Day 1: Istanbul
Friday: Arrive ISTANBUL
Arrival at Istanbul Airport and transfer to the hotel. Overnight.
Day 2: Istanbul
Saturday: ISTANBUL
Breakfast at hotel. Departure for half day tour “CLASSIC”: We will start by visiting the Hagia Sophia “Divine Wisdom”, it is unquestionably one of the most fantastic buildings of all times. It was built by Constantine the Great and rebuilt by Justinian in the 6th century, its immense dome rises 55 meters from the ground, with a diameter of 31 meters. During the Ottoman Empire it was converted into a mosque and over time minarets were added. We will continue visiting the old Hippodrome that belongs to the Byzantine era, which was the center of civil activity in the country and where not only horse races and gladiatorial combats were held, but also celebrations in honor of the Emperor. Today it preserves the Obelisk of Theodosius, the Serpentine Column and the Fountain of Emperor William. Finally, visit Blue Mosque, which was built in 1609 during the Sultanate of Ahmet, famous for its blue tiles and six minarets. The excursion ends here. Free afternoon to explore the city or you can take the optional "Topkapi Palace" tour. Overnight. (B)
Day 3: Istanbul
Sunday: ISTANBUL
Breakfast at hotel. Departure for half-day tour “BYZANTINE”: We will start by visiting the Soliman Mosque, considered the most beautiful of the imperial mosques in Istanbul, it was built between 1550 and 1557 by Sinan, the famous architect of the Ottoman Golden Age. Then we will go to the ancient walls of Constantinople at the current Mevlana Gate, built by Emperor Theodosius II in 413. These solid walls with a height of several stories and a thickness of between three and six meters, protected the city from constant attacks by the Huns, Bulgarians, Russians, Arabs, Goths and Turks. The walls were only crossed twice, by the crusaders in 1204 and by Mehmet “the Conqueror” in 1453. Next, we will visit the Monastery of the Virgin of the Fountain, according to the historians Procopio and Cedrenus, the church was originally built by Emperor Justinian in the last years of his reign, near a water source formerly known as the “fountain of miracles” from a sacred well located outside the walls of Theodosius II in correspondence with the current Silivri Gate. The excursion ends in Eminönü district (the area where the Spice Bazaar is located). Free afternoon to explore the city or you can take the optional “Bosphorus” excursion. Overnight. (B)
Day 4: Istanbul
Monday: ISTANBUL
Breakfast at hotel. Free day to enjoy the beauty of the city. Overnight. (B)
Day 5: Cappadocia
Tuesday: ISTANBUL – CAPPADOCIA
Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to the airport for domestic flight to Cappadocia. Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel. Dinner at hotel and Overnight. (B/D)
Day 6: Cappadocia
Wednesday: CAPPADOCIA
Breakfast at hotel and departure for full day tour. Today we will visit the region of Cappadocia where Saint George was born; unique in the world that combines the whims of nature with places of great cultural interest. We will begin our tour with a walk through the fascinating Dervent Valley, known as the valley of the “fairy chimneys”, where the stone eroded by the wind and the action of water on volcanic terrain has given rise to a spectacular landscape formed by peaks, cones and obelisks. Next we will visit the underground city of Ozkonak (or another similar one), built by Christian communities to protect themselves from Arab attacks. We will make a stop at a carpet and kilim workshop. We continue to visit the Göreme open-air museum, which preserves an impressive set of churches, chapels and monasteries excavated in the rock with frescoes from the 11th century that were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. In the afternoon, panoramic visit of the town of Uchisar and the spectacular volcanic mountain ranges of Avcilar and Güvercinlik, and you will admire a wonderful panoramic view of the Uçhisar castle, located on top of a promontory of volcanic rock pierced by tunnels and windows. We will make a stop at an artisan decoration and jewelry workshop. Back to the hotel. Dinner at hotel and overnight. At night you can optionally join a “Turkish folk dance show”. (B/D)
Day 7: Cappadocia
Thursday: CAPPADOCIA
Option to take a spectacular hot air balloon ride at sunrise.
Breakfast at hotel. Departure to see the famous “Three Beauties of Urgup”, where you can see the mushroom-shaped rock formations and a panorama of the city of Urgup. Next we will visit the small and beautiful town of Ortahisar that is stands out with its castle of a high geological formation at 86 meters, and converted into dwelling by the Hittites. In the afternoon, we continue with the visit to the Zelve valley, it is formed by two canyons, a place where Muslims and Christians lived together until 1924. The slopes on the right side are pink in color, and those on the left are dominated by white. Finally, we will visit the Cavusin valley, where the houses dug into the side of a hill, have lavishly decorated facades, all timeless beauties. Transfer back to the hotel. Dinner at hotel and overnight. In the evening you can optionally join a “whirling dervish ceremony (Sema)”. (B/D)
Day 8:
Friday: CAPPADOCIA Departure
Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to the airport. End of our services. (B)