Istanbul Cappadocia culture Tour 8 days

Day 1: Arrival

Meet at the airport. Transfer to the hotel (Old City). Overnight at hotel. No meal.

Day 2: Old City Highlights 

• Blue Mosque
• Hagia Sophia
• Topkapi Palace
• Cistern Basilica

After breakfast, we will visit the Topkapı Palace, the administrative palace of the Ottoman Empire between the 15th and 19th century, that ruled three continents for centuries. In these opulent surroundings, the sultans and their court lived and governed. Then we continue to Hagia Sophia, one of the finest buildings of all time. Built by Constantine the Great and reconstructed by Justinian in the 6th century. Its immense dome rises 55 meters above the ground and its diameter spans 31 meters. We will enjoy the building’s majestic serenity and admire the fine Byzantine mosaics.

We will then visit the Sultan Ahmet Mosque which is known as the Blue Mosque because of its blue tiles that decorates the interior of the mosque. It was built by architect Mehmet between 1609 and 1616. Then we stroll around Ancient Hippodrome the scene of chariot races and the centre of Byzantine civil life, stood in the open space in front of the Blue Mosque. We will see three charming monuments. Overnight at hotel. (Diner is included)

Day 3: Ottoman Beauties  

• Suleymaniye Mosque
• Grand (Covered) Bazaar
• Eminonu and Bosphorus Tour

After breakfast we start our day by visiting the Suleymaniye Mosque, the Mosque of Suleyman the Magnificent where he and his wife, Hurrem Sultan, are buried. It was built between 1550 and 1557 by the famous architect Sinan. Erected on the crest of a hill, it is conspicuous from its great size, emphasised by four minarets rising one from each corner of the courtyard. Inside the mihrab (praying niche showing the direction to Mecca) and the mimber (pulpit) are of finely carved white marble, and there are fine stained glass windows. We then continue to the Grand Bazaar, the world’s largest covered market. This labyrinth of streets and passages has more than 4.000 shops. Grand Bazaar is still the commercial centre of the old city. Walking down to Eminonu to embark on our boat. The Bosphorus is a strait that spans 36km between Black sea and the Sea of Marmara and 700m wide at the narrowest point. At this location, on the either side of the strait, stands the two medieval castles built by the Ottomans for the conquest of the city Anadolu hisari (14th century) in Asia, and right across, the awesome Rumelihisari constructed in the 15th century. The winding strait that separates Europe and Asia. Its shores offer a delightful mixture of past and present, grand splendour and simple beauty. We will see all the wooden villas ,marble palaces and rustic stone fortresses. Overnight at hotel.

Day 4: Grandeur of Istanbul 

• Dolmabahce Palace
• Taksim Square
• Pera & Galata area
• Spice Market

After breakfast we will take the tram to Dolmabahce Palace, built in the mid – 19th century by Sultan Abdulmecit, it has an impressive 600 meters frontage on the Istanbul strait. The most important part is the vast reception salon, with 56 columns and a huge 750-bulb crystal chandelier weighing 4.5 tons. After our visit we take the funeculer to Taksim area to taste Street foods and walk the Istiklal Street to check out its historic passages. Then, leave the bustling pedestrian street behind and explore the charming atmospheres, shops, and restaurants of the Pera and Cihangir neighborhoods. On the way we will see some churches on Pera street and the Galata tower (entrance is not included). Walking down to Galata bridge in the heart of Istanbul, spanning the Golden Horn from Karaköy on the north to Old Istanbul, centered on Sultanahmet, on the south.. Crossing the bridge you look west toward Europe and east across the Bosphorus to Üsküdar and Asia. We then visit the Misir Carsısı (Spice Market) next to Yeni Mosque in Eminonu, which transports you to fantasies of the mystical East. The smell of all kinds of spices fill the air. Overnight hotel.

Day 5 : Istanbul- fly to Cappadocia -Avanos- Zelve- Kizilcukur valley- Cavusin

In the morning transfer to the airport and fly to Kayseri. Meet the group at Kayseri airport and drive to Anavos town, on the banks of the Kizilirmak river, displays attractive local architecture and is known for its handicrafts. Pottery is the most popular handicraft and  rug weaving and knotting is also making a come-back. We drive to Zelve, It was an important religious centre during the Iconoclastic Period with its monasteries and churches. Continue to Kizilcukur Sometimes known as the ‘’red hole’’ Kızılcukur is probably the hottest valley in region. Hidden in its array of fairy chimneys is The church with grapes where there are frescos depicting viniculture and fruit growing. Watching the sunset is very famous from this valley. We pass trough Cavusin village of a collapsed section of early Christian  cave city. This was caused by a huge rockslide, which together wit earthquakes and natural erosion has caused a split in the plateau. The atrium of the church at cavusin hac cascaded down, exposing some of the frescoes. Overnight at hotel.

Day 6 : Cappadocia. ;Ihlara valley – Uchisar casstle

In the morning we drive to Ihlara valley the narrow, steep-sided Ihlara valley, dotted with rock cut churches, was once the favourite retreat of Byzantine monks. This valley was formed by primeval earthquakes and the was once rushing river is now a quiet stream. As we visit the winding valley, with cliffs reaching up to 170m in some places , we see small garden cultures that originally would have provided for the colonies and made them self supporting. we drive to visit 13^th century Agzikarahan caravanserai. The caravanserais built to develop the trade on the Silk road. To stay in the caravanserai   was free for the people. It usually contains resting places, stables for the animals, etc… transfer back to Cappadocia. Uchisar village is settled around a high promoter, which is called citadel. We visit it walking to the top where we have rewarding panoramic view on all the surrealist cappadoccia area Overnight hotel.

Day 7 : Cappadocia- Kaymakli underground city- Goreme open air Museum

In the morning we drive to  visit the fascinating underground city of Kaymakli (8 floors on 57 m. underground !). all underground cities used by Christian of the seventh century, who were fleeing from persecution. They  sheltered from the iconoclastic strife of the Byzantium as well as other invasions in these safe and well- hidden complexes. Afternoon visit  Goreme  Open Air Museum, a monastic complex of rock churches and chapels covered with frescoes, is one of the best-known site in the region. Most of the chapels date from the 10^th to 13^th centuries and many of them are built on  an inscribed cross-plan with a central cupola supported by four columns.. Overnight hotel.

Day 8 : home

In the morning transfer to Kayseri airport and fly home.

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