14 Day Cultural Tour

We arrive at Istanbul and take the evening flight to Cappadocia where we meet our guide, and are transferred to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 2 : We spend the morning at leisure today. Our guide meets us at the hotel at noon and we have lunch at an old village house, hosted by a local family. We drive further to Soganli Valley, which is one of the earliest monastic settlements of Cappadocia. After this, we leave the breathtaking landscape of Cappadocia for a while, and descend to the centre of the earth at either Kaymakli or Derinkuyu Underground City. We drive back to our hotel following a spectacular road through the villages of Cappadocia, where we can observe village life. Dinner, and overnight in Cappadocia.

Day 3 : Today we introduce you to the lunar landscape of Cappadocia at Dervent Valley, then we head on to Zelve Open Air Museum, which is one of the earliest inhabited and latest abandoned monastic settlements of Cappadocia. Seeing the best examples of the fairy chimneys at Pasabag Fairy Chimneys Valley, we drive further to Avanos, where we have lunch at a local restaurant. Goreme Open Air Museum is where we visit the rock carved churches and colorful frescoes. We end the day hiking up to the top of Uchisar Castle, which is the highest and the most dominant point, giving us a breathtaking panorama. Dinner, and overnight in Cappadocia.

Day 4 : We take an early departure and start driving to Ankara, the young capital of the young Turkish Republic. We stop for a visit to Agzikarahan Caravanserai, where the medieval merchants used to stay overnight, then we keep on driving around the shore of Salt Lake, the second biggest lake in Turkey. After lunch, we visit the Anatolian Civilisations Museum, which was awarded the museum of the year in Europe in 1997. The museum is very famous with its special collection from the Hittite period. Then we take our flight to Izmir, leaving the steppes of Anatolia behind. As we transfer to Kusadasi, we will have the chance to see the sun setting over the Bay of Kusadasi. Dinner, and overnight in Kusadasi.

Day 5 : Today we first drive to the Virgin Mary's House; after that we visit Ephesus which was founded in the eleventh century BC by the Ionians. Strolling through the streets of Ephesus, we will witness the perfection of the Graeco-Roman Art. Later in the afternoon we will visit St. John Basilica, believed to be the tomb of the Apostle John, Christ's beloved disciple. From the basilica, we will be able to look down on the remains of the temple of Artemis. We end the day with our visit to the Isa Bey Mosque, then we head on to Kusadasi for rest. Dinner, and overnight in Kusadasi.

Day 6 : After breakfast, we drive first to Priene, formerly a leading member of the Panionic League. As we drive further South, we visit Miletus and then arrive at Didyma, where we have lunch at a local restaurant, circumstances permitting, across the road from the temple. As the historian Pausanias wrote; 'The sanctuary of Apollo at Didymoi, and the oracle there are more ancient than the Ionian settlement.' Dinner and overnight in Kusadasi.

Day 7 : As we check out, we drive to Pamukkale giving an en route visit to Aphrodisias, which was the city dedicated to the cult of Aphrodite. As we visit the Sculptor's Museum in Aphrodisias, we have lunch at a local restaurant. We visit Hierapolis on arrival, then have time to stroll over the calcareous terraces of Pamukkale, or to enjoy the thermal facilities. Dinner, and overnight in Pamukkale.

Day 8 :Today we follow the spectacular drive to Antalya. After lunch, we visit Thermessos, with its breathtaking view. As we arrive at Antalya, we have time to explore the city, especially its old district. Dinner, and overnight in Antalya.

Day 9 :Day at leisure on the beach, a daily cruise or tour to the Waterfalls and the Antalya Archaeology Museum on request. Lunch on own. Dinner, and overnight in Antalya.

Day 10 :Full day sightseeing at Perge, one of the most impressive sites of Pamphylia, and Aspendos, the world's best preserved ancient theatre. After lunch at a local restaurant near the Aspendos Theatre, we drive to Side, and end our visits for the day. Dinner, and overnight in Antalya.

Day 11 :Fly from Antalya to Istanbul in the morning, spending the rest of the day at leisure. Lunch on own. Dinner, and overnight in Istanbul.

Day 12 : We start our first morning in Istanbul strolling to the great square which was once the Byzantine Hippodrome. Now it is a great parklike area surrounded by the Blue Mosque, HagiaSophia, and the Underground Cistern, commonly called the Basilica Cistern. After lunch at a local restaurant, retracing our steps we walk to the Topkapi Palace, more than a palace, it is an assemblage of museums, containing the collections amassed by the Sultans over almost five centuries. After Topkapi Palace, we finish the day with Grand Bazaar visit. Dinner, and overnight in Istanbul.