11-Day Small-Group Turkey Glories Tour

Arrival to Istanbul

Welcome to Turkey. Arrive in Istanbul Airport ( IST ) or to Sabiha Gokcen Airport ( SAW ) , Our representative will meet you at the airport with your name sign and private transfer to the hotel for overnight stay in Istanbul.

Overnight in Istanbul in a 4 star Boutique hotels located in Sultanahmet

Full Day Istanbul Tour (Breakfast)

Our tour starts with Hippodrome Square where used to take place for chariot races and the Byzantine riots during Roman and Byzantine period.

Only a short walk away, reaches Hagia Sophia built in 532 AD by Roman Emperor Justinian I.

Visit Blue Mosque, which has its fame from its beautiful blue Iznik tiles

We will continue walking to Topkapi Palace, was not only the residence of the Ottoman sultans, but also the administrative and educational center of the state. It was constructed between 1460 and 1478 by Sultan Mehmed II, the conqueror of Constantinople. We will visit the Topkapi Palace including weapons section.

We will visit Grand Bazaar where is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with more than 58 covered streets and over 1,200 shops which attract between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily. Opened in 1461, it is well known for its jewelry, pottery, spice, and carpet shops.

Drive back to our hotel

Overnight in Istanbul in a 4 star Boutique hotels located in Sultanahmet

Istanbul Tour (Breakfast)

Your guide will meet you at your hotel lobby at 09:00.

You will first visit Spice Bazaar (Egyptian Bazaar): The air here is filled with the enticing aromas of cinnamon, caraway, saffron, mint, thyme and every other concievable herb and spice.

After Spice Market visit, you will have boat trip on the bosphorus : A traditional excursion by boat along the waterway seperating Europe and Asia. The shore is lined with old wooden villas, palaces of marble, fortresses, and small fishing villages.

In the afternoon, you will visit one of Istanbul's splendid historical buildings; the Basilica Cistern. It is located in the southwest of Hagia Sophia. This large underground cistern built by Byzantine Emperor Justinian I (527-565) was named as Yerebatan Palace ere among the people due to the marble columns rising from the water and countless seemingly like. It is also known as Basilica Cistern since there is a Basilica in the place where the cistern is located.

After the tour, you will be back at your hotel for overnight in Istanbul.

Overnight in Istanbul in a 4 star Boutique hotels located in Sultanahmet

Istanbul - Fly to Izmir & Ephesus Tour (Breakfast, Dinner)

Our driver will pick you up from your hotel in the morning, and transfer you to airport for your flight to Izmir.

Upon your arrival, your guide will meet with you at Izmir Airport and after greetings, you will continue to Ephesus region. This drive will take around 50 minutes.

You will start your tour with visiting Ephesus, one of the 12 cities of Ionia (an ancient Greek district on the western coast of Asia Minor) is located near Izmir. As a port city at the mouth of the Cayster (modern Küçükmenderes) River, it was a major departure point for trade routes into Asia Minor. Known in antiquity for its sacred shrines, notably a famous temple (one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World) to the goddess Artemis, or Diana, the city was also an important center of early Christianity.

After Ephesus visit, lunch will be served in the garden of a local handicrafts center. After the lunch, here you can see some of the traditional carpet weaving techniques used and enjoy viewing some splendid displays of beautiful carpets.

After Lunch visit House of Virgin Mary. This house is located on the Aladag Mountains 5 miles from Ephesus. At the third Ecumenical Council of 431 in Ephesus, it was claimed that Mary came to Ephesus with St. John in 37 A.D. and lived there until her death in 48 A.D. After the discovery of the house, the Archbishop of Izmir declared it a place of pilgrimage in 1892. On July 26, 1967, Pope Paul VI visited this place and prayed here.

End of the tour, you will continue to Kusadasi where is around 25 minutes away from Virgin Mary's House. Upon your arrival to Kusadasi, check in to your hotel for overnight.

Overnight in 4 star or boutique class hotel.

Kusadasi – Pamukkale (Breakfast, Dinner )

After breakfast check out from your hotel and drive to Pamukkale around 3 hours.

Discovery of Travertine terraces and Hierapolis. The travertine terraces at Pamukkale are one of the most spectacular natural wonders we ever have seen from various mineral springs in a vast white cliff side, about 200 m overlooking the plain, calcite-laden waters have dripped down over a series of terraced levels and created a fairyland of bizarre solidified cascades and shell-shaped basins. It looks like creations from snow or like balls from cotton, which gave the scenery the Turkish name Pamukkale (cotton castle): Moreover the water in the basins is changing its color according to how the light enters.

End of the tour, check in to your thermal hotel for overnight. You will have a chance to swim in thermal pools until 22.30.

Overnight in a 5 star thermal hotel in Pamukkale.

Pamukkale - Konya (Breakfast)

After breakfast check out from the hotel and drive to Konya around 4,5 hours.

First visit to Mevlana Sufi temple. Mevlana is the founder of Sufism and whirling Dervishes. visiting the Mausoleum of Mevlana, the world-wide famous mystic, proceed to Karatay Theological School in which beautiful tiles are on display.

After the tour, check in to your hotel in Konya for overnight.

Overnight in a 4 star or boutique hotel in Konya.

Konya – Cappadocia Tour (Breakfast)

After breakfast, drive to Cappadocia region around 4 hours.

On the way to Cappadocia, visit to Sultanhani Caravanseria, roadside inn where travellers could rest and recover from the day’s journey. Caravanserais supported the flow of commerce, information and people across a network of trade routes of Asia, North Africa and South-Eastern Europe on the legendary Silk Road and the Spice road.

Continue to Cappadocia after the visit. Upon your arrival to Cappadocia, check in to your hotel for overnight.

Overnight in a Cave Hotel ( Not to be missed )

Cappadocia Tour( Breakfast)

After breakfast, your first tour day in Cappadocia will start.

Tour to Kaymaklı Underground City, one of the most interesting underground settlements in Cappadocia.

Soğanlı Valley, an Open Air Museum in a wild natural setting near a typical Cappadocian village with its different style Rock-Cut churches and frescoes. Villages in the valleys, surrounded by the “table top” mountains, are spectacular.

Lunch and Visit to Sahinefendi newly discovered (01 May 2002) mosaic houses & Archaeological excavation site Continue with Keslik Monastery near Cemil, that hides its frescoes behind a very thin smoke layer which we can only see by torch light.

Our tour finishes with a visit to Mustafapaşa (Sinasos), an old Greek town with its spectacular old Greek houses; very fine examples of late Greek settlements and architecture.

At the end of the tour, drive back to your hotel for overnight.

Overnight in a Cave Hotel ( Not to be missed )

Cappadocia Tour (Breakfast)

After breakfast, first meeting with the lunar landscape of Cappadocia: rock formations beyond belief in Devrent valley; a journey in the past with its troglodyte houses, visit to Pasabag “fairy chimneys” where the voice of wind mixes with the “songs of fairies” near Zelve.

Lunch in Avanos, centre of terra cotta work of art since 3000 BC. and a demonstration in a traditional pottery workshop.

Afternoon, visit the famous Goreme Open Air Museum and see the best examples of Byzantine art in Cappadocia in rock-cut churches with frescoes and paintings (10th to 13th century).

Continue to Uchisar Rock-Castle to have a panoramic view of the valleys of Cappadocia. Overnight Cappadocia.

Overnight in a Cave Hotel ( Not to be missed )

Capapdocia - Fly to Istanbul ( Breakfast )

After breakfast check out from the hotel and private transfer to Kayseri / Nevsehir Airport for your flight back to Istanbul.

Upon your arrival to Istanbul, our representative will meet with you at the airport with your name sign. You will be transferred to your hotel in Istanbul for overnight.

Overnight in Istanbul in a 4 star Boutique hotels located in Sultanahmet

Home (Breakfast)

After breakfast check out from the hotel and private transfer to Istanbul Airport for your flight back home or Istanbul cruise port to your ship.

The end of our services.