The Taste of Turkey
Istanbul – Arrival Day
Meet at the airport and 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.
There are two airports in Istanbul. Istanbul Ataturk airport is 20 km away from city center and Sabiha Gokcen airport is 55 km away from city center. Transfer from Ataturk airport to your hotel is included, if you arrive to Sabiha Gokcen airport please contact us for transfer rates.
Istanbul City Tour
Pick up at 08:30am from your hotel for the a day tour of old Istanbul city.
Visit to ST. SOPHIA This ancient basilica, built by Constantine the Great in the 4th century and reconstructed by Justinian in the 6th century, is one of the architectural marvels of all time. TOPKAPI PALACE The great palace of the Ottoman sultans from the 15th to the 19th centuries housing an exquisite collection of cyrstal, silver, and Chinese porcelain, robes worn by the sultans and their families, the famous jewels of the Imperial Treasury, miniatures, the Holy Mantle; enshrining relics of the Prophet Mohammed. 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. HIPPODROME Ancient Hippodrome, the scene of chariot races, with the three monuments; the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column and the Column of Constantine. Lunch break at 13:00pm after the lunch Murtis Tour will then take you to the GRAND COVERED BAZAAR In this labyrinth of streets and passages are more then 4, 000 shops with each trade having its own area: the goldsmiths street, the carpet sellers, Turkish arts and crafts, such as handpainted ceramic plates, hand – honed copperware, brassware and trays, water ewers, onyx – ware and meerschaum pipes. After the tour, transfer back to your hotel. Overnight in Istanbul.
Please Note: Hagia Sophia is open on every day, Topkapi Palace closed on tuesdays, Grand Bazaar closed on sundays. If your tour is on one of these days we would offer you to visit Underground Cistern instead of Topkapi palace museum, instead of Grand Baazar you will visit Spice Bazaar.
Istanbul Bosphorus Cruise and Istanbul to Cappadocia
After breakfast depart for Bosphorus Cruise tour. Enjoy a magical Istanbul Bosphorus Boat Cruise and Spice Market Tour starting at 08:30. Enjoy the array of sites you can see from the boat including: SPICE BAZAAR (Egyptian 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 Ataturk airport for domestic flight to Cappadocia. Transfer from airport and check in to your hotel in Cappadocia. Overnight in Cappadocia.
Cappadocia Tour
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. Overnight in Cappadocia.
If you do not have Capadocia pass, you can stay at the hotel or you can also buy one of our optional daily tours, wich are more than 15 different options.
Cappadocia to Istanbul – End of Tour
After breakfast you will have free time shopping in Cappadocia. Today we depart for Kayseri 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 TravelStall Turkey.
- Arrival airport transfer from Ataturk airport
- Arrival airport transfer to Kayseri / Nevsehir airport
- Domestic flight from Istanbul to Cappadocia
- Domestic flight from Cappadocia to Istanbul
- 2 nights hotel in Istanbul
- 2 nights hotel in Cappadocia
- 4 open buffet breakfasts
- 1 local lunch during tour
- 2 local dinners at hotel
- Guided Istanbul city tour
- Guided Istanbul Bosphorus Cruise
- Guided Cappadocia tour
- All entrance fees mentioned in the itinerary
- Transportation in a fully air-conditioned, non-smoking coach
- Professional English-speaking tour guides
- Return airport transfer