Tour Overview
If you are looking for something special and extraordinary, then look no further. Enjoy first-class service and guided transportation through the historical and picturesque sites of Istanbul – Ankara – Kayseri - Nemrut - Sanliurfa – Diyarbakir – Mardin before your domestic flight back to Istanbul. This is an exquisite tour for you, with all the bells and whistles.
Attractions
Highlights
- Embarking on a journey from Istanbul to Ankara, Kayseri, Nemrut, Sanlıurfa, Diyarbakır, and Mardin offers a captivating exploration of Turkey's historical, cultural, and natural wonders.
- Istanbul: Begin your journey in Istanbul, where you can explore iconic landmarks such as the Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, and the Grand Bazaar. Take a Bosphorus cruise to enjoy panoramic views of the city's skyline and historic landmarks along the waterway.
- Ankara: Visit the capital city of Ankara and explore its historical and cultural attractions, including the Anıtkabir mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey. Discover the ancient citadel of Ankara (Ankara Kalesi) and explore the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, which houses artifacts spanning thousands of years of Anatolian history.
- Kayseri: Explore the historic city of Kayseri, known for its well-preserved Seljuk and Ottoman architecture. Visit the Kayseri Castle and the Grand Bazaar, where you can shop for local handicrafts, textiles, and spices. Explore nearby attractions such as the Çifte Medrese (Double Madrasa) and the Gevher Nesibe Museum, housed in a former Seljuk hospital.
- Cappadocia: Marvel at the surreal landscape of Cappadocia, characterized by fairy chimneys, rock-cut dwellings, and ancient cave churches. Take a hot air balloon ride at sunrise for a breathtaking aerial view of the region's unique rock formations and valleys. Explore underground cities such as Kaymakli or Derinkuyu, marveling at the intricate network of tunnels and chambers carved into the soft volcanic rock. Visit Göreme Open-Air Museum, a UNESCO World Heritage site featuring rock-cut churches adorned with Byzantine frescoes.
- Mount Nemrut: Journey to Mount Nemrut, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its colossal statues and funerary monuments dating back to the 1st century BC. Witness the sunrise or sunset at the summit, where you can marvel at the massive stone heads of gods and kings arranged in a unique ceremonial setting.
- Sanlıurfa (Urfa): Explore the ancient city of Sanlıurfa, believed to be the birthplace of the prophet Abraham, and visit sacred sites such as the Pool of Sacred Fish (Balıklıgöl) and Abraham's Cave. Discover the bustling streets and vibrant bazaars of Urfa, known for its traditional handicrafts and culinary delights.
- Diyarbakır: Visit the historic city of Diyarbakır, known for its well-preserved city walls, mosques, and bazaars, reflecting its rich cultural heritage. Explore the ancient city of Amida (Diyarbakır Fortress), which offers panoramic views of the Tigris River and the surrounding plains. Discover the unique cuisine of Diyarbakır, including specialties such as kuşbaşı kebab, içli köfte, and kadayıf.
- Mardin: Discover the enchanting city of Mardin, known for its stunning architecture, including sandstone houses, churches, and mosques. Explore the narrow streets of the old town, adorned with intricate stonework and offering panoramic views of the Mesopotamian plains. Visit the Great Mosque of Mardin and the ancient Deyrulzafaran Monastery, both significant religious sites in the region.
Itinerary
(Dinner included)
Welcome to Turkey Istanbul Airport. Meet with TravelShop Booking staff and transfer to your hotel, transfer from airport & check in to your hotel. Overnight in Istanbul.
(Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included)
Pick up at 08:30am from your hotel for a day tour of old Istanbul city. Visit to TOPKAPI PALACE The great palace of the Ottoman sultans from the 15th to the 19th centuries housing 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, the Holy Mantle; enshrining relics of the Prophet Mohammed. Then proceed to ST. SOPHIA This ancient basilica, built by Constantine the Great in the 4th century and reconstructed by Justinian in the 6th century, is one of the architectural marvels of all time. 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. HIPPODROME Ancient Hippodrome, the scene of chariot races, with the three monuments; the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column and the Column of Constantine. Lunch break at 13:00pm. After the lunch we will then take you to the GRAND COVERED BAZAAR in this labyrinth of streets and passages are more than 4,000 shops with each trade having its own area: the goldsmiths' street, the carpet sellers, Turkish arts and crafts, such as hand painted ceramic plates, hand-honed copperware, brassware and trays, water ewers, onyx-ware and meerschaum pipes. After the tour transfer back to your hotel. Overnight in Istanbul. Please Note : St. Sophia Museum Closed on Mondays , Topkapi Palace Closed on Tuesdays and The Grand Bazaar Closed on Sundays.
(Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included)
Pick up at 08:30am from the hotel and depart for the Istanbul Bosphorus Cruise and Shopping Tour. Visit the GRAND SPICE BAZAAR. The air here is filled with the enticing aromas of cinnamon, caraway, saffron, mint, thyme and every other conceivable herb and spice. BOSPHORUS BY BOAT a traditional excursion by boat along the waterway separating Europe and Asia. The shore is lined with old wooden villas, palaces of marble, fortresses, and small fishing villages. During the excursion you will see the magnificent sights of the following attractions from your boat. See Dolmabahce Palace, and further along, the parks and imperial pavilions of Yildiz Palace. On the coastal edge of this park, is Ciragan Palace, 300 meters of its marble facade faces the shore. At Ortakoy a great variety of artists gather every Sunday to display their work along the street. Ortakoy is a symbol of tolerance with a church, a mosque and a synagogue existing side by side for centuries. RUMELI FORTRESS Built by Mehmet the Conqueror in 1452 prior to the conquest of Istanbul was completed in only four months to control and protect the infamous Bosphorus passage. It is one of the most beautiful works of military architecture anywhere in the world. BEYLERBEYI PALAS (PALACE) The summer residence of Ottoman sultans exists in its original renovated glory featuring original antique furniture and magnificent gardens with the Harem on the Asian side of Istanbul. BOSPHORUS BRIDGE enjoy a unique chance to step from one continent (Asia) to another (Europe) CAMLICA HILL the highest point in Istanbul. At the top of it you can rest and admire the magnificent panorama of Istanbul and the Bosporus from the beautiful gardens, landscaped in traditional Turkish Ottoman style. SHOPPING TOUR (after cruise) Experience the traditional silk weaving skills of Turkish women at the carpet weaving courses provided by The Ministry of National Education. You will get the opportunity to see jewellery, handcrafts center and a modern leatherwear show. Enjoy the experience of shopping whilst gaining the knowledge of the ancient craftsmen, with Murti's Tour's local escort full of knowledge about how to haggle the streets of Istanbul. The rest of the evening is yours to explore Istanbul. Overnight in Istanbul.
(Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included)
Depart for Ankara and on arrival a visit to the tomb of Ataturk, Anitkabir, built on one of the hills overlooking Ankara. Completed in 1955, Anitkabir is a stunning architectural and political statement designed to encompass and represent the great Anatolian civilizations of the past. We will stay in a hotel on the Citadel of Ankara. The earliest parts of the Citadel dates back to the 7th Century, had has been variously controlled by Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks, Crusaders and Ottomans. Overnight in Ankara.
(Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included)
From the hotel, we will go to the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations which is housed in a beautifully renovated 15th Century market and Han. From here, we will depart for Cappadocia along the Silk Road via the Great Sultan Han, one of the best preserved 13th Century Seljuk caravanserais. Overnight in Cappadocia.
(Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included)
In the morning, we will visit the Goreme Open Air Museum, a UNESCO site. Goreme was once a Christian community and has numerous rock-cut churches and monasteries. From Goreme, we go to Derinkuyu Underground City, which is one of many subterranean refuges in the region. Then, we will visit a rock caravanserai. Overnight Cappadocia.
(Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included)
Depart for Kayseri via the Ihlara Valley. Kayseri is an important junction on the Silk Road and a center of Islamic learning with a number of historic cultural buildings, including the Cite Madrassha, which was the first Seljuk school of anatomy and is today the Gevhir Nesibe Medical History Museum. It served the entire population of Kayseri regardless of race, religion, and free of charge. At the center of the city is the Hisar, or citadel, built by the Roman Emperor Justinian during the 6th century AD. Overnight in Kayseri.
(Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included)
Depart Kayseri for Mount Nemrut in Adiyaman along the Silk Road via the 13th century Karatay Han. We divert off the Silk Road route to visit the mountain top tomb of King Antiochus I. One of Turkey’s most iconic sites, the Tomb of Antiochus, was lost for nearly 2,000 years and was only rediscovered in the 1890s by a government railroad surveyor. Overnight in Nemrut.
(Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included)
Morning visit to the summit of Nemrut. At the very peak of the mountain is a tumulus of loose stones in which is believed lie the remains of Antiochus I. Flanking the monument to face the rising and the setting sun is a series of statues representing ancient deities and the king. From the summit, we descend the mountain to visit Carakus, the burial monument of the Commagene royal women, and then onto Sanlıurfa via the Ataturk dam. Afternoon visit to Sanliurfa’s 16th Century covered bazaar and Gumruk Han. Overnight in Sanlıurfa
(Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included)
We start the day with a visit to the extraordinary site of GobekliTepe, a Neolithic ritual center dating back to 10,000 BC. In the afternoon, we will visit Sanlıurfa Archaeological Museum. Leisure time around the gardens and the Pools of Abraham. Overnight in Sanlıurfa.
(Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included)
From Mardin, we continue onto the ancient city of Mardin, overlooking the plains of Syria and the Silk Road routes to the south. Because of its exceptional architecture, the entire city has been classified as UNESCO Heritage Site. Overnight in Mardin
(Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included)
Depart for Diyarbakir , located at the highest navigable point on the River Tigris. It is a richly endowed city with more historic mosques, churches and other significant buildings than any city in Turkey except Istanbul. It is surrounded by a massive defensive wall, more than 5km in length. Overnight in Diyarbakir.
(Breakfast included)
After breakfast, we are departure Diyarbakir Airport for our domestic flight to Istanbul and then back home. We hope your tour was a memorable one and we would like to see you in the future in one of our tours again. Have a nice trip back home and thanks for choosing TravelShop Booking.
Trip includes
Included
3 nights hotel in Istanbul - Ramada Hotel & Suite Golden Horn
1 nights hotel in Ankara - Best Western Hotel 2000
2 nights hotel in Cappadocia- Antique House Cave Hotel
1 nights hotel in Kayseri - Emin Koçak Hotel Erciyes
1 nights hotel in Numrut - White Star Hotel Kahta
2 nights hotel in Sanlıurfa - Elruha Hotel
1 nights hotel in Diyarbakır - Novotel Hotel Diyarbakır
1 nights hotel in Mardin - Kaya ninova Hotel
PS: If This hotel lists not available at the time of your booking then we will arrange a similar hotel for your group. If you prefer a Different category hotel, there might be an additional cost
Professional English - speaking tour guides
Guiding Method
Fully guided
12 Open buffet breakfasts
11 Lunches
12 Dinners
All airport transfer services mentioned inside the itinerary
Arrival airport transfer to Mardin airport
Transportation in a fully air-conditioned, non - smoking coach
Return airport transfer
Guided Istanbul city tour
Guided Istanbul Bosphorus Cruise
Guided Ankara City Tour
Guided Aksaray tour
Guided Cappadocia Tour
Guided Cappadocia Ihlara Valley Tour
Guided Mount Nemrut Tour
Guided Sanliurfa Tour
Guided Gobekli Tepe Tour
Guided Diyarbakir Tour
Guided Mardin Tour
All entrance fees mentioned in the itinerary
Excluded
Domestic flight from Istanbul to Ankara
Domestic flight from Diyarbakır to Istanbul
Insurance: All types
Turkey entry visa
Items of a personal nature such as alcoholic drinks, cold drinks, laundry
Any others expenses which are not mentioned at the included section.
Personal expenses: extras at hotel or additional meals
Tipping: Tips for guides and drivers
City Tax
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