Istanbul – Ephesus – Kusadasi -Cappadocia Tour
| DEPARTURE DATE | TBA |
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EXCLUDED
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Exclusions:
Return airfare between Johannesburg and other destinations in South Africa Tourist tax not included and to be paid on the spot.
Flights, transfers, additional excursions not mentioned, passport & visa costs |
Day 1: Arrival in Istanbul
Welcome to Turkey. Arrive in Istanbul Ataturk Airport, Our representative will meet you at the airport with your name sign and private transfer to the hotel.
Overnight in Istanbul
Day 2: Full day Istanbul tour
09.00 a.m. After breakfast pick up from hotel and Our journey begins in Istanbul, the only city in the world situated on two continents. Byzantium, Constantinople, Istanbul – its three names span more than 2600 years, nearly 1600 of them as the capital of two of the greatest empires the world has known, Byzantine and Ottoman. We visit the Topkapi Palace ,Hagia Sophia, The Blue Mosque and Hippodrome, where chariot races and the Byzantine riots took place. Visit the Grand Bazaar for shopping.
Overnight in Istanbul (B)
Day 3: Another full day tour in Istanbul
08.30 a.m. After breakfast, pick up from hotel. First visit Spice Bazaar (Egyptian Bazaar): The air here is filled with the enticing aromas of cinnamon, caraway, saffron, mint, and thyme and every other conceivable herb and spice then Boat trip on the Bosphorus A traditional excursion by boat along the waterway separating Europe and Asia. The shore is lined with old wooden villas, palaces of marble, fortresses, and small fishing villages. Afternoon visit Underground cistern.
Overnight in Istanbul (B)
Day 4: Istanbul – Ephesus tour – Kusadasi
Pick up from hotel and transfer to Istanbul airport for morning flight to Izmir. Arrive in Izmir Airport. Met by you tour guide and drive to Ephesus (45 minutes’ drive) First visit the Artemission Temple where is one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World. Continue to Ephesus, walk through history along marble streets lined with wonderful public buildings, among them The State Agora, Odeon, Memnius Monument, the Temple of Domitian, , Polio Fountain, Curetes Street, The Trajan Fountain, The Baths of Scholastica, Hadrian Temple, Latrina, Celcus Library, the gate of Mihridates and Mazues, Commercial Agora and The Grand Theater are two of the most impressive buildings in Ephesus. Grand theatre was built in 3rd century B.C and it was later expanded to 24.000 spectators by the Romans in the 1st century A.D. After Ephesus, lunch will be served in the garden of a local handicrafts center. Here you can see some of the traditional carpet weaving techniques used and enjoy viewing some splendid displays of beautiful carpets. After Lunch visit House of Virgin Mary. This house is located on the Aladag Mountains 5 miles from Ephesus. At the third Ecumenical Council of 431 in Ephesus, it was claimed that Mary came to Ephesus with St. John in 37 A.D. and lived there until her death in 48 A.D. After the discovery of the house, the Archbishop of Izmir declared it a place of pilgrimage in 1892. On July 26, 1967, Pope Paul VI visited this place and prayed here.
Overnight in Kusadasi (B)
Day 5: Kusadasi – Cappadocia
Pick up from hotel and transfer to Izmir airport for flight to Cappadocia via Istanbul. Arrive in Kayseri or Nevsehir airport. Meet by your guide and transfer to your hotel. 15.00 start for Private Cappadocia tour. First meeting with Cappadocia, visiting Three Sisters Fairy Chimneys in Urgup which are the most popular and seen on advertisements. Then we head
on to Pigeons Valley, Pigeons have been always important for Cappadocian people. That’s why people carved some pigeon houses to keep them in certain places. You will see that the houses for the pigeons are like the houses for the people. Then we descend into the center of the earth in the Kaymakli Underground City one of the largest and the deepest of 200 others in Cappadocia.
Overnight in Cappadocia Cave hotel (B)
Day 6: Cappadocia tour – Istanbul
after breakfast take our second day private Cappadocia tour. Drive to Devrent Valley, take a walk through this lunar landscape where different rock formations can be seen… Seeing the best examples of the fairy chimneys at Pasabag Fairy Chimneys Valley, we drive further to Avanos Town, which is famous with tile and pottery workshops. After lunch our next stop is Goreme Open Air Museum where you will enjoy the fantastic rock churches and beautiful frescos from various centuries decorating the walls of the churches. Then we drive to the Uchisar Rock Castle, which is the highest and the most dominant point, giving us a breathtaking panorama. We end the day visiting Esentepe Windy Hill for panaromic view and taking photos. Transfer to the airport for flight back to Istanbul. Arrive in Istanbul.
Overnight in Istanbul (B)
Day 7: Flight home
After breakfast check out from the hotel and private transfer to Istanbul airport for your flight.