FASCINATING ISTANBUL & CAPPADOCIA

Welcome to Turkey, a country full of culture, history, and unique experiences, where the differences of East and West blend together. Get ready to enjoy an extraordinary vacation.

Arrive on an international flight to the spectacular Istanbul Airport (IST). Opened in April 2019, it is now the largest in Europe and one of the largest in the world. After disembarking, clearing immigration, and baggage claim, you will head to our meeting point at Gate 9. Afterward, meet with our drivers for transfer to your hotel. Arrival and check-in. Free time to rest.

Note: If you do not find our representatives at the meeting point, please call our emergency number.

Breakfast. Free day. Option to take the optional excursion: “PEARLS OF THE GOLDEN HORN AND THE BOSPHORUS.” Departure at approximately 8:00 a.m. (time to be confirmed by the guide) (includes lunch at a traditional restaurant). Visit the old Jewish quarter in Balat and the Greek quarter in Fener, where you can admire the magnificent views of the Golden Horn. Then, visit St. George's Cathedral, the principal patriarchate of the Greek Orthodox Church. Continue to the Suleymaniye Mosque, designed by Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan and boasting the largest dome of any mosque in Istanbul. We head to the Spice Bazaar, a charming place with its color and aroma, the perfect place to buy teas, herbs, nuts, traditional sweets, and, of course, spices. The tour culminates with a boat ride across the Bosphorus, the strait that divides the city between Europe and Asia. We'll appreciate the wonderful views of the Ottoman fortresses, palaces, villas, and the bridges that connect both sides of the city. Transfer to the hotel. Overnight stay.

Note: The order of the Istanbul excursions can be reversed, depending on operational conditions, such as the number of participants, weather, traffic, or closures of monuments.

Breakfast. Free day. Option to take the optional "JEWELS OF CONSTANTINOPLE" excursion (includes lunch at a traditional restaurant). Departure at approximately 8:00 a.m. (time to be confirmed by the guide) for a tour of the city's historic center, where you can observe the variety of vestiges of the different empires that shaped modern-day Istanbul. Visit the Roman Hippodrome, the center of Constantinople's social life for thousands of years, where you can also see the Obelisk of Theodosius, the Obelisk of Constantine, and the German Fountain. Visit the Blue Mosque, with its more than 20,000 handmade ceramic tiles imported from Iznik. Enjoy a panoramic view of Hagia Sophia, built in 537 as an architectural marvel that has served as a church, mosque, and museum. From the outside, the structure impresses with its enormous dome, an astonishing technical achievement for its time and still one of the largest domes in the world. We continue to the majestic Topkapi Palace, home to the Ottoman sultans for over 400 years. We'll visit the beautiful royal gardens, the kitchens, and the royal treasury rooms. Discover the mysterious Harem, where the sultan's wives and children lived, famous for its luxurious decor.

We continue to the Aya Irini Church, a Byzantine church that was not converted into a mosque, and conclude our tour at the Grand Bazaar, one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, where haggling is a tradition. Return to the hotel. Overnight stay.

Note: For admission to the Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace, please inquire about the supplement.

Lunchbox breakfast and early departure (approximately 6:00 a.m. - time to be confirmed by the guide) to Ankara for a panoramic tour of Turkey's capital and the Mausoleum of Atatürk, the founder of the Republic. En route to Cappadocia, you will admire the Salt Lake, where you will make a photo stop at this spectacular site. Then, a visit to a caravanserai, a Silk Road lodging establishment. Dinner at the hotel. Overnight stay.

Breakfast. Departure at approximately 8:00 a.m. to visit this wonderful region with its fascinating and unique landscape formed by volcanic lava over 3 million years ago. Starting at the Göreme Open-Air Museum, a monastery with chapels carved into volcanic rocks and decorated with 13th-century frescoes, we continue to the region's stunning valleys with their otherworldly landscapes, where you can appreciate views of the symbolism of the region's geological formations, the famous "Fairy Chimneys." We will stop to enjoy the incredible and expansive panoramic view of some of the famous valleys of volcanic rocks with spectacular shapes. We will continue to the city of impressive engineering structures built by ancient local communities to protect themselves from attacks throughout history. At the end of the tour, we will visit a carpet center to learn about the artisanal production of these truly treasured pieces, and a gemstone center for jewelry with exclusive designs from the region. Return to the hotel, dinner, and overnight stay.

Optional programs in Cappadocia include: “TURKISH NIGHT”—a folk dance performance in a traditional cave with local drinks; “JEEP SAFARI”—an adventure through the region's mystical valleys with stops for the best photos; and “BALOON RIDE”—an early morning experience of one of the most beautiful landscapes on Earth.

Breakfast. Departure to the airport for your return flight to Istanbul (flight not included - see mandatory supplements; transfers are included for a single group trip). Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Overnight stay.

Breakfast. Transfer to the airport (IST) and return flight.