Language : TÜRKÇE

08.10.2007 12:33

Best of Turkey

 

Day 1 Arrival to Istanbul.
Arrive in Istanbul airport.You will be met by your tour director. A welcome coctail and orientation meeting will be held at the hotel.
Meals: No meals.

Day 2 Istanbul.
Today youl will explore the most truly amazing city of Istanbul on a full day tour. Our programme will lead us to the Roman Hippodrome, Blue Mosque, Saint Sophia. Lunch will be taken in the best kebab restraunt Hamdi where you will also enjoy a great view. Next stop is the most famous and biggest Ottoman palace called Topkapi. A slow paced, relaxing walking tour inside the palace will end the day. If time allows why not a stop for a traditonal cup of apple tea by the Bosphorous.
Meals: Breakfast and lunch.

Day 3 Flight to Ankara and visits.
Enjoy the flight to Ankara, capital of Turkey, to beat the seven hour drive. First we will visit the impressive mausoleum of Ataturk,the founder of Turkish Republic, the national hero, a most respected person in our time. A city tour with our bus before lunch.Afternoon visit the Archeological museum of Ankara which is always one of the best ancient history museums of the world.Relax at the hotel or take a walk around before the supper.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Day 4 Hattusas-Cappadocia.
A drive through the lovely scenery to Hattusas, capital city of the long time forgetten but now being re-discovered Hititte Empire. Consider yourself lucky because your tour includes this wonderful city older than 3500 years with its stil standing city walls, temples, bas- relief covering Gates. The Sanctuary of the Hittites will not be missed of course. Following lunch, our bus drives into pastel color high plateaus of Mid-Turkey. Arrive to most breathtaking nature miracle of the world known as Cappadocia. Clink a glass of wine for being in Turkey.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Day 5 Cappadocia.
Now begin to get lost in this place out of world. Our bus will go all around this region and you never get enough of it. Volcanic tufa formations, mideaval monastaries and frescoed chapels,villages carved in to the hills all awating almost untouched. In addition, pre-tour you can take a hot-air balon ride. A visit to the pottery and tile making manufacture in where you can kick the potter’s Wheel to make your own. In the evening you can stick to your guide to watch the whirling-dervishes in a Silk road caravansarie.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Day 6 Cappadocia-Aksaray.
After breakfast first in the morning we visit the nowhere alike subterranean cities of Cappadocia. Following we will take a trip to the world of Turkish rugs,being made by the skillful hand of local girls, spinning wools with hand, dying with veg-dies, making silk out of cacoons and weaving the most beautiful rugs, kilims and sumaks. A special Lunch arrenged in a local house cooked by the folks of household. Day ends watching sunset over the Cappadocia, tossing another our offered cheese –and- wine. Spend the night in Aksaray along the Silk road, your hotel is near the caravansarai where once Marco Polo spend couple of days.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Day 7 Konya-Antalya.
Driving on the Silk Road make a stop to see the largest Caravansarai, the Sultan Han in Turkey where once merchants, travellers stayed to spend the night. Arrive in Konya, home of Mevlana Rumi, and see the museum and mausoleum of this great poet, thinker and sufi order founder known as the whirling-dervishes. This place is like a shire for all Rumi-readers and lovers coming from all over the world. After lunch,once more lucky for a off the beaten road to see the most unusal mosque made of wood in 11th. cent, then continue to Antalya crossing the Taurus Mounts.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Day 8 Antalya.
Now we are on Mediterranean, the middle of the Earth. Best well-preserved Roman theatre in Aspendos and ancient Roman city of Perge are on our itineary. Afternoon, you may spend the rest of the day going to the one of the finest museums of Europe or strolling thorough the old city by the harbour. Lunch will be on your own in order to get you more time to spend.
Meals: Breakfast and dinner.

Day 9 Antalya-Pamukkale.
Driving through The Taurus Mounts again but this time we stop to visit some one of the oldest Turkish nomads called Yoruks who live most of the year in their black wool tents. While men take goats and sheep around to graze.women weave rugs,make dairy products as kids freely play in the unspoiled nature if not school time. Saying them goodbye we arrive in Pamukkale famous for hot-springs and white terraces created by this magical water. Also walk in the ruins of Hierapolis from Roman age. At the hotel enjoy the thermal pool. Lunch be taken in a local rest.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Day 10 Sardes-Izmir.
A lovely drive to the heart of Western Turkey. Our bus will pull over to Sardes, once capital of Lydian Empire where coin was invented and monetary, economy foundations were first established. Sardes has also well preserved temple of Diana and largest synagoge as far as we know and many more to be seen. Afternoon drive to Izmir 3rd biggest city of Turkey.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Day 11 Ephesus.
An hour and half drive will get us to Ephesus. The ancient city in that much shape that make us lack words to describe. No today any comparison coul be made between Ephesus other ancient cities in the world. After spending hours with bottemless information,stories and wows we take a break under the shadows of fig trees to eat lunch.We also have time to see a fashion show in the leatherware production center so that you can get some fine leather items. Back to Izmir and sightseeing along the gulf of Agean sea.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Day 12 Pergamon-Troy-Canakkale.
Today our route goes up North along the sea endless olive trees as far as an eye can reach. Visit to Pergamon home of parchement paper, second biggest library of the ancient world and city proud of Galen the medicen genuis. After lunch we reach the Mount Ida where Homer’s beauty contest was held of which on top Gods resided to watch over the Trojan Battle. Talking world’s most famous epic we are ready to walk in Hector’s Troy. As we tour we stop in the middle of Troy and read from The Iliad. Overnight in Canakkale of The Dardenells where Gallipoli battle took place.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Day 13 Istanbul.
Crossing the Dardenells we drive back to İstanbul. Lunch will be eaten in a fish restaurant by the Bosphorus. Now come a pleasent cruise throuhgout the strait then disembark at the Golden Horn and continue to the Grand bazaar.
Meals: Breakfast and lunch.

Day 14 Transfer to Ataturk Airport for final flights.
Transfer to Airport to take flight back home.
Meals: Breakfast.

INCLUDED SERVICES
• 13 Nights first class hotel accommodations.
• 34 meals, 12 Breakfasts, 12 Lunch, 10 Dinner.
• Airport transfers on arrival and on departure.
• All admission fees to the visited sites.
• All sightseeing tours as described in the itinerary.
• All Taxes and service fees.
• Domestic flight tickets from Istanbul to Ankara.
• Exclusive services of English speaking tour guide thru the entire package.
• Luggage handling, including hotel tips.
• Opportunity to see the pottery and carpet production centers in Asia Minor.
• Private transportation by comfortable, luxury, air-conditioned, non smoking coaches.

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED
• International airfares
• airport tax
• drinks with meals (except the drinks served with breakfast) and medical services.