tour with visits to the Blue Mosque, a marvel of harmony, proportion, and elegance, and the Hippodrome, which still holds the Obelisk of Theodosius, the Serpentine Column, the Fountain of Emperor Wilhelm, and the Egyptian Obelisk. In the late afternoon, visit the famous Grand Bazaar, where you will have free time to explore its 4,000 shops. Return to the hotel and overnight stay.
Breakfast at the hotel. Depart for one of Istanbul's most famous activities: a boat cruise on the Bosphorus, the channel separating Europe and Asia. During the journey, you will see the palaces of the sultans, ancient wooden houses, and experience Istanbul's history from a different perspective. The tour ends with a visit to the Spice Bazaar, a vibrant market that has been in use since the Ottoman era. Afterward, you will have free time to explore or take part in optional activities. Return to the hotel and overnight stay.
Breakfast. After breakfast, depart by bus for the city of Ankara, passing through the Bolu Mountains. Bolu is a small city about two hours east of Istanbul, famous for its mountains. Continue to Ankara, the political capital of Turkey and the second-largest city in the country. Visit the Mausoleum of Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, whose name means "father of the Turks." In the late afternoon, arrive at the hotel. Dinner and overnight stay.
Breakfast at the hotel. Depart for Cappadocia. Along the way, see Turkey's second-largest lake, the Salt Lake. Upon arrival in Cappadocia, enjoy dinner and overnight stay.
Breakfast at the hotel. Explore the fascinating region of Cappadocia, a unique landscape formed by lava from the Erciyes and Hasan volcanoes 3 million years ago. Visit the open-air museum of Goreme, an incredible Byzantine monastic complex carved into the rock, with beautifully preserved frescoes. Then, take a panoramic tour of the valleys of Cappadocia, including the Avcilar Valley, Love Valley, and Guvercinlik Valley, where you can admire the best views of the volcanic rock formations known as "fairy chimneys." Visit local shops selling carpets, pottery, and onyx or turquoise jewelry. Optional: visit one of the famous underground cities of Cappadocia, with multiple subterranean levels. Return to the hotel for dinner. After dinner, there is an optional folklore show in a traditional cave venue with unlimited regional drinks. Return to the hotel and overnight stay in Cappadocia.
Breakfast at the hotel. Visit Hierapolis, an ancient Hellenistic city now in ruins. Explore the famous Cotton Castle, with its white waterfalls, stalactites, and natural pools created over centuries by calcified thermal waters. Continue by bus to Selcuk, the center of Ephesus, an ancient Greco-Roman city that was once the capital of Asia Minor and one of the best-preserved archaeological sites in the world. See the Temple of Hadrian, the Temple of Trajan, the theater, and the Library of Celsus. Also visit the House of the Virgin Mary, where she is said to have spent her final years. Visit a leather shop before being transferred to the hotel. Dinner and overnight stay.
Breakfast at the hotel. Visit Hierapolis, an ancient Hellenistic city now in ruins. Explore the famous Cotton Castle, with its white waterfalls, stalactites, and natural pools created over centuries by calcified thermal waters. Continue by bus to Selcuk, the center of Ephesus, an ancient Greco-Roman city that was once the capital of Asia Minor and one of the best-preserved archaeological sites in the world. See the Temple of Hadrian, the Temple of Trajan, the theater, and the Library of Celsus. Also visit the House of the Virgin Mary, where she is said to have spent her final years. Visit a leather shop before being transferred to the hotel. Dinner and overnight stay.
Breakfast at the hotel. Depart for Pergamon, an important cultural and medical center of antiquity. Visit the Asclepion, an ancient therapeutic center dedicated to Asclepius, the god of medicine. After lunch, continue the journey to the legendary city of Troy, made famous by Homer's "Iliad" and the Trojan War. Visit the ruins of Troy. Arrive at the hotel in Canakkale. Dinner and overnight stay.
Breakfast. In the morning, depart for Bursa. Enjoy a panoramic tour of Bursa, including a visit to the Green Mosque. Continue to Istanbul, where you will check into the hotel. Overnight stay.
Breakfast and transfer to the airport for your departure flight.
