Day 1: Arrive Istanbul
Welcome to Turkey. Arrival at Istanbul International Ataturk Airport. Meet, assist and transfer to hotel. Its 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.
We will enjoy a panoramic bus drive showing the various highlights of this cosmopolitan city such as the Byzantine Walls of Constantinople, the Sea of Marmara and Bosphorus shorelines. Overnight stay in Istanbul
Day 2: Full Day Istanbul Tour (B)
09.00 a.m. After breakfast pick up from hotel and our journey begins in Istanbul, the only city in the world situated on two continents. Byzantium, Constantinople, Istanbul – its three names span more than 2600 years, nearly 1600 of them as the capital of two of the greatest empires the world has known, Byzantine and Ottoman. We visit the Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque and Hippodrome, where chariot races and the Byzantine riots took place. Visit the Grand Bazaar for shopping (Egyptian Spice Bazaar will be visited instead of Grand Bazaar on Sundays) . Overnight in Istanbul.
Day 3: Istanbul to Cappadocia by flight – Cappadocia Tour (B, D)
Early morning pick up from hotel and transfer to Istanbul airport for flight to Cappadocia . Arrival to Cappadocia. Our Tour guide will meet you at the airport and start for Cappadocia tour. First meeting with Cappadocia, visiting Three Sisters Fairy Chimneys in Urgup which are the most popular and seen on advertisements… That’s why people carved some pigeon houses to keep them in certain places. You will see that the houses for the pigeons are like the houses for the people. Then we descend into the center of the earth in the Kaymakli UndergroundCity one of the largest and the deepest of 200 others in Cappadocia. After the tour program transfer to your hotel
Day 4: Full Day Cappadocia Tour (B, D)
Optional Hot Air Balloon Experience.
In the morning, first meeting with the lunar landscape of Cappadocia: rock formations beyond belief in Devrent valley; a journey in the past with its troglodyte houses, visit to Pasabag “fairy chimneys” where the voice of wind mixes with the “songs of fairies” near Zelve. Lunch break in Avanos, center of terra cotta work of art since 3000 BC and a demonstration in a traditional pottery workshop. Afternoon, visit the famous Goreme Open Air Museumand see the best examples of Byzantine art in Cappadocia in rock-cut churches with frescoes and paintings (10th to 13th century). Continue to Uchisar Rock-Castle to have a panoramic view of the valleys of Cappadocia. After the tour program transfer to your hotel. Stay overnight in Cappadocia.
Day 5 : Cappadocia – Konya – Pamukkale (B, D)
Early departure for Pamukkale. On the way visit to the 13th century Seljukian masterpiece Sultanhan Caravanserai and arrival in Konya. After visiting the Mausoleum of Mevlana, the world-wide famous mystic, Drive to Pamukkale and overnight in a Thermal Hotel in Pamukkale. Swim in thermal pools till 22.30
Day 6 : Pamukkale – Kusadasi (B, D)
In the morning visit the famous white travertine cascades and the ancient Hierapolis with the Theatre, ApolloTemple and magnificent Necropolis, the graveyard. Then drive to Kusadasi and overnight.
Day 7 : Kusadasi – Ephesus (B, D)
First visit the Artemis Temple where is one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World. Continue to Ephesus, Walk through history along marble streets lined with wonderful public buildings, among them The State Agora, Odeon, Memnius Monument, the Temple of Domitian, , Polio Fountain, Curetes Street, The Trajan Fountain, The Baths of Scholastica, Hadrian Temple, Latrina, Celcus Library, the gate of Mihridates and Mazues, Commercial Agora and The Grand Theater are two of the most impressive buildings in Ephesus. Grand theatre was built in 3rd century B.C and it was later expanded to 24.000 spectators by the Romans in the 1st century A.D.After Ephesus, Visit House of Virgin Mary. This house is located on the Aladag Mountains 5 miles from Ephesus. At the third Ecumenical Council of 431 in Ephesus, it was claimed that Mary came to Ephesus with St. John in 37 A.D. and lived there until her death in 48 A.D. After the discovery of the house, the Archbishop of Izmir declared it a place of pilgrimage in 1892. On July 26, 1967, Pope Paul VI visited this place and prayed here. After Ephesus tour return to hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 8: Pergamum - Troy - Canakkale (B, D)
After breakfast we will drive to Pergamum, the ancient city of learning, arts and medicine. Tour ancient Asclepion and continue to Troy, Homer’s legendary city in Iliad and Odyssey. We will see Troy's legendary walls and replica of the famous wooden horse used during the Trojan War. Overnight: Canakkale
Day 9: Gallipoli - Dardanelles - Istanbul (B)
Today we will visit Gallipoli, the World War I battlefields, Anzac Cove, Chunuk Bair and Lone pine Cemetery. Then we will take the ferry across the Dardanelles Strait to Istanbul for overnight.
Overnight: Istanbul
Day 10: Istanbul – Departure (B)
Transfer to airport for flight back home.
End of Services
Includes
- Accommodation in superior and upgrade hotels
- 9 buffet breakfasts (B), , 6 dinners (D)
- Arrival and departure airport transfers (on the first and last day of the tour)
- Sightseeing per itinerary in modern air-conditioned motor coach
- English speaking professional guides
- Entrance fees per itinerary
- Istanbul - Cappadocia domestic flight ticket
- local taxes and service charges
Excludes
Any airfare unless specified above, departure & airport taxes and fees, passport and visa services & fees,
beverages with meals,meals other than mentioned above, tips to drivers, guides and escorts, any tour
or transportation services on days stated as free days, personal expenses such as laundry, telephone,
taxi, excess baggage etc., travel insurance and optional tours.
GROUP BOOKING DISCOUNTS
Please ask for special group discount if you are a group more than 8 people.
We kindly request our guests to be ready 5 minutes before departure time
Tour Reservation Policy:
A 30% deposit is required on the total tour price to reserve the tour and obtain tour confirmation. The remaining balance on the total tour price can be paid in cash upon arrival in İstanbul. A credit card may also be used to pay the remaining balance. However, an additional bank processing fee of 4% on the remaining balance will have to be paid by the clients. If applicable, domestic flight / bus tickets will only be purchased after a deposit has been made on the total tour amount.
Cancellation / Refund Policy:
If tour cancellation is within 10 days of the start of the tour, a refund will be made of the total paid amount minus the cost of domestic flight and / or bus tickets and the cost of first night hotel stay. Once deposit payment form has been signed by clients and received by ISTANBUL EXPRESS TRAVEL, domestic flight and /or bus tickets and cost of first night hotel stay will NOT BE REFUNDED.
If cancelled within 48 hours of start of any tour, NO REFUNDS will be made to clients by ISTANBUL EXPRESS TRAVEL
Please take note of the following:
* ISTANBUL EXPRESS TRAVEL is a fully licensed legal tour operator under TURSAB (the Turkish Tour Operator Authority) with TURSAB License No. A-3818
* We aim to respond to all requests within 12 hours
IMPORTANT INFO:
• This is a regular group tour, but if requested at cost can be provided as a private tour
• The regular group tour has shopping stops included in the tour
• Vegetarian lunch option available upon request
• You can swim in the Antique pool in Pamukkale. However, please note that there is an extra charge that you will have to pay directly at your own expense before entry to the pools. This entrance fees to the pools is not covered as part of your tour. as Please note that you must bring your own towel, swimsuit etc. if you need to use the pools.
• The hot air balloon ride operates in optimum weather conditions. The decision for the flight to take off on any given day is decided by the local government at the last minute depending on weather conditions to ensure passenger safety. If your paid and scheduled hot air balloon ride gets cancelled by the tour company at the last minute for weather conditions, we will provide you with a refund of USD 219.00 for the hot air balloon ride if you have it booked with us.
WHEN TO BOOK?
• Book as soon as possible to guarantee availability, especially during public holidays and festivities.
• You can book up to 2 days before (Istanbul local time) if there are still places available. If less than 2 days before start of your requested tour date, please contact us by email or phone as it would be a last minute booking that will need to be checked for availability before your tour reservation is confirmed.
