Exploring Türkiye's Treasures

Upon your arrival at Istanbul Airport, transfer to hotel with your private vehicle. Free time..

After enjoying your breakfast at our hotel, we depart from the hotel with our private vehicle and our tour guide. Our first stop is Topkapi Palace, The Palace is situated in one of Istanbul's oldest historic districts, located on the historic Istanbul Peninsula, nestled between the Marmara Sea, the Bosphorus, and the Golden Horn, also the palace is one of Istanbul's iconic landmarks. Built on a 700,000-square-meter area on the Eastern Roman acropolis in Sarayburnu. Topkapi Palace served as the administrative, educational, and artistic center of the empire for approximately four centuries, up to the 31st Ottoman Sultan, Sultan Abdülmecid. The Palace also served as the residence of the sultans, after the mid-19th century, when the dynasty moved to Dolmabahce Palace, Topkapi Palace was abandoned, but it has preserved its historical significance and value. Following our visit to Topkapi Palace, we will explore Hagia Sophia; The 1500 year-old magnificent queen of East Roman and Ottoman Empires will tell her story and so Istanbul’s... Blue Mosque; This Ottoman beauty from 17th century which is decorated with hand-made tiles saluting the Hagia Sophia and completing the view of Peninsula and then Hippodrome. After the tour, you will be transferred back to your hotel.

After having breakfast at our hotel and checking out, we head towards Canakkale. Along the way, we make a stop in Gallipoli, where we visit the WWI site of the Gallipoli Battle and learn the somber story behind its war monuments. Following lunch in the city, we travel to Anzac Cove and visit the Lone Pine Memorial, it commemorates the 4.932 Australian and New Zealand servicemen who died in the Anzac area. Then, we continue to the Dardanelles, a narrow 60-mile-long (97 km) strip of water dividing Europe from Asia, and appreciate its centuries-old strategic significance. We'll stay overnight at our hotel in Canakkale.

After having breakfast at our hotel, we set off with our tour guide to visit the city of Troy. With its 4.000 years of history, Troy is one of the most renowned archaeological sites in the world. It was discovered in the mid-19th century and became culturally important due to its profound influence on literary works and the arts for over 2 millennia. We then travel from Troy to Bergama, a famous town in Hellenistic and Roman times, known for its great library, where we have lunch at a local restaurant. Afterward, we visit the Pergamon Acropolis, concluding our tour of its magnificent temples, theaters, porticoes, gymnasium, and library. In the evening, we arrive in Selçuk, which is our next destination, and check into our hotel.

After having breakfast at our hotel, we begin our day with a visit to the ruins of the ancient Greek city of Ephesus on the Ionia coast. The city was famous for its Temple of Artemis, which is completed around 550 BC and recognized as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The Temple was destroyed by the Goths in AD 268 during a raid. Within the temple's ruins, we will visit the Terrace Houses, the museum, the Monastery of St. John, and the library, built in AD 124 and once housing approximately 12,000 scrolls. After Ephesus, we proceed to Kirazlı Village, where we will have free time for lunch. The name of this settlement means "Cheery Village." We will take a peaceful stroll through its streets, enjoy the green scenery of olive and grape farms in the distance, and also have the opportunity to enjoy Turkish coffee at a local coffeehouse. At the conclusion of our tour, we return to Selçuk. We'll spend the night at our hotel.

After having breakfast at our hotel and checking out, we depart from Selçuk and travel to Laodikeia. Within this site lies the Laodikeia Church, one of the seven churches of Asia Minor. After exploring its ruins, we take a break for lunch in the village of Pamukkale. Then, we set out on a guided journey to explore Pamukkale and the ancient city of Hierapolis, established by one of Alexander the Great's generals for the purpose of utilizing the thermal waters in the area. We admire the extraordinary landscape of mineral forests, petrified waterfalls, and the terraced basins known as Pamukkale (Cotton Palace). We receive detailed information from our guide about these impressive natural formations and learn about the development of a complex canal system that transports thermal water to nearby villages and fields. In the afternoon, we have free time to relax and enjoy the thermal waters of Pamukkale as we wish to. At the end of our tour, we check into our hotel in Pamukkale. We'll spend the night at our hotel.

After having breakfast at our hotel and completing the check-out procedures, we are heading towards Termessos. Termessos, located over 1,000 meters above sea level, is known as the Eagle's Nest. We visit the amphitheater and enjoy the impressive panoramic views of the Pamphylia region and the Taurus Mountains. In the late evening, we arrive at the beautiful seaside town of Antalya and check in to our hotel.

After having breakfast at our hotel, we have free time. We can swim in the clear waters of Lara Beach, go shopping in Kaleici, visit the Archaeological Museum, and savor local flavors.

After our breakfast, we depart from our hotel in Antalya. We make stops along the way to visit the ancient city of Aspendos in southern Türkiye. Ancient Aspendos, once ruled by Greeks, Persians, and Romans, was an important trade center. Today, many ancient structures have survived, including a basilica and the Aspendos Theatre, considered to be the best-preserved ancient theater in the world. From there, we continue our journey to the town of Beysehir for lunch and a visit to the 13th-century Esrefoglu Mosque. In the late afternoon, we arrive in Konya and visit the Mevlana Museum and Garden. The museum, which was once a lodge, now hosting a mausoleum known as the "Mevlânâ Tomb," the resting place of the 13th-century Persian poet, Islamic theologian, and Sufi mystic Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī (or Mevlânâ). At the end of our tour, we check in to our hotel in Konya. 

After having breakfast at our hotel, we set off for our journey. Our first stop is the Sultanhan Caravanserai which was Built in 1229. This place was an important lodging point along the Silk Road. Afterwards, we visit Derinkuyu, a place famous for being a hiding spot for Christians escaping the persecution of the Roman Empire between the 5th and 10th centuries. As we explore, we will see the new life created by people in this underground world, including cellars, rooms for food storage, kitchens, churches, stables, wine presses, and ventilation shafts. Then, we continue to our journey towards Cappadocia. Upon arrival in Cappadocia, we watch a Whirling Dervish performance, originally practiced as a weekly remembrance of God by the Mevlevi tekke community. This pure dance has been practiced since the 13th century as part of a Muslim ceremony to glorify God and seek spiritual perfection. It is also believed that while revolving from right to left, the dervish embraces all of humanity with love. After the performance, you'll have free time for dinner. We will stay at our hotel in Cappadocia for the night.

After having breakfast at the hotel, we begin our Cappadocia tour. During this tour, we visit the Goreme Open-Air Museum, where vibrant painted cave churches carved out by Orthodox monks nearly 1,000 years ago can be found. From there, we take a hike in the region known as "fairy chimneys," which is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Over the years, wind and rain have shaped the area into thin valleys, curved cliff faces, and pointed rock formations. The Cappadocians carved homes into the soft rock formations. In the afternoon, we visit Turkish Baths, see Uchisar Castle, or we can explore the main streets of the town on our own. After the tour, you'll have free time for dinner. We will stay at our hotel for the night.

After breakfast and completing our check-out procedures, we set out for the airport. Upon our arrival at the hotel in Istanbul, you'll have some free time. We will spend the night at our hotel in Istanbul.

After breakfast, we explore the iconic Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. With a specialist guide, we will hear about the Ottoman Empire's connections to the bazaar. The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, consisting of 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops. The tour continues as we enjoy coffee, tea, and a chat with our guide in an old Ottoman inn. In the afternoon, we visit the atmospheric Spice Bazaar. Then, we go to Galata Tower, and our tour guide shares its story with us (we will see it from the outside). At the end of our tour, we return to our hotel.

After breakfast and completing our check-out procedures, we leave our hotel and have a transfer to the airport. Until our next journey, goodbye!