- Day 1 -
- - ( Click on the underlined words to see the picture of the
sites
13:00 p.m Departure from Istanbul main bus terminal, 19:00 p.m
arrival in Safranbolu, meet our represantative at the terminal
& transfer to your hotel, check in, Overnight stay
- Day 2
Breakfast - - - Free day for you to discover Safranbolu
( From the 13th century to the advent of the railway in the early
20th century,
Safranbolu was an important
caravan station on the main East–West trade route. The Old
Mosque, Old Bath and Süleyman Pasha Medrese were built in
1322. During its apogee in the 17th century, Safranbolu's architecture
influenced urban development throughout much of the Ottoman Empire.
- - Overnight stay in Safranbolu
- Day 3
Morning departure from Safranbolu to Ankara ( 3 to 4 hours drive
) Arrival in Ankara, check in the hotel, Overnight stay
- Day 4
Today you can discover, Anatolian Civilization Museums and the
Moselum of Ataturk,
16:00 Departure from Ankara, 20:00 p.m Arrival in Urgup Cappadocia,
Transfer to your hotel, Overnight stay in Urgup Cappadocia
- 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 provided - <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,
After the tour we will transfer you to the Kayseri airport and
will put you on a 1 hour flight back to Istanbul, after your arrival
then we will transfer you to your hotel in Sultanahmet or Taksim
Area
