16 Day Turkey, Bulgaria & Greece Discovery Tour – Istanbul to Athens via Cappadocia, Sofia & Mykonos

Upon our arrival at Istanbul International Airport, your guide will meet, assist and transfer you to the hotel. Istanbul’s original name is Byzantium then Constantinople. It is a most fascinating city, which actually crosses two continents Europe and Asia. It is a city of amalgamation of bazaars, minarets, mosques, churches, palaces, and restaurants catering to every one’s taste, museums, customs and twelve million people. Overnight in Istanbul.

(Breakfast and Dinner included)
After breakfast at 08.30, we depart from hotel for fully guided tour of Ephesus, one of the best preserved ancient sites in the world en-route, visiting the Temple of Artemis, Curetes street, famous Roman baths, Celsus Library, Grand theatre and House of the Virgin Mary. Lunch break around 13.00. After the lunch, we will visit a place, which continues to perform one of the oldest arts of Turkey; a carpet-weaving center. After that, we will have a Turkish Village Tour. Sirince's construction style today belongs to Anatolian Greeks. The houses on the slope are all original with their white paints. Sirince Village also has a fantastic reputation for making some of the best wines in Turkey - especially fruit wines. We will see the vineyards and it is time to learn how to make fruit wine with Turkish wine makers. In the evening, you will be tested about your knowledge of making fruit wine. On the way, we will visit one of the famous leather production centers of the region, where you will have the opportunity to get a good factory rate. On this 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. Dinner and overnight in Kusadasi.

(Breakfast and Dinner included)
After breakfast, we depart for Izmir airport for our domestic flight to Cappadocia. Transfer from Kayseri airport to your Cave hotel. The rest of the day is yours to explore Cappadocia. Overnight in Cave Hotel in Cappadocia.

(Breakfast and Dinner included)
After breakfast between 08:00 am and 09:30 am pickups from hotel. Your tour consultant will give you final timing one day before. We will drive you to Ozkonak Underground City, one of the best-preserved Underground cities in Cappadocia. Than visit to 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 workshop, to see how to make potteries. Then you go to Love Valley . Love Valley Cappadocia is a hidden valley with scenic formations to say the least. Despite the resemblance to man hood, these amazing rock formations are far from man-made. After Love Valley you visit another workshop to see Cappadocian handwoven carpets and kilims. Next stop is Devrent Valley, which is also called Imagination Valley, where you can see natural rock formations looking like animals.. Last stop is Three Beauties, three beautiful fairy chimneys with their hats, which is the symbol of Cappadocia. This tour will end approximately at 18.00 and you will be returned back to your hotel. Overnight in Cappadocia.

(Breakfast included)
After breakfast, you will have free time shopping in Cappadocia. Today, we depart for Kayseri airport for our flight to Istanbul. Upon arrival you will be free to explore Istanbul. Overnight in Istanbul.

(Breakfast included)
Today, after breakfast, we will transfer you to bus station and transfer you to Bulgarian border. Upon arrival to border, boarding on coach at the Turkish – Bulgarian state border. Arrival in Plovdiv around noon. Overnight in Plovdiv.

(Breakfast included)
After breakfast, departure for Sofia. Guided sightseeing tour of the city center including visit to the National History Museum and the mediaeval Boyana Church included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Visit to Alexander Nevski Cathedral - one of the largest Eastern Orthodox cathedrals in Europe, as well as one of Sofia’s symbols and a primary tourist attraction; St. George Rotunda and St. Sophia Church, built by the Roman emperor Justinian in the 6th century, National Theatre, former Royal Palace, the Presidency, etc.Free time in the city center and main shopping area around Vitosha Boulevard.
Optional evening panoramic tour “Sofia by night” and dinner at a traditional restaurant with folklore music and dances. Overnight in Sofia.

(Breakfast included)
After the breakfast, we depart for Rila Monastery - the most exquisite example of the monastery art and architecture in Bulgaria. Guided tour of the monastery complex. Visit to Nativity of the Virgin Church with its miracle icon of the Virgin and splendid gilded iconostasis. The old kitchen, the monastery museum where you can learn about the long and heroic history of the monastery, the wood carved cross made for a period of twelve years by a monk called Rafael, Hrelyo’s Tower and many spectacular views from the mountain and the surrounding nature. Drive to Sandanski in the afternoon. Overnight in Sandanski.

(Breakfast included)
After breakfast, drive to Melnik – the smallest town in Bulgaria famous for its excellent wines and sandstone rocky pyramids. Visit to Kordopulova museum-house. Around noon departure for Greece. Arrive Thessaloniki early afternoon. The rest of the day will be free to explore and enjoy Thessaloniki on your own, walking around, doing the shopping or relaxing in one of many cafeterias or Taverns in Thessaloniki down town. Overnight in Thessaloniki.

(Breakfast included)
Breakfast at the hotel. Meet at the lobby of your hotel with a professional English speaking guide and start the tour of the city of Vergina, a small town in northern Greece near Veria, principal of the prefecture of Imathia. After the tour, proceed to Kalambaka. Free time at leisure in Kalambaka. Overnight in Kalambaka.

(Breakfast included)
Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning, visit of the monasteries in Meteora, on the top of the gigantestic rocks .Right after drive to Delphi. Visit the pan-Hellenic sanctuary of Delphi, where the oracle of Apollo spoke and was the site of the Omphalos, the 'naval of the world'. Blending harmoniously with the superb landscape and changes with sacred meaning, Delphi in the 6th century BC, was indeed the religious centre and symbol of unity of the ancient Greek world. While at the site, visit the Treasury of the Athenians, the Temple of Apollo and the Museum. Departure for Athens. Overnight in Athens.

(Breakfast included)
In the morning, after breakfast, we will pick you up from the hotel and shall start our sightseeing tour of the center of Athens including The Constitution of Greece (Sintagma). It was created by the Fifth Revisional Parliament of the Hellenes and entered into force in 1975. It has been revised three times since, in 1986, in 2001 and in 2008. The Constitutional history of Greece goes back to the Greek War of Independence, during which the first three revolutionary Greek constitutions were adopted. Afterwards we will visit Old Parliament House. The Old Parliament building, which is located at Stadiou Street in Athens, housed the Greek Parliament between 1875 and 1932. It now houses the country's National Historical Museum. In front of the building stands a large equestrian statue of General Theodoros Kolokotronis, cast in bronze. It was sculpted by Lazaros Sochos in Paris in 1900, and erected in its current place in 1904. Continue our tour, we will go to The National Library of Greece which is situated near the center of city of Athens. It holds 4,500 Greek manuscripts, which is one of the greatest collection of Greek scripts. There are also many chrysobulls and archives of the Greek Revolution Then we will continue driving down Herod Atticus Street, you will see the Evzones in their picturesque uniform and the PRESIDENTIAL PALACE which is the official residence of the President of the Hellenic Republic. It previously served as the Royal Palace, until the abolition of the monarchy by referendum in 1974. On your way to the Acropolis you will see the Hadrian's Arch, visit the Temple of Olympian Zeus. and you will make a short stop at the Panathenaic Stadium which was refurbished a second time in 1895 for the 1896 Olympics, with completion funding provided by the Greek benefactor George Averoff whose marble statue now stands at the entrance, based on designs by architects Anastasios Metaxas and Ernst Ziller. Upon arrive Acropolis, we will visit Acropolis Museum which is focused on the findings of the archaeological site of the Acropolis of Athens. The museum was built to house every artifact found on the rock and on its feet, from the Greek Bronze Age to Roman and Byzantine Greece. It also lies on the archaeological site of Makrygianni and the ruins of a part of Roman and early Byzantine Athens. Also, we will visit the architectural masterpieces of the Golden Age of Athens: the PROPYLAEA, the TEMPLE of ATHENA NIKE, the ERECHTHEION. The last stop before we back to hotel is The Parthenon. The Parthenon is a temple in Acropolis, the harmony between material and spirit, the monument that puts order in the mind. Early evening we will back to hotel, you can relax in the rest of the day. Overnight in Athens.

(Breakfast included)
Breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast, transfer to Piraeus Port for a boat to Mykonos. Arrival in Mykonos Port and transfer to the hotel. Then spend the whole day at leisure. Enjoy your day on this Cycladic Island known for its great night life and the town’s Cycladic architecture. Mykonos beaches a must to experience, such as Platy Gialos, Psarou, Ornos, Paranga “Paradise”, “Super Paradise”, Elia, Kalafati, Kalo Livadi. On Mykonos western shore are Agios Stefanos, Houlakia, Tourlos, Megali-Ammos. Walk through the narrow alleyways in Mykonos town and visit beautiful churches and the famous windmills. Overnight in Mykonons.

(Breakfast included)
Breakfast at the hotel. Free day to explore the island on your own. Mykonos Island is the most famous and cosmopolitan tourist island in the Eastern Mediterranean amongst the Cyclades, something which is not just by chance. Expect to experience the exquisite visuals of white-washed houses, proud windmills, and a multitude of chapels, busy back streets with balconies full of flowers and a multi-coloured fleet of fishing boats at the port. If you’re after a bit of history and culture, the island has five museums you can visit as well as a beautiful church. The church of Panagia Paraportiani is located beyond the Delos Ferry Quay on the way to Little Venice. Overnight in Mykonos.

(Breakfast included)
Breakfast at the hotel and transfer to Mykonos port for a boat to Piraeus or Rafina Port. When you arrive at Piraeus or Rafina port you will be transferred to Athens International airport for an evening flight back home.