Western Turkey Tour (09 Days 08 Nights Guaranteed Departure)

ay 01 / Friday: Home – Istanbul (No meal) Hosgeldiniz...

Hosgeldiniz... Arrival to Istanbul at desired hour. You will be met upon your arrival by our driver and transfer to hotel. Remaining of the day at leisure and overnight stay in Istanbul.

Day 02 / Saturday: Walking Old City Istanbul; (Breakfast and lunch)

After breakfast at hotel, start the tour in Istanbul around 08:15. This tour would include with visits to Hippodrome & Obelisk the former center of sportive and political activities of Constantinople, Blue Mosque for famous for its blue Iznik tiles and unique six minarets. After lunch in a local restaurant, visit Topkapi Palace the former imperial residence from where the Ottoman Sultans ruled their grand empire for over 400 years. After the tour return to hotel and overnight stay in Istanbul.

• Topkapi Palace
• Hippodrome
• Blue Mosque

Day 03 / Sunday: Istanbul - Cappadocia; (Breakfast and lunch)

Take the early morning flights from Istanbul to Cappadocia (Kayseri or Nevsehir airport). Meet with your driver and start the tour. Today, you will visit Devrent Imagination Valley and walk through this lunar landscape. Next, visit Pasabaglari (the world-famous Fairy Chimneys), the village of Avanos, where you will witness a Pottery-making demonstration using ancient Hittite techniques, lunch at a local cave restaurant, Uchisar Rock-Castle, (the highest point in the region, Esentepe (a panoramic view of Goreme valley) and Goreme Open Air Museum (Rock-cut churches, frescoes, monastery.)Transfer to hotel after tour and check in. Evening at leisure and overnight stay at Cappadocia.

• Uchisar Castle
• Pasabaglari
• Goreme Open Air Museum
• Devrent Imagination Valley

Day 04 / Monday: Cappadocia; (Breakfast and lunch)

Optional Hot air balloon flight over the fairy chimneys at sunrise.

Today, you will visit Kaymakli Underground City (See how the people lived in this multi-level city complete with stables, kitchens, storage chambers and wine making rooms), Soganli Valley (Relaxing 3km walk through the valley with Byzantine period rock tombs),Sobesos (A Roman Bath from the 5th century and mosaics and graves from Byzantine Empire Period), Taskinpasa Medresesi (an Ottoman theological school) Mustafapasa (Experience the Ottoman and Greek architecture of this old Greek Village once called Sinasos). After tour return to hotel and overnight stay in Cappadocia.

• Soganli Valley
• Sobessos
• Mustafapasa (old Greek village Sinasos)
• Kaymaklı Underground City

Day 05 / Tuesday: Cappadocia – Konya - Antalya ; (Breakfast and dinner)

After breakfast, drive to the holy city of Konya. On the way you will see Sultan Hani Caravanserai. Then drive to Konya home of the Sufi mystic, Mevlana Rumi, and visit the Museum of the Whirling Dervishes. Continue to Antalya, the jewel of Turkey’s Mediterranean coast, aptly named the “Turquoise Coast.” Check in to hotel and evening at leisure. Dinner at hotel and overnight stay in Antalya.

• Mevlana Museum
• Konya
• Antalya

Day 06 / Wednesday: Antalya; (Breakfast and dinner)

After breakfast at hotel pick up and today you will be visiting Perge, Aspendos, and Manavgat Waterfalls. Head eastward along the coast to Perge, with its fine theatre, stadium, mammoth towered gate and colonnaded marble street, and then continue to Aspendos which has the best-preserved classical theatre on the Mediterranean. Enjoy a picnic lunch by the famous waterfalls in Manavgat, and finish the day. After tour return to hotel and overnight stay Antalya

• Perge
• Aspendos

Day 07 / Thursday: Antalya – Pamukkale; (Breakfast and dinner)

After breakfast at hotel, departure to Pamukkale and visit Pamukkale walk along the Hierapolis ancient city ruins, see the huge Necropolis, and feel the warmth of the natural spring as you go barefoot on the Travertens. After tour transfer to hotel and check in. You can spend the evening in Spa at hotel. Dinner at hotel and overnight stay in Pamukkale.

• Pamukkale
• Hierapolis
• Antalya

Day 08 / Friday: Aphrodisias – Kusadasi; (Breakfast and dinner)

After breakfast at hotel, drive to Kusadasi. On the way visit Aphrodisias, the remains of an ancient city that flourished in the 1st century B.C. Archaeological excavations are ongoing, uncovering a wealth of artifacts, the remains of a once thriving community of 60,000 inhabitants. After lunch break on route, the tour continues to Kusadasi. Check in and dinner at hotel. Overnight stay in Kusadasi.

• Kusadasi
• Aphrodisias Ancient Site

Day 09 / Saturday: Ephesus – St. Jean – Virgin Mary & Izmir Airport; (Breakfast and lunch)

Your driver will pick you up from your hotel and drive to Ephesus Ancient City. Enter through the Magnesia Gate and begin a slow, downhill walk with your guide into the ruins of this Roman provincial capital. Your route takes you past the Odeon, the Celsus Library, the Temple of Hadrian, the Fountain of Trajan. Next we will visit the ruins of the Temple of Artemis (one of the Seven Wonders of the World). Lunch at a nice local restaurant and then we will visit the House of the Virgin Mary's - The Vatican has recognized this small house in the Solmissos Mountains as the final resting place of the Virgin Mary. A small shrine dedicated to St. Mary was found when the ruins of the house were first discovered.

After tour transfer to Izmir Airport and fly to Istanbul or any other destination desired.

• Temple of Artemis
• Kusadasi
• House of Virgin Mary
• Ephesus Ancient City
• Celcus Library
• Route