Istanbul, Cappadocia & Ephesus ( 7 nights / 8 days )

Day 1: Arrival in Istanbul
We meet at Ataturk International Airport in Istanbul and transfer to our hotel located in the modern city center, just a few steps away from Taksim Square.

After check-in we meet for a welcome briefing and orientation tour of the area. We proceed to Taksim Square for a walking tour of Istiklal Street which lasts for about an hour. If you would like to have dinner in this lively area before going back to the hotel, our guide can suggest good restaurants among the many dotting the sides of this high street.

As we spend most of our time in the old, historical center of Istanbul during our visits, we suggest accommodation in the Taksim area, the lively hub of the city’s modern daily life, to let you experience both aspects of the city. However, you certainly have the option of staying in the old city overnight. In this case we can have our orientation walk in the Sultanahmet region.

Included meals: None

Hagia Sophia - Sultan Ahmet - Istanbul

Ortakoy Mosque and Bosphorus Bridge - Istanbul

Ballooning - Cappadocia

Fairy Chimneys - Cappadocia

Celsius Library - Ephesus - Selcuk

Sirince Old Greek Village - Selcuk

Day 2: Istanbul
We have two days to explore Istanbul, capital of three legendary empires. We include, in our program, the most important historical highlights of the city. While we go from one site to the other, we stroll in the streets of this old town enjoying its different moods and sentiments. If you feel energetic and enthusiastic enough, we are happy to expand the tour to include other interesting sights hidden in the less touristy areas of the district.

We meet this morning in the hotel lobby and transfer to the Sultanahmet region of the old city for a full-day tour. Our day begins with a visit to the ancient Hippodrome, an area that was once the center of Byzantine civic life. We continue to Sultan Ahmet Mosque, more familiarly known as the Blue Mosque because its interior gleams with a magnificent paneling of blue and white 17th C. Iznik tiles. Next we visit Hagia Sophia, often described as the greatest work of Byzantine architecture. After these visits, we break for lunch on our own before proceeding with the rest of our tour.

Our next stop is the Basilica Cistern, the largest and most ornate of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city of Istanbul. In its construction, columns and capitals of earlier edifices were used, providing a very decorative appearance. We finish the day at the famous Grand Bazaar. This bazaar will tempt even non-shoppers with nearly 4,000 shops exhibiting a rich collection of precious handmade carpets, jewelry, leather, antiques, and souvenirs.

Included meals: Breakfast

Day 3: Istanbul
In this morning we meet again for another full day of sightseeing. Our first visit is to Topkapi Palace, a pleasant and cozy oriental style palace once home of the Ottoman Sultans who ruled their vast empire spread across three continents from this very place. This complex is a museum today, housing the spectacular artifacts found in the palace, such as the famous treasury of the sultans, their exquisite robes (kaftans), beautifully ornamented weapons and a huge collection of Chinese and Japanese porcelain. Here you have an option to see the Harem section as well, which is a separate visit within the main palace complex.

After our break for lunch on our own, we visit the Spice Market, which was built as part of the Yeni Cami (New Mosque) complex and has since been an exciting covered market filled with the fragrant scent of spices from the Orient. The market and its environs give a glimpse of the old life style which is disappearing very quickly in the most parts of the city.

Our tour continues as we embark on a public boat and start our cruise on the Bosporus Strait. The Bosphorus is a narrow, navigable strait between Europe and Asia connecting the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara. This boat ride takes us past late Ottoman palaces as well as beautiful wooden mansions and modern villas of the 19th and 20th centuries which form this elegant section of the city. In a very relaxing and enjoyable way we have an insight to the past, present and the future of Istanbul. The silhouette of the old city at distance summarizes what we have already seen in this tour. The solemn and subtle beauty of the old mansions which once belonged to the Ottoman pashas can be seen side by side with the loudly decorated ones owned by rich industrialists of today. We observe the details of a 15th C fortress from the shadow of a very modern suspension bridge connecting two continents. Once in a while, behind all of these, we can have a glimpse of new corporate neighborhoods with their high-rises.

After the cruise we transfer to the hotel for an evening at leisure.

Included meals: Breakfast

Day 4: Istanbul / Cappadocia
Today we take a morning flight to either Kayseri or Nevsehir airports to begin our tour of breathtaking Cappadocia. This area is renowned for its awe-inspiring natural rock formations that were utilized for everything from housing and churches to even complete underground villages. The valleys here are carved by erosion in tuff, a soft rock formed by volcanic ash accumulation over millions of years, and create a fertile pocket in an otherwise prairie-like Central Anatolian Plateau. Against this beautiful background Cappadocia’s traditional rural life still goes on providing unique opportunities to observe a life style which is rapidly changing. Along with the specific sites mentioned in the following program, we visit a vinery to taste the local wine, stop at many vantage points to enjoy the beautiful scenery around us, or better still, walk in the remote valleys to see more. In our flexibility the choice is always yours.

In the region we first visit the Goreme Open Air Museum which consists of steep cliffs and many hidden churches dating from the second half of the 9th century and later. We continue to Uchisar where we visit the so-called fortress. With a breathtaking view of the surrounding Cappadocian formations, this 60-meter high settlement was not built but carved out of a natural hill dominating the area. After this visit, we check into our hotel and spend some time at leisure.

Included meals: Breakfast

Day 5: Cappadocia
Today, early in the morning, you have a chance to join an optional ballooning tour of the region, probably the best ballooning in the world.

Our regular program goes on with a visit to the remarkable underground city of Derinkuyu. Throughout history, as successive armies swept across Asia Minor, the residents of Cappadocia created uniquely defensible settlements by digging approximately eight stories down into the volcanic tuff. Next we visit Pasabag—a site of natural beauty with a remarkable landscape of tuff cones. We then drive to the small town of Avanos, famous for its pottery making which goes back to Hittite times and rugs which are the splendid representatives of the Turkish carpet making tradition. Here we learn about these regional crafts and may also see demonstrations performed by local craftsmen. We return to town in the early evening and have time at leisure.

Included meals: Breakfast

Day 6: Cappadocia / Kusadasi
After breakfast we transfer to Kayseri airport for a flight to Izmir. Once in Izmir airport we meet our guide and begin our drive to Kusadasi stopping for lunch on our own en-route. If you wish – and time permitting – we can fit in a detour into the centre of the city of İzmir to see daily life in one of the modern cities of Turkey and have lunch there.

In the afternoon, just before entering Kusadası, we visit the Basilica of St. John, ruins of an impressive 6th C. cathedral built on the tomb of St. John the Theologian. This hill-top site gives us an initial orientation of the region. Not far away from here, on top of a high hill, is the House of the Virgin Mary. The chapel here is built on the foundation of the house where the Virgin Mary is believed to have lived. We have an option to visit this site while we are in the vicinity.

Kusadasi is set in a superb gulf and is known for its sparkling water, broad sandy beaches, and large marina. Here is where we enjoy the rest of the day at leisure on our own.

Included meals: Breakfast

Day 7: Ephesus Sites
In the morning we depart for a full day of sightseeing. First we visit the ruins of Ephesus which is one of the best excavated and most attractive archaeological sites in the world. The size of the site, particularly its giant theatre, impresses visitors. More impressive still is the richness of detail even a casual observer can notice. The Roman period villas known as the Terrace Houses on the hill slopes overlooking the main street were recently opened to the public and they are comparable only with Pompeii. The entry is optional but recommended. For our lunch we drive to a village on the hills near Ephesus. Originally a Greek-Orthodox village, Sirince is now a very pretty site of Turkish-Greek culture. From its beautiful hilltop location we enjoy impressive views of the vineyards and olive trees surrounding the village. As we wander the narrow streets of the village lined with typical Greek houses, we come across women selling handcrafts of all kinds and other local village products. Here we have a chance to socialize with the locals and taste the simple but delicious cuisine of the Aegean at a home-hosted lunch. Our final stop of the day will be in the town of Selcuk where we visit the Museum of Archaeology. Almost all of the exhibits are findings from Ephesus, the most spectacular being two beautiful statutes of Artemis Ephesia, both dating from the Roman Imperial era.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 8: Izmir / Istanbul / Homebound Departure
After breakfast we transfer to Izmir airport for the home bound flight via Istanbul.

Included meals: Breakfast

Winter Special ( Valid between November 7, 2009 and  March 31, 2010 ) 

Price of the package includes:

1. Accommodation in hotels :
   3 nights Istanbul: Central Palace (near Taksim Square) or Ottoman Imperial (old town)
   2 nights Cappadocia: Yunak House or similar
   2 nights Kusadasi: Kismet or Charisma

2. Domestic flights within our program itinerary (Istanbul-Kayseri, Kayseri-Izmir, and Izmir-Istanbul. Depending on air schedule we may use Nevsehir airport instead of Kayseri.)

3. 8 Meals: 7 breakfasts and 1 lunch

4. Services of a licensed professional tour guide (private)

5. Transportation with comfortable, modern, air conditioned, chauffeur driven cars, vans or minibuses appropriate to the size of your group (private)

6. Admission fees to sites and museums

7. Parking, ferry, and toll road fees

8. Gratuity at restaurants where meal is included in the program

Price of the package excludes:

1. Airfare of international flights and related taxes

2. Soft and alcoholic beverages

3. Optional gratuities to the tour guides and drivers

4. Travel insurance

5. Visas, laundry, and personal items