Witness a multicultural experience
The most popular spots for tourists: Istanbul, Cotton Castle, Cappadocia, all arrange accommodation and reserve enough time to visit
The ancient capital of Eurasia, the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Tokap Palace in the Old Town of Istanbul, outline the last glory of the Ottoman Empire
Visit the central and western part of Turkey in an easy and complete way: the western Aegean coast, the Anatolian plateau, the capital Ankara and Istanbul, the largest city
From tradition to modernity, from ruins to prosperity, from Greco-Roman times to unique geographical wonders, and finally back to the cultural city baptized by the fusion of Eastern and Western cultures, the diverse landscapes and exquisite cultural experiences will take you to witness one by one.
- Rich in crocuse and named, there are not too many modern buildings, retaining the complete appearance of the ancient city of the Ottoman period, since ancient times rich in copper products, saddle, pastries, carved fine lace window screens, outside the window has a moving scene. Climb a hill in Sidelček to see the romance of a quaint mountain town and taste the historical scenery of the century-old houses. Registered as a World Heritage Site in 1994!
- Kabadkia, one of the eight wonders of the world, has a special terrain with rugged rocks and was selected as one of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage Sites in 1985. Three million years ago, two huge volcanoes, Mount Ergiyes and Mount Hassan, erupted, causing the surrounding plateau to be covered with limestone and lava ash and mud, forming mushroom-shaped rocks of different colors and shapes.
- The ancient city of Efesus is called "Ephesus" in the Bible, and its buildings are all built of marble, because the emperor at that time had strong funds and invested heavily in the construction of the city, because the area of Efesus is larger than the ancient city of Pompeii in Italy, and it is known as the "Pompeii of the East". The remains of the city-state are partially intact, reflecting the perfect urban planning of the Roman period, and the surviving ruins include the theater, the arena, the bazaar and the library of Celsas, all of which are amazing, the richest and most prosperous cities in Asia.
- Stepping on the white snow-covered embankment and soaking in the warm spring water, both visually and tactilely, the cotton castle is a must-visit in Turkey. The formation of this unique landscape is a limestone rock mass oozing out of a hot spring rich in calcium carbonate, the gushing spring water collects and circulates according to the terrain, and the calcium carbonate contained in the spring is slowly released and piled into travertine crystals, and after thousands of years of accumulation, the landscape of the terraced embankment seen today is all admired by the wonders of nature, creating a snow-white world that is both fantastic and real.
- Surrounded by the waters of the Sea of Marmara, the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus, Istanbul is not only the only city in the world that straddles the Eurasian continent, but also the capital of the three empires of Rome, Byzantium and Ottoman. It was the center of politics, religion and art in the world for 2,000 years, and for 2,000 years, the ancient capital of Central Asia, civilization, Byzantine ruins, Ottoman culture coexisted, with its museums, churches, palaces, mosques, markets and wonderful natural scenery.
- Justinian the Great of the Eastern Roman Empire ordered the construction of the Hagia Sophia, the supreme masterpiece of Byzantium, which played the role of archbishop. The world's leading architect Sinan transformed it into an elegant Ottoman Islamic mosque. The peaceful coexistence of the totems of the two religions has become a unique legend.
- The Sultan Ahmet Mosque was built in the 17th century, the main architectural elements are a large number of stone, marble, and Iznik tiles, and the main colors are blue and white, so it is also called the "Blue Mosque".
- The Topkapi Palace Museum, full of Ottoman style, is the center of the Ottoman Empire in the 15~19th century, and was built by the order of Sultan Mehmed II. The palace has a collection hall, a consultation room, a library, etc., and in the center of the palace is the Holy Relic Room, displaying treasures belonging to the Prophet Muhammad.
- It is said that 14 tons of gold and 40 tons of silver were used to decorate the entire palace, luxurious crystal lamps, ivory, and gold products abounded, and the largest ballroom had 56 columns and 750 bulbs weighing 4.5 tons of huge crystal chandeliers. Almost all of the palace are genuine, and even the curtains and carpets are items of the year, which shows the power of protection.
- The Constantine Underground Reservoir was originally a 6th-century Byzantine water tank, supported by 336 thick Corinthian columns with a huge brick vault, like an underground palace, creating a mysterious atmosphere in the melodious sound of music and the reflection of water and light.
- Arrange a cruise on the Bosphorus and enjoy the beautiful scenery of Europe and Asia
- Visit Turkey's largest covered bazaar in the Old Town, truly up close to Turkish folk life
Day 1 USA ✈︎ Istanbul, Turkey
【LAX/IST 1:55P/1:00P+1 or LAX/IST 6:40P/6:45P+1】
Today, I flew from the United States to Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey, the world's ancient civilization, stayed overnight on the plane, and arrived the next day.
Day 2 Istanbul
After arrival, you will be picked up and then taken to the hotel for a check in rest!
Dinner: Local cuisine
Hotel：Wyndham Grand Istanbul Europe or similar
Day 3 Istanbul
The walls and the area they enclose were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985. Upon arrival, visit the Blue Garden with 20,000 hand-painted tiles: the Sultanahmet Mosque (admission included) – the only one in the world with 6 minarets and walls decorated with blue and white Iznik tiles, hence the name Blue Mosque. Then visit the Golden Temple of God and Allah at the Museum of Saint Sophia (enter), which is the pinnacle of Byzantine art. Not far from the Hagia Sophia Museum is the Constantine underground reservoir Yerebatan Cistern (admission included), originally a 6th-century Byzantine cistern with a huge brick vault supported by 336 thick Corinthian columns, resembling an underground palace, with melodious music and water reflections creating a mysterious atmosphere. A visit to the Old Town of the Eastern Roman and Ottoman Empires is also arranged: the Roman hippodrome ruins, now an oval square; in summer evenings, different colours of light shine on the performances; and the Dikilitaş of Theodosius's obelisk in the middle of the square directly in front of it, the bronze serpent pillar Yılanlı Sütun and the Constantine obelisk Theodosius Dikilitasi stand out. On the southwest side of the three monuments can be seen the remains of the meniscus wall of the Great Arena. Today it is the historical, cultural and tourist center of Istanbul.
Breakfast: Hotel|Lunch: Local Cuisine|Dinner: Local Cuisine
Hotel：Wyndham Grand Istanbul Europe or similar
Day 4 Istanbul
- Visit Europe on the Bosphorus in the morning, 600 meters long Dolmabahce Palace Dolmabahce Sarayi(Tickets included). The palace was built in 1843 and completed in 1856, the palace is extremely luxurious, it is said that in order to decorate the entire palace, a total of 14 tons of gold and 40 tons of silver, luxury crystal lamps, ivory, gold products abound, the largest banquet hall has 56 columns, equipped with 750 bulbs weighing 4.5 tons of ◎ huge crystal chandeliers, the palace has not been damaged, the items are genuine, curtains, carpets are also genuine products, it can be seen that the protection is effective. The last six sultans of the Ottoman Empire and the Islamic leader Abdul Mejid lived in this palace. After the establishment of the Republic, the founder of Turkey, Ataturk, also worked here, and died in this palace on November 10, 1938.
- Visit the Topkapi Palace (admission included), the Topkapi Palace (ticket included), the palace of the Ottoman sultans from the 15th to the 19th centuries. The Bosphorus Sea winds its way between Asia and Europe. Along the strait, past and present, luxury and simplicity coexist: modern restaurants stand next to wooden villas, marble palaces adjoining simple stone fortresses, elegant European settlements and small fishing villages, and the best way to explore the strait is to take a Bosphorus Cruise, which winds along the coast.
- In the evening, head to Grand Bazaar, the world's largest covered market, with a maze of narrow corridors and passageways, interlaced with more than 4,000 shops selling Turkish specialties such as carpets, hand-painted ceramics, gold and silver products, bronzeware, meerschaum pipes, etc.
Breakfast: Hotel|Lunch: Local Seafood | Dinner: Local
Hotel：Wyndham Grand Istanbul Europe or similar
Day 5 Istanbul ✈︎ Izmir -67km- Sirince -26.6km- Kusadasi
【Reference flights：SAW/ADB 10:35A/11:45A】
- After breakfast, take a flight to Izmir!
- Şirince (Little Saffron City) Şirince, which means "charming, charming, endearing" in the native language, is located in a mountain basin at an altitude of 350 meters. This small village of only 600 people for a long time, quiet and simple has hardly been affected or rendered by modernity, and the houses and lifestyles built by Greek immigrants since the Ottoman period have been rarely maintained over the centuries despite the scourge of war and population exchange.
- Wine and fruit wines (such as cider, blueberry wine, blackberry wine, peach wine, apricot wine, strawberry wine, etc.) are famous local specialties.
- Arrive at one of the top marine resorts on the Aegean coast in the evening ~ Kushadasi.
Breakfast: Hotel|Lunch: Local Cuisine|Dinner: Western 3-course in Hotel
Hotel：Le Bleu Hotel or similar
Day 6 Kusadasi -222km- Pamukkale
- Turkey is famous for its ready-to-wear industry, and enjoy a wonderful fashion leather show, sipping Turkish tea from the shops while professionals teach us how to identify high-end leather clothes and understand why European famous products import leather goods from Turkey in large quantities. Ephesus Ancient City (ticket included), known in the Bible as Ephesus, is now one of the best-preserved ancient cities in the world and the largest Greco-Roman city in the world.
- ◎Today's special accommodation in a hot spring hotel allows you to relax the labor of many days of travel, and indulge in this beautiful hot spring town tonight.
Breakfast: Hotel|Lunch: Local Cuisine|Dinner: Western 3-course in Hotel
Hotel：Richmond Pamukkale Thermal Hotel or similar
Day 7 Pamukkale -401km- Konya
- Known as Cotton Castle, Pamukkari is a spa resort rich in minerals and miraculous healing effects left over from ancient Roman times, that is, it is a healing sanctuary exclusive to the nobility. First arrange a visit to the nearby ancient city of Hierapolis (admission included), a remnant of ancient Roman times, where the Kingdom of Begamon began in 190 BC. During the Roman and Byzantine periods, the city of Hira was subsequently expanded into a multi-functional health sanctuary including temples, theaters, markets, baths and medical facilities, and you can also enjoy the peculiar lime shed landscape, white like a strange natural terrain made of cotton, which is formed by the limestone layer containing calcareous components flowing from the underground hot springs, and after the calcareous hot springs emerge from the surface, the white calcium precipitates on the surface to form a powder-white cotton-like rock cliff.
- In the afternoon, head to Konya, one of Turkey's oldest cities, which was the capital of the Seljuk in the 12th and 13th centuries and is the traditional religious and cultural center of Turkey. At a time when culture, politics, and religion were developing, the Islamic philosopher and poet Me'ulana Geralaeddin Rumi founded the Sufi Order known in the West for performing whirlwind prayers.
Breakfast: Hotel|Lunch: Local Cuisine|Dinner: On-site buffet
Hotel：Anemon Konya or similar
Day 8 Konya -311km- Cappadocia
- After breakfast, follow the old site of the city, Alaaddin Tepesi on Aladdin Hill, overlooking the modern appearance of the city, Alâeddin Mosque hidden in the woods, adding a quaint texture. Then head to the Mevlana Museum Mevlana Müzesi (admission included) is a sacred place for Muslims, where the spiritual teacher Mevlana is buried; the museum's exterior is quite eye-catching, with flute-like minarets and turquoise tiles visible from afar, and the sarcophagus in the museum is wrapped in a huge turban, symbolizing its supreme spiritual authority.
- To the rocky city of the central Anatolian plateau: Cappadocia, via Sultan Hani Station Sultanhanı Caravanserai is a resting stop on the ancient Silk Road. In the Middle Ages, caravans traveling between Europe and Asia would go to the post station to rest and resupply. Built in the 13th century by order of the then sultan, it is also the largest ancient caravan in Turkey.
- Tonight's special Turkish night is arranged, with music to enjoy folk dances from all over the world and enchanting belly dancers twisting their waists and swinging their hips, ensuring that your eyes will not turn and be addicted!
Breakfast: Hotel|Lunch: Local Cuisine|Dinner: Hotel Dinner
Hotel：Exedra Hotel or similar
Day 9 Cappadocia
- This morning it is recommended to participate in a hot air balloon tour at your own expense, there are two best places on earth to take a hot air balloon, one is Kenya and the other is Kabadokia in Turkey, which was selected by the US magazine "National Geographic" as one of the top ten beautiful places on earth. After breakfast, we will take you through the rocks and explore several ingenious stone scenic spots: Mushroom Valley Pasabag, Camel Rock, Uchisar Castle, Hunting Valley and more.
- Then head to the Goreme Open Air Museum (admission included), the caves first inhabited by locals in 4000 BC, and some caves were also dug in churches and monasteries in the Byzantine era, some as churches. Kaymakli Underground City (admission included), since I don't know when the Cappadocians have moved all above-ground activities, including raising livestock, brewing wine, living, and education, underground. Then visit a local traditional handmade carpet factory to tell you how the world-famous Middle Eastern carpet takes to weave and the gap in its material.
Breakfast: Hotel|Lunch: Local Cuisine|Dinner: Hotel Dinner
Hotel：Exedra Hotel or similar
Day 10 Cappadocia -302km- Ankara
- Travel to Ankara, the capital of Turkey! Pass by Salt Lake on the way Tuz Golu is Turkey's second largest lake, located 150 kilometers southeast of Ankara, the capital of Turkey, which is located on the bottom of the sea in ancient times, and the salt in the rock formations is rich in salt, which is washed out by rain in summer and snow in winter, creating today's salt lake. The area of the lake varies with the seasons, with the water level highest in spring when the snow melts. In summer, the sun is exposed for a long time, and the surface of the lake looks like a layer of white crystals, which sparkle in the sunlight.
- Upon arrival, visit the Ataturk Memorial Ataturk Mausoleum (inside), built in honor of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founding father of Turkey. Ataturk led the people's revolution successfully, respected and loved by the people, and was a great hero of the people; the memorial hall was built in 1953, the building combines the design of ancient architecture and modern architecture, and is one of the masterpieces of modern architecture in Turkey; the memorial hall is divided into a mausoleum and a museum Museum of Anatolian Civilizations (inside), which displays Ataturk's portrait, autographed letters and various items he used. Every foreign head of state visiting Turkey must come here to lay flowers and pay tribute, and the solemn building deeply feels how the people love their founding father.
Breakfast: Hotel|Lunch: Local Cuisine|Dinner: Hotel Dinner
Hotel：New Park Hotel or similar
Day 11 Ankara -228km- Sanfranbolu -228km- Ankara
- Head to the city of crocuses, named for its abundance of crocuses. Located on the Black Sea coast, tucked away in a valley, Saffron City is an ancient city in the style of the Ottoman Empire. As early as the 13th century, Saffron City has been a necessary station for Western trade and business travel, and in the 17th century, the prosperous commerce in the Black Sea region brought Saffron City into the peak of fame and fortune, and the rich built mansions to highlight their identity. These Ottoman mansions, made of brick and wood, have survived the test of time and weather, and have become the most eye-catching feature of Saffron City, and were listed as a World Heritage Site in 1994. There are not many modern buildings here, but you can see the ancient city of the Ottoman period: since ancient times, copper products, saddle, pastries and other family industries have been produced, the residents still maintain a simple temperament, history has left traces, every household carved fine lace window screens, the beautiful scenery outside the window, leisurely stroll along the rolling cobblestone alleys of the mountain, visit the mayor's official residence Kaymakamlar Muze(Admission included) A typical Ottomanian three-story wooden mansion with elegant atrium garden (if closed, Kabadkia will take you on a tour of the cave house to get a glimpse of the life of the cave in the ground), and then climb Hidirlik Hill (ticket included), which is the best observation deck with a view of the quaint mountain city of Ottoman.
- *There is only one five-star hotel in Saffron City and the number of rooms is limited, and the other hotels are in very poor condition, so we will not arrange to stay here!
Breakfast: Hotel|Lunch: Local Cuisine|Dinner: Hotel Dinner
Hotel：New Park Hotel or similar
Day 12 Ankara ✈︎ USA【ANK/IST//IST/LAX｜10:40A/11:55A//1:15P/4:55P】
- End your wonderful trip to Turkey and hop on a flight to Istanbul Airport to return to your sweet home.
Breakfast: Hotel
Our company's official website group rates apply to groups of 10 people or more.
Groups of 2-6 people will have the driver acting as a guide.
Groups of 2 people do not include meals.
