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Arrival in Istanbul Airport. After immigration and customs formalities, board your vehicle for transfer to the hotel.
Overnight in Istanbul.
Optional: Dinner Cruise On The Bosphorus
Today after breakfast, we begin our tour of the Sultanahmet District—the heart of old Istanbul at Saint Sophia. Built by Emperor Justinian in the 6th century AD, this church is one of the marvels of world architecture. Its massive dome dominates the skyline of old Istanbul. It is famed for its mosaics, including glittering portraits of emperors and empresses. Next, we visit the Blue Mosque, which owes its name to the exquisite tiles adorning its interior. Dating from the 17th century, it is the only imperial mosque with six minarets. The Hippodrome, the stadium of ancient Byzantium held 100,000 spectators and featured objects from all corners of the empire. Of these, an Egyptian obelisk and a bronze sculpture of three entwined serpents from Delphi survive.
In the afternoon, we begin our tour at Topkapi Palace in which from the 15th to the 19th century was the principal residence of the Ottoman Sultans. We will also visit the faboulous Imperial Treasury and the Baghdad Kiosk. Topkapı Palace is now a museum and has unrivalled collections of jewelry, including the Spoonmaker’s Diamond, the 3rd largest in the world. Ottoman court costumes and ceramics, notably one of the world’s finest collection of early Chinese ceramics, much of it gifts from other rulers. Interestingly, some of the ceramics have a special glaze that was said to change color in the presence of poison. We also visit the Imperial Armory, displaying centuries of Ottoman weaponry. But perhaps the loveliest features of Topkapı Palace are its courtyards with their ancient trees, and it is easy to imagine the sultan strolling here far from the cares of state and empire.
The last stop, Grand Bazaar was the commercial heart of the old city and its 4,000 shops are full of treasures, including carpets and kilims, silks, jewelry, ceramics, icons, and leather goods. Wandering through the Grand Bazaar, indulge in some shopping—Ottoman style (B, L).
After breakfast, check out from your hotel.
Transfer to your hotel and overnight in Cappadocia (B).
Optional: Early morning available to make hot air balloon riding.
After breakfast, the tour start with Devrent Valley—walking in Pasabag near Zelve or “fairy chimneys”, where the voice of wind mixes with the “songs of fairies”. Lunch in Avanos, centre of terra cotta work of art since 3000 B.C. and a demonstration in a traditional pottery workshop. In the afternoon, visit the famous Goreme Open Air Museum and see the best examples of Byzantine art in Cappadocia in rock-cut churches with frescoes and paintings (10th to 13th century).
Continue to the Uchisar Rock-Castle to have a panoramic view of the valleys of Cappadocia (B, L).
After breakfast, check-out & transfer to the airport & flight to Izmir Airport. After landing, transfer to Kusadasi Hotel.
Overnight at the hotel (B).
After breakfast, start sightseeing. You will pass through the verdant countryside before arriving at Ephesus. Our first stop is the Virgin Mary’s House. You will drive nearly for 25 minutes. According to Predominant Christian tradition, Mary was brought to Ephesus by Apostle John after the Resurrection of Christ and lived out her days there. This is based mainly on the traditional belief that John came to Ephesus combined with the biblical statement that Jesus Consigned her to John’s care. Ephesus tour is starting with your local Ephesus guide. The walking tour will take you through one of the most magnificent excavations in the world. See the Odeon, The Fountain of Trajan, the five terraces of apartment houses, the stream baths of Scholastic, the temple of Hadrian and impressive library of Ephesus. The library is adorned with columns and statues. The Grand Theatre, where Saint Paul preached is the largest theatre with antiquity and capacity of 24,000 seats.
You will return to the bus through the Arcadian Way, where Mark Anthony and Cleopatra once rode in procession. The visit of Ephesus Open Air Museum takes nearly 2 hours. After the Lunch Break, the next stop of your tour is the Temple of Artemis (Diana), built in honour of the Greek Goddess of Hunting, wild nature and fertility—deemed as one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. The temple of Artemis used to be the largest marble temple in the ancient Greek world, since it was four times bigger as the Parthenon in Athens, Greece. The temple served as both a marketplace and religious’ institution. Offerings by thousands of pilgrims each year, enable the temple to grow so wealthy that it became the world’s first bank. Today, little remains of the magnificent structure, your guide will describe its importance, its wealth and tension that existed between the Romans and Christians that settled in the area over the centuries.
End of the tour, transfer back to your hotel. Overnight in Kusadasi (B, L).
After breakfast, check-out from the hotel. We’ll leave the colorful town behind. You will pass through the verdant countryside. We will drive for 3 hours to Pamukkale (Hierapolis), east of Kusadasi. On the halfway, will stop for the needs. You will arrive at North Gate of Pamukkale (Hierapolis). You will see the Necropolis (cemetery) of Hierapolis, which is one of the biggest ancient cemeteries in Anatolia with 1,200 graves, Roman Bath, Domitian Gate, the Main Street, and Byzantium Gate. Then, you walk to the natural warm water terraces which were formed by running warm water that contains calcium. The temperature of the water is about 35. You can see the gleaming white travertine terraces of Pamukkale, located next to the ruins of Hierapolis. The extraordinary effect is created when water from the hot springs loses carbon dioxide as it flows down the slopes, leaving deposits of limestone. The layers of white calcium carbonate, built up in steps on the plateau, gave the site the name Pamukkale (cotton castle). After the open buffed lunch, swimming in hot red thermal pools in the hotel. Then, if you like to swim in the Ancient Pool which is also called Cleopatra’s Pool, they will charge extra entrance fee. The Cleopatra Pool is warmed by hot springs and littered with underwater fragments of ancient marble columns. Possibly associated with the Temple of Apollo, the pool provides today’s visitors a rare opportunity to swim with antiquities! During the Roman period, columned porticoes surrounded the pool, earthquakes toppled them into the water where they lie today.
Afterwards, you drive to your hotel in Pamukkale (B, L, D).
Transfer to the airport & flight to Istanbul. Overnight in Istanbul (B).
After breakfast, check-out from your hotel and transfer to the airport for your flight to your country (B).
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