Itinerary

DAY 1 ISTANBUL

Arrive in Istanbul and transfer to the hotel. In the afternoon we stroll along the streets of this glamorous city. After a glimpse of the old city, we get back to our hotel for a welcome cocktail and then go to a traditional spot for our welcome dinner.

DAY 2 ISTANBUL

In the morning, we start to visit the glorious highlights of Constantinople. We visit Topkapi Palace, and then walk to the other splendid relics such as 400-year-old Sultanahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque), and 2000-year-old Roman Hippodrome and the Underground Cistern. and visit the Hagia Sophia Church, miraculously built in the first half of the 6th century, by Emperor Justinianus.

Sites visited: Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque, Underground Cistern, and Roman Hippodrome and Haghia Sophia.

DAY 3 ISTANBUL

We take the traditonal boat up the Bosphorus toward the Black Sea. Our boat meanders between the Asian and the European shores of the Bosphorus, giving us the opportunity to have a glimpse at historic palaces, mosques, castles, famous wooden waterfront homes (yali). We have a stop on the north end for a sea food lunch.

Extracurricular activities: Boat trip.

DAY 4 CAPPADOCCIA

A short morning flight and a short drive take us to Cappadoccia. Cappadoccia is a wonder with fairy geological formations, more than 1000 early Christian rock carved churches with frescoes, lots of local product and craftsmanship such as onyx carving, carpet making and winery. We have two full days in this magical part of the world to explore. We start our tour at Uchisar Castle, a natural rock formation that has served Cappadoccians as residence and a defensive point. Then we visit the Goreme open-air museum, which has the finest examples of Christian rock carved churches with frescoes.

Sites visited: Uchisar Castle, Goreme Open air Museum

DAY 5 CAPPADOCCIA

After two great hikes through rock dwellings and hidden churches of the unearthly valleys, we visit the old Cavusin village, where we will taste the local specialties at a picnic lunch under a walnut tree. In the afternoon, we visit a local carpet-weaving coop to have a lecture and a demonstration on this very proud art of Turks. Turks claim to invent the knotted carpets on the Central Asian steppes, to have comfortable mattresses in their nomadic tents. Earliest sample of a knotted rug is found in a glacier in Turkistan and kept in a museum in Russia. Before we return to our hotel we may stop a local winery to test their products, which they generously offer to us.

Extracurricular activities: Carpet lecture and demonstration, wine test

Sites visited: Cavusin village

DAY 6 CAPPADOCCIA

In the morning, we visit one of the most impressive underground cities, Derinkuyu. The desperate people of Cappadoccia have dug the earth in order to create underground settlements since the pre historic ages. Derinkuyu is one of the best samples for many troglodyte settlements, 150 feet under the ground. Then we visit Sinassos village and walk to explore unusual rock formations, and rock-cut dwellings, hidden vineyards, orchards and tiny farmlands, which are embroidered into tuff rocks, characteristic to the region. Then we have an authentic lunch at a 250 years old Greek house. Finally we visit world-famous master potter's workshop, Chez Galip. Galip is a remarkable member of the ancient way of using the potter’s wheel, which, according to the scholar was invented in Anatolia in the early Bronze Age. After dinner, anyone can join for a Turkish folk dance show in a cave restaurant.

Extracurricular activities: Visiting the workshop of Potter Galip, Turkish Folk Dance show in a cave restaurant

Sites visited: Derinkuyu underground city, Sinassos village and hidden churches

DAY 7 End of trip

Transfer to the airport. End of services

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