TOUR PROGRAM

Tour

The LEGENDs of TURKEY

kntr9n01   9nights

istanbul(1) van(2) ararat ankara cappadocia(2) kusadasi(2) ephesus pamukkale istanbul(2)

TOUR HIGHLIGHTs: Haghia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, SultanAhmet Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, Grand Covered Bazaar, Bosphorus Boat Cruise, Spice Bazaar, Dolmabahce Palace, Camlica Hill, Ortakoy, Van City, Ahtamar Church, Mount Ararat, Ishakpasha Palace, Ankara Anıtkabir, Cappadocia Red Tour, Cappadocia Yellow Tour, Ephesos Ancient site, Virgin Mary House, Shirince, Pamukkale Cotton Castle,

Tour Program Itineraries:

Day1, Istanbul - Arrival Day (B, L, D) :     Your flight arriving to Istanbul early morning. You are welcome to Turkey Istanbul Airport. Meeting with KanulaTour staff and informed age as general of Istanbul and Turkey during transfer to your accomodating hotel. Check in to your hotel and free time for getting rest a while. Having your buffet breakfast at the hotel and picking up at about 11:00 from your hotel for the day tour of Istanbul Old City, to see Byzantium and Ottoman relics.

You will see and visit; Haghia Sophia Museum, this ancient basilica built by Constantine the Great in the 4th century and reconstructed by Justinian in the 6th century. This is one of the architectural marvels of all times. The Topkapı Palace Museum, the great palace of the Ottoman sultans from the 15th to the 19th centuries housing an exquisite collection of cyrstal, silver and Chinese porcelain, robes worn by the sultans and their families, the famous jewels of the Imperial Treasury, miniatures, the Holy islamic mantle; enshrining relics of the Prophet Mohammed. Sultanahmet Imperial Mosque, which is built in the 16th century and it is known as the Blue Mosque, because of its magnificent interior decoration of blue Iznik tiles. Ancient Hippodrome, the scene of chariot races, with the three monuments; the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column and the Column of Constantine.

Having lunch in a Turkish Restaurant.

Afternoon, The Grand Bazzar, in this labyrinth of streets and passages are more then 4,000 shops with each trade having its own area: the goldsmiths' street, the carpet sellers, Turkish arts and crafts, such as handpainted ceramic plates, hand-honed copperware, brassware and trays, water ewers, onyx-ware and meerschaum pipes. After the tour, transfer back to the hotel.   Overnight in Istanbul at your hotel.

 Day2; Istanbul – Van City – Cavustepe – Akdamar Island (B, L, D) :     Early mornin gettin the domestic to eastern provency of turkey, to Van city. The main city and sosyo-economic center of eastern region, which was used as capital for Urartu civilasition, known as Tushba. The flight is at 05:45 and duratin is about two hours. Landing to Van City about 08:00 a.m.

 Having breakfast at a local place (Van City is known with delicious breakfast presentation as “Van Kahvaltısı”) on side of the Lake Van, which is the largest lake of Anatolia peninsula.    After the local breakfast, heading to go to Gevas over Edremit, which is adorned with fruit gardens, which is the cutest and green residential area of the shores of Lake Van and passing to Akdamar Island by boat with 15min sailing. The island is important with its ancient Armenian church the Ahtamar Church, a newly restored Armenian church famous for its external reliefs of the religions mytologie.    Return to the city center about noon time and getting panoramic city tour ending at Cat House. Cat Van are white colour and has different coloured eyes. After lunch at a local restaurant, we will visit the Van Museum, which contains many worksout of the Urartuian period and continou to the most conservative Castle and its walls. The famous Van Castle (Tuspa Castle), which was built in the time of the king of Urartu, king Sarduri I, that Tuspa city ruins and castle area , the center of the Urartu Kingdom, and which has a history of six thousand years back. It is belongs to Urartus and other sabsuqent civilizations also. We are visiting a handicraft workshop, to presented where Urartus Handicrafts how was made and how looks like, thousand years on silver and gold handmade.   Dinner and accomodation at the hotel in Van City.

Day3; Van - Muradiye – Mount Ararat – DoguBayazit - Van:      After the local breakfast at the hotel, we take our place in the vehicles and set off for Ararat. We stop in Muradiye after a short break and cruise. We have a photo break at Muradiye Waterfall and Bridge, sip our black tea, and experience the feelings of the tars that the waterfall hit our face. Then we get on our car again and set off on Tendürek Volcanic Mountain, which has sprayed volcanic stones on a wide area on the Ararat road. In Ararat Mountain National Park, which is within the boundaries of Doğubeyazıt, we photograph the snowy hills of the Legends Mountain Ararat and enjoy the unique view. Lunch in Dogubeyazıt.

After a short free time, we are going to another masterpiece of the East, UNESCO Historical Treasury IshakPasha Palace. İshakPaşa Palace is an Ottoman period building, and it is a masterpiece of legends worth seeing with its magnificent private architecture, monumental crown gates, harem, selamlik, hundreds of rooms and mosques. After seeing and visiting this historical building, we return to Van with our vehicle and giving free time.

Dinner and accommodation at the hotel in Van

Day4: Van – Ankara – Salt Lake – Cappadocia (B, L, D) :     After the local breakfast at the hotel in the morning, we leave our hotel and heading to the airport getting another domestic flight to capital of Turkey, to Ankara. Noon time arrive to Ankara and placed in our vhecile and a panoramic city tour of Ankara, with visiting the monument of AnıtKabir “endless place of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of Turkey. After lunch, leave the city and driving trough Cappadocia.     Givinig a rest stop at picturistic Salt Lake for a while and arriving evening to Cappadocia. Heading to the cave hotel and resting. Dinner and accomodating in Cappadocia

There is Turkish night as optional in the evening.

 Day5; Cappadocia (B, L, D) :     optional Hot Air Balloon ride over Cappadocia Valley of “fairy Chimneys”. Hardly Recommended.. having the late breakfast at accomodating hotel after air Ballooning flights over Cappadocia. start to discover the area, which is UNESCO World Haritage site.    We are going to visioning in Cappadocia the sites, like, triple chimneys panorama at Urgup, Red Rose Valley. This valley holds different colors and types of rock formations. On depend of the time Kaymakli Underground City (see how the people lived in this multi level city complete with stables, kitchens, storage chambers and wine making rooms). Piegion Valley , etc, return the hotel at evening and getting rest.

Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.

Day6; Cappadocia – Kushadasi (B, L, D) :     After a relax breakfast at the hotel and start for continou the tour to discovering incrediable Cappadocia with Devrent Imagination Valley and walk through this lunar landscape, the highest point of the region Uchisar Rock Castle, a panoramic view of Goreme valley and Goreme OpenAir Museum (rock cut churches, frescoes, monastery)

Having lunch in a local restaurant

Afternoon heading to Kayseri airport to get the flight again to Izmir. Izmir(ancient Symirna) is located at the Aegean sea which is between turkey and Greece. On arrive Izmir airport transfering to Kushadasi with about one hour drive.

Dinner and overnight in Kushadasi.

Day7; Kushadası - Ephesus & Virgin Mary (B, L, D) :     Having the buffet breakfast at the hotel and than go for the day tour, Ephesus and virgin Mary house.. Ephesus; one of the Seven Ancient Wonders of World, the site of Temple of Artemis(one hour) and a the ancient city of Ephesus(about two hours). Feel  the mystical atmosphere of the city and stadium where chariot and horse races were once held. You will also have the chance to experience some Tukish handicrafts..Visit the pilgrimage point claimed to be the last home of the Virgin Mary mount solmissos (half hours) and your last Visit will be Sirince village (one hour) which is located on the top of a mountain and famous with wines that you can taste. After the visit of Sirince you will turn back to you hotel.

Dinner and overnight in Kushadası.

Day8; Kushadasi – Pamukkale – Istanbul (B, L, D) :     After the breakfast, there is a full day tour of visitig Pamukkale(cotton castles) and Heirapolis, a beautiful and spectacular natural site near Denizli, unique in the World. Thermal spring waters have carved this fantastic formation of stalactites. Thermal waters have been used since Roman times for their therapeutic Powers. Situated on the plateau are both the thermal center with its motels, thermal pools and ruins of the ancient city of Hierapolis. including magnificently preserved necropolis,  the main steet, gates, the thermal baths, the Greco Roman theatre and the Basilica of St. Philippe. Swim in a theraputic bath of hot spring mineral waters.. Monument on this site includes the ancient thermal baths which have been restored and converted into an archaeological museum.    Heading to Denizli-Cardak airport at the evening geting the flight back to Istanbul. Transfer to the hotel on arrival and getting rest.   Dinner at the accomodating hotel in Istanbul.

Day9; Istanbul - Bosphorus cruise tour (B, L, D) :     After the breakfast we have half day tour of Istanbul, the Istanbul Bosphorus Cruise tour. First of all visiting the Spice Bazzar which known as Egyptian Bazaar also. The air here is filled with the enticing aromas of cinnamon, caraway, saffron, mint, thyme and every other conceivable herb and spice. and Bosphorus By Boat, 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. During the excursion you will see the magnificent sights of the following attractions from your boat.   After having lunch, driving to the Taksim and Istiklal Street, the center of entertainment and shopping and history. The walking distance is about 2,5 km at the pedestrain street, from Taksim Square up to Galata Tower.   Having the dinner at the area and return to the hotel for resting.    At the evening you have an optional Istanbul Turkish Show at the evening and dinner or Bosphorus Dinner Cruise incluing traditional Turkish entertainment Show

Accomodating in Istanbul.

Day10; Istanbul “Picturistic & Historical City Tour” and return(B, L) :     After breakfast leaving the hotel and taking the tour of “picturing of Istanbul” visioning and seeing Dolmabahce Palace, and further along, the parks and imperial pavilions of Yildiz Palace. On the coastal edge of this park, is Ciragan Palace, 300 meters of its marble facade faces the shore. At Ortakoy a great variety of artists gather every Sunday to display their work along the street. Ortakoy is a symbol of tolerance with church and mosque and synagogue existing side by side for centuries.

Emirgan Park belong the bosphorus, Anatolian side and hill of Camlica, and all picturistic and historical areas of the City of Istanbul, tour ending at a famous shopping mall for last minute shopping and having freely dinner. Meeting at the appointed time and drive trought the airport for the international flight back to your country.

We hope your tour was a memorable one and we look forward to seeing you in the future on another KanulaTour activities. Have a safe trip back home..