TURKEY LAND OF RELIGIONS

Our staff will meet you at Istanbul Atatürk airport. Transfer to your hotel and check-in. Overnight at your 5* Hotel in Istanbul

You will be driven by the shores of the Golden Horn, to reach the first stop of the day: The St. Saviour in Chora, a former Byzantine church, a magnificent museum of golden mosaics and frescoes with biblical images, 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 and 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. After the lunch, you will visit the Grand Bazaar, the largest and most attractive covered bazaar in the world, then walk through the pulsating streets of Beyoğlu district from ‘Tunnel’ area to Taksim square, discovering, fish market, flower passage, catholic, Greek and Armenian churches, markets and coffeehouses. Visit of Saint Antoine Church in Istiklal street. Overnight at your 5* Hotel in Istanbul(B,D) 

 After the breakfast, transfer to the Airport for the flight to Kayseri. We’ll have free time in Ortahisar village. Ortahisar remains a quaint farming village which has a fortress- like rock rising above its center. You may visit them or simply take a seat at village’s cafes with their friendly and relaxed atmosphere and talk with local people. We will finish the day with a visit of an underground City. Lunch during the visits. Dinner and Overnight at your 5* Hotel in Cappadocia. (B,L,D) 

After the breakfast, you will have a full day for discovering the beautiful landscapes and thrilling cultural sites of the region. Cappadocia has a unique terra formation, with tuff coned and lunar landscape shaped by forces of nature over millions of years. For ages, men have dug into this soft, but firm tuff to create dwellings, homes (locals call them 'fairy chimneys', monasteries, churches and underground cities. Departure to visit 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...) After the lunch, you’ll stop at the Red Valley (Derbent) and the breathtakingly beautiful Avcilar Valley. Next, you will drive to Avanos, famous for pottery making since Hittites, and for rugs that are among the best examples of Turkish carpet making heritage. Here, you will learn about these regional crafts and see demonstrations performed by local craftsmen Last, but not least, will be the Uçhisar that provides some of the most dramatic panoramas of the astonishing Cappadocia. Dinner and Overnight at your 5* Hotel in Cappadocia. (B,L,D) 

After the breakfast at the hotel, you will depart for Konya city, the capital of the Seljuk Turks. En route visit the Sultanhani Caravanserai. After the lunch in Konya, we visit the Monastery of the Whirling Dervishes and the shrine of Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi, the founder of the order. Sufi is an exceptional poet and humanist, who preached humility, wisdom and love. His philosophy is best summarized in these verses he wrote, "Come, as you are, whoever you are". His tomb has been converted into a museum which houses relics that belonged to him and his disciples. After then you will visit theSaint Paul Church in Konya. Dinner and Overnight at your 5* Hotel in Konya. (B,L,D)

After breakfast drive to Antioch of Pisidia. Paul and Barnabas visited Antioch on their first missionary journey, going to the synagogue on the Sabbath (the Jewish day of worship), and Paul was asked to speak to the congregation. In the Bible this is Paul's first recorded sermon. Visit the Church of St. Paul, the Roman Bath, Temple of Augustus, and museum. Our next stop is Laodicea, one of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor.After the lunch 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 your 5* Hotel in Pamukkale. (B,L,D)

After the breakfast, drive to Ephesus. Visit of the ancient site of Ephesus, the holy city of Artemis, the Roman capital of Asia Minor, and one of the most attractive archaelogical sites in the world. You will see the Odeon, the Hadrian Temple, the Celcius Library, Fountain of Trajan, brothel, latrines, baths, Curetes and Marble streets and we’ll sit in the same immense theatre where St. Paul preached and roman dramas were performed. After the lunch, you will visit the House of VirginMary. Then we visit the basilica of St. John where St. John was buried, the ruins of the Temple of Artemis, which was once one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. After than, we will visit a leather shop where we will attend to fashion show and appreciate leather goods. After these visits, you will continue to Izmir, known in Turkish as ‘Beautiful Izmir’ that lies at the head of a long and narrow gulf furrowed by ships and yachts. Dinner and overnight at the hotel. Dinner and overnight at your 5* Hotel in Izmir. (B,L,D)     

Breakfast at the hotel and transfer to Izmir International Airport for your return flight home