ISTANBUL – ANTALYA – FETHİYE – PAMUKKALE – CAPPADOCIA – BURSA 13Days Tours

Welcome to Turkey. Arrive at Istanbul Ataturk Airport, get picked upand transfer to your hotel. Check in,

Free day,

First overnight stay at your hotel in Istanbul,

Breakfast,
Full day tour of Iconic Istanbul – pick up by 08:30, drop off by 18:00.

You can take in some of the most iconic sights of Istanbul in this morning tour that commences with a visit to the Blue Mosque.  This magnificent mosque which was designed by Sinan and completed in 1616 is known for its majesty and superb iznik ceramic tiling.

Continue outside to stroll along the Hippodrome.  This vast public space was built by the Romans in the 3^rd and 4^th centuries AD to accommodate events such as chariot races and gladiator fights.  It is also home to the Column of Constantine, an Egyptian obelisk and the Serpentine Column.

Next to the Hippodrome we will visit the Hagia Sophia (only from outside view, no interior visit).  Originally built in 537 AD as a Greek Orthodox church, this breath-taking building was converted to a mosque by the Ottomans and is now a museum.  Inside there are two floors built around a central nave.  It is adorned with superb decorations and has an enormous dome that soars overhead.

Finish the morning with a walk through the Grand Bazaar for some shopping or just to absorb the sights, sounds and historic architectural beauty of this bustling market.

Lunch,

Come on a tour to the famous Topkapi Palace and skip the queues that flock to see this magnificent and historically significant site. Built in the middle of the 15th century, the walled complex comprised of the palace and its buildings dominate a small raised peninsula. The buildings are nestled within beautiful grounds that sweep down to the sea. For centuries, the palace was the political centre of the highly influential Ottoman Empire and although it is now purely a museum, as you visit its parts including courtyards, the Treasury, various pavilions, the holy relics, weapons and the Harem you will see how great it was.

Originally meaning “sacred peace”, the Hagia Irene is located in the outer courtyard of Topkapi Palace and it is the oldest church of the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine). The building reputedly stands on the site of a pre-Christian temple. It ranks as the first church completed in Constantinople, before Hagia Sophia, during its transfiguration from a Greek trading colony to the Eastern capital of the Roman Empire. It was also the second largest church in Istanbul after Hagia Sophia.

Evening transfer to Istanbul Airport and flight to Antalya. Transfer to your hotel following the flight and check in,

First overnight stay at your hotel in Antalya,

Breakfast,

Full day Antalya City Tour – pick up by 09:30, drop off by 16:00;

Antalya is one of the most sightseeing attractions in Turkey. Its history dates back to 200 BC when the Greeks began their settlement.

We will take you to the historical old town (Kaleici) where you will encounter the beauty of Ottoman Architecture and the Hadrian Gate which was built in 130 AD in order to commemorate the Emperor Hadrian.

Along the way, we will visit the Duden Waterfalls. Afterwards, you will have a free time at Antalya Bazaar where you can go shopping.

The Old Fluted Minaret with its 38 m height is one of the top historical attractions in Antalya. It was built in 13th Century by the Seljuks. Today, it is on the UNESCO World Heritage List (not operated from October to April, we will skip during winter months).

Tunektepe Cable car has length of 1706 meters. It can carry 1200 people and has 36 cabins. Enjoy the cable car ride which will last 9 minutes.

Drop off at your hotel finishing the tour,

Second overnight stay at your hotel in Antalya,

Breakfast,

Free day,

Evening pick up from your hotel and transfer to Antalya bus station. Get on the bus and drive to Fethiye. Get picked up upon arrival and transfer to your hotel, check in,

First overnight stay at your hotel in Fethiye,

Breakfast,

12 Islands Cruise from Fethiye – pick up by 09:30, drop off by 16:00.

Have a relaxing cruise by the Fethiye bay and explore 12 Islands region.

Leaving the harbour, we will stop at five or six locations during the cruise, Flat Island, Dockyard Island, Red Island, Gocek Island, Samanlik Island, Yassica Island are some of these. You are free to enjoy the islands by your own choosing to swim in the Crystal-clear waters of the Mediterranean, snorkel or to go on land to explore the barren islands. Ancient ruins are scattered throughout this area, and there are also many water sports in the area to do.

This is a great day to swim, relax and enjoy being on the beautiful Turkish sailing gulet. You will enjoy a BBQ lunch on this tour served by the crew.

Second overnight stay at your hotel in Fethiye,

Breakfast,

Butterfly Valley Boat Trip – pick up by 09:30, drop off by 16:00.

The Butterfly Valley Day cruise is one of the must things to do if you are coming to Fethiye during your holiday in Turkey.

A fun day to spend on the water. This cruise departs from Oludeniz beach. We will cruise over to Butterfly Valley first and you will have time to trek into the valley and search for the many species of butterflies said to be found here in the right season. We then cruise towards Cold Spring Bay and discover the nearby Blue cave, Camel Beach and our last stop of the day is St Nicholas Island where you will also have time to go on shore to explore the ancient Lycian ruins including old Churches and a large tunnel almost running the length of the island. Covered with ruins, this island has a beautiful view from the top of the island of all the bays in the area. 

Evening pick up from your hotel and transfer to Fethiye bus station. Get on the bus and drive to Denizli. Get picked up upon arrival and transfer to your hotel, check in,

Overnight stay at your hotel in Pamukkale,

Breakfast,

Full day Pamukkale (Cotton Castle) tour – pick up by 09:30, drop off by 15:30;

This tour starts in Pamukkale to visit the expansive and magnificent ruins of the ancient city of Hierapolis that was founded in the 2^nd century BC to take advantage of the thermal pools nearby. 

Hierapolis sits atop a hill and features an enormous necropolis, baths, theatre, temples, an agora and antique pool.  You will have time to yourself to wander the site before walking down the hill on the sparkling white travertine and enjoying lunch at a local restaurant.

Entry to Cleopatra’s Pool in Hierapolis is not included in the cost of the tour.

Drive to Kusadasi following the tour. Arrive at the hotel and check in,

Overnight stay at your hotel in Kusadasi,

Breakfast,

Free day,

Evening transfer to Izmir Airport and flight to Kayseri. Transfer to your hotel following the flight and check-in,

First overnight stay at your hotel in Cappadocia,

Optional: Morning Hot Air Balloon Flight Cappadocia – Early morning at Sunrise.

Have you thought of making a hot air balloon trip one of the highlights of your trip to Turkey? It is hard to imagine anywhere better to experience the thrill of the ride than above the incredible landscape of Cappadocia. In a balloon, you can take in the beauty and expanse of this breath-taking place from a different perspective as you drift in silence to heights of up to 700 meters.

Breakfast,

Full day Regional Tour – pick up by 09:30, drop off by 16:00.

Cappadocia is known for its stunning conical rock formations (fairy chimneys), colorful landscapes and ancient homes that were carved into the rock formations. This tour takes you through the beautiful Devrent (Imagination) Valley where fairy chimneys tower overhead before moving into Pasabag (Monk Valley) nearby, where the fairy chimneys have strange double and triple-headed caps.

After lunch at Avanos, you will visit the Goreme open air museum that has churches and frescoes from the 10^th and 12^th centuries. The day finishes at Uchisar Castle, a fortress that was cut from a large and tall fairy chimney.

Second overnight stay at your hotel in Cappadocia,

Breakfast,

 Full day Hiking and Underground City Tour – pick up by 09:30, drop off by 16:00.

The hike starts in Red Valley which is known for its stunning scenery, colorful rock cliffs and beautiful fairy chimneys. After walking for 4 kms, you will arrive at Cavusin, a Greek village that features rock-cut churches.

After lunch, the tour continues to the underground city of Kaymakli which is the largest underground city in the region, and Pigeon Valley where dove cotes, many of which are decorated, have been carved into the rock. The last stop is the rugged Ortahisar Castle which is the largest fairy chimney in Cappadocia.

Third overnight stay at your hotel in Cappadocia,

Breakfast,

Noon transfer to Kayseri/Nevsehir Airport and flight to Istanbul. Arrive and transfer to your hotel following the flight, check-in.

Free day,

Second overnight stay at your hotel in Istanbul,

Breakfast,

Full day Green Bursa Tour – pick up by 08:30, drop off by 22:00.

Across the Marmara Sea from Istanbul and nestled on the slopes of Mt Uludag is the beautiful city of Bursa known as the birthplace of the Ottoman Empire.  Join us for a long day tour to visit the city’s many UNESCO world heritage listed sites, magnificent mosques, the covered bazaar and the silk market. The day’s tour also takes you to Mt Uludag where you are free to wander on your own or you may prefer to go on a quad bike safari or snow ski during the winter.

Third overnight stay at your hotel in Istanbul,

Breakfast,

Free day,

Transfer to Istanbul Airport 4 hours before your flight. End of our services here. Thank you for choosing us for your Travel in Turkey.