7 Day Istanbul & Cappadocia Explorer

DAY 1
Arrival to Istanbul airport and meet for transfer on to your hotel. Rest of the day at leisure (as per your flight arrival time). Overnight in Istanbul.

DAY 2 Istanbul – Walking City Tour ( B / L )

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch
Breakfast at your hotel then at about 8:30 You will be picked up from your hotel for Full day tour of Old City. In this tour you will see:

Haghia Sophia, one the greatest masterpieces of Byzantine architecture, built as a basilica in the 6th century by Emperor Justinian. Converted into a mosque in 1453 by Conqueror Mehmet, it is now one of the world’s greatest museums. Its massive dome still dominates the skyline of Istanbul.
The Blue Mosque is one of the most prominent landmarks of the city. It takes its name from the exquisite blue Iznik tiles which decorate the interior, and it is the only imperial mosque with six minarets, built in honour of Sultan Ahmet.
Hippodrome was the centre of sporting and social events during the Byzantine Empire. The Serpentine Column, the Obelisk of Theodosius and the German Fountain are note-worthy monuments in the vicinity of the arena.
The Grand Bazaar is the oldest and largest covered market in Turkey, situated in the centre of the old city. It has 4,000 shops full of souvenirs and crafts, including carpets, leather, icons, ceramics and jewellery.
Topkapi Palace was the principal residence of the Ottoman Sultans. Now it houses a fabulous collection of crystal, silver, Chinese porcelain, jewels and costumes and showcases the imperial treasury as well as the sacred Islamic relics of Prophet Mohammed. The armory and royal Harem are particularly worth seeing. (Entry to the Harem is not included in the tour).

After tour, return to hotel with the evening then at leisure. Overnight in Istanbul.

DAY 3: Istanbul-  Bosphorus cruise & Two Continents Tour ( B / L )

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch

Breakfast then at about 08:30 You will be picked up from your hotel for Full day tour of Two Continents . In this day you will be able to see:
Spice Bazaar Spice bazaar Istanbul: heady fragrances of various herbs and spices. Shops selling fruits, vegetables, flowers, caviar and dry fish etc…
Bosphorus Boat Cruise : On the straits separating the two continents, Asia and Europe. Opportunity to take photographs of marble palaces and ancient wooden villas of Ottoman architecture, tucked in between modern residences and luxurious apartments.
Bosphorus Bridge: Unique chance to go from one continent (Asia) to another (Europe) in two minutes.
Beylerbeyi Palace : The summer residence of Ottoman Sultans with its original furniture and magnificent gardens with the harem on the Asian side.
Camlica Hill view of Istanbul: Offers a panoramic view of Istanbul and the Bosphorus from the highest point of the city.
Evening plane to Cappadocia. Overnight in Cappadocia.

DAY 4:  North Cappadocia Tour ( B / L )

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch

*Balloon Flight is Highly Recommended.

Today we visit Devrent Valley. Devrent is situated on the northern slopes of Aktepe, 1km from Pasabaglari (Monks’ Valley) and 5 km from Avanos. The ruins at Devrent are spread over three valleys, which also house several pointed fairy chimneys with large stems.
Pasabag : The best place to see three-headed mushroom pinnacles. Pasabag, the Pasha’s Vineyard, is surrounded by incredible natural rock formations; an astonishing scene.
Avanos : A center of terracotta work of art since 3000 BC, you will be invited to visit a traditional pottery workshop and maybe even given the opportunity to try the potter’s wheel yourself. The clay, which comes from the Red River passing through the town (the longest river in Turkey), gives life both to the land and to the local economy.
Goreme Open Air Museum : Goreme, an important Christian centre in the early years of the Middle Ages, was a bishopric administered by Mokissos near Aksaray in the 11th and 13th centuries. Despite the vast number of monasteries, churches and chapels in the vicinity of Göreme, there are not many inscriptions bearing dates. Bearing this in mind, these religious buildings are usually dated according to the iconography or architectural features.
Uchisar is a troglodyte town situated right in the middle of Cappadocia. It is named after the enormous piece of rock in the center of the town, which was once used as a fortress. This extraordinary rock is the highest peak of the area with the view of whole Cappadocia and Erciyes (Argeus) Mountain. After the tour, you will be transferred back to your hotel. Overnight in Cappadocia.

DAY 5:  South Cappadocia Tour ( B / L )

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch

Breakfast & check out of your  hotel.
09:30 You will be picked up from your hotel for Full day tour of South Cappadocia. In this day you will be able to see:
Kizilcukur is an isolated valley behind Urgup. It has beautiful rock formations with some remarkable hidden rock-carved churches. The most interesting part of this area is the maze of dirt tracks connecting the small villages and towns through vineyards and gardens like a labyrinth..
Cavusin: One of the oldest settlements in the area, Cavusin is situated 2km from Goreme, on the Göreme-Avanos road. The Church of St. John the Baptist offers a panoramic view of the village. This church and its paintings date back to the 5th century, which makes it the oldest church in the region. It had a large courtyard which is unusual for Cappadocia, unfortunately this has been eroded away over the years.
Hospital monastery is one of the best examples of the courtyard monasteries. It has a vestibule, a kitchen, a large tomb chamber, five rooms of varying sizes and a church. The decorations on the column capitals in the church, depicting animal heads and the sculpture of a human figure on the wall are unique in Cappadocia.
Kaymakli or Derinkuyu underground cities are the two largest and deepest of the 40 others in Cappadocia. They both have eight floors, although not all are open to the public.
View the rockhewn dovecots and stunning rock formations.
Evening flıght to Istanbul. Overnight in Istanbul

DAY 6: Istanbul –  Princes’ Islands Tour ( B / L )

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch
Departure from European side and embark the boat going to Princes’ Islands. Disembark at Büyükada which is the largest and the most famous of this chain of islands. Enjoy lunch in an excellent waterfront restaurant. After a small tour in the town centre, listening to the history of this lovely island, you’ll have free time to enjoy the beautiful island shores by renting a phaeton (horse-drawn carriage) or biycle until the departure time. As there are no cars allowed on the island, this promenade will be an unforgettable memory for you. Overnight in Istanbul

DAY 7 : Istanbul ( B ) 

Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast check out from hotel (before 12:00), transfer to Istanbul Ataturk Airport as per your flight schedule. End of tour and services. (If you would like, you can extend your trip by adding extra nights in Istanbul, please advise).