Day 1 :Istanbul - Arrival Day
Welcome to Turkey Istanbul Airport. Meet with TravelShop Turkey staff, transfer
from airport & check in to your hotel. You can take a rest at the hotel and in the
evening at leisure. Overnight in Istanbul.
Day 2 : Istanbul City Tour
Pick up at 08:30am from your hotel for the day tour of old Istanbul city. Visit
to ST. SOPHIA This ancient basilica, built by Constantine the Great in the 4th century
and reconstructed by Justinian in the 6th century, is one of the architectural marvels
of all time. TOPKAPI PALACE The great palace of the Ottoman sultans from the 15th
to the 19th centuries housing an exquisite collection of crystal, silver, and Chinese
porcelain, robes worn by the sultans and their families, the famous jewels of the
Imperial Treasury, miniatures, the Holy Mantle; enshrining relics of the Prophet
Mohammed. SULTANAHMET IMPERIAL MOSQUE Across from St. Sophia built in the 16th century
by the architect Mehmet, is known as the BLUE MOSQUE because of its magnificent
interior decoration of blue Iznik tiles. HIPPODROME Ancient Hippodrome, the scene
of chariot races, with the three monuments; the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze
Serpentine Column and the Column of Constantine. Lunch break at 1300 hours, after
the lunch we will then take you to the GRAND COVERED BAZAAR In this labyrinth of
streets and passages are more than 4,000 shops with each trade having its own area:
the goldsmiths' street, the carpet sellers, Turkish arts and crafts, such as hand
painted ceramic plates, hand-honed copperware, brassware and trays, water ewers,
onyx-ware and meerschaum pipes. After the tour, transfer back to your hotel. Overnight
stay is in Istanbul.
Note : Hagia Sophia is closed on Mondays, Topkapi Palace closed
on Tuesdays, and Grand Bazaar closed on Sundays. If your tour is on one of these
days we would offer you to visit Underground Cistern instead of Hagia Sophia and
Topkapi palace museum, instead of Grand Bazaar you will visit Spice Bazaar
Day 3 : Gallipoli Tour
07:30am we depart for Gallipoli to visit the battle fields. Two hours later we will
give you 20 minutes for relax in a restaurant area. We arrive Gallipoli around 12:00am
and we have lunch break, relax a little bit and then depart for the battle fields.
Visit Gabatepe Museum. Start visiting the fields with Ariburnu Cemetery and Anzac
Cove because these are the places where the war had started. Then Beach Cemetery,
Shrapnel Valley and Plugges Plateau. After the tour drive to your hotel. Overnight
in Canakkale.
Day 4 : Troy Tour - Pergamon - Kusadasi
We depart at 08:30 and driving 30 minutes for to Troy. Visit the famous archeological
and mythological site of Troy, home of the Trojan Horse and Helen of Troy. After
Troy tour, 3 hour drive to Pergamon. Lunch break around 13:00pm and after the lunch
depart for tour of the magnificent acropolis of Pergamon. Its impressive temples
and library made it a renowned cultural and political centre at that times. Bergamon
is a famous city for its jewellery, stones and silver. So on the way, we will visit
a jewellery center for 30 minutes. Arrival to Kusadasi around 18:00pm. Overnight
in Kusadasi.
Day 5 : Kusadasi - Ephesus Tour - Turkish Village Sirince
08:30 Departure from hotel fully guided tour of Ephesus, one of the best preserved
ancient sites in the world en-route, visiting the Temple of Artemis, Curetes street,
famous Roman baths, Celsus Library, Grand theatre and House of the Virgin Mary.
Lunch break around 13:00pm. After the lunch, we will visit a place which continues
to perform one of the oldest arts of Turkey; a carpet weaving centre. After Lunch
we will do a Turkish Village Tour. Sirince's construction style today belongs to
Anatolian Greeks. The houses on the slope are all Orginal with their white paints.
Sirince Village also has a fantastic reputation for making some of the best wines
in Turkey - especially fruit wines. We will visit the vineyards and it is time to
learn how to make fruit wine with Turkish wine makers. In the evening you will be
tested about your knowledge of making fruit wine. On the way we will visit one of
the famous leather production centers of the region, where you will have the opportunity
to get a good factory rate. On this guided tour, you will avoid the constant nagging
and sometimes bullying that is well known in the markets of Turkey. Enabling you
to enjoy the shopping experience whilst gaining the knowledge of the ancient craftsmen
Overnight in Kusadasi.
Day 6 : Kusadasi - Pamukkale Tour
At 08:30 we depart for Pamukkale. We will check at the hotel around 12.00 and we
have a lunch break until 13.30. Afterwards we shall visit the calcium terraces of
Pamukkale (cotton castle) and the ruins of Hierapolis, then walk around this natural
phenomenon and have the option of lying in the waters of the natural springs. Overnight
in Pamukkale.
Day 7 : Pamukkale and Antalya Old City Tour
After breakfast, we depart for Antalya. After 2 hour we will have coffee break,
After coffee break then continue to Antalya. Upon arrival in Antalya we have lunch
break around 13:30pm. After lunch visit to Old city Kaleici, Clock Tower and Alexander
the Great gate. After the tour, drive to your hotel for checking. Overnight in Antalya.
Day 8 : Antalya Perge Aspendos Tour
After breakfast we will depart for Perge and Aspendos.
PERGE: According to the geographer Strabon. Perge has been founded by Akhas who
came down hereafter the Trojan wars. Perge was first mentioned in 334 BC when Alexander
the Great passed through here. In the following years, Perge went under the control
of Pergamon when the Kingdom of Pergamon became a part of the Roman city. In the
first and the second centuries BC, Perge became one of the richest towns in Pamphylia.
Therefore it is not a surprise that St. Paul started his campaign in Anatolia from
Perge in 46 AD. After Perge, we will depart for Aspendos. Lunch break on the way.
ASPENDOS: The eastern land of Antalya was called Pamphylia in ancient times. Aspendos
(Belkis) lies47 km east of Antalya in the Pamphylian plain. In 486 BC, Greeks and
Persians had a great battle here (Greeks won, they didn't stay for long). During
the reign of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius (161-80 AD) Aspendos got its theatre,
which is the best preserved of all. It was built by Romans and maintained by Byzantines
and Seljuks. The ruins of the ancient city are extensive and include a stadium,
an agora, and a basilica. Overnight in Antalya.
Day 9 : Antalya - Konya - Cappadocia
After breakfast early in the morning at 08:00 drive to Konya. 2.5 hour later we
have break for coffee and after some rest drive to Konya for lunch at 13:00pm and
after the lunch visit the imposing green-tiled Mausoleum of Mevlana, the mystic
founder of the Sufi sect (Whirling Dervishes). After the Konya Mevlana tour drive
to Cappadocia. Arrival to Cappadocia around 18:30pm and check into your hotel. If
you wish to join our optional activity of Ballooning for tomorrow, please contact
with your guide and register because it will take place early the next morning.
Overnight in Cappadocia.
Day 10 : Cappadocia Tour
Today we will get to know the Cappadocia region, a volcanic area in which the geological
formation started 10 million years ago. As a result of these formations phallic
like pillars have come to life. The beautiful horse country Katpatuka, (as the Persians
called her) is an unbelievable strip of land, enchanting and mysterious. Cappadocia
region is also famous for its arts, including ceramic and carpets. You will be picked
up approximatley 09:30 from your hotel to join our regular tour. Tour starts with
Uchisar Castle, the highest point of Cappadocia. After Uchisar, you visit Goreme
Open Air Museum, the Heart of Cappadocia. Goreme Open Air Museum is famous for frescoes
dating to 10th century describing the life of Jesus Christ and monks. Next stop
is Cavusin, which is an abandoned village with old cave Greek houses. After Cavusin
you go to the restaurant in Avanos to have lunch.After lunch, you visit a pottery
work shop, to see how to make potteries. Then you go Pasabagi where you can see
three-headed fairy chimneys. After Pasabagi you visit another workshop to see Cappadocian
handwoven carpets and kilims. Next stop is Devrent Valley, which is also called
Imagination Valley, where you can see natural rock formations looking like animals.
Then you head to a wineshop in Urgup for wine tasting. Last stop is Three Beauties,
three beautiful fairy chimneys with their hats, which is the symbol of Cappadocia.
This tour will end approximately 18:00 and you will be returned back to your hotel.
Overnight in Cappadocia.
Day 11 : Cappadocia and Ankara City Tour - Istanbul
We depart at 9:00am for Ankara during the trip (4 hours distance). On the way, we
will stop at Salt Lake, which it is a natural salt lake and the second biggest lake
in Turkey. Arrival to Ankara around 12:30 and we have lunch break. After the lunch,
Visit Ataturk Museum at the Ataturk Mausoleum.
(Ataturk is the founder of the modern Turkey). Then depart for Istanbul and after
2.5 hour we will have coffee break in a restaurant area. After the break, 2,5 hour
drive to Istanbul. Arrival to Istanbul around 19:00pm. Overnight in Istanbul.
Day 12 : Istanbul - End of tour
After breakfast check out from the hotel and transfer back to Istanbul Ataturk Airport.
Have a safe trip back home and thanks for choosing Turkey.