Classics of Turkey Tour - 10 Days
With this 10-day private tour, you will be visiting the classics of Turkey: Istanbul, Cappadocia and Ephesus/Pamukkale area.
Day 1: Arrive in Istanbul
On our arrival to Istanbul Airport, we will be met and transferred to our hotel. Overnight in Istanbul.
Day 2: Istanbul
The day starts with an introduction of the Hippodrome, the city’s oldest public area which competes with the Circus Maximus in Rome, following which we explore the legendary Hagia Sophia. An architectural marvel that witnessed the city’s last 1,500 years. Next, we visit the Underground Cistern which was one of the many underground cisterns of the city, distributing water that was transferred from natural sources to the city. Lunch will be at a local restaurant. In the afternoon we explore Topkapi Palace. Topkapi Palace is one of the best examples of oriental palaces and it served as the headquarters of the Ottoman Empire for almost 400 years. The palace’s exhibits, from jewelry to arms and armor, enables us to understand the grandeur of this world-renowned Empire. We then walk to the nearby Blue Mosque, also known as the Sultanahmet Mosque. The Blue Mosque is named after its interior tiles and it served as the great imperial mosque for the Ottoman Sultans for centuries after it was built due to its close location to Topkapi Palace. We end the day with a visit to the Grand Bazaar. This is one of the largest bazaars in the world that is made up of alley after alley with historical malls attached to each other. Overnight in Istanbul.
- Breakfast
- Lunch
Day 3: Istanbul
After our introduction to the Old World’s spice and trading traditions at the Egyptian Spice Market, we will board a public vintage ferry for our cruise over the Bosphorus; first North, following the European shore and then South, following the Asian shore, we will see the city, its planning, architecture, different districts and its faces from the water. At the end of this cruise, we board yet another ferry, this time for a 20-minute commute across the Bosphorus to land in the continent of Asia, in the Kadikoy district of Istanbul. Here we leave tourist crowds behind and see the people of the city in their daily walks of life. Kadikoy Market is a fascinating (and mouthwatering) neighborhood with fish mongers, pastry shops, delis, pickle shops, and restaurants where you can try the same cuisine what the Turks eat. After this experience, we ferry back to Old Town for a detailed visit of Chora. Chora is the house to some of the very best mosaics of Medieval Christian, dating back to the peak of the Byzantine Empire. Overnight in Istanbul.
- Breakfast
- Lunch
Day 4: Istanbul - Flight to Cappadocia
We start the day with a visit to the Suleymaniye Mosque which is an architectural phenomenon. The mosque is surrounded by a number of facilities that are a part of the complex and a few famous restaurants too. The mausoleums of the Emperor Suleyman the Magnificent and his wife Roxelana are also in the courtyard attached to one of the walls of the mosque. This is also where we have some of the best views of the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus and the Asian side of Istanbul, all below the mosque. Western culture influenced the Ottoman Empire during the 19th century and the Dolmabahce Palace is an eclectic outcome of this influence. Dolmabahce is entirely different than the Topkapi Palace, and is a great adaptation of Western architecture to accommodate an oriental imperial monarch. The palace is built on the Bosphorus and the location, the layout, the construction material and the interior design are all breathtaking. After this, we will take a walk through Istanbul’s 20th century entertainment center: Yuksek Kaldirim, that will walk us to Galata Tower. Yuksek Kaldirim is now occupied by coffee shops, eateries, local designer stores and is regaining its reputation which was lost as of the 1970s. Following a visit to the Galata Tower, we will keep walking up the hill, passing by a number shops that sell musical instruments then we will be in Istiklal Street. The Swedish Embassy, St Anthony’s Catholic Church, Cite de Pera, Grand Pera Cercle D’orient are some of the beautiful buildings that we will walk through. This pleasant walk will take us to Taksim Square to see the square and the Republic Monument which will end our tour. After this, we will be transferred to Istanbul Airport for the evening flight to Cappadocia. Another transfer from Cappadocia Airport to our hotel. Overnight in Cappadocia.
- Breakfast
- Lunch
Day 5: Cappadocia
Our day starts with an introduction to Cappadocia’s geology at Devrent Valley where we take a short walk down the hill and then a short drive will take us Zelve Open Air Museum. Zelve is one of the earliest inhabited valleys of Cappadocia and served as shelter to early civilizations, a monastery to early Christians, finally a village to Turkish communities until it was announced as a national park in mid-20th century. Zelve walks us through a time capsule to understand more about Cappadocia’s geology, history and culture. Next, we visit Pasabag, a.k.a. the Valley of the Monks where we will see the largest and most dense area of rock formations used by Christian monks during the medieval ages. After enjoying lunch at a local restaurant in Avanos, the center of artisanal terra cotta work, we will be visiting an artisan’s workshop to see this Anatolian art that goes back thousands of years. In the afternoon, we will drive to the nearby Sarihan Caravanserai to see an 800-year-old caravanserai where the merchants of the old trade routes used to lodge. Goreme Open Air Museum is located in the middle of a medieval Christian monastery and the rock cut churches with colorful frescoes here are some of the finest examples of Byzantine Christian Art. Our visit includes the Dark Church which has been restored exquisitely. Overnight in Cappadocia.
- Breakfast
- Lunch
Day 6: Cappadocia
After a pleasant hour’s drive through villages and valleys, we will explore a number of rock cut churches spread over a beautiful valley and take a short hike at Soganli. We will then start making our way back, stopping first at Sobessos to see Roman mosaics, then at Keslik, to see a monastery hidden in one of the valleys, then we arrive at Mustafapasa. Mustafapasa was heavily populated with Greeks before the population exchange of 1923. We will explore the village together and see traces of Greek architecture throughout before we enjoy a home cooked meal. Kaymakli is our next stop to explore an underground city, and our guide will tell us the story of why and how underground cities were carved. After this experience, we drive to Uchisar and hike up to the top of the so-called Castle, the largest rock formation in Cappadocia that will give us enough height to see the region from one end to the other. Overnight in Cappadocia.
- Breakfast
- Lunch
Day 7: Flight to Izmir
After breakfast, we are transferred to Cappadocia Airport for the flight to Izmir. Another transfer from Izmir Airport to our hotel in Kusadasi. Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight in Kusadasi.
- Breakfast
Day 8: Ephesus
We start early in the morning to beat the crowds and first drive to the Virgin Mary’s House which is believed to be where St John took Virgin Mary after Christ was crucified. After this visit, we will drive to Ephesus and explore this great city. During this visit we will walk from uphill at the South Gate downhill to the city’s harbor where our vehicle will wait for us. The Council Chamber, the Fountain of Traian, the temple of Hadrian and the Library of Celsus are some of the major artifacts that were built in the Roman Era and we will visit along the way. Our visits also include the Terrace Houses: A number of these dwellings where the rich and the dignitary of Ephesus resided, with the most beautiful ground mosaics, frescoes, terra cotta pipe plumbing and private baths. We conclude our experience in Ephesus with a visit to the Great Theater of Ephesus. After touring we drive to the nearby town of Selcuk for a well-earned lunch. The archaeological museum in Selcuk hosts some of the most amazing artifacts from the site, and a visit here will add on to our understanding of Ephesus. Later in the afternoon we will visit St John’s 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. Overnight in Kusadasi.
- Breakfast
- Lunch
Day 9: Aphrodisias & Pamukkale
In the morning, we drive to Aphrodisias. The sculptors’ school in Aphrodisias produced great works of art which were then exported all throughout the Roman territories of Rome, including Hadrian’s Villa, just outside of Rome. The city followed the cult of Aphrodite (hence the name Aphrodisias) and expands over a large terrain, with the largest stadium in Asia Minor, a temple dedicated to Aphrodite, and a beautiful theater. During the excavations, NYU and other teams were able to put together a fascinating museum exhibiting friezes from the Sebasteion. After lunch at a local restaurant, we drive to Hierapolis. Our visit in Hierapolis is a walk following the site’s main street, passing through one of the largest necropolises of ancient Anatolia with examples of various burial traditions, an agora with ancient public latrines, a great Roman theater, and below the ancient site is a natural phenomenon, the calcium terraces of Pamukkale. Overnight in Kusadasi.
- Breakfast
- Lunch
Day 10: Izmir - Home
We are transferred to Izmir Airport for the flight to Istanbul, that gives best connection to our international flight from Istanbul.
- Breakfast
Please fill out the form below for Classics of Turkey Tour - 10 Days booking
This is a private tour and the departure date can be any day.
- 2 people 4240 USD per person
- 3 people 3620 USD per person
- 4 people 3290 USD per person
- 5-6 people 3105 USD per person
- 7-9 people 2885 USD per person
- 10-12 people 2715 USD per person
Included services
- Domestic flight tickets as described in the itinerary
- Accommodation including breakfast
- Transportation with an A/C luxury minivan
- Professional guiding
- A la carte lunches with soft drinks
- Admission fees to the museums and sights
- Taxes
Excluded services
- International flight tickets
- Dinners
- Personal travel insurance
- Customary gratuities
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