8D7N TURKEY
ISTANBUL - BURSA - KUSADASI - SELCUK - PAMUKKALE - KONYA - CAPPADOCIA - ANKARA - BOLU - ISTANBUL
PRIVATE TOUR BASIS, MIN 2 - 8 PERSON OR MORE TO DEPART
DAY 1 ISTANBUL – BURSA
Upon arrival, visit Topkapi Palace, once the seat of the Ottoman Empire. Today, it is a museum palace with a wide collection of porcelain, antiques, holy relics and other treasures. After lunch, visit Blue Mosque, also known as Mosque of Sultan Ahmet, which boasts a unique feature of 6 minarets. Admire its glorious interiors and distinctive blue tiles. Next, view the only remains of Hippodrome of Constantinople, consisting of 3 monumental columns and a fountain. This is the site where chariot races took place in the past. You will also visit Hagia Sophia Museum, a must-see attraction due to its religious and architectural significance. After lunch, journey to the ferry port in Eskihisar and take a ferry to Topcular. From there, transfer to Bursa, the 4th largest city in Turkey, for your overnight stay.
DAY 2 BURSA – KUSADASI
This morning, you will visit Ulucami, also known as Grand Mosque, which was built by Sultan Bayezit I from 1396 to 1400. One of the most attractive examples of Ottoman architecture, the mosque has an interior fountain and a beautiful classic wooden pulpit. You will also visit Koza Han which means silk market and the covered bazaar nearby. Next, visit Green Mosque and Green Mausoleum. Built during the reign of Sultan Mehmet I, they were named in reference to the dominant colour of their interiors. The mausoleum is adorned with attractive turquoise green tiles while the nearby Green Mosque, also known as Jewel of Bursa, stands out as a masterpiece of early Ottoman architecture with its exquisite façade decoration. Bursa is also home to the Uludag Winter Sports and Ski Centre, one of the most popular ski resorts in Turkey. Thereafter, enjoy a drive through the countryside to Kusadasi for your overnight stay.
Note: During the winter months from November to March, the visit to the Green Mosque and Green Mausoleum will be replaced with a cable car ride to the snowfields of Uludag.
DAY 3 KUSADASI – SELCUK – PAMUKKALE
Set off for Selcuk where you will explore Ephesus, one of the largest archaeological sites in existence. You will find awesome structures such as the Library of Celsius, Hadrian Temple, Marble Street and Agora. Ephesus is also one of the 7 Churches of Revelation and holds the House of Virgin Mary. Virgin Mary and St John were said to have lived in Ephesus and died here. Continue to Pamukkale. After dinner, you may wish to enjoy an authentic thermal bath at your own expense.
DAY4 PAMUKKALE – KONYA – CAPPADOCIA
Today, you will tour the ruins of the ancient city of Hierapolis and explore Cotton Castle, a World Heritage Site, made up of fascinating white terraces and pools created by calcareous hot spring waters flowing down the mountain. Travel to Cappadocia via Konya, the famous old capital of the Selcuk Turks. Visit the 13th-century Sultanhani Caravanserai, which was a hotel for ancient traders and travellers.
DAY 5 CAPPADOCIA
Enjoy a full-day tour of Cappadocia, which boasts a unique landscape sculpted by the wind, sun, rain and snow. Its bizarrely shaped pillars, cones and “fairy chimneys” make fantastic spots for snapshots. Explore the Underground City of Kaymakli, one of the largest underground cities here, said to have existed since the Hittite period. You will get a chance to see bedrooms, kitchens, dining halls, wine cellars, chapels, stables and more. Explore Goreme Open-Air Museum, a compound comprising 29 rock-cut churches, including some that date back to the 6th century. Many are decorated with beautiful frescoes depicting biblical stories. Visit Uchisar, an old village comprising small dwellings carved into a massive rock. If time permits, you can visit one of the homes in the contemporary village and experience life on the rocks. Make photo stops at Valley of the Birds and Uchisar Castle, where you can capture panoramic views of the beautiful plateaus.
DAY 6 CAPPADOCIA – ANKARA – BOLU
After breakfast, depart for Ankara, capital of Turkey. Visit Ataturk Mausoleum, the final resting place of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who was regarded as the father of Modern Turkey. The mausoleum features a mix of different architectural styles from various Anatolian civilizations. Proceed to Bolu for your overnight stay.
DAY 7 BOLU – ISTANBUL
Proceed to Istanbul. Upon arrival, shop at the 500-year-old Grand Bazaar, a maze of over 4,000 stalls and shops selling leather goods, jewellery, handicrafts, ceramics, Turkish coffee and other local products. Dinner and overnight at Istanbul
DAY 8 DEPARTURE ISTANBUL
If time permits, you can do some last-minute shopping before you transfer to the airport for your flight home. Alternatively, you may like to take an optional tour of Dolmabahce Palace or take the Bosphorus cruise to enjoy the unique experience of cruising between 2 continents, Asia and Europe, at your own expense.