TURKISH DELIGHT
A fascinating mix of modern and ancient, where East meets West, Turkey is one of the most incredible countries in the world. As such it has plenty of European and Asian influences from all sides. With close proximity to Africa too, it is a cultural melting pot where people of all beliefs and faiths can feel at home. Turkey is one of the most popular holiday destinations for Indian travellers, and it truly has something to offer everyone’s tastes: white sandy beaches, ruins of ancient civilizations, world-class sights, delicious food, cosmopolitan feels, and holiday spirits. Turkey is truly a country that leaves you breathless.
Arrive in Istanbul. Located in the Marmara region of Turkey, Istanbul is the world’s most gorgeous and mysterious city. Check out the beauty, the great culture, the colourful lifestyle, the harmony of opposites and everything this amazing city has to offer. Upon arrival in Istanbul, you will be welcomed by our local representative and transferred to your hotel located in Istanbul. Rest of evening is free at Leisure to explore Istanbul.
This Full Day Tour of Istanbul provides the perfect introduction to the fabled city that spans Asia and Europe. On this one day sightseeing tour you will see how old meets new when you visit Istanbul’s four “must-see” historic sites. We will pick you up from the hotel (city center hotels). Then you will meet with your guide at the meeting point. We will visit Hippodrome, Hagia Sophia Museum, Blue Mosque, Grand Covered Bazaar, Topkapi Palace, Sultan Tombs.
We will drive to the city of Bursa, holding great importance for Ottoman Empire’s history for being the first capital and having a rich Islamic Cultural Heritage for centuries. We will visit the Green Mosque and the Green Mausoleum neighboring each other. They are both known for the greenblue tiles used for the impressive decorations. Green Mosque also represent the architectural transformation between Seljuk style and Ottoman Style, later its architectural form will be known as “Bursa Style” and will be used during the construction of other mosques in Bursa.Next, we visit Great Mosque, a remarkable landmark form early Ottoman period. Its importance lies in well preserved early ottoman architecture of the mosque. Great Mosque is also known for its inner fountain used for ritual ablution. The fountain is well placed under one of the domes of the mosque, capping the sky-light and illuminating the mosque. The dim light also serves creating a sense of privacy during the prayer. Next, we visit Koza Han dating from 14th century. Koza Han was the center of trade of silk of Bursa and played an important role promoting Bursa’s Textile Industry during early republic era of modern turkey.The lunch will be served in an Ottoman Cuisine Restaurant. Being one of the best in town, you will enjoy your meal in authentic ottoman style setup and decoration.
Breakfast & we check-out from our hotel in Istanbul & proceed to experience Bosphorus Cruise & Spice Bazaar. We begin with a brief visit to the 17th-century Spice Bazaar, one of Istanbul’s most colorful and popular attractions. The building is part of the Yenj Mosque and was completed in 1660. Next, we will take a cruise through the Bosphorus, also known as Istanbul Strait, which is the only passage between the Mediterranean and the Black seas. It also marks the dividing line between Europe and Asia. After tour, transfer to Istanbul or Sabiha Gokcen Airport for your flight to Izmir. Transfer from Airport to your hotel in Kusadasi.
After breakfast, head inland to Denizli Province to visit Pamukkale –Turkey’s most incredible natural wonder. Meaning ‘cotton castle,’ this stunning UNESCO World Heritage Site consists of dazzling white travertine rock terraces that seem to flow down 656-foot cliffs. From a distance, the travertine terraces almost look like snowy cliffs or frozen waterfalls, but in fact they are mineral deposits from Pamukkale hot springs. Walk around these fascinating rocks and see the naturally formed bathing pools while learning about their geology from your guide. Views from Pamukkale are unforgettable – see the white travertine terraces contrasting with brown mountains in the distance, and then walk up to Hierapolis, the ancient Greco-Roman city with crumbling ruins and geothermic bathing pools. Enjoy time at leisure here, and be sure to bring your bathing suit as the pools are definitely worth a dip.
After breakfast, we proceed for Ephesus Tour which is one of the best preserved ancient sites in the world. During this hassle-free, all-inclusive day trip, you can settle back and relax. Enjoy private pickup from Kusadasi and a complimentary lunch with a small-group tour. You’ll also visit Virgin Mary House, it is known that the Virgin Mary came to Ephesus and lived here for some time. Whether or not she died in Ephesus was not known until Anne Catherine Emmerich’s vision. The stigmatized German nun who had never been to Ephesus had a vision of the House of the Virgin Mary and described it in detail to the German writer Clemens Brentano who later published a book about it. Later we transfer to Izmir Airport for flight to Kayseri. Transfer to Hotel in Cappadocia
In the morning we will pick you up from your accommodation in Cappadocia. On this tour you will be able to see the following sites.
KIZILCUKUR VALLEY: One of the nicest and most beautiful places to go walking in Cappadocia in Red and Rose Valley. The two valleys are next to each other and are easily combined. Start at Sunset point (near Ortahisar) and hike down through the first Red Valley and then continue on the Rose Valley.
CAVUSİN VILLAGE: After our wanderings through Swords and Rose Valleys on our second day in the Goreme area, we arrived in Çavuşin village. It was a lovely quiet village and had some amazing sites to visit. The ‘old’ village, now abandoned, was all carved into the hillside. I’m not really sure how old the settlement is, but it’s definitely been around for a long, long time. All the buildings and churches and homes of the village were within the hill and were probably connected internally via tunnels and such.
KAYMAKLI UNDERGROUND CITY: is built under the hill known as the Citadel of Kaymakli and was opened to visitors in 1964. The people of Kaymakli (Enegup in Greek) village have constructed their houses around nearly one hundred tunnels of the underground city. The inhabitants of the region still use the most convenient places in the tunnels as cellars, storage areas and stables, which they access through their courtyards. The Kaymakli Underground City has low, narrow and sloping passages. While the underground city consists of 8 floors below ground, only 4 of them are open to the public today, in which the spaces are organized around ventilation shafts.
PIGEON VALLEY: Pigeon valley is situated between Goreme and Uchisar and is ideal for walking, as the trek is relatively easy. The name comes from the thousands of pigeon houses that have been carved into the soft tuff since ancient times. Although they can be found throughout Cappadocia, they are especially numerous in this valley. They were carved wherever space allowed, including abandoned cave houses and churches. In Cappadocia, pigeons have long been a source of food and fertilizer.
After your breakfast, you will be transferred to airport for your flight (at additional cost) to Istanbul to connect your outbound flight.