( Dinner included)

Meet at the airport Transfer to your hotel. You will be given your room key and the rest of the day is yours to explore Istanbul. Overnight in Istanbul.

(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 you will depart 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 Grand Spice Bazaar for shopping. After the shopping tour come back to Hotel. Overnight in Istanbul.

(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. Enjoy the array of sites you can see from the boat including: GRAND SPICE BAZAAR. BOSPHORUS BY BOAT a traditional excursion by boat along the waterway separating Europe and Asia. Lunch break at the Turkish restaurant. After the lunch depart for Istanbul airport for domestic flight to Cappadocia. Transfer from airport and check in to your hotel in Cappadocia. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocai.

(Breakfast, Local Lunch and Local dinner included)

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 approximatley 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. Then you go Pasabagi where you can see three - headed fairy chimneys. After Pasabagi 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. Then you head to a wineshop in Urgup for wine tasting. Last stop is Three Beauties, three beautiful fairy chimneys with their hats, which is 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, Local Lunch and Local dinner included)

Breakfast at hotel, around 9:30am you will be picked up from your hotel. We will drive you to Derinkuyu underground city, one of the best preserved and deepest Underground cities in Cappadocia.Derinkuyu Underground city is 55 meters deep and 8 levels open to visitors. After thet we will drive you to Ihlara valley which is a 16 km long canyon and both side are lined with rock carved churches. We will have 3 km hike and visit one of the churches in the valley. End of the hiking lunch be served at the Belisirma village beside river. After lunch we will visit Selime monastery, carved out of the rock by christian monks in the 13th centry On the way back to hotel we will stop at the pigeon valley. Dinner and overnight Cappadocia.

(Breakfast, Local Lunch and Local dinner included)

After breakfast at hotel, departure from your hotel at 08:00. Stop at Kahramanmaras for lunch and a taste of its famous ice cream. Continue onto visit the world famous Gaziantep Mosaic Museum. This museum exhibit superb mosaic discovered at the Roman site of Belkis-Zeugma before the Birecik Dam flooded most of the site. We will visit the old city castle which is located in the center of the city and copper bazaar. This bazaar is one of the most special and oldest bazaars in Turkey. You can find variety of copper handcrafts. We will also have the chance to taste famous baklava; a sweet pastry made of layers of filo filled with chopped nuts and sweetened and held together with syrup or honey (Baklava is originally from Gaziantep). After visiting the city, drive to hotel and check-in. Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight stay in Gaziantep.

(Breakfast, Local Lunch and Local dinner included)

After breakfast, check-out from our hotel and drive to Sanliurfa. Urfa has been occupied since the Babylonians followed by the Hurrites, Hittites, Assyrians, Greeks. Today we will visit Urfa Archaeological Museum. This museum exhibit a huge collection founded from Harran and Gobeklitepe Area. We will also visit the holy sites at the Ainzelha, a lake with millions of domesticated fish. While in Urfa, we will visit the cave where the prophet Abraham was born. Then, walk through the local covered bazaar of Sanliurfa. Walk through the town to discover the many hidden treasures. Evening at leisure. Overnight stay in Urfa.

(Breakfast, Local Lunch and Local dinner included)

After breakfast at hotel, we will visit nearby Harran and see the incredible bee-hive houses. Harran- according to the Bible- was the site where prophet Abraham spent a few years with his family before moving on to Israel, the Promised Land. There are exceptional photo opportunities in this area. In the afternoon, drive to Kâhta Cty. On the way, you will see Gobeklitepe, a hilltop sanctuary erected on the highest point of an elongated mountain ridge some 15 km northeast of the town of Urfa. What makes Gobeklitepe unique in its class is the date it was built which is roughly twelve thousand years ago, circa 10,000 BC. In the afternoon, hike to the summit of the mount Nemrut (one of the most popular UNESCO world cultural heritage sites), watching the sunset, be amazed by the colossal heads and statues of ancient deities, as you step into mythology. 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. Antiochus built the entire complex approximately 2000 years ago as a monument to his divine ancestry. Also, definitely take time to visit the old castle, Arsemia, cross over the still functioning Cendere Bridge (Septimius Severus bridge) dating all the way back to the 3rd century and Tumulus Tomb of Karakus. After visiting Nemrut, drive to hotel. Overnight stay in Adiyaman.

(Breakfast, Local Lunch and Local dinner included)

After breakfast, departure to Mardin. We will reach Mardin around 11:00 and visit this old, historical city. Mardin is very unique with lovely Old-Arabic style houses. The houses are often decorated with intricate carvings. This is a very lively trading center with people coming from surrounding villages to buy and sell. We will have a fantastic view of the Plain of Mesopotamia. It is a city that played an important role in the early development of Christianity. We will visit Forty Martyrs Church (Kirklar Kilisesi). This church dates back to the 4th century and was renamed in the 15th century to commemorate Cappadocian martyrs, now remembered in the fine carvings above the entrance. Then, we will visit Zinciriye Madrasah (Zinciriye Medresesi). This theological school was built by Melik Necmeddin Isa in 1385. 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. Walk in its busy streets and bazaars and admire the stonework all around the town. Overnight stay in Mardin.

(Breakfast, Local Lunch and Local dinner included)

Today, we drive to Hasankeyf, with stop at the beautiful little town of Midyat to see the Monastery and ancient houses on the way. Hasankeyf, with its history that spans nine civilizations, the archaeological and religious. The history of Hasankeyf goes back 10,000 years. This is three times longer than the Giza pyramids, 10 times longer than Stonehenge, and makes the glorious civilizations of the Maya and Inca seem as if they were flourishing just yesterday. Some of the city's historical treasures will be inundated if construction of the Ilisu Dam is completed. These include ornate mosques, Islamic tombs and cave churches. After lunch by the Tigris River, we depart to Tatvan, a small village on the edge of Lake Van and watch the sunset over the lake. Overnight stay in Tatvan.

(Breakfast, Local Lunch and Local dinner included)

Depart from Tatvan and a beautiful drive around the lake to reach Van city, established 13th century BC. From here, we will take a ferry across the lake to visit the finest Armenian architectural wonder of the Church of the Holy Cross on Akdamar Island. Step over to the huge Van Castle from the days of Urartu and see the hieroglyphs as you sense the spirit of the once Urartu capital Tushpa, feel the salty waters of the great Lake Van called as 'the Sea' by the locals. Overnight stay in Van.

(Breakfast, Local Lunch and Local dinner included)

After breakfast, we depart and drive on the "Silk Road" to Dogubeyazit. On the way, we will visit Muradiye Waterfalls. A quite large waterfall, usually getting frozen in winter. It is north of Muradiye, which is about 80 km north of Van, off the highway to Dogubeyazit. On the way, we will also have the opportunity to see Mt. 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. We will stop and see the IshakPasa 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 EskiBeyazit and Urartian City which flourished in 1000 BC. Overnight stay in Kars.

(Breakfast, Local Lunch and Local dinner included)

An early morning departure for 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 Urartian's, Armenians, Georgians, Mongols, Russians and finally the Turks. Also visit the impressive Kars Castle and historical sites surrounding the city. After visiting the castle, we will visit Holy Apostles Church (12 Havari Kilisesi) This church is a former Armenian church in Kars, eastern Turkey. Built in the mid-10th century by the Armenian Bagratid King Abas I (r. 928–953), it was converted into a mosque in 1579. In the 19th and early 20th century it was converted into a Russian Orthodox and later Armenian cathedral. In 1993, it was again converted into a mosque. After tour, return to hotel and overnight stay in Kars.

(Breakfast, Local Lunch and Local dinner included)

Depart from Kars, after breakfast and drive southwest to Erzurum. Of great interest, will be at the villages of stone houses with black sheep on green meadows. Visit the 12th century Medrese (a Seljukian School). Talk with the imam at the 12th century Mosque and enjoy the ethnographic museum. Visit an old caravan stop where the local black stone is mounted in silver and gold by the local artists in the most aesthetic art form. Overnight stay in Erzurum.

(Breakfast, Local Lunch and Local dinner included)

We begin a beautiful 5 hour drive to Trabzon, winding along the rivers with many photo stops and Karaca Cave along the way. Visit the Sumela Monastery, also known as the Monastery of the Virgin Mary. It has been said that it is neither on earth nor in heaven. Carved on the slope of a mountain, it looks like a nine story high building hanging down from the clouds and sitting on the top of the forest. A short hike through the rain forest will leave no question in your mind about where you are in Turkey. Evening at leisure and overnight stay in Trabzon.

(Breakfast, Local Lunch and Local dinner included)

Visit the city of Trabzon in the morning. After the crusaders invaded Constantinople in 1204, Trabzon became the capital of the Byzantine Empire for a short time. Longing for the grandeur of Constantinople, in Trabzon, they imitated the Churches of their beloved city in a smaller scale. St. Sophia of Trabzon, though much smaller in size, will leave with you the same sense of religious devotion as the original one in Istanbul. End of the tour we depart for Trabzon Airport for our domestic flight to Istanbul and then back to 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.