Best of Turkey

Day 1: Arrive Istanbul

On your first day, your personal tour host will welcome you at the airport and escort you to your hotel. Day at leisure. Overnight stay at Istanbul.

Day 2: Istanbul

Breakfast at the hotel. Begin your tour with a full day sightseeing of Istanbul. We’ll visit Topkapi Palace, ancient Roman Hippodrome and proceed to the Blue Mosque and finally we will stop at Grand Covered Bazaar. Overnight stay at Istanbul.

Day 3: Istanbul – Ankara

Breakfast at the hotel. Today you can join the optional St.Sophia and Bosphorus cruise in the morning. Return back to hotel. Check out and proceed to Ankara. On arrival, check in hotel. Overnight stay at Ankara.

Day 4: Ankara – Cappadocia

Breakfast at the hotel. Check out hotel and proceed to Cappadocia. Today we will visit the Ataturk Mausoleum and Anatolian Civilizations Museum. (Selected Best European Museum of the Year in 1997) Then we depart to Cappadocia. We will visit 13th century caravanserai; caravanserais are inns built by Seljuk Turks to ensure travel and trade safety of the merchant caravans traveling on the Silk Road. On arrival, check in hotel. Overnight stay at Cappadocia.

Day 5: Cappadocia

Breakfast at the hotel. Today we will begin our tour on this magical land; the unique landscape of cone-shaped volcanic formations called fairy chimneys. After breakfast, visit Goreme, Avanos, Pasabagi, Red Valley, Sarhatli underground city and have a brief regional pottery workshop in a cave. Overnight stay at Cappadocia.

Day 6: Cappadocia – Pamukkale

Breakfast at the hotel.Check out and drive to Pamukkale, ancient spa center and the unique natural site of white limestone terraces cascading down the mountain slope. En-route we will pay a visit to Konya, city where Mevlana Rumi is buried, founder of the most well-known Sufi order, Mevleviye. They are also known as the “Whirling Dervishes” due to their famous practice of whirling ceremony called Sema which represents a spiritual journey through mind and love to “Perfect”. In Konya, we will visit the Mevlana Museum and then continue to Pamukkale . On arrival, check in hotel. Overnight stay at Pamukkale.

Day 7: Pamukkale – Kusadasi

Breakfast at the hotel. Check out and proceed to Kusadasi.Today early morning we’ll visit Hierapolis, the ‘Sacred City’, it is a World Heritage Site, and a “must-see” location with the largest Necropolis. On arrival, check in hotel. Overnight stay at Kusadasi.

Day 8: Kusadasi

Breakfast at the hotel. We’ll begin tour of glorious Greco-Roman ruins of Ephesus, one of the best preserved classical cities of the Eastern Mediterranean dated back to 2000 years. Later we will drive to the hilltop where we visit the miraculously discovered Virgin Mary’s House. Return to hotel. Overnight stay at Kusadasi.

Day 9: Kusadasi – Canakkale

Breakfast at the hotel. Check out and proceed to Canakkale. Today,we will drive to Pergamum, the ancient city of learning, arts and medicine. Tour ancient Askeplion and continue to Troy, Homer’s legendary city in Iliad and Odyssey. We will see Troy’s legendary walls and replica of the famous wooden horse used during the Trojan War.On arrival, check in hotel. Overnight stay at Canakkale.

Day 10: Canakkale – Istanbul

Breakfast at the hotel. Check out and proceed to Istanbul. En route visit Gallipoli, the World War I battlefields, Anzac Cove, Chunuk Bair, Lone pine Cemetery and Kabatepe War Museum. Then we will take the ferry across the Dardanelles Strait to Istanbul. On arrival check in hotel. Overnight stay at Istanbul

Day 11: Depart Istanbul

Today is the last day of our tour. Your guide will drive you to Airport where you are expecting your flight back home. Eleven beautiful and richly-filled days came to an end. We wish you a safe journey and we hope that you will always gladly remember Turkey and have great memories of these days spent with us.