10 days
Countries visited Turkey Tour Highlights Admire the stunning Blue Mosque Learn about life in Ottoman times in Topkapi Palace Appreciate the genius in the design of Hagha Sophia Experience the Grand Bazaar, the most colourful of markets Enjoy world class cuisine in this foodie heaven Explore the Underground Cities of Cappadocia Visit rock-cut churches and natural castles Marvel at the beautiful natural landscapes of Pamukkale The ancient Greek city of Ephesus Places visited Cappadocia Goreme Izmir Pamukkale Ephesus Kusadasi ID 286 - P a g e 1
What's included All accommodation Tours mentioned in the program Museum entrance fees as specified in the itinerary Transfers Tax All accommodation subject to availability. Final accommodation choices will be confirmed after booking. ID 286 - P a g e 2
Your Itinerary Map ID 286 - P a g e 3
Your Itinerary Explained Date Place visited B: The first part of the text in each day is the itinerary schedule and will explain what you will Breakfast normally see/do during this day of your itinerary. --L: The part of the day s text in italics (and comes after the three dashes --- ) is background Lunch information on the places or sites on that day of your itinerary. It is not part of your D: itinerary and may mention places that will not be visited on your itinerary. If you have any Dinner questions please ask us. Travel times where noted are only meant as a guideline. Tour Itinerary Day 1 Day 2 Arrival in to. A Travel The Unknown representative will be waiting with your name on a board at the airport, and will transfer you to your hotel. Rest of the day free to explore. Overnight in hotel in. --Sitting on the Bosphorus, is one of the world s truly great cities - overflowing with culture and historical sites. World class attractions such as the exquisite Hagia Sofia and the Blue Mosque, excellent bars and restaurants, jaw-dropping architecture, vibrant markets and a history of epic proportions makes a city par excellence. N/A Full day walking tour of Sultan Ahmed. Return back to the hotel. Evening free. Overnight in hotel in. --The tour will start with Sultan Ahmed Square and the Hippodrome. You will visit Sultan Ahmet Mosque, also known as the Blue Mosque famous for its striking blue Iznik tiles and 6 minarets. On the opposite side of the Sultan Ahmet Square you will visit Hagha Sophia; - Sultan once the grandest church of its era and a work of engineering genius, Hagha Sophia also has one of the most highly regarded mosaics of Christ and the Mother Mary. After Hagha Ahmet Tour Sophia, you will visit Topkapi Palace, home to the Ottoman Sultans for hundreds of years. With its extensive collection of Ottoman artefacts and an incredible jewellery collection you will get an insight into the lives of the Ottoman sultans. The Palace also commands an outstanding location overlooking the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn so that you can look across to Asia. After visiting Topkapi Palace you will be taken to Grand Bazaar to see one of the oldest and most colourful souks of our time. ID 286 - P a g e 4
Day 3 Bosphorus - Cappadocia In the morning have a tour of the Bosphorus, then catch a flight to Cappadocia. Overnight in Cappadocia. --- Cappadocia Day 4 Goreme OpenAir Museum Cappadocia Full-day spent exploring the beautiful area of Cappadocia. Visit the Goreme Open-Air Museum and the Kaymakli Underground City. There is also the opportunity to have a hotair balloon ride over Cappadocia (extra cost). Experience a whirling dervishes ceremony in the evening. Overnight in Cappadocia. --The Goreme Open-Air Museum has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1984 and is a vast complex of monasteries, each of which has its own church. These churches are the finest of the rock-cut churches, boasting beautiful frescoes (wall paintings). There are 36 underground cities in Cappadocia and the widest one is Kaymakli Underground City. These troglodyte cave-cities were excavated as early as Hittite times, and expanded over the centuries as various pillaging armies crossed Central Anatolia in search of captives and plunder. The Kaymakli Underground City has low, narrow and sloping passages and consists of 8 floors below ground, although only four of them are open to the public today. The number of the storage rooms in such a small area supports the idea that a great number of people resided here, archaeologists estimate figures of up to three thousand five hundred people. As well as chapels, stables and storage, an efficient man-made system of air shafts provided ventilation even at the deepest levels of the underground cities, meaning people could survive there for lengths of time when necessary. The people of Kaymakli village have constructed their houses above nearly one hundred tunnels of the underground city. The inhabitants of the region still use the most convenient places in the tunnels as cellars, storage areas and stables, which they access through their courtyards. ID 286 - P a g e 5
Day 5 Red Valley Day 6 Izmir Day 7 Izmir Cappadocia Explore the Red Valley before visiting the surrounding small villages and underground cities. Overnight in Cappadocia. --The Red Valley and Güllüdere Vadisi (Rose Valley) are two spectacular valleys in the Cappadocia region, each with varying types of rock formations and colour. The red valley shelters a series of intriguing rock-cut cave churches, with beautiful frescoes and paintings. Nearby is the Pigeon valley, named after the pigeon-cotes carved on its walls. The village of Old Cavusin was abandoned several decades ago due to avalanches. The current village of Cavusin is located on the road and is the typical authentic village. Old Cavusin, with its rockcut dwellings and stone houses is home to the oldest church in Cappadocia. Ortahisar is another Cappadocian village dominated by a fortress-like rock rising above winding roads. Izmir After breakfast, fly to Izmir, and see the ancient gymnasium and synagogue. Evening at your leisure and overnight in Kusadasi or Sirince Village. --Buzzing metropolis Izmir is now the third most populated city in Turkey, with a history of over 3,500 years. Situated overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, Izmir had an important trade and military significance thanks to its port. The main historical sites in Izmir include the unusual 20th century Clock Tower, the ancient Agora of Smynra, which also has a museum. The Ottoman Kemeralti Bazaar zone is also interesting. Pamukkale - Hierapolis Today you will have a tour of Pamukkale and Hierapolis. Overnight Izmir, Kusadasi or Sirince Village. --Deriving from springs in a cliff almost 200 m high overlooking the plain, calcite-laden waters have created at Pamukkale (Cotton Palace) an unreal landscape, made up of mineral forests, petrified waterfalls and a series of terraced basins. At the end of the 2nd century B.C. the dynasty of the Attalids, the kings of Pergamon, established the thermal spa of Hierapolis. The ruins of the baths, temples and other Greek monuments can be seen at the site. D ID 286 - P a g e 6
Day 8 Kusadasi Day 9 Ephesus Visit the ancient Greek city of Ephesus. Overnight in Izmir/Kusadasi/or Sirince Village. --Ephesus is one of the most magical sites in Turkey, perfectly isolated in a mountain valley, with views out to the sea from the top of the site, you enter a lost world. Extremely wellpreserved, the ancient structures of Ephesus date back to the 12th century BC. Originally it was famed for the Temple of Artemis, located just outside the main tourist site, of which one of the original soaring pillars remains. Inside the site itself is the enormous theatre, the Temple of Hadrian, and the spectacular terraced houses once inhabited by wealthy Romans and adorned with exquisite mosaics. Fundamentally a Greek city, Ephesus was one of the Seven Churches of Asia mentioned in the Book of Revelation, and remained an important religious centre for much of Turkey s ancient history. Its coastal location also facilitated its role as an ancient trade centre. D Transfer to Izmir Airport and fly to. Free day to explore at your leisure. Overnight in. Day 10 - Departure Transfer to airport for departure. B ID 286 - P a g e 7 Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)