- Day 1
Early in the morning we will pick you from your hotel, transfer you to the domestic airport and will put you on an hour flight down to Antalya, once you arrive in Antalya our representative will be waiting at the airport with the sign of you name and you will be transferred to your hotel located in the old part part of the city, today you will have free day to discover Antalya's old part Overnight stay in Antalya -
Day 2
After breakfast we will continue on the full day tour to Perge, Aspendos, Kursunlu falls
Sites you'll see today
*Perge is a grand exhibit of what an ancient Greek and Roman city looked like. Records date it back as far as the 4th BC. It was visited by Greek colonists after the Trojan War, by St. Paul and companions when it was one of the leading cities of Pamphyilia, and fell under the leadership of Alexander the Great and also the Byzantines. During the reign of Constantine, Perge became an important centre of Christianity. Perhaps in part due to St. Paul’s sermons here centuries before. During the 5th and 6th centuries it continued it’s Christian status.
*Aspendos is most famous for its theatre that dates to 160-180 AD. If the dates are available, we will see one of the world renowned evening opera and ballet performances that is performed at this ancient theatre in the summer months. Overnight stay in Antalya.
- Day 3
After breakfast we will send you on a 4 hours bus ride up to Konya, Arrival in Konya, check in the hotel, free day & Overnight stay
- Day 4
After breakfast we will visit the Mevlana Museum which is a holy site for Muslims. It is the former lodging place for the whirling dervishes. The architecture and turquoise tiles are a beautiful site for all. Then we will visit the Karatay Medrese which houses an outstanding collection of ceramics and tiles. The eight- hundred year old building was once a Selcuk Islamic theological seminary. After visiting these sites we will take you ona 3 hour bus ride up to Cappadocia, arrival in Cappadocia check in the hotel, Overnight stay.
- Day 5 -
Sites you’ll see today
*The World Heritage Site of Goreme Open-Air Museum --This is a cluster of rock cut Byzantine churches, chapels and monasteries which include some wonderful 11th and 12th century frescoes on the cave walls. This place was used by the Christians as a place of refuge from those opposed to Christianity and also was a major monastery. Rooms, churches, houses, and gathering halls have all been cut into the rock or formed from natural caves. Within the caves you can explore and see the preserved mosaics and frescoes.
*Fairy Chimneys--These geological phenomenon have been shaped over millions of years. They were formed during volcanic eruptions in the region. Reaching at times 40 meters in height, they are conical in shape and have a "hat" top to them.
*Devrent Valley--This valley is know as "the pink valley" because of the color of it’s soil. This is a lovely place to wander around and look at the magical rock formations indicative to Cappadocia, including the Fairy Chimneys.
*Uchisar Castle--Also called a fortress, this is actually a formation of two gigantic rocks surrounded by smaller rocks that together form a natural fortress with towers. These formations were inhabited during both the Byzantine and Ottoman times. You can climb and explore the different caves and rooms throughout the fortress, experiencing first-hand what it must have been like to hide in these fortified rocks, waiting for the ancient enemy to pass by or give up.
*We will also get the chance to visit local craftspeople and learn how they make dolls and create traditional pottery.
>Breakfast/Lunch <overnight in URGUP.
- Day 6
Today will be spent walking through an underground city where ancient people once fled for their lives escaping the Arab invaders, wandering through Ilhara Gorge and spending time in an Anatolian village. As we will need to drive for awhile in order to reach our first destination, we will be starting out quite early this morning.
Sites you’ll see today
*Underground City of Derinkuyu--You will gradually stroll your way down into the depths of the earth in this ancient underground city that has 18-20 floors as deep as 40 meters below the ground. Don’t worry, you will only go down to the 8th floor. Cappadocia has around 36 underground cities. Archeologists date these back to the time of the Hittites which lived 4000 years ago. Others believe they were inhabited around the 7th century BC.....Regardless of how old or young they are, undoubtedly they will leave you with a sense of awe of how the dwellers of these cities lived. As you wind down you will begin to feel as if you are in a huge block of Swiss cheese. Everywhere you look there will be nooks and crannies carved into the rocks: holes, windows , paths, alleys, little rooms. . . it is really a maze of mass proportions. You will see ancient kitchens and stables; storage jars for oil, wine and water; rock carved tables, chairs, and beds; and deep wells for water supplies. You will be amazed at the elaborate ancient ventilation system in place. These cities were fortified and prepared for it’s inhabitants to hide out for months from attackers, especially during the Arab invasions. During Christian times the hiding worshippers even built little chapels that you can still see.
*Ihlara Gorge will seem like an oasis in the middle of the Anatolian plain. Delve into the gorge and see the beautiful greenery as you follow the river. Around you will see ancient monasteries complete with pigeon holes cut into the cliffs by the monks. They used these pigeons as messengers to communicate with their monk friends!
*Traditional Anatolian villages--The head-scarved women out at work in the fields from sun up until sun-down, and the mustached, vest-wearing men hard at work playing cards in the coffee shops. You will get time to stroll in such a village and see the average Turkish villager at work...or play.
>Breakfast/Lunch provided, Overnight stay in Cappadocia
- Day 7 -
After breakfast we will depart from your hotel, and go an all day drive down to Adiyaman, ( Arrival in Adikyaman check in the hotel, Overnight stay in Adiyaman.
- Day 8 -
03:00 a.m in the morning we will depart from the hotel and drive up to Nemrut Mountain, You will be seeing first light of the sun on the statues of the king Antiochos I the Gods, and you will have free time to explore more of the area, after that we will go back to the hotel for breakfast and relaxing, and then we will depart from Adiyaman and carry onto Sanliurfa, and we will visit
Atatürk Dam will be the first stop · Lunch in SANLIURFA · Rizvaniye Mosque · Fish lake · A cave where prophet Abraham was born in · Ayn –i Zeliha Lake · Urfa Castle · The palace of prophet Eyyüp · Historical Urfa Bazaar, Overnight stay in UrfaSanliurfa (glorious Urfa) is a city of pilgrimage, sacred to Muslims, Christians, and Jews as the birthplace of Abraham. According to Legends, Abraham fervently believed in a single god. He fought idolatry and smashed idols for the spread of monotheism.
- Day 9 -
After breakfast we will transfer you to Malatya Airport and will put you on a flight back to Istanbul after your arrival then we will transfer you to your hotel in Sultanahmet or Taksim Area
Total cost: $985 US Dollars per person in a double room & $1.255.00 US Dollars in a single room.
Price includes
* All of the hotels ( Each of them individually chosen )
* All of the land transfers with comfortable vehicles
* All of the meal mentioned in the itinerary ( B-breakfast, L-lunch & D-dinner )
* Professional English speaking tour guides
* Domestic flight tickets from Malatya to Istanbul
* All of the TAX and service charges
Excludes
* International flight tickets to Istanbul
* Drinks with meals
* Hot Air Balloon ride on Cappadocia ( 15 percent discount if booked with this tour ) |
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