Tour Name : Longer Turkey Trip
Travel Duration : 27 Night 28 Day
Service Level : Private Tours
Travel Destinations : Istanbul Ankara,Safranbolu,Hatutas, Amasya,Trapzon,ordu Rize, Erzurum,Diyarbakir,Van, Dogu beyazit Sanli Urfa, Canakkale,Bergama,Nemrut,Cappadocia,Ephesus,Pamukkale,
Antalya,Konya,Cappadocia,antalya Ephesus ,Canakkale.
Day 1 : Istanbul – Arrival Day
Welcome to Turkey!!! Today is your arrival day. Airport transfers are available
from Istanbul International Airport Transfer to your hotel. Overnight in
Istanbul.
Day 2 : Istanbul City Tour
(Breakfast and dinner included)
We depart from the hotel at 08:30am for the Istanbul city tour. “TOPKAPI
PALACE” The great palace of the Ottoman sultans from the 15th to the 19th
centuries. The palace houses 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, and the Holy Mantle; enshrining
relics of the Prophet Mohammed.
Next on the list is the “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.
Outside the Blue Mosque we find the “HIPPODROME”. The Ancient Hippodrome
was the scene of chariot races and entertainment. The Hippodrome comprises of
three monuments; the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column and
the Column of Constantine.
After a short enjoyable lunch break we head to the “SPICE BAZAAR” (Egyptian
Bazaar) the air here is filled with the enticing aromas of cinnamon, caraway,
saffron, mint, thyme and every other conceivable herb and spice.
After the tour you have the option to experience the Bosphorus Cruise which
will depart after the city tour. You will have the chance to enjoy magnificent
views of Bosphorus which is connecting Asia to Europe. Overnight in Istanbul.
Day 3 : Istanbul – Abant Lake – Safranbolu
(Breakfast and dinner included)
After breakfast at 09:00am we depart for Abant Lake. Abant is most probably
the most famous lake in Turkey. The lake is at the end of a 22 km drive. The
seven kilometer walk around the lake offers a great opportunity to enjoy the
area. Those who don't wish to walk can ride horseback or complete the tour on a
horse cart. Abant lake is surrounded with pine trees. The manner in which the
lake was formed is a topic of discussion. Its deepest point is 45 meters. The
countryside is pleasantly different in each season. Water lilies embellish the
surface in summer. It is also famous for its trout. Lunch break at a beautiful
alfresco restaurant under the trees with BBQ and fresh bread. After lunch we
depart for Safranbolu (from the 13th century to the advent of the railway in
the early 20th century, Safranbolu was an important caravan station on the main
East-West trade route. The old mosque, the old bath house and Suleyman Pasha
Medrese were built in 1322. During its apogee in the 17th century, Safranbolu's
architecture influenced urban development throughout much of the Ottoman
Empire). On arrival we will walk through the historical Safranbolu Bazaar,
continuing on to Cinci Hodja Caravanserai, Cici Hodja Bath House, Kaymakamlar
House (Museum). Overnight in Safranbolu.
Day 4 -:Safranbolu – Ankara
(Breakfast and dinner included)
After breakfast at 09:00am we departure sleepy Safranbolu for Ankara (3 to 4
hours drive) On arrival we will have time for lunch before taking the city tour of
Ankara which is the 2nd biggest city and the capital of Turkey. On the tour you
will visit Ataturk`s (founder of the modern Turkey) Museum and the Ataturk
Mausoleum. Overnight in Ankara.
Day 5 : Ankara – Hattusa – Amasya
(Breakfast and dinner included)
After breakfast we depart for Hattusa, which was the capital of Hitites.
Hititians where Indo-German semi European people, they arrived via the Black
Sea to north Anatolia at the beginning of 18 th century BC. They used horse
carts as their war vehicles, which they used during their attack of Ramses the
2nd and they had a big war with the Egyptians and they then made a peace
treaty where they wrote on the clay and had 2 women sign it. That was the first
peace treaty where woman ever participated. Visiting Yazilikaya which is the ruin
of an open air temple of the Hitites where there are rock carvings of the
Hitites god and Goddes. We then go to Hattusas, big temple and the city ruins
including gates of lion and king. Visiting the summer palace of Hitites and driving
to Alacahoyuk that was first capital of Hitites and Hatti civilisation. After lunch
we drive to Amasya for our Amasya Tour. Amasya is one of the provinces which
is distinct both with its natural setup and historical values it holds. It was the
homeland of the famous geographer Strabo. Located in a narrow cleft of the
Yesilirmak (Iris) river, it has a history of 3000 years during which many
civilizations left priceless remains of their times. The ruins of the citadel on the
rock face of the cleft shelters 2000 year old water-channels, 1000 year old
bridges, an ancient mental hospital, an Ottoman Palace and a secret underground
passageway. Overnight in Amasya.
Day 6 -:Amasya – Trabzon
(Breakfast and dinner included)
After breakfast at 09:00am departure for Trabzon. When the Roman Empire
was divided into two at the end of the 4th century, Trabzon remained under the
sovereignty of the Eastern Roman Empire which later on was called as Byzantine
Empire. When relations and wars between the Byzantines and the Arabs started,
the Arabs called the people under the Roman Sovereignty as Rum, and the areas
under the Roman sovereignty as Diyar-i Rum or Memleket-ul Rum (land of Rums).
Overnight in Trabzon.
Day 7 : Trabzon
(Breakfast and dinner included)
Depart for St. Sophia (Ayasofya), a 13th century church and study its
extraordinary collection of Byzantine frescoes, depart for Gulbahar Hatun
Mosque, Castle and Ataturk's Mansion (a picturesque hillside retreat), visit
Ortahisar Mosque (a Comneni cathedral in the old town). Lunch at a seaside
restaurant in Akçaabat. Afternoon we explore the cobbled stone streets of
Trabzon. Drive to Boztepe; enjoy our tea from samovar with the panoramic view
of the city. Overnight in Trabzon.
Day 8 : Sumela Monastery – Zigana – Karaca Cave – Erzurum
(Breakfast and dinner included)
Depart for Sumela Monastery, visit the 4th century Sumela Monastery which
clings to a sheer cliff face in a deep forest, relax beside a fast flowing stream
at Altindere Valley National Park, lunch, traveling along the Silk Road through
the Zigana Mountains (Pontic Alps) will take us to Karaca Cave, considered to be
the most beautiful in Turkey for its colors and formations. Drive to Erzurum via
Bayburt. Overnight in Erzurum.
Day 9 : Erzurum – Kars
(Breakfast and dinner included)
An early morning departure from Erzurum will take us on a beautiful drive to
Kars passing on the way Sarikamis, the coldest spot in Turkey. We will arrive in
Kars and visit Ani at the Turkish-Armenian border. We will take a 45-minute
drive to the medieval Armenian City of Ani, which lies mostly in ruins. Impressive
fortified walls still encircle the ruins of numerous churches, mosques and
caravansaries. Enjoy a walk around the ruins and see the beautiful view to the
Armenian border imagining it as a city with one million people rivaling Bagdad in
its time! This city has experienced the cultures of Urartians, Armenians,
Georgians, Mongols, Russians and finally the Turks. Overnight in Kars.
Day 10 : Dogubeyazit (Mount Ararat)
(Breakfast and dinner included)
This morning we will drive for 3 1/2 hours along the "Silk Road" to Dogubeyazit.
At the Iranian border we will see a site known as the Crater Hole. This is a
beautiful, yet rugged area. We will have the opportunity to see Mount Ararat
from all sides. It is believed by some to be the resting-place of Noah's Ark; but
to date no one has found anything that has been verified as the Ark – yet the
search is still on. In the afternoon we will stop and see the Ishak Pasa Palace.
This complex is a combination of a mosque, a fortress, and a palace which
originally had a room for every day of the year! Below you can also see the
remains of Eski Bayazit, and Urartian City which flourished in 1000 BC.
Overnight in Kars. Dogubeyazit.
Day 11 : Dogubeyazit – Lake Van
(Breakfast and dinner included)
After visiting the Iranian border, we will depart for Van in the early morning, a
drive of approximately three hours. This city has been established 13th century
BC, when the Hurrites arrived. Then the Hittites, Urartians, Persian, Armenians,
Macedonians, Romans and finally in 11th century the Turks came here. From
here, we will visit the finest Armenian architectural wonder of the Church of
the Holy Cross on Akdamar Island. We’ll also visit the wonderful Kurdish castle
of Hosap very close to the Iranian border as well as the Urartian citadel.
Overnight in Van.
Day 12 : Van – Ahlat – Batis – Diyarbakir
(Breakfast and dinner included)
After visiting the eerie 12the century Selcuk cemetery in Ahlat in the morning
we will head to Bitlis for lunch and a good walk around, Batis otherwise known as
Alexander's town. Its a unique medieval town! Overnight in Diyarbakir.
Day 13 : Diyarbakir – Urfa
(Breakfast and dinner included)
Mardin is very unique with lovely old-Arabic style houses. It is a city that played
an important role in the early development of Christianity. We will take the time
to visit, walk in its busy streets and bazaars, and admire the stonework all
around the town. We will also visit the Monastery of Deyr-az-Zaferan just
outside of town, founded in 762 A.D. It was the seat of the Syrian Orthodox
Patriarch for almost 800 years. This monastery is built on top of a 4000-year-
old temple used by sun worshippers. Overnight in Urfa.
Day 14 : Urfa – City Tour
(Breakfast and dinner included)
Urfa, the birthplace of the prophet Abraham. Urfa has been occupied since the
Babylonians followed by the Hurrites, Hittites, Assyrians, Greeks. We will also
visit the holy sites at the Ainzelha, a lake with millions of domesticated fish.
While in Urfa we will shop at the bustling covered bazaar as well. There are
exceptional photo opportunities in this area. Overnight in Urfa.
Day 15 :Urfa – Mount Nemrut – Kahta
(Breakfast and dinner included)
From Urfa we will drive two hours to Adiyaman-Kahta. There we will organise
transfers up the mountain. This extraordinary landmark rests at an elevation of
8000 ft. The mountain top complex is composed of two flattened areas strewn
with statues and separated by a false peak of crushed rock. Antiouchus built the
entire complex approximately 2000 years ago as a monument to his "divine
ancestry." After watching sunset and exploring the mountain we will make our
way to Kahta for the night. Overnight in Kahta.
Day 16 : Kahta – Gaziantep
(Breakfast and dinner included)
Drive to Gaziantep, home to the famous Turkish dessert of Baklava. Visit the
archaeological museum and explore the old city on foot. Overnight in Gaziantep.
Day 17 : Gaziantep – Adana – Tarsus
(Breakfast and dinner included)
We depart for Adana in the morning and start our tour with the museum of
Archiology the 16th Century Ulu Mosque and the 19th century Clock Tower then
on to Tarsus going through Cleopatra Door and Yedi Uyurlar Cave. Overnight in
Tarsus.
Day 18 :Tarsus – Cappadocia
(Breakfast and dinner included)
After an early breakfast, we drive north to Cappadocia on arrival we will check
into your exquisite boutique cave hotel the perfect place and environment to
spend the afternoon recharging the batteries, Cappadocia is unlike anything you
will ever see in your life from the landscapes to the cave dwellings.. Fascinating
place.. Overnight in Cappadocia.
Day 19 :Cappadocia
(Breakfast and dinner included)
Goreme Valley, where we will examine the process of the rock formations of
Cappadocia. Later we drive a bit further and visit the cave dwellings in conical
rock formations around Uçhisar. Tea and coffee break in a cave house before we
go to Goreme Open-Air Museum, where the best preserved frescoed rock cut
churches and monasteries are located. After we have buffet lunch, we visit the
Family Fairy Chimneys of Urgup. Wine taste in a local winery and visiting the
wishing hill in Urgup.
A short walk in Devrent Valley where the rock formations look like different
figures. The Monk's Valley will be our next stop where we see monk's cells in
multi-capped Fairy Chimneys. Avanos, the pottery town of Cappadocia is visited,
and after a short walk in Rose valley Cavetown, will take you to a remote place
for sunset. Overnight in Cappadocia.
Day 20 : Cappadocia
(Breakfast and dinner included)
We will pick you up from your hotel and depart at 09:00am to drive to Ihlara
Valley. There, we will walk nearly 4 km and visit the frescoed churches before it
gets hot.
Lunch is in Ihlara Valley, at bank of Melendiz River, which is flowing in the valley.
After lunch, we will visit Selime Cathedral and return back to Derinkuyu
Underground City. On the way, we will visit the Nar Crater Lake. Whilst all other
tour groups are at Ihlara Valley, we will be in an underground city where
temperature is 12-13 C afternoon.
After we visit the biggest underground ccity of Cappadociaa, we will drive to the
Pigeons Valley to see pigeon houses, which were made to collect guano in.
Overnight in Cappadocia.
Day 21 : Transfer Cappadocia – Konya – Antalya
(Breakfast and dinner included)
Today is along driving day but is broken up with a lunch break in Konya. This
morning we drive to Konya and see the imposing green-tiled Mausoleum of
Mevlana, the mystic founder of the Islamic Sufi sect (Sufism is less an Islamic
sect than a mystical way of approaching the Islamic faith. It has been defined
as "mystical Islamic belief and practice in which Muslims seek to find the truth
of divine love and knowledge through direct personal experience of God."
“Whirling Dervishes”). After the Konya tour departure for Antalya. Check in to
your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to discover Antalya. Overnight in
Antalya.
Day 22 :Antalya City Tour – Aspendos & Perge
(Breakfast and dinner included)
After breakfast departure for Perge.
Perge: According to the geographer Strabon, Perge has been founded by Akhas
who came down here after the Trojan wars. Perge was first mentioned in 334 BC
when Alexander the Great passed through here. In the following years, Perge
went under the control of Pergamon when the Kingdom of Pergamon became a
part of the Roman city. Especially in the first and the second centuries BC,
Perge became one of the richest towns in Pamphylia. Therefore it is not a
surprising that St. Paul started his campaign in Anatolia from Perge in 46 AD.
The people of Perge loved and respected their Artemis to such an extent that
Christianity had to wait for another 400 years to enter here. In the Byzantine
period, Perge was the seat of the bishop. Even though Arabs raided Perge in the
7th century AD, when Seljuk Turks settled the area, records show the
existence of an older race living here. After the tour, departure for Aspendos.
Lunch break on the way.
Aspendos: The eastern land of Antalya was called Pamphylia in ancient times.
The Toros Daglari (Taurus Mountains) forms a beautiful back drop to the fertile
coast, rich with fields of cotton and vegetables. Aspendos (Belkis) lies 47 km
east of Antalya in the Pamphylian plain. In 486 BC, Greeks and Persians had a
great battle here (Greeks won they didn't stay for long). During the reign of he
Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius (161-80 AD) Aspendos got its theatre, which is
the best preserved of all. It was built by Romans and maintained by Byzantines
and Seljuks. The ruins of the ancient city are extensive and include a stadium, an
agora, and a basilica. After Aspendos return to hotel for dinner. Overnight in
Antalya.
Day 23 :Antalya – Pamukkale
(Breakfast and dinner included)
After breakfast depart for Pamukkale. We shall visit the calcium terraces of
Pamukkale (cotton castle) and the ruins of Hierapolis, walking around this natural
phenomenon gives you the option of lying in the waters of the natural springs
that flow down the calcium terraces. Overnight in Pamukkale.
Day 24 : Pamukkale – Kusadasi
(Breakfast and dinner included)
You don't have to wake up early, enjoy the thermal poll in Hotel and sunshine and
and explore the city, shop in the local markets. After lunch we depart for
Kusadasi. You will be given your room key and the rest of the day is yours to
enjoy party and explore Kusadasi. Overnight in Kusadasi.
Day 25 : Ephesus – Kusadasi
(Breakfast and dinner included)
At 08:30am we depart for Ephesus (20 minutes drive) – once the commercial
centre 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, 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. After
lunch, we will make a shopping tour in which you will become aware of the ancient
arts of Turkey like leather manufacturing and jewellery. As this will be a guided
tour, you will avoid the constant nagging and sometimes bullying that is well
known in the markets of Turkey. Enabling you to enjoy the shopping experience
whilst gaining the knowledge of the ancient craftsmen. Overnight in Kusadasi.
Day 26 : Bergama – Canakkale
(Breakfast and dinner included)
Today we drive to Pergamum (45 minutes drive) – see Asklepion, Zeus’s alter, the
Red Bassilcia etc. Bergama is the site of the Hellenistic – and later Roman city
of Pergamon, ruled for several centuries by a powerful local dynasty. Its
foremost attraction is the Kizil Avlu or "Red Basilica", a huge edifice on the
river not far from the acropolis, originally built as a temple to the Egyptian god
Osiris and converted to a basilica by the early Christians, when it was one of the
Seven Churches of Asia Minor addressed by St John in the book of Revelation –
though sadly it's now a crumbling ruin with a mosque in one of its towers. After
Pergamon we continue towards the our hotel in Canakkale. Overnight in
Canakkale.
Day 27 :Canakkale – Troy – Gallipoli – Istanbul
(Breakfast and dinner included)
After breakfast we drive to Troy where you can explore the site of the
legendary town, made famous by Homer in his Iliad and visit the Temple of
Athena and have lunches in Eceabat. After Lunch visit the sites that have made
Gallipoli a landmark and the memorial for all those that fell during the Battle of
Gallipoli during World War 1. Gallipoli also stands as the birth place for the
foundation of Turkey as we know it today.The rise of Turkeys founder Ataturk
as well as the friendships formed between several nations during the battle for
the Dardanels. Overnight in Canakkale.
Day 28 : Istanbul – End of Tour
(Breakfast included)
Today your tour is over. Please make your own arrangements for departure
remembering that your hotel will need you to check out before midday. We hope
you had a memorable tour and we look forward to seeing you in the future on
another TravelShop Turkey Tour. Have a safe trip back home and thanks for
choosing us…
Notes :You can make any changes on the programme, if our programs are not suitable for you. We can work together on your itinerary
