CLASSICS OF TURKEY WITH GREEK CHIOS ISLAND
per person
10 DAYS / 9 NIGHTS 4 and 5 * HOTELS
ISTANBUL – CAPPADOCIA – PAMUKKALE – KUSADASI (OR IZMIR) – CHIOS – BURSA – ISTANBUL
TOUR TYPE: CULTURAL
Even though the main part of this tour is in Turkey you will have one free day to pass to legendary Greek Island Chios to admire its traditional mastic village, intact medieval architecture and pristine beaches. A great value for money.
PROGRAM
Day 1: Arrival to Istanbul
Day 2: Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, Grand Bazaar (B,L)
Day 3: Free day. Suggested optional tour: ‘Bosphorus, Beylerbeyi Palace, lunch, bazaars of Asian and European sides of Istanbul’. (B)
Day 4: Istanbul – Ankara – Cappadocia (B,D)
Day 5: Goreme open air museum, Pasabag valley,jewellery shop, carpet manufactory, Uchisar castle,underground city (B,D)
Day 6: Cappadocia – Pamukkale and Hierapolis (B,D)
Day 7: Ephesus, leather shop, House of Virgin Mary, textile shop, Kusadasi (or Izmir) (B,D)
Day 8: Free day. Optional Chios Island Tour (B,D)
Day 9: Bursa –Green Mosque, Green Mausoleum, Silk Bazaar, Istanbul (B)
Day 10: Return day (B)
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IncludedCLASSICS OF TURKEY WITH GREEK CHIOS ISLAND
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Day 1: Arrival to Istanbul
Our team will meet you at Istanbul Airport. Transfer to your hotel and check-in, overnight at the hotel.
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Day 2: Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, Grand Bazaar
After the breakfast you will start your journey with a discovery of Istanbul's historical heart. You will first visit the Topkapı Palace, the court and the residence of Ottoman Sultans and home to the imperial treasury, then visit the Hagia Sophia ‘The Church of Holy Wisdom’, the marvelous basilica built in the 6th century, as the masterpiece of Byzantine architecture. It was the largest church in the world for 1000 years; and its interiors are decorated with stunning golden mosaics. After the lunch you will visit the Blue Mosque, with six elegant minarets and a striking indoor with blue Iznik tiles with intricate patterns. You will then take a
take a stroll through the ancient Hippodrome, significant for being the center for sports and
entertainment in the old Constantinople as well as very important political spot. To finish the day you will visit and have free time in the Grand Bazaar, the largest and most attractive covered bazaar in the world. Overnight at your 5* hotel in Istanbul. (B, L)
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Day 3: Free day. Suggested optional tour: ‘Bosphorus, Beylerbeyi Palace, lunch, bazaars of Asian and European sides of Istanbul’. Flight from Istanbul to Cappadocia
Today we will do a Bosphorus tour with an Ottoman Palace and some bazaars in the Asian and European side of Istanbul. First, we will get on a typical boat on Bosphorus, will just relax and let the beauty of forests, palaces, mosques, picturesque Bosphorus villages, Ottoman summer mansions, fortresses carry you away, then you will visit the Beylerbeyi Palace on the Bosphorus. Sumptuous imperial residence with its Bohemian crystal chandeliers, Sèvres and Chinese vases, and magnolia-filled gardens, Beylerbeyi served as a summer palace and guest quarters for visiting dignitaries such French Empress Eugénie, Shah of Iran and the King of Montenegro. After lunch in a typical Asian restaurant, continue to Kadıköy, the cultural center of the Asian side of Istanbul, a vibrant and cosmopolitan district full of cafes, restaurants, patisseries, independent boutiques. Then they will go to the European side to have free time in the Spice Bazaar an exotic and historical market where you can taste dreid fruits, caviar, Turkish delights and so on. Overnight in Istanbul (B, L, D)
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Day 4: Istanbul – Ankara- Cappadocia
Drive to Ankara and visit the Mausoleum of Ataturk, the burial place of the national hero who founded modern Republic of Turkey. After the lunch, drive along the famous Salt Lake to Cappadocia. Dinner and overnight at the hotel. (B,D)
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Day 5: Goreme open air museum, Pasabag valley, jewellery shop, carpet manufactory, Uchisar castle, underground city
Today, in this very special land, early in the morning, you will have a choice to join an optional early morning ballooning tour to witness the beauty of Cappadocia from the sky. This is arguably the best ballooning tour in the world.
Our regular program commence by the visit of the the Göreme Valley which is home to magnificent rock-hewn churches decorated with Byzantine frescoes (The Apple Church, The Serpent Church, The St. Barbara Church, The St. Basil Church...), then we visit a jewelry shop to appreciate Armenians magnificent handmade pieces made since centuries for Ottoman Palaces. Then we will stop at Pasabag Valley (Valley of Monks – where monks used to live in seclusion) and in Uchisar castle that provides some of the most dramatic panoramas of the astonishing Cappadocia.After then we visit a Cappadocian carpet manufactory to appreciate best examples of Turkish carpets, our last visit will be an underground city in which we will enter inside narrow tunnels to see these mysterious rock formation built by local people centuries ago. Dinner and overnight at the hotel. (B, D)
Tonight we have an amazing optional tour of Turkish folk dances. Live music performed by traditional custom band in a Cappadocian cave . Dances from different regions of Turkey, unlimited soft and alcoholic drinks with appetizers. A Turkish classic.
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Day 6: Cappadocia, Pamukkale and Hierapolis
Today we drive to the west and in the afternoon, we visit the famous Pamukkale, popularly known as the ‘Cotton Castle’, the dazzling formation of white calcium cascades formed by mineral springs and the ruins of Roman health spa of Hierapolis. Dinner and overnight at a SPA hotel in Pamukkale. Overnight at the hotel. (B, D)
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Day 7: Ephesus, leather shop, House of Virgin Mary, textile shop
Today we will drive to Cesme to pass to Greece by ferry and discover the famous Greek Island Chios. At our arrival to Chios island first we drive to Mesta. One of the traditional intact villages from Byzantine period surrounded by olive groves and mastic trees, Mesta has undamaged medieval architecture with narrow streets. Then we will drive to Pyrgi, picturesque medieval village called known as painted village with the unique facade of stone houses with geometric shapes. Then we’ll continue to Mastic Museum that presents the techniques of gum tree cultivation, the ind industrialization of the mastic gum and the evolution of its commercial exploitation through time. After then we will stop at Mavra Volia (Black Stones) beach, near Emporios Port. Wonderful seaside created from the now inactive Psaronas volcano lava. Free time then we return from Chios to Cesme - Turkey and drive back to our hotel in Kusadasi (or in Izmir). Overnight at the hotel. (B,D)
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Day 8: Turkey - Greece, optional Chios Island Tour
Today we will drive to Cesme to pass to Greece by ferry and discover the famous Greek Island Chios. At our arrival to Chios island first we drive to Mesta. One of the traditional intact villages from Byzantine period surrounded by olive groves and mastic trees, Mesta has undamaged medieval architecture with narrow streets. Then we will drive to Pyrgi, picturesque medieval village called known as painted village with the unique facade of stone houses with geometric shapes. Then we’ll continue to Mastic Museum that presents the techniques of gum tree cultivation, the ind industrialization of the mastic gum and the evolution of its commercial exploitation through time. After then we will stop at Mavra Volia (Black Stones) beach, near Emporios Port. Wonderful seaside created from the now inactive Psaronas volcano lava. Free time then we return from Chios to Cesme - Turkey and drive back to our hotel in Kusadasi (or in Izmir). Overnight at the hotel. (B,D)
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Day 9: Bursa – Green Mosque, Green Mausoleum, Silk Bazaar, Istanbul
Today we will leave Kusadasi early in the morning and drive to Istanbul via Bursa. In this old Turkish imperial capital, we will visit the famous Green Tomb, mausoleum where Ottoman Sultan Mehmet I is buried and Green Mosque, one of the famous architectural examples of the Ottoman Empire. Free time in the Silk Bazaar and we'll drive to Istanbul. Overnight at the hotel. (B)
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Day 10: Return day
Transfer to Istanbul International Airport for your return flight home (B)
TOUR LOCATION
SERVICES INCLUDED
- ALL TRANSFERS WITH AIR CONDITIONED PRIVATE VEHICLES
- 9 NIGHTS IN 4*AND 5 * HOTELS (3 NIGHTS IN ISTANBUL, 2 NIGHTS IN CAPPADOCIA, 1 NIGHT IN PAMUKKALE, 2 NIGHTS IN KUSADASI (OR IZMIR) AND 1 NIGHT IN ISTANBUL.
- BEST ENGLISH SPEAKING PROFESSIONAL GUIDE
- TRANSPORTATION BY MODERN AIR-CONDITIONED VEHICLE
- VAT
- ALL MEALS AS MENTIONED (9 BREAKFASTS- 1 LUNCH - 5 DINNERS)
- ALL ENTRANCES AS MENTIONED
- PRIVATE EXPENSES
- DRINKS AT HOTELS & RESTAURANTS
- ANY INTERNATIONAL AIRPLANE TICKET
- OPTIONAL TOURS
- TIPS TO GUIDE AND DRIVER
- ANY SERVICE NOT SPECIFIED