10 DAYS 9 NIGHTS TURKEY TOUR

Arrive at Ataturk International Airport in Istanbul. Welcome and assist by our English speaking tour guide. Transfer to hotel for check in. Dinner and overnight at Hotel.

Following breakfast at hotel, let’s embark on our city tour. We will visit Hippodrome, Blue Mosque, and Topkapi Palace – the seat of the Ottoman Empire after it shifted its capital from Bursa to Istanbul. It is today a museum palace with a wide collection of kitchen wares and porcelains, treasuries, royal antiques, courtyards, holy relics, etc. Then drive to Bursa. Upon arrival, we will check in to the hotel. Dinner and overnight at Hotel.

After breakfast, we will visit Green Mosque, Green Tomb, Grand Mosque, and Silk Market. We will have lunch at a local restaurant before we drive to Canakkale. Upon arrival in Canakkale, we will check in to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Following breakfast, we proceed to Troy. Referred to in Homer’s “Iliad” and “Odyssey,” Troy has in fact nine cities superimposed one upon another. Troy VI pertains to the famous Trojan War of Homer where the legendary heroes included Agamemnon, Achilles, Ulysses, and Nestor on the Greek side, and Priam, Hector, and Paris on the Trojan side. Depart for Kusadasi, en route we will have lunch in Bergama before visiting Pergamon to see the Asklepion. Drive to Kusadasi. Dinner and overnight in Kusadasi.

Following breakfast, we drive to Selcuk to visit Ephesus as well as viewing one of the Seven Churches of Revelation, the Temple of Artemis (One of the Seven Wonders of Antiquity), and the Basilica of St. John from a distance, followed by lunch in the township of Selcuk. Then drive to Selcuk to visit the House of Virgin Mary on top of Mt. Coressos. After lunch, continue to Pamukkale. You will tour the Ancient City of Hierapolis, today called Pamukkale, where calcareous hot springs descending over cliffs have created fascinating travertines in the form of white terraces and basins. After a picture break, dinner and overnight.

Following an early breakfast, we will drive through an interesting landscape where peasants make their living to have lunch en route before arriving in Konya. Konya was the center of the Seljuk Empire as well as the city of Mevlana and his Whirling Dervishes. After visiting the Mevlana Museum, we will continue to Cappadocia and visit the Sultanhani Caravanserai en route. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.

Today we visit the incredible Underground City of Serhatli where early Christians lived secretly in order to survive and keep their faith. Picture stops will be given at the Valley of the Birds and at the foot of the Uchisar Castle. Afterwards, proceed to the rock-carved churches hollowed out of volcanic ash. Then visit Pigeons Valley. Lunch will be at Avanos Village followed by the famous local pottery for shopping in the afternoon. Also, time will be allocated for local souvenir shopping before returning to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Depart for Ankara, the capital of Turkey. Visit the Ataturk Mausoleum – the final resting place of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk – Father of modern Turkey. The architecture of the mausoleum is a mix of different styles that represent the various Anatolian civilizations. Then drive to Bolu for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast at the hotel, drive to Istanbul. Upon arrival, have lunch in a local restaurant. Then visit the famous Grand Bazaar. The Grand Bazaar (or Covered Bazaar, Turkish: Kapalıçarşı) in Istanbul is one of the largest covered markets in the world with more than 58 streets and 4,000 shops, and has between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily. Overnight in Istanbul.

Today, we visit Pierre Loti and have free time for taking photos and relaxing. Then visit the Mosque of Rustem Pasa, famous for its beautiful tiles. Then visit the Mosque of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and the Mosque of the Ayyob Al Ansar. Finally, transfer to the airport.