Scheduled Travel Packages

DAY 1 [12/06/2017] : Istanbul - Arrival Transfer

Overnight : Istanbul
Daily Meal Plan : ---
Description : You will arrive to Istanbul / Turkey and transfer to your hotel in Istanbul.

DAY 2 [12/07/2017] : Istanbul

Tour to Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Grand Bazaar, Hippodrome
Overnight : Istanbul
Daily Meal Plan : Breakfast at hotel, Lunch at tour
Description : After meeting your tour guide at the lobby of hotel, your Istanbul adventure begins with a trip to the majestic Hagia Sophia, the Church of Divine Wisdom. The church, now a mosque and museum, was originally built by Constantine the Great in the fourth century and later rebuilt by Emperor Justinian to be the flagship Church of the Byzantine Empire. St. Sophia is one of the greatest surviving examples of Byzantine architecture and is richly decorated with mosaics, marble pillars, and other magnificent adornments. You will also see the Byzantine Hippodrome, once the heart of Constantinople's political and sporting life, and the scene of many athletic games through the history of the Byzantine Empire. Monuments on the site include the Snake Column from Delphi, as well as an Egyptian obelisk taken from the Temple of Karnak at Luxor. You will also visit another of the city’s most recognizable landmarks; the elegant Blue Mosque with its six graceful minarets and superb interior decorated with more than 20,000 blue Iznik tiles. We will then rest for lunch and you will have the opportunity to taste delicious and healthy traditional Turkish foods. Next on the agenda is the Topkapi Palace, a huge walled complex hugging the Bosphorus that was once the palace of Ottoman sultans and is now a museum that houses an extraordinary collection of Chinese porcelain, art, artifacts and jewels including the radiant Topkapi Diamond. Finally you will explore the famous Grand Bazaar, where you can shop or haggle with local merchants over unusual antiques, colorful spices, beautiful jewelry and richly textured fabrics. Afterwards you drive back to your hotel in Istanbul.

DAY 3 [12/08/2017] : Istanbul

Tour to Spice Bazaar, Beylerbeyi Palace, Bosphorus Cruise
Overnight : Konya
Flight : Istanbul to Konya
Daily Meal Plan : Breakfast at hotel, Lunch at tour
Description : After beakfast, your Bosphorus adventure begins with a visit to Egyptian Bazaar (Spice Bazaar), it was built in 1664 as a part of the Yeni Cami complex which is located next to it. Misir in Turkish means Egypt and it is called the Egyptian Bazaar because the shopkeepers used to sell spices and herbs which were brought from or through Egypt. During the Ottoman period it was known as a place where shops sold only spices. Today there are only a few spice and herb specialists. The rest sell dried fruit, borek, basket work, jewelry, haberdashery, drapery and suchlike. The bazaar has an "L" shape with six gates. Bosphorus Cruise, Discover the absolute best of Istanbul by sea for a memorable Bosphorus Cruise between two continents Asia and Europe. Beylerbeyi Palace, Beylerbeyi, built by under Sultan Abdulaziz by another member of the talented Balyan family of architects in the Europoean style of Dolmabahce, was the second palace to be built on the Bosphorus and served as a summer residence and guest quarters for visiting dignitaries during thie visits to the city. Bosphorus Bridge, Also known as the First Bosphorus Bridge, the Bosphorus Bridge is just one of the two bridges in Istanbul, Turkey. It spans the Bosphorus Strait and bridges the gap between Asia and Europe. The other bridge across the Bosphorus Straight is the Second Bosphorus Bridge, more formally known as the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge. Camlica Hill. Afterwards you drive to Istanbul Airport and flight to Ankara. After this domestic flight you will be transferred to your hotel in Ankara.

DAY 4 [12/09/2017] : Konya

Tour to Mevlana Museum, Sultan Selim Mosque, Alaettin Hill, Karatay China Arts Musesum, Ince Minare, Ataturk Museum, Ethnography Museum
Overnight : Konya
Daily Meal Plan : Breakfast at hotel, Lunch at tour
Description : Today you will discover the city of Mevlânâ Celâleddîn-i Rûmî. The first visit will be to the Tomb of Rumi in the glittering Mevlana Museum, an important place of pilgrimage for Muslims and indeed all lovers of Rumi. Next door, you will visit the Ottoman-era Sultan Selim mosque. Drive along Mevlana Caddesi, Konya's main avenue, to reach the age-old Alaettin Hill (a prehistoric tumulus) to visit the 1000-year-old Alaaddin Mosque, where Rumi often prayed. In its courtyard are the tombs of many of the Seljuk Turkish sultans who ruled during Rumi's lifetime, and who consulted him for spiritual guidance. Walking down the north side of the Alaettin Hill you pass the remains of the Seljuk sultan's palace, then cross the street for a view of the elaborate portal of the medieval Great Karatay Medrese theological college (the interior is currently closed for restoration). Also you will see the Karatay China Arts Museum before the lunch. The next stop will be to the Ince Minare and then continue to the Ataturk Museum and Ethnography Museum.

DAY 5 [12/10/2017] : Konya

Tour to Crystalline Medrese, Sahip Ata Mosque Complex, Konya Archeological Museum, Rumi's "wedding night with the divine"
Overnight : Konya
Daily Meal Plan : Breakfast at hotel, Lunch at tour
Description : After breakfast, you will visit the Crystalline Medrese (Sircali Medrese, 1242) with its fine tilework and Kuranic calligraphy in stone. Continue to the Sahip Ata Mosque Complex (1283), included a school, a travelers' inn, Turkish bath, and the tomb of its founder, the Seljuk grand vezir who also built the Seminary of the Slender Minaret. Nearby, you will visit the Konya's Archeological Museum to see the marble high-relief sarcophagus "The Trials of Hercules" and many items from Konya's ancient past (up to 7000 years ago). Lunch at a local restaurant introduces us to more Konya culinary specialties, included many cooked slowly in a tandir ("tandoori," clay pot buried in hot coals). After lunch you will walk to the Mosque and Tomb of Sems-i Tebrizi, Rumi's closest companion, spiritual mentor, and inspiration for many of his poetic works, then continue on foot past many shops to our hotel. In the evening, the climax of our adventure: the spellbinding Mevlevi sema performed in Konya's grand Mevlana Cultural Center in honor of Seb-i Aruz, Rumi's "wedding night with the Divine," witnessed by thousands of devotees and pilgrims.

DAY 6 [12/11/2017] : Konya - Aksaray - Cappadocia

Tour to Catal Hoyuk, Sultan Han Caravanserai
Overnight : Cappadocia
Daily Meal Plan : Breakfast at hotel, Lunch at tour
Description : After breakfast you will check out from hotel and drive to the Cumra village of Konya for visit the Neolithic Site of Catalhoyuk. Two hills form the 37 ha site on the Southern Anatolian Plateau. The taller eastern mound contains eighteen levels of Neolithic occupation between 7400 bc and 6200 bc, including wall paintings, reliefs, sculptures and other symbolic and artistic features. Together they testify to the evolution of social organization and cultural practices as humans adapted to a sedentary life. The western mound shows the evolution of cultural practices in the Chalcolithic period, from 6200 bc to 5200 bc. Çatalhöyük provides important evidence of the transition from settled villages to urban agglomeration, which was maintained in the same location for over 2,000 years. It features a unique streetless settlement of houses clustered back to back with roof access into the buildings. After visited this UNESCO World Heritage Site, you will drive eastward along the ancient Silk Road, stopping for a look at the huge Sultan Han caravanserai en route. The rectangular courtyard, with a mosque in the centre, is entered by way of a splendid portal. Porticos line the right side of the courtyard, while rooms and storage areas are found on the left. A second portal on the left of the courtyard leads to the stables. In this section 32 piers in groups of 8, and in four rows, support the vaults. The only light source here is an oculus the dome, which resembles a cone on the outside. Afterwards you drive to Cappadocia.

DAY 7 [12/12/2017] : Cappadocia

Tour to Goreme Open Air Museum, Uchisar, Pasabagi, Devrent Valley, Avanos
Overnight : Cappadocia
Daily Meal Plan : Breakfast at hotel, Lunch at tour
Description : Marvel at the beautiful Byzantine frescoes and the stunning landscape of Cappadocia in your Cappadocia Red Tour which will take you to Goreme Open Air Museum, Uchisar, Avanos, Pasabag, Rose Valley and more. We start the day by visiting World Heritage-listed Goreme Open Air Museum and its rock cut- Byzantine Orthodox churches. We continue on to Uchisar where you will have an opportunity to take photos of Uchisar Castle before we stop for lunch. After lunch, we visit Avanos, overlooking the Kizilirmak (Red) River, the longest river in Turkey. Clay from the silt of the Red River is used to produce the pottery for which Avanos is world-famous. The pottery trade of Avanos dates back to the Hittites. You will have an opportunity to watch the potters at work using techniques that have not changed in generations. The tour also visits Pasabag which translates to "the Pasha's Vineyard". Also known as the Moks Valley, Pasabag has some of the most eye-catching rock formations in Cappadocia and was a hideaway for some Simeon Monks in the 5th century. We finish with a visit to Devrent Valley whose landscape is likened to being similar to a lunar landscape. Afterwards you drive back to your hotel in Cappadocia.

DAY 8 [12/13/2017] : Cappadocia - Istanbul

Tour to Ihlara Valley and Derinkuyu Underground City
Overnight : Istanbul
Flight : Kayseri to Istanbul
Daily Meal Plan : Breakfast at hotel, Lunch at tour
Description : This Cappadocia day tour covers Derinkuyu Underground City, Ihlara Valley and Belisirma. We begin with a visit to Derinkuyu Underground City, the largest and the deepest of the underground cities in Cappadocia. You will be amazed by the low-key entrances which give way to elaborate subterranean systems which include air and waste shfats, wells, chimneys and lots of passageways. You will marvel at the design of the city which includes living quarters located in the upper levels and storage and wine-making areas and chapels in the lower levels. Next we visit Ihlara Valley to look at the beautiful scenery as well as ruins of over 60 Byzantine churches, chapels and monasteries dating back to the 11th-13th centuries. Please note that this section of the tour includes an optional 3km hike. At the end of the tour you will be transferred to the Kayseri airport for your flight to Istanbul. After around one hour flight, you will transfer to the your hotel in Istanbul.

DAY 9 [12/14/2017] : Istanbul

Overnight : ---
Daily Meal Plan : Breakfast at hotel
Description : Airport transfer for your flight home or another destination. End of Services.

If you would like add the EPHESUS SHORT BREAK to your travel plan, There will be 10% discount to your Ephesus Trip.Check now Ephesus Tours