Historical Turkey

DAY 1: Cappadocia Upon arrival
in Cappadocia, private transfer to the hotel. Accommodation in Cappadocia for 2 nights, with breakfast.


DAY 2: Cappadocia
After breakfast at the hotel, full-day tour including lunch at a local restaurant (without drinks). Visit the Devrent Valley, the Pasabag (or Monk's Valley), the Goreme Open Air Museum and Avanos.

• Devrent Valley: also known as the fairytale chimney valley, it can be viewed from the road or explored on foot, filled with rock formations.
• Pasabag: it is an open park where there are pillars of earth that stand in the middle of a vineyard; hence its name, which means “Pacha's vineyard”. This place is also called the Valley of the Monks.
• Goreme Open Air Museum: it is one of the most famous attractions in the country. It is a complex of several churches/caves painted and sculpted by Orthodox monks between 900 and 1200 A.D. The paintings and decorations represent the flourishing of a unique Cappadocian artistic style.
• Avanos: it is famous for its carpet weaving and ceramic workshops. The city, whose name derives from the Latin Vanesa, was once the second most important city after Caesarea, the capital of Cappadocia. It has a history that dates back to the Bronze Age, based on the findings of nearby Topakli Hoyuk (Mound). There are nearly 300 ceramic workshops using the same techniques as Neolithic Anatolian men. The Avanos onyx workshops are also well known, as nearby quarries produce high-quality onyx.

Optional activity suggestion (not included):

• Before breakfast, balloon ride.

DAY 3: Cappadocia/Istanbul
After breakfast, full-day tour to visit the underground cities of Ozkonak, Cavuzin, and Ortahisar, with lunch at a local restaurant (without drinks).

• Underground City of Ozkonak: made of volcanic granite, it was used by 7th-century Christians as places of retreat to escape Roman persecution.
• Cavusin: a small village located between Goreme and Avanos, with chapels, churches and some houses still inhabited.
• Ortahisar: natural fortress where houses were built around and inside the rocks.

After the tour, private transfer to the airport to board a flight to Istanbul (flight not included). In Istanbul, private transfer to the hotel and accommodation for 3 nights, including breakfast.


DAY 4: Istanbul
Breakfast at the hotel. Full day tour, including a visit to Hagia Sophia, the Hippodrome, the Serefiye Cistern and the Grand Bazaar. Includes lunch at a local restaurant (no drinks).

• Hagia Sophia: built between 527 and 532 during the reign of Emperor Justinian, it served as the cathedral of Constantinople and was the center of religious life in the Byzantine Empire.
• Hippodrome: the sports and social center of Constantinople, it is currently a square called Sultanahmet Meydani.
• Serefiye Cistern or Theodosian Cistern: it is one of the many ancient Constantinople cisterns found underneath the city of Istanbul. It was built by Emperor Theodosius II to store water supplied by the Valens Aqueduct.
• Grand Bazaar: it is one of the oldest bazaars in the world, with a wide variety of products. Those who like shopping can be delighted in more than 4,000 stores spread over streets and passages.

Notes: Hagia Sophia is closed on Fridays. The Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays.


DAY 5: Istanbul
After breakfast at the hotel, full-day tour with a visit to Topkapi Palace, Spice Market, Galata Tower and Bosphorus boat ride.

• Topkapi Palace: it was the residence of the Ottoman sultans between 1453 and 1852 and is a symbol of the entire empire.
• The Spice Market: was built in the 17th century to finance the maintenance of a nearby mosque: Yemi Cami. There's a lot to explore for foodies. It's a colorful, vibrant, and affordable market.
• The Galata medieval tower is one of the oldest in the world. From the top it is possible to have a 360º view of the city.
• The cruise crosses the Bosphorus, a strait that divides Europe and Asia, dotted with old mansions, mosques, palaces, restaurants, and beaches along its shore.

DAY 6: Istanbul/Sanliurfa
After breakfast and check-out at the hotel, private transfer to Istanbul airport. Take a flight to Sanliurfa (flight not included). Upon arrival, tour to visit the archaeological site of Gobeklitepe and the Archaeology Museum and the Haleplibahçe Mosaic Museum. It includes lunch at a local restaurant (without drinks) during the tour.

After the visits, transfer to the hotel for accommodation for 2 nights, with breakfast.

• Gobeklitepe: it is one of the most important and oldest archaeological sites in the world. Archaeologist Klaus Schmidt made a surprising archaeological discovery: he located huge stones carved about 11,000 years old by people who had not yet developed metal or ceramic tools.
• Haleplibahçe Archaeology Museum and Mosaic Museum: exhibits works by Sanliurfa, Harran and their surroundings, with a rich history. The museum opened in 2015 and is one of the largest in the country.

DAY 7: Sanliurfa
Breakfast and full-day tour, including lunch at a local restaurant (without drinks). Visit to Sogmata Ancient City, Balikli Gol, Cave and Abraham Mosque, Sanliurfa Bazaar, and Gumrukhan Caravanserai.

• Ancient City of Sogmata: dating back to the Roman period, it was a place where the Gods of the Moon and the Planet were worshiped.
• Balikligol (sacred fish pool): it is one of the main attractions inhabited by thousands of fish. Its meaning doesn't just come from the fishes or the colorful gardens that surround it, but its historical significance. Balikligol is known in Jewish and Islamic legends as the place where Nimrod threw the Prophet Abraham into the fire.
• Abraham Mosque and Cave: the “Halil-ur-Rahman” mosque and the cave are considered linked to the life of Abraham, being the cave where Abraham was said to have been born.
• Sanliurfa Bazaar and Gumrukhan Caravanserai: dating from the Roman period, it includes several bazaars of historical importance, shaped by traditional architecture. Gumruk Hani was built in 1566; it was the main commercial center, where merchants exchanged goods and rested before continuing their journey.

Optional activity suggestion (not included):

• Sira Gecesi Turkish evening show, with dinner and a non-alcoholic beverage.

DAY 8: Sanliurfa/Istanbul
After breakfast and check-out at the hotel, private transfer to Sanliurfa airport. Boarding a flight to Istanbul (not included). Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel for accommodation for 1 night, with breakfast.


DAY 9: Istanbul
Breakfast and check-out at the hotel, private transfer to the airport.