If you've been looking for a memorable destination, with rich history, spectacular landscapes, History, Culture, great beaches, Special culinary Lesson, Belly Dancing and Folklore Class, Ceramics Lesson, leather and textiles that we will see incl..
If you've been looking for a memorable destination, with rich history, spectacular landscapes, History, Culture, great beaches, Special culinary Lesson, Belly Dancing and Folklore Class, Ceramics Lesson, leather and textiles that we will see include carpets, kilims, clothing and homewares such as pillow covers then you must come to Turkey. The best tour in Turkey in its genre! Enjoy first-class service and guided transportation through the historical and picturesque sites of Istanbul, battlefields of Gallipoli, the Trojan Horse of Troy, Pergamon offers one of the Seven Churches of St John from the Bible before reaching the ancient city of Ephesus, the white calcium hot pools of Pamukkale, beautiful views of the Mediterranean coast in Antalya a the underground cities of Cappadocia.
Day 1: Istanbul - Arrival Day – Welcome Dinner Welcome to Turkey, arrival in Istanbul. Transfer from the airport and check in to your hotel. Overnight in Istanbul
Day 2: Istanbul City Tour - Turkish Cooking Lesson in Istanbul Breakfast Included After a morning orientation, sightseeing tour of Istanbul, you participate in your first Turkish cooking lesson. During our Istanbul cooking tour, you will taste various flavors of Turkey from different regions, preparing lunch which you will enjoy! After lunch, we visit the grand TOPKAPI PALACE. The great palace of the Ottoman sultans from the 15th to the 19th centuries housing an exquisite collection of crystal, silver, and Chinese porcelain, robes worn by the sultans and their families, the famous jewels of the Imperial Treasury, miniatures, the Holy Mantle; enshrining relics of the Prophet Mohammed. SULTANAHMET IMPERIAL MOSQUE: Across from St. Sophia built in the 16th century by the architect Mehmet, is known as the BLUE MOSQUE because of its magnificent interior decoration of blue Iznik tiles. HIPPODROME: Ancient Hippodrome, the scene of chariot races, with the three monuments; the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column, and the Column of Constantine. Overnight in Istanbul.
Day 3: Istanbul City Tour - Belly Dancing and Folklore Class Breakfast Included Pick up at 08:30 am from your hotel for a daily tour of old Istanbul city. Visit ST. SOPHIA This ancient basilica, built by Constantine the Great in the 4th century and reconstructed by Justinian in the 6th century, is one of the architectural marvels of all time. Visit the Grand Spice Bazaar which is a unique atmosphere with reasonable prices for your shopping on many Exotic Spices and Herbs, Turkish Baklava, Turkish Delights, Turkish Coffee, nuts and fruits, small souvenirs such as Ceramic Handicrafts, Evil Eyes totems, all-natural olive oil, soaps and many other goods in Souvenir Shops and stores. After the tour, we return to the hotel for a rest. In the evening, we depart for your Belly dancing and folklore classes. This will be a very memorable class, learning belly dancing techniques and folkloric dance. You will learn the special moves and how to get the attention of the audience. We have dinner at the Restaurant. Overnight in Istanbul.
Day 4: Gallipoli Tour - Cooking Lesson in Canakkale Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner Included At 06:30 am, we depart for Gallipoli to visit the battlefields. Two hours later, we will give you 20 minutes to relax in a restaurant area. We arrive at Gallipoli around 12:00 am and we have a lunch break, relax a little bit and then depart for the battlefields. Visit Gabatepe Museum. Start visiting the fields with Ariburnu Cemetery and Anzac Cove because these are the places where the war had started. Then Beach Cemetery, Shrapnel Valley, and Plugges Plateau. After the tour drive to your hotel. Today you will taste the delicious cuisines of Western Turkey. The area is famous for “pide” and “lahmacun” with cheese and vegetables. Dinner and Overnight in Canakkale.
Day 5: Troy Tour – Pergamon Tour - Kusadasi Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner Included We depart at 08:30 and drive 30 minutes to Troy. Visit the famous archeological and mythological site of Troy, home of the Trojan Horse and Helen of Troy. After Troy tour, a 3-hour drive to Pergamon. Lunch break around 1:00 pm and after the lunch depart for a tour of the magnificent acropolis of Pergamon. Its impressive temples and library made it a renowned cultural and political center at those times. Pergamon is a famous city for its jewelry, stones, and silver. So on the way, we will visit a jewelry center for 30 minutes. Arrive at Kusadasi around 6:00 pm. Dinner and overnight in Kusadasi.
Day 6: Kusadasi - Ephesus Tour Breakfast and Dinner Included A fully guided Ephesus Tour starts at 08:30, one of the best-preserved ancient ruins in the world. A visit to Ephesus - once the commercial center of the ancient world - is a highlight of any visit to Turkey. The city, whose wealth and patronage supported its splendid architectural program, was dedicated to the goddess Artemis. Her enormous temple was once considered one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World and rebuilt several times, dates in its latest form from the third century B.C. The tour of the ruins also includes a theatre, gymnasium, agora, and baths, as well as the Library of Celsus and the final abode of the Virgin Mary where she spent her last years. On the way to the hotel, we will visit a place that continues to perform one of the oldest arts of Turkey; a carpet weaving center. Dinner and overnight in Kusadasi.
Day 7: Tour of Village Sirince - Textiles and fruit wine tasting Breakfast and Dinner Included After breakfast at 08:30, we will depart for Sirince Village. Visit the beautiful village of Sirince and the ruins of 42 churches, the suggested birthplace of the Virgin Mary. Today, we will go to Sirince Village to see locals making handmade textiles. The textiles that we will see include carpets, kilims, clothing, and homewares such as pillow covers. You will see firsthand the ancient techniques used by Turkish women to make these intricate styles and patterns that are famous to Turkey and the local region. Sirince is also very famous for its many different varieties of fruit wine. We will have a chance to enjoy some of these wines at the local wineries. Dinner and overnight in Kusadasi.
Day 8: Kusadasi - Pamukkale Tour Breakfast and Dinner Included At 08:00, we depart for Pamukkale. We will check at the hotel around 12.00 and we have a lunch break until 13.30. Afterward, we shall visit the calcium terraces of Pamukkale (cotton castle) and the ruins of Hierapolis, then walk around this natural phenomenon and have the option of lying in the waters of the natural springs. Dinner and overnight in Pamukkale.
Day 9: Pamukkale to Antalya Breakfast and Dinner Included Today, we travel from Pamukkale to Antalya. We will also have one break on the way after 2,5 hours. Only 5 hours drive to Antalya. Dinner and overnight in Antalya.
Day 10: Antalya Duden waterfalls - Cooking Lesson Breakfast and Dinner Included After breakfast, we visit the Duden Waterfalls. The Duden Waterfalls make a pleasant side trip from Antalya and its surrounding gardens are a popular picnic spot with locals. The Duden River extends from the Taurus Mountains all the way to the Mediterranean and creates two cascades known as the Upper and Lower Duden Waterfalls. Today we will taste the Mediterranean flavors, the Mediterranean kitchen is famous for its salads and mezze. Dinner and overnight in Antalya.
Day 11: Antalya to Cappadocia by Flight Breakfast and Dinner Included After breakfast, 12:00 hrs check out, and free time till departure. Then, we depart for Antalya airport for our domestic flight to Cappadocia. Transfer from Kayseri airport to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to explore Cappadocia. Dinner and Overnight in Cappadocia.
Day 12: Cooking Lesson and Cappadocia Tour Breakfast and Dinner Included After having had breakfast, participants will take part in another cooking lesson in Cappadocia. You will have the opportunity to taste great food in Central Turkey, including pancakes and tasting kebab. In the afternoon we visit the Goreme Open Air Museum, the Heart of Cappadocia. Goreme Open Air Museum is famous for frescoes dating to the 10th century describing the life of Jesus Christ and monks. The next stop is Cavusin, which is an abandoned village with old cave Greek houses, visit a pottery workshop, to see how to make potteries. Then you go to Pasabagi where you can see three-headed fairy chimneys. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.
Day 13: Ceramics Lesson and Cappadocia Tour Breakfast and Dinner Included After breakfast, we will depart for our ceramics class. You will be assisted by professional ceramic artists to make your own ceramic piece that you will take home as a memory and souvenir of your trip to Turkey. Ceramic art is the most famous artwork coming from the Cappadocia region. In the afternoon participants will enjoy a guided tour through the spectacular sight of Cappadocia; Derinkuyu Underground City where the dwelling was started during the Hittites (2000 BC) and became a big shelter for 12 different nations. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.
Day 14: Cappadocia to Istanbul - End of Tour Breakfast Included After breakfast, you will have free time shopping in Cappadocia. Then, we depart for Kayseri airport for our domestic flight to Istanbul and then back home.