11 Days Prophets & Civilizations of Mesopotamia Tour: Istanbul, Cappadocia, Göbeklitepe, Mardin & Diyarbakır

(Dinner included)
Meet your tour manager at Istanbul International Airport. They will assist you with Arrival procedures and escort you to the hotel by an air-conditioned deluxe vehicle. Refresh yourself with a welcome drink at the hotel while your tour manager ensures a smooth check-in. They will also review your itinerary with you to establish and confirm pick-up times for each tour on the trip. Overnight stay in Istanbul.

(Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included)
Hotel Pick-up (08:00 - 09:15): Your day begins with a personalized pick-up from your hotel or specified location between 08:00 and 09:15. Our friendly team ensures a comfortable start to your adventure. Hagia Sophia: Also Called the Church of Divine Wisdom, it is a masterpieceof grandeur and proportion. Coveted by the Islamic East and Christian West, the Hagia Sophia is one of mankind's greatest treasures. Blue Mosque ( Sultanahmet Mosque): No one has been to Istanbul at least once can ever forget the feeling of awe and wonder at seeing the Blue Mosque for the first time. Hippodrome and Obelisk: The vast Hippodrome, known as At Meydani or " plaze of the horses" stretches between Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. Shopping Opportunity Topkapi Palace: Topkapi Palace was the main residence of the Sultan and his court. It was initially the seat of government as well as the imperial residence. Even though access was strictly regulated, inhabitans of the palace rarely had to venture outsince the palace functioned almost as an autonomous entity a city within a city. Audience and consultation chambers and areas served for the political workings of the empire. LUNCH Eyüp Sultan Mosque: Explore the sacred precincts of Eyüp Sultan, absorbing the spiritual ambiance and historical significance of this revered site. Take time to wander through the surrounding areas, immersing yourself in the cultural tapestry. Shopping Possibility: Conclude your day with a shopping opportunity, where you can discover local treasures and souvenirs. Embrace the chance to take home a piece of Istanbul's vibrant culture.17:30 PM is the end of the tour, then participants will be transferred back to their hotel and Bosphorus Cruise Tour Istanbulwill be ended.

(Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included) 
After breakfast, we will depart for the Ertugrul Gazi–Sogut City Tour. The Ottoman Empire was founded here in 1299, and Ertugrul Gazi, the father of the founder of the Ottoman Empire, Osman Bey, passed away and was buried here. We will visit the Tomb of Ertugrul Gazi. After that, we will visit the Bilecik Museum. It was initially constructed as a courthouse but was later restored and opened as a museum in 2006. The next destination is the Shaykh Edebali Tomb, which was built on a cliff and has an amazing panoramic view. Many believed Sheikh Edebali to be the Ottoman Empire's philosophical designer. The 14th-century Orhan Ghazi Mosque, which was built on the edge of a steep cliff, will be visited after. Unlike other mosques, where the minarets are traditionally adjacent to the mosque, the main minaret of Orhan Ghazi Mosque is built on a rock, 30 meters away from the main building. The subsequent visiting spot is the Clock Tower, located in the heart of Bilecik Province, atop a hill that dominates the city. Sultan Abdulhamit II built it, which has four sides and a clock on each one. You will be transferred after visiting the Pelitozu Pond, which is covered with pine trees, is 7 kilometers away from the city center. The pond, which has an area of 213.50 hectares, was created for irrigation purposes. Due to its accessibility and size, it receives a lot of attention, especially on weekends. Visitors can also enjoy the lake on sea bikes. Overnight in Bursa.

(Breakfast and Lunch included)

After breakfast, we will first visit the historical Covered Bazaar and Ulucami (Grand) Mosque of Bursa, then take the cable car to Uludag Mountain, which is also known as Mount Olympos, from where the Greek gods watched the Trojan War. After a lunch break, we continue with visits to the Green Mosque and the Green Mausoleum. After the tour, depart for Istanbul. When we arrive in Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen, the time will be 17:00–18:00. Then, we depart for Istanbul airport for our domestic flight to Cappadocia. Transfer from Kayseri airport to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to explore Cappadocia. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.

(Breakfast, lunch and dinner included)
After breakfast between 08:00 am and 09:30 am pick-ups from hotel. Final timing one day before will be given you by your tour consultant.
Today, we will get to know the Cappadocia region, a volcanic area in which the geological formation started 10 million years ago. As a result of these formations phallic like pillars have come to life. The beautiful horse country Katpatuka, (as the Persians called her) is an unbelievable strip of land, enchanting and mysterious. Cappadocia region is also famous for its arts, including ceramic and carpets. You will be picked up approximately 09.30 from your hotel to join our regular tour. Tour starts with Uchisar Castle, the highest point of Cappadocia. After Uchisar, you visit Goreme Open Air Museum, the Heart of Cappadocia. Goreme Open Air Museum is famous for frescoes dating to 10th century describing the life of Jesus Christ and monks. Next stop is Cavusin, which is an abandoned village with old cave Greek houses. After Cavusin, you go to the restaurant in Avanos to have lunch. After lunch, you visit a pottery work shop, to see how to make potteries. Next stop is Devrent Valley which is also called Imagination Valley, where you can see natural rock formations looking like animals. Then, you head to a wine shop in Urgup for wine tasting. Last stop is Three Beauties, three beautiful fairy chimneys with their hats which are the symbol of Cappadocia. This tour will end approximately 18.00 and you will be returned back to your hotel. Dinner and overnight Cappadocia.

(Breakfast, lunch and dinner included)

After breakfast we will begin our drive to Tarsus. On our way we will stop for a visit at the Gumusler Monastry, a monastery church that has been carved out of the rock. We enter this 10th century monastery  via a vaulted door. The church, which is built on a closed cruciform plan with a central dome, four columns, cross vaults and three apses, is situated on the north side of the courtyard, while rooms carved from the rock line the rest of the courtyard. From here we will continue to Tarsus,  the birth place of the Apostle Paul. The city was very old even in his time, predating him by 4000 years. Tarsus ranked as one of the great towns of the Hittites in the 2nd millennium BC and may have been the capital of the Hittite state of Kizzuwatna. There is a gate in the Roman wall known affectionately as St. Paul’s or Cleopatra’s Gate. From Tarsus we continue our drive to Adana with a visit stop at the Viransehir Ruins on the way. Once in  Adana we check into our hotel where we will dine and spend the night. Then we will drive to Gaziantep.

Dinner and accommodation in Gaziantep

Meet with your guide when you arrive at Gaziantep Airport on an early morning flight. If you request, you can have breakfast.
Visit  Zeugma Mosaic Museum, the second-largest mosaic museum in the world. It displays mosaics, sculptures, and other artefacts from the ancient city of Zeugma (Belkıs). Magnificent floor and wall mosaics, statues, and ancient artefacts unearthed from the ancient city of Zeugma, which flourished during the Roman period around 256 AD, on the banks of the Euphrates River, are exhibited at the Gaziantep Mosaic Museum. The original of the world-famous Gypsy Girl Mosaic is shown here also. Other historical sites in Gaziantep include Antep Castle, Zincirli Bedesten, and the old Coppersmiths' Bazaar. We'll also have a lunch break at a local restaurant serving delicious dishes typical of Antep. We'll taste pistachio baklava. Then, we'll drive to Halfeti Dam. Halfeti was founded by the Assyrian King Shalmaneser III in 855 BC. This ancient city has been ruled by many civilisations throughout its history, including the Hittites, Assyrians, Medes, Persians, Seleucids and Parthians. Many parts of ancient Halfeti, the only region in the world where black roses are grown, have been flooded by the Bilecik Dam. On a boat trip to Halfeti dam, we will see Rumkale (Roman Castle), which is believed to be the place where Jesus' apostle John made copies of the Bible. The ruins at Rumkale have late Roman and medieval features. Rumkale offers a magnificent view of the remains of old water cisterns, St Nerses Church and Barşavma Monastery.  Then we will drive to Sanliurfa. Dinner and accommodation in Şanlıurfa.

We will have dinner in Sanliurfa with a traditional musical program called Sıra Gecesi.

(Breakfast, lunch and dinner included)
After breakfast in our hotel in Urfa, we will start our tour of Urfa, the city of the prophets, including The next stop will be Göbeklitepe temple, ( located in Taş Tepeler region ) the oldest open-air temple in the world, built 12,000 years ago and dating back to the Neolithic Age, which started a new era in the history of world archeology and even changed human history. As a result of the information provided by our guide about the Gobeklitepe temple, your humanity history information can change. During the tour, you will feel Göbeklitepe's positive energy in its mystical environment. Then, we will go to Harran and visit its ancient city. Harran district, which has been continuously inhabited since the 6th millennium BC and was once the capital of the Assyrian and Umayyad civilizations, will welcome us with its conical domed houses and historical sights, Konik Harran Houses, Harran Mound, and El Firdevs Mosque, built by Umayyad Caliph Mervan (Cennet Mosque) will be among the places we will see after our Harran trip. We will return to our hotel and attend Urfa's famous Sira night. Accommodation in Şanlıurfa.

(Breakfast, lunch and dinner included)
Early departure from Sanliurfa to Mardin, 250 km. First, visit  Dara ancient city, Dara, also known as Anastasiopolis, is one of Mesopotamia's ancient cities and the most important trade centres on the Silk Road. Dara ancient city has a history of 3500-4000 years. Its ruins consist of structures carved into the rock, including water channels, cisterns, rock tombs, Arasta, and many others. Deyrul Zafaran Monastery has been the centre of the Patriarchate for over 1,000 years. There, you can see the 4,000-year-old Sun Temple hospital, church, and baptistery. Then, you arrive at Mardin. Mardin has been the shining city of Mesopotamia for centuries. Mardin, whose architectural heritage adorns the slopes in steps with fairy-tale houses elegantly built of stone structures, guides the rich cultural and religious diversity that spreads to every corner. We designed the tour program so well that we would experience Mardin like the locals. After breakfast, we will visit We will start our tour of Old Mardin with the Kasimiye Madrasah in Mardin, which has a rich cultural mosaic with architectural structures that give a mystical Muslim, Syriac, Turkish, and Arabian atmosphere to this city where religions and languages ​​meet and continue to the Ulu Mosque and minaret. Mosque Kebir, Şehidiye Madrasa, and PTT House are among the places we will see. During our free time in Mardin, don’t forget to buy extra luggage to take home local products, natural soaps (from Sabuncu Mehmet), nuts, almonds, and Mardin-specific almond candies, dried fruits, sweets, rosaries, and similar handmade accessories, and souvenirs. Dinner and accommodation in Mardin.

(Breakfast, lunch and dinner included)
After breakfast, we are moving towards Diyarbakır via Midyat (230 Km) Midyat, founded in the 9th century BC, is famous for its local craftsmanship, stone buildings, and handcrafted silver filigree jewellery local people. It is an Assyrian Christian town consisting of Muslims, Assyrian Orthodox, Catholics and Protestants. For many years, it was considered the capital of the Tur Abdin region, which was the centre of Assyrian Christianity. While visiting the Syriac-Muslim common neighbourhoods, you will find the best examples of filigree art and all kinds of handcrafted silver jewellery, which Syriac masters created with their centuries of experience. Drive to Diyarbakir, approximately 2 hours. Visit on the Mardin Way the 3,000-year-old Zerzevan Castle, a candidate for the Unesco World Heritage list, in the Çınar district of Diyarbakır. Zerzevan Castle: Visit the 3,000-year-old Zerzevan Castle, a candidate for the Unesco World Heritage list, in the Çınar district of Diyarbakır. In Zerzevan Castle, which was used as a "military settlement" during the Roman Empire, there is the Mithras Temple, the mystery religion of Rome. Mithras is the Sun God who controls the entire universe. Rites in the temple were always held in secret. Thousands of people come here every year and perform rituals secretly. We leave the mysterious temple of Mithra, the temple of the chosen powerful rulers. Arrive and a lunch break at a local restaurant in Diyarbakir. Diyarbakir is one of the most significant cultural cities in southeastern Anatolia. Our tour will kick off with a visit to the Diyarbakir city walls and a UNESCO World Heritage Site believed to have been built around 2000 BC. One of the most captivating structures we will explore is the four-legged minaret. We will also visit the Diyarbakir Great Mosque, which is recognised as one of the five Harem-i Sharifs of Islam. Martom Church was built in 639 AD after being converted into a mosque. It is highly recommended that you see the sundial the scholar Al-Jazari created in the Ulu Mosque garden. We will take a coffee and tea break at the historical Hasan Pasha Inn, constructed in 1575. Caravans coming from the Silk Road used to stay there. Additionally, we will visit Sülüklü Han and the Bridge with Ten Eyes. Diyarbakir Kaleici Bazaar is the local people's shopping centre, so you will have the opportunity to get a closer look at the people and lifestyle of Diyarbakir. After Dinner a flight to Istanbul from Diyarbakir Airport.  Private transfer to your hotel and free day.  Accommodation in Istanbul