Istanbul & Cappadocia 10 DAYS/9 NIGHTS – GROUP TRAVEL SUGGESTED ITINERARY - CAN BE CUSTOMIZED INCLUSIONS Explore the land where east meets west on this 10-day journey through Istanbul and the unusual landscape of the fascinating Cappadocia region. In Istanbul you will discover colorful 6 night in Istanbul bazaars and mosques decorated with exquisite mosaic designs, Oriental carpets and other 3 nights in treasures. In Cappadocia, you will explore underground cave cities and ancient churches Cappadocia Breakfast daily carved from natural rocks. This itinerary features island cruises, remarkable ancient ruins Lunch and dinner and lovely countryside views. It is an excellent way to explore two very different sides of per itinerary Turkey’s East-meets-West personality. Ground transport via air conditioned luxury coach DAY 1 ~ ISTANBUL converted into a mosque by the Ottomans English speaking assistant and guides – and today survives as fantastic museum. Welcome to Istanbul, the Admission tickets See the ancient Hippodrome, the former largest city in Turkey. as outlined in center for sports and political activities in itinerary Formerly called Constantinople, as well as the Obelisk of Constantinople, Istanbul served as a former HIGHLIGHTS Theodosius from Egypt, the Serpentine capital of the Roman, Byzantine and Column and the German Fountain. You will Tour the Ottoman Empires. Upon arrival to the magnificent Blue also see Istanbul’s spectacular Blue airport, a local assistant will meet your Mosque Mosque, a magnificent 17th-century group in the terminal’s arrival call and Shop the fabulous mosque famous for its six minarets and for accompany it to the hotel by private coach. Grand Bazaar the 25,000 blue Iznik tiles that decorate the Visit the Egyptian (While most hotels have official check-in interior. Spice Market times at 2:00 pm, if rooms are not ready - Boat cruise you and your fellow travelers are welcome Following a lunch break in the Old Town, between Europe to store your bags with the reception staff). you will visit Topkapý Palace. This UNESCO and Asia viewing palaces, mansions & During this arrival day, feel free to get World Heritage Site was the official villas situated and begin exploring this fantastic residence of the Ottoman Sultans for four Turkish Night city. Tonight enjoy a welcome dinner in the centuries. The last stop on today’s tour is experience of hotel’s restaurant with your travel the Grand Bazaar, which is famous for its traditional food, music and folk companions. 4,000 shops of precious handmade carpets, groups jewelry, leather and souvenirs. The tour DAY 2 ~ ISTANBUL Explore Derinkuyu, will finish back at the hotel. Enjoy an the underground After breakfast at the hotel, evening at leisure. city of Cappadocia your group will meet a local Visit the town of guide in the lobby and DAY 3 ~ ISTANBUL Avanos, famous for its earthenware proceed on a full-day tour of Istanbul by After breakfast in the hotel, pottery private coach. During the tour, you will see your group will meet a local the truly splendid attractions of Istanbul. guide for a morning visit to Visit St. Sophia, the magnificent Byzantine the Egyptian Spice Market, which was Church that was pillaged by Crusaders, established in the 17th century. Afterwards you’ll enjoy a boat cruise between Europe DAY 5 ~ ISTANBUL and Asia. As you cruise along - you’ll enjoy After breakfast, your group views of 19th and 20th-century wooden will depart for a half-day houses, modern villas, beautiful mansions sightseeing tour during and the former Ottoman Palaces of which your group will see Istanbul’s ancient Dolmabahce and Beylerbeyi. Theodosian Walls - which were After a group lunch at a fish restaurant commissioned by the Emperor Theodosius overlooking the Bosphorus Strait (which in the 5th century to protect the city of separates Europe and Asia), your group will Constantinople – as well as the Valens continue its tour with a drive to Çamlica Aqueduct, which was the major water Hill, the highest point in Istanbul. It offers source to the Eastern capital of the Roman magnificent panoramic views of Istanbul Empire in the late 4th century. You’ll also and of the Bosphorus Strait. Also included see the beautiful Chora Church, a superb on the tour is a visit to the small village of example of Byzantine Church. During the Beylerbeyi to visit the 19th-century Ottoman Empire, it was converted into a summer palace of the Ottoman Sultans. mosque, and today it is a secular museum. Today it still contains the original furniture Nearby your group will see the Palace of and maintains a magnificent garden. The Blachernae, which was once an imperial tour will finish back at the hotel. Enjoy an palace for the Byzantine emperors. The evening at leisure. tour will finish at the hotel, and you will DAY 4 ~ ISTANBUL have free time this afternoon to explore Istanbul before departing on for an evening After breakfast in the hotel, dinner show. Tonight’s dinner menu will your group will meet a local consist of traditional Turkish delicacies and guide for a full-day drinks, and the musical show will feature excursion to the city of Bursa, which was belly dancers, Turkish music and folk the first capital of the Ottoman Empire. groups from various areas. Transportation Bursa is spectacularly situated at the foot can be provided to and from the venue if of Mount Uludag - which in the time of the requested. ancient Greeks was known as Mount Olympus. To arrive here from Istanbul, your DAY 6 ~ ISTANBUL group will catch the ferry across the Sea of After breakfast, a local Marmara to Yalova and then continue guide will lead your group driving south to Bursa. on a full-day excursion to Bursa has some impressive monuments the Prince Islands. During the tour you will from the early Ottoman period. It is also a cruise across the Sea of Marmara to the popular thermal springs center. Your group Prince Islands, docking in Büyükada, the will have lunch in a traditional Turkish largest of the islands and a very popular restaurant before beginning the sightseeing summer resort because of its lovely, sandy tour, during which you will visit the Great beaches and pinewood trees. (This was Mosque, the Silk Market, the Green once a pleasure island of many Byzantine Mosque, the Tombs of Osman & Orhan and princes). Your group will tour the island in the Muradiye Complex. Return to the hotel horse-drawn carriages before lunch in Istanbul in the late evening. (presuming your group isn’t too large). In the afternoon you'll have time at leisure for exploring the beautiful harbor area. Return returning back to the hotel are a visit to the to Istanbul in the afternoon. Evening at Yaprakhisar village and to the Selimiye leisure. Monastery. A group dinner is arranged in the hotel tonight. DAY 7 ~ CAPPADOCIA DAY 9 ~ After breakfast, your group CAPPADOCIA will transfer by private bus After breakfast in the hotel, to Istanbul Airport for its flight to Kayseri enjoy another full-day Airport. You’re traveling to the heart of guided tour of this incredibly unique region Turkey. After a quick photo stop near the of volcanic landscapes and “fairy majestic Mount Erciyes, your group will chimneys.” You will begin by touring the begin visiting Cappadocia, a region of open-air museum of Göreme. This UNESCO immense historic and cultural heritage in World Heritage Site is famous for its Why Should You Turkey. You’ll have free time to visit this unusual rock formations. During today’s region’s remarkable cave churches, many sightseeing tour your group will visit rock- Encourage Your of which contain incredibly well-preserved carved churches that contain ancient Travel Agent to frescos. You’ll see the Karabas Kilise (The frescoes. After free time for lunch, your Book Your Group Black Head Church), Yilani Kilise (Church of group will continue its tour by traveling to Through Us? Snakes), Kubbeli Kilise (the Dome Church”) the Zelve Valley, the earliest-settled and and the 12th-century Kirksehitler in the last-abandoned monastic valley. village of Sahinefendi. Your tour will Afterwards you'll see the natural Citadel of continue with a visit to the historic Greek Ease of Use Uçhisar - the tallest point in the Cappadocia village of Mustafapasa, which is home to region - before continuing on to the town traditional stone houses with carved of Avanos, which is famous for its facades. After free time for lunch, your Experience earthenware pottery and ceramic trade group will also see the region’s famed “fairy that dates back to the Hittites. The tour chimneys” in Urgup as well as Ortahisar will finish up back at the hotel, and the Flexibility Castle before checking into tonight’s hotel. evening is at leisure. Evening at leisure. DAY 10 ~ DAY 8 ~ Peace of Mind CAPPADOCIA CAPPADOCIA Transfer to the airport for After breakfast your group’s your flight to Istanbul, guided sightseeing in connecting on to USA. Cappadocia will continue with a visit to Pigeon Valley, an area spotted with many For information and reservations, please see unusual caves. From here you’ll continue your professional travel agent to Derinkuyu, an underground city where thousands of people took refuge - along with their livestock- from persecution during the Byzantine period. See the wondrous Ihlara Valley, a gorge cut into volcanic rock than spans 10 miles. Walk along this incredibly scenic valley and stop for lunch in a restaurant by the river. Our last two sightseeing inclusions before .