A sunny escape, a wonder of ancient ruins, and a dynamic country stirring with life—Turkey is a multilayered delight
Blessed by a Mediterranean climate and a rich history influence by the Ottoman Empire, Turkey appeals to both culture-seekers and beach-buffs. Istanbul is the entry point for most travellers—a vast city straddling Europe and Asia. While Istanbul possesses a wealth of things for tourists to see and do, other regions have their appeal. Splash around the mud baths of Dalyan or scramble around the volcanic rock of Goreme. Divers will want to swim the ancient wrecks around Bodrum. Wherever you go, don’t ever, ever skip coffee and desserts; enjoying flowery Turkish Delight and gooey-flaky baklava is mandatory.
What is included in the tour
- Stay at 4 star Hotels
- Travel by bus with English speaking guide.
- Basic travel insurance.
- Meals: 6 Breakfast ; 3 dinner included in: CAPADOCIA, CAPADOCIA, SAFRANBOLU
- Includes arrival transfer
- City tour in: ISTANBUL
- Boat: Tour of the Bosphorus in Istanbul
- Evening transfer: Taksim Square in Istanbul
- Ticket admission: Mosque of Suleiman the Magnificent and Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, Mausoleum of Ataturk in Ankara , Goreme Valley; Valley of Uchisar; Underground city of Kaimacli; Pasabag Valley , Traditional tea in Safranbolu , Gokgol Magarasi cave , Caves and tombs in Eregli , Eydinpinar Waterfalls
- Funicular: Cableway Viewpoint of Pierre Loti in Istanbul
- High speed train: Istanbul - Ankara
What is NOT included in the tour
- Entrance Fees/Activities Costs not mentioned
- Flights that are not mentioned
- Activities/Sightseeing spot not mentioned
- Personal expenses such as snacks & beverages
- Meals not mentioned
- Costs arising due to flight cancellations or weather delays
- Things not mentioned in “Inclusions”
Day 1: Today's Highlights
Istanbul
Arrival. Transfer to the hotel.
Welcome to Europe!!!. On arrival at the airport we shall be waiting to transfer you to the hotel. You can enjoy free time until your tour starts, information about the meeting place and start time can be found on the information boards in the hotel reception area.
Meals: Breakfast
Stay: CLARION GOLDEN HORN or similar
Day 2: Today's Highlights
Istanbul
Sighseeing tour. Topkapi Palace .Night transfer to Taksim.
09.00 hrs.- A sightseeing tour of the city. We find ourselves in a city built in two continents. On our tour, we will enter the Mosque of Suleyman the Magnificent (the largest in Istanbul). We will see the walls, the Golden Horn, the fishing district, and we will admire the exterior of Hagia Sofia. After the visit, we will offer tickets and a visit to the Top Kapi Palace, which was the administrative centre of the Ottoman Empire, with its magnificent courtyards and its pavilions.
19.30 hrs.- At the end of the afternoon we will provide a transfer to the Taksim neighbourhood, the most commercialised and lively area of the city. There will be time to dine in one of its many restaurants, and you can also take the old tram that crosses the area or go to see the nearby Galata Tower.
Important: Services during the stay in Istanbul may change order by taking the boat ride on the Bosphorus on the first day and the panoramic visit on the second day.
Meals: Breakfast
Stay: ELBA MADRID ALCALA or similar
Day 3: Today's Highlights
Istanbul
Today we include a boat trip on the Bosphorus that will last about two hours. We will undertake the trip on a boat exclusively for Europamundo travellers. The Bosphorus is a strait that connects the Black Sea with the Sea of ??Marmara, which separates Istanbul into two parts: the European part and the Asian one. We will enjoy seeing the liveliness of the strait with its multitude of boats. We will pass under the two bridges that unite Europe and Asia and we will admire the palaces of the sultans, the typical wooden houses and the Ottoman villas.
Free time.
Meals: Breakfast
Stay: ELBA MADRID ALCALA or similar
Day 4: Today's Highlights
Total distance covered: 750 km.
Istanbul- Ankara- Capadocia
Scenery: Crossing over the suspension bridge spanning the Bosphorus between Europe and Asia. Plateaus of Anatolia.
06.30 hrs.- Istanbul. We leave the hotel to go to the Istanbul-Pendikque train station. Today we travel by train departing at 08.55hrs (the schedule can be modified) from the station in the Asia district, we take the most modern and fast train in Turkey, a pleasant 4-hour trip through the Anatolian landscapes, perhaps having a coffee in the train café.
13.07 hrs (estimated) Arrival in ANKARA, the modern capital of Turkey. After a time to have lunch in the area of the station, With the coach, we take you to discover the immense museum-mausoleum of Ataturk, the "father of modern Turkey",
15.00 hrs. - Ankara - Mausoleum –Departure-. We continue by coach through the arid regions of Turkey´s interior that take us into Cappadocia. We travel past the salt lake. Brief stop en route to take some photos of the lake.
19.15 hrs.- Arrival at the end of the afternoon in AVANOS (CAPADOCIA) , pleasant town in the center of the region of Capadocia known for its pottery, its attractive old town with cobbled streets and its views over the river. Time to enjoy the hotel facilities or walk through the streets.
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Stay: AVRASYA or similar
Day 5: Today's Highlights
Distance covered: 75 km
Cappadocia
Scenery: Scenery of spectacular forms and shapes; picturesque villages. Note: We recommend comfortable footwear for today’s visits. Sometimes the order of the visits may be changed by the guide to see the different points when they are less crowded.
In the early morning, there is the option of a balloon flight over the Cappadocia region. - A wonderful experience offered at dawn
09.30 hrs.- Avanos - Departure -. We leave for the GOREME VALLEY. We include tickets to see the fantastic open-air museum that houses more than 30 churches dug out of the rocks, some with very beautiful frescoes. After this we visit UCHISAR – A stroll in this village of Cappadocia; you can see its 60-metre rock full of houses in dugout caves. We continue to KAYMACLI. You will see this impressive underground city in Cappadocia. Its tunnels and catacombs can house up to thirty thousand people. Time for lunch.
In the afternoon, we will go to PASABAG, known as the “Valley of fairies”, and we will stroll around this spectacular natural complex. We will also visit a traditional jewellery workshop with stones typical of the region of Cappadocia, Onyx and Turquoise, and we will see some examples of those used by the sultans during the Ottoman Empire.
At around 18 hrs. return to the hotel, where you can enjoy the swimming pool (in the summer months) or go for a stroll around the pleasant commercial town of Avanos.
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Stay: AVRASYA or similar
Day 6: Today's Highlights
Total distance covered: 540 km.
Avanos- Ankara- Safranbolu
Scenery: We begin with arid and flat landscapes of the interior of Turkey, as we approach the Black Sea mountains and forests are emerging.
08.00 hrs.- Avanos. Departure. We have a fantastic day in the heart of Anatolia.
13.15 hrs- ANKARA. We leave a free time to walk around and have lunch in the thriving center of the city.
15.00hrs.- Ankara. Departure. We continue towards the north of Turkey. The landscapes become greener.
18.00 hrs.- SAFRANBOLU; arrival in this wonderful little city which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was an important stopping point on the caravan routes. Our guide will show some of the most picturesque points of the city and we will include a traditional Turkish tea in an ancient caravanserai!
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Stay: SANTIAGO PLAZA or similar
Day 7: Today's Highlights
Total distance covered: 470 km.
Safranbolu- Gokgol Magarasi- Eregli- Eydinpinar- Istanbul
Scenery: Forests, valleys, mountains, landscapes on the Black Sea; A rainy and green region different from what you probably have in your mind when you think of Turkey.
08.00 hrs.- Safranbolu. Departure. Today, the leg of our trip follows the Black Sea and its verdant landscapes.
10.00 hrs.- In GOKGOL MAGARASI we provide entry tickets to this magnificent cave with its underground river and its multiple colours.
11.00hrs.- Gokgol. Departure. Our road goes towards the sea.
12.00 hrs.- EREGLI, Arrival. Next to the Black Sea, we set aside time to have lunch. We also include a visit to its impressive Cehennemagzi Magarasi caves and tombs that are overflowing with mythology.
15.00 hrs.- Eregli. Departure.
16.00hrs.- EYDINPINAR. On our way back to Istanbul, we stop to relax at EYDINPINAR, with a walk between its green paths to the waterfalls!
17.30 hrs.- Eydinpinar departure. We travel on the highway towards Istanbul. Passing the suspension bridge that separates Asia from Europe.
20.30 hrs.- Arrival in ISTANBUL at the end of the day.
Meals: Breakfast
