Explore the Best of Turkey from Istanbul in 10-Days
Highlights
Istanbul, Gallipoli (Battlefield), Troy, Pergamon, Pamukkale, Antalya, Cappadocia
Locations Covered
Istanbul, Gallipoli (Battlefield), Troy, Pergamon, Pamukkale, Antalya, Cappadocia
winetour, cultural, historical
Group Tour
10 Days
Medium
English
Description
Embark on this fun-filled holiday and explore Turkey's rich history and culture by visiting its famous sites. Visit the Sultanahmet Mosque and Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, the battlefields of Gallipoli, and see the symbol of Cappadocia- the Three Beauties and the Goreme Open Air Museum. Stroll through the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul, marvel at the site of Duden Waterfalls, and participate in an exciting wine-making workshop in Sirince.
Itinerary
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Day 1- Arrive in Istanbul
- Meet the tour guide at the airport, who will pick you up and transfer you to the hotel in Istanbul.
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Day 2- Explore the City of Istanbul
- Depart at 9:00 a.m. for the city tour.
- See the Ancient Hippodrome, the scene of chariot races, with the three monuments; the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column and the Column of Constantine.
- Visit the magnificent Topkapi Palace, the great palace of the Ottoman Sultans from the 15th to the 19th centuries, housing 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, the Holy Mantle and the enshrining relics of the Prophet Mohammed.
- Proceed to Sultanahmet Mosque across from St.Sophia, built in the 16th century by the architect Mehmet. It is known as the Blue Mosque because of its magnificent interior decoration of blue Iznik tiles. Stop for a lunch break.
- Head to the Grand Bazaar, a unique atmosphere with reasonable prices for your shopping on exotic spices and herbs, Turkish Baklava, Turkish delights, small souvenirs such as ceramic handicrafts, Evil Eyes totems, soaps and many other goods in souvenir shops.
(Please Note: Hagia Sophia is closed on Mondays, and Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays. Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays.)
(Meals: Breakfast and Dinner)
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Day 3- See the Highlights of Gallipoli
- Depart for Gallipoli at 6 or 6:30 a.m. to visit the battlefields. We will give you 20 minutes to relax in a restaurant area two hours later.
- Arrive in Gallipoli around 12:00 a.m. and we have a lunch break. Relax a little bit and then depart for the battlefields.
- Visit Gabatepe Museum. Start visiting the fields with Ariburnu Cemetery and Anzac Cove because these are the places where the war started. Then, Beach Cemetery, Shrapnel Valley and Plugges Plateau.
- Drive back to your hotel.
Dinner and overnight in Canakkale.
(Meals: Breakfast and Dinner)
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Day 4- Visit Troy and Pergamon
- Depart at 8:30 a.m. and drive for 30 minutes to Troy.
- Visit the famous archaeological and mythological site of Troy, home of the Trojan Horse and Helen of Troy. After the Troy tour, 3-hour drive to Pergamon. Stop for a lunch break around 13:00.
- Proceed for a tour of the magnificent acropolis of Pergamon. Its impressive temples and library made it a renowned cultural and political centre at that time. Pergamon is a famous city for its jewellery, stones and silver. So on the way, we will visit a jewellery center for 30 minutes.
- Arrive in Kusadasi around 18:00.
Dinner and overnight in Kusadasi.
(Meals: Breakfast and Dinner)
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Day 5- Learn the Art of Turkish Wine Making in Sirince
- Depart from the hotel for the tour of Ephesus, one of the best preserved ancient sites in the world.
- Visit the Temple of Artemis, Curetes street, famous Roman baths, Celsus Library and Grand theatre on the way. Stop for a lunch break around 13:00.
- Head to the place which continues to perform one of the oldest arts of Turkey; a carpet weaving centre in Sirince Village. Sirince’s construction style today belongs to Anatolian Greeks. The houses on the slope are all original with their white paint. Sirince Village also has a fantastic reputation for making some of the best wines in Turkey - especially fruit wines.
- See the vineyards and it is time to learn how to make fruit wine with Turkish wine makers. In the evening, you will be tested about your knowledge of making fruit wine. On the way we will visit one of the famous leather production centres of the region, where you will have the opportunity to get a good factory rate. On this guided tour, you will avoid the constant nagging and sometimes bullying that is well known in the markets of Turkey. Enabling you to enjoy the shopping experience whilst gaining the knowledge of the ancient craftsmen.
Dinner and overnight in Kusadasi.
(Meals: Breakfast and Dinner)
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Day 6- Depart for Pamukkale
- Depart for Pamukkale. We will check in at the hotel around 12.00.
- Have a lunch break until 13.30. Afterwards, we will visit the calcium terraces of Pamukkale (cotton castle) and the ruins of Hierapolis, then walk around this natural phenomenon and have the option of lying in the waters of the natural springs.
Dinner and overnight in Pamukkale.
(Meals: Breakfast and Dinner)
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Day 7- Marvel at the Beautiful Sites of Antalya
- Have breakfast and head out to discover the old city (Kaleici), a small historic part of Antalya’s modern city. In history, it was once the sprawling modern Roman town, then the Byzantine, then Seljuks, and finally the Ottoman Turkish town. The Hadrian's Gate (or Hadrianus Gate or The Three Gates) is a triumphal arch built in the name of the Roman Emperor Hadrian. Antalya's broken wonder is the Broken Minaret of the Korkut Mosque, which was built originally as a Roman temple in the 2nd century AD, and, thus, did not have a minaret at all. Hidirlik Tower is a landmark tower of tawny stone in Antalya, Turkey, where Kaleici meets Karaalioglu Park. It is believed to be built in the Hellenistic era on a square plan and later turned into a circular tower in the 2nd century AD and was either used as a fortification or a lighthouse in the past.
- Stop for lunch and depart for Duden Waterfalls. All the streams of the region aim at finding their way into the Mediterranean, and they pour down the slopes of the Taurus, sometimes overland, sometimes underground, reaching their destination, resulting in lovely waterfalls, of which there are more than twenty.
- Return to the hotel.
Overnight in Antalya.
(Meals: Breakfast)
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Day 8- Hike to the Red Valley
- Have breakfast and check out from the hotel, and drive to the airport for Kayseri flight. Transfer from Kayseri airport to the region.
- Visit the Fairy Chimneys in Urgup. Meet the most famous family of fairy chimneys; Three beauties. These are the official symbol of both Urgup and Cappadocia.
- Start the hiking tour (around 4 km) in Red Valley, one of the most attractive valleys of Cappadocia.
- Go to Cavusin, one of the earliest inhabited and latest abandoned monastics settlements of Cappadocia; drive to Ozkonak Underground City.
Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.
(Meals: Breakfast and Dinner)
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Day 9- Witness the Famous Spots of Cappadocia
- Start at 9:30 a.m. and see the lunar landscape of Cappadocia: rock formations beyond belief in Devrent Valley.
- Visit Pasabag's “fairy chimneys”, where the voice of wind mixes with the “songs of fairies” near Zelve. Have lunch in Avanos, the center of terra cotta work of art since 3000 BC.
- Witness a demonstration in a traditional pottery workshop.
- Head to the famous Goreme Open Air Museum in the afternoon, and see the best examples of Byzantine art in Cappadocia in rock-cut churches with frescoes and paintings (10th to 13th century).
- Continue to panoramic view point Esentepe. With a spectacular view over Goreme, see the complete view of Goreme valley and Goreme village: fairy chimneys, rock formations and cave houses.
- End your day with Uchisar Castle. This tall rock is the highest point in the Goreme region.
Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.
(Meals: Breakfast and Dinner)
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Day 10- Departure
- Transfer to Kayseri airport for your flight home (depending on the time of the flight).
What's Included
What's Excluded
Know Before You Go
What To Bring
Meeting Point
Cancellation Policy
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For cancellations within 24 hours before the tour -
Refund of 50% of the tour price.
Price
Adult | |
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1 to 10 | /person |
11 to 20 | /person |
Child | |
1 to 10 | /person |
This is a group tour |