Jewel of Turkey – SIC Tour – 8 Days/7 Nights

Arrival to Istanbul Ataturk Airport, meet & greet by English speaking assistant and shuttle transfer to your hotel. On the way to the hotel, you will see the magnificent 22 km long City Walls. Upon arrival at the hotel, check in to your rooms and free time at leisure for relaxing & freshen up. (Standard check-in time is 14:00 o’clock) . Overnight in Istanbul.

After breakfast at the hotel, departure for HD City Tour of Istanbul. Tour of “Sultan Ahmet Center”, the heart of the “Old City” from where the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires were ruled. Blue Mosque, facing Hagia Sophia, famous with its blue İznik tiles and unique with 6 minarets, built in the name of Sultan Ahmet. Hippodrome, center of sportive events (chariot races, athletics) and political activities of the old city.

Serpentine Column, Obelisk of Theodosius and German Fountain of Wilhelm II are the monuments decorating the Hippodrome. Grand Covered Bazaar, most attractive shopping center and the biggest “souk” in the world with nearly 4000 shops selling antiques, jewellery, gold, carpets, leather ware and souvenir. Tour is ending at 13:00 o’clock in Grand Bazaar, return to your hotel on your own.

Afternoon, you can join an optional tour of Topkapi Palace & St. Sophia, OR you can join an optional tour of Bosphorus Cruise Ride & Spice Market.

Overnight in Istanbul.

After breakfast at the hotel, we will do check out process & take an early departure from Istanbul to Cappadocia. En route, we will pass from Ankara (the capital city of Turkish Republic) and visit Mausoleum of Ataturk, the founder and first president of the Turkish Republic. Proceed to Cappadocia & drop you at your hotel.

Dinner at hotel & Overnight in Cappaddocia.

After breakfast at the hotel, departure for sightseeing of Cappadocia and our first stop will be the Underground City of Cardak. The history of Cardak Underground City comes from the 3000 BC. It has 8 floors, which was built by Hittites. By caving the other parts of the tuff stones during the Roman and Byzantine periods, Cardak has been expanded and become an underground city.

The rooms and halls are connected with narrow aisles, wine tanks, water vaults, ventilation shafts, water wells, a church, and 4 big milestones in order to close the door from the inside to avoid any danger that may come from the outside.

Cardak was been newly founded, which is supported by Ministry of Culture & Tourism and located in the city center of Uchisar Village, which is 7 km away from Nevsehir. Then visit Pigeon Valley with many different rock formations and hundreds of pigeon houses.

Afternoon, we visit the Goreme Open Air Museum that contains the finest rock-out churches and beautiful frescos. Then we drive to Avanos, the center of terra-cotta work since 3000 BC. You are invited to experience a traditional pottery workshop. Shopping at Carpet Factory & Jewellery Shop & Pottery Shop.

Dinner at hotel & Overnight in Cappaddocia.

After breakfast at the hotel, we will drive to Pamukkale via Konya. Today’s ride will be fairly long and tiring due to the long distance between Cappadocia and Pamukkale and lack of convenient lodging location.

En route, we will visit Sultanhan Caravansarai & Photo-Stop at Mausoleum of Mevlana, the world-wide famous mystic figure. After arrival, we will drop you to the hotel.

Dinner at hotel & Overnight in Pamukkale.

Breakfast at the hotel and start sightseeing to enjoy natural spring water beauty with history; Pamukkale, meaning cotton castle in Turkish, is a natural site that contains hot springs and travertines, terraces or carbonate minerals left by the flowing water. Hierapolis is the place where you will see the Necropolis, the biggest cemetery of Anatolia with 1,200 graves & proceed to Kusadasi and we visit Ephesus ruins, including The Polio Fountain, The Temple of Hadrian that dedicated to Emperor Hadrian in 138 AD.

Then we visit Great Theatre, the largest ancient theatre with 25,000 seat capacity. Later we visit the Library of Celsius, one of the most beautiful structures of Ephesus, built in 117 AD and visit a Leather Shop. End of the tour, proceed to your hotel for check-in process.
Dinner at hotel & Overnight in Kusadasi.

After breakfast at the hotel, check out process and drive to Canakkale. Upon arrival, we will do an orientation tour at Canakkale City Center and visit the famous Hollywood Trojan Horse in the center. Afternoon, drop you at your hotel for check-in process and rest of the day will be free at leisure for relax & freshen up.

Dinner at hotel & Overnight in Canakkale.

After breakfast at the hotel, check out process and drive back to Istanbul and drop you at Istanbul Ataturk Airport around 15:00 o’clock.
Hope you will return to your home with unforgettable memories.