Istanbul

Welcome to Turkey. Arrive in Istanbul Airport ( IST ) or to Sabiha Gokcen Airport ( SAW ) , Our representative will meet you at the airport with your name sign and private transfer to the hotel for overnight stay in Istanbul.

Hippodrome

09.00 a.m. After breakfast, pick up from the hotel and our journey begins in Istanbul, the only city in the world situated on two continents. Byzantium, Constantinople, Istanbul – its three names span more than 2600 years, nearly 1600 of them as the capital of two of the greatest empires the world has known, Byzantine and Ottoman. We visit the Hippodrome Square, where chariot races and the Byzantine riots took place.

Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque

Only a short walk away, reaches Hagia Sophia built in 532 AD by Roman Emperor Justinian I. Update for St. Sophia interior visit : Live guiding is not allowed in St. Sophia after the 15th January 2024. Guests have to have their smart phones and headphones during their visit. If guests do not have a headphone, they can buy at the entrance at the cost of 3,5-USD The system is similar to audio guide system. Guests who does not have smart phones will follow the signs and the given informations on the signs .

Blue Mosque

Blue Mosque is just 5 minutes away from Hagia Sophia. Blue Mosque, has its fame from its beautiful blue Iznik tiles.

TopkapI Palace

We will continue walking to Topkapi Palace, which was not only the residence of the Ottoman sultans but also the administrative and educational center of the state. It was constructed between 1460 and 1478 by Sultan Mehmed II, the conqueror of Constantinople. We will visit the Topkapi Palace including the weapons section.

Grand Bazaar

After that, we will visit Grand Bazaar where is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with more than 58 covered streets and over 1,200 shops which attract between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily. Opened in 1461, it is well known for its jewellery, pottery, spice, and carpet shops. Please note: Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays, so, Spice Market will be visited instead of Grand Bazaar when your day 2 is on Sunday.

Istanbul

Return back to your hotel for overnight.

Istanbul

Pick up from your hotel and transfer to Istanbul airport for flight to Cappadocia.

Cappadocia

Arrive in Cappadocia. Meet by your guide and transfer to your hotel. Leave your luggage at the hotel and start for the Cappadocia tour.

Fairy Chimneys

First meeting with Cappadocia, visiting Three Sisters Fairy Chimneys in Urgup which are the most popular and seen on advertisements.

Pigeon Valley

After Fairy Chimneys, we head on to Pigeons Valley. Pigeons have been always important for Cappadocian people. That’s why people carved some pigeon houses to keep them in certain places. You will see that the houses for the pigeons are like the houses for the people.

Kaymakli Underground City

Then, we descend into the center of the earth in the Kaymakli Underground City one of the largest and the deepest of 200 others in Cappadocia.

Cappadocia

After the tour program drive to your hotel. Overnight in Cappadocia.

Devrent Valley

After breakfast, take our second day of the Cappadocia tour. Drive to Devrent Valley, take a walk through this lunar landscape where different rock formations can be seen.

Pasabag

Seeing the best examples of the Fairy Chimneys at Pasabag Fairy Chimneys Valley.

Avanos

After Pasabag, we drive further to Avanos Town, which is famous with tile and pottery workshops.

Goreme Open-Air Museum

After the lunch break, our next stop is Goreme Open Air Museum where you will enjoy the fantastic rock churches and beautiful frescos from various centuries decorating the walls of the churches.

Uchisar Castle

Then we drive to the Uchisar Rock Castle, which is the highest and the most dominant point, giving us a breathtaking panorama.

Cappadocia

Drive back to your hotel for overnight in Cappadocia.

Kayseri

Pick up from hotel and private transfer to Kayseri or Nevsehir airport for your flight to Izmir.

Izmir

Upon your arrival at Izmir Airport, our representative will welcome you with your name sign and transfer you to your hotel in Izmir. Overnight in Izmir.

Izmir

After breakfast we drive to Pergamum, actually called Bergama. It is one of the sites of the Seven Churches of Asia [Rev. 1:11; 2:12].

Akropolis

Here we explore the impressive Acropolis, the steepest theatre in the world, see the Altar of Zeus which is mentioned as the «Throne of Satan» in the book of Revelation, the marble columns of the Temple of Trajan and the Library which was foremost in the world and was long a rival of the equally famous Library of Alexandria in Egypt. Its wealth of volumes was estimated at over 200,000. It inspired the invention of parchment.

The Asklepion

We will visit the Asklepion, where is the famous medical Centre of classical times.

Akhisar

Then we continue our visit to Thyatira, now called Akhisar, another one of the Seven Churches of Asia [Rev. 1:11; 2:18-24; Acts 16:14]. It was a city famous for purple dyes. We visit the remains of a basilica and some architectural fragments from the Roman period. Lydia, the seller of purple in Philippi, was from Thyatira.

Saat Kulesi (Clock Tower)

Before we check-in at the hotel in Izmir, we enjoy a panoramic ride of Smyrna, the third-largest city in Turkey and one of the sites of the Seven Churches of Asia [Rev. 2:12-17]. Smyrna is a city scarred with a bloody history of trade and warfare. We will also see the Clock Tower. Check-in at the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Sardis (Sardes)

Today we depart early in the morning to one of the most picturesque areas of any of the Seven Churches of Asia [Rev. 1:11; 3:1-4], Sardis, presently Sart. This was the capital of the ancient Lydian kingdom of the 6th century BC, portrayed as a dying church. We visit the great Temple of Artemis and restored gymnasium and reconstructed Synagogue. We also see the last several meters of the royal Persian Road from Susa to Sardis built by Cyrus the Great and the «golden» river Pactolus.

St. Jean Kilisesi

Then we continue our journey to Philadelphia, nowadays called Alasehir, another church of the Seven Churches of Asia [Rev. 1:11; 3:7], and the only church not censured. There we see the remains of a Byzantine basilica built of brick, with a bit of high arch and some 11th-century frescoes.

Laodicea

Continue to visit Laodicea. The city established in C3 BCE by the Seleucid Antiochus II, the city was named after his wife Laodicea. Built on the Lycus Tributary of the Meander River, it was surnamed Laodicea on Lycus, to distinguish it from other similarly named cities. Laodicea is the last of the seven churches. As a crossroad of two important roads, this city had an important commercial and logistical position.

Hierapolis & Pamukkale

We drive to the healing city of Hierapolis, Visit the ancient city of Hierapolis with the Theatre, Apollo Temple and magnificent Necropolis, the graveyard . We wil visit The travertine terraces at Pamukkale are one of the most spectacular natural wonders we ever have seen from various mineral springs in a vast white cliff side. It looks like creations from snow or like balls from cotton, which gave the scenery the Turkish name Pamukkale (cotton castle).

Pamukkale

Check in to your Thermal hotel for dinner and overnight.

Ancient City of Ephesus

Drive to Ephesus area around 2,5 hours. We will start visiting one of the main highlights in Turkey, Ephesus, one of the 12 cities of the Ionian League (an ancient Greek district on the western coast of Asia Minor) is located near Izmir. As a port city, it was a major departure point for trade routes into Asia Minor. Walk through history along marble streets lined with wonderful public buildings, among them the Baths of Scholastica, the Library of Celsus; it was built in the beginning of the 2nd century A.D. by Gaius Julius Aquila to be a memorial to his father Gaius Julius Celsus Polemanus, the proconsul of Province of Asia. , the Temple of Hadrian and The Grand Theater are two of the most impressive buildings in Ephesus. Grand theatre was built in the 3rd century B.C and it was later expanded to 24.000 spectators by the Romans in the 1st century A.D.

Meryemana (The Virgin Mary's House)

The House of Virgin Mary is located on the Aladag Mountains 5 miles away from Ephesus. At the third Ecumenical Council on 431 AD in Ephesus, it was claimed that Mary came to Ephesus with St. John in 37 A.D. and lived there until her death in 48 A.D. After the discovery of the house, the Archbishop of Izmir declared there as a place of pilgrimage in 1892. On July 26, 1967, Pope Paul VI visited this place and prayed there.

Basilica of St. John

After the House of Virgin Mary, drive to St. John’s Basilica, it is believed that the evangelist St. John had spent his last years in the region around Ephesus and buried in the southern slope of Ayosolug Hill.

The Temple of Artemis

We will stop at Artemis Temple which used to be one of the seven wonders of the ancient world as our last stop before drive to Kusadasi where is around 25 minutes away.

Kusadasi

Check in to your hotel for dinner and overnight.

Izmir

After breakfast, our driver will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to Izmir Airport for your flight to Istanbul.

Istanbul

Upon your arrival to Istanbul Airport / Sabiha Gokcen Airport, our representative will welcome you with your name sign and will transfer you, to your hotel. You can explore the city on your own in the afternoon. Overnight in Istanbul.

Istanbul

Transfer to Airport for your international flight and leave Turkey. The end of our services.