Day 1: Welcome to Istanbul
- Arrival at Istanbul Airport.
- Meet and greet by our representative.
- Transfer to your hotel in Istanbul.
- Check-in and time to rest.
- Leisure time to explore the city on your own or relax at the hotel.
- Overnight stay in Istanbul.
Day 2: Istanbul – FD Byzantine Relics & Bosphorus Cruise Tour with local lunch
- After breakfast, begin your tour with an exterior visit to Hagia Sophia (from the outside).
- Proceed to the historic Byzantine Hippodrome.
- View key monuments including the Egyptian Obelisk and the Serpent Column.
- Visit the iconic Blue Mosque (closed on Friday mornings due to prayer).
- Lunch break, Enjoy a scenic visit to the Golden Horn.
- Take a cable car ride to Pierre Loti Hill for panoramic views of Istanbul.
- Conclude the day with a Bosphorus Cruise between Europe and Asia.
- Admire historic mansions, palaces, fortresses, and coastal villages along the way.
- Overnight stay in Istanbul.
Day 3: Proceed for domestic flight from Istanbul to Cappadocia
- After breakfast, transfer to the airport.
- Board your flight to Kayseri/Nevsehir.
- Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel in Cappadocia.
- Check-in and relax.
- Overnight stay in Cappadocia.
Day 4: Full Day Cappadocia Red Tour with local lunch
- Begin the day with a visit to Dervent Valley, known for its unique, almost Martian-like landscape.
- Explore Paşabağ (Monks Valley) and its famous fairy chimneys, where natural rock formations create a magical atmosphere.
- Continue to Avanos, the center of terracotta art, featuring an attractive old town with cobbled streets and scenic river views.
- Learn about Avanos’ long-standing pottery tradition dating back to the Hittites, using red clay from the Kızılırmak River.
- Visit a ceramic and tile workshop to observe traditional hand-made pottery techniques.
- Lunch at a local restaurant.
- Visit the Zelve Open-Air Museum, showcasing remarkable examples of Byzantine art carved into rock-cut dwellings, churches, and monasteries.
- Discover the historical significance of the Cappadocia region, where soft volcanic rock was shaped into early Christian sanctuaries.
- Admire stunning Byzantine frescoes from the post-iconoclastic period, representing a unique artistic heritage.
- Visit a carpet cooperative to see how traditional Turkish carpets are hand-woven.
- Conclude the tour with a panoramic view of the valleys of Cappadocia.
- Overnight at the hotel in Cappadocia.
Day 5: Fly from Cappadocia – Kusadasi
- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Transfer to the airport.
- Flight to Kuşadası.
- Arrival and transfer to the hotel in Kuşadası.
- Overnight stay in Kuşadası.
Day 6: Full Day Ephesus & Virgin Mary Tour with local lunch
- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Visit the House of the Virgin Mary, believed to be her last residence, discovered following the visions of a German nun and maintained by Lazarist Fathers; a sacred site for both Christians and Muslims.
- Drive to Ephesus, one of the most important harbor cities of the ancient world and one of the Seven Churches mentioned in the Book of Revelation.
- Guided tour of Ephesus Ancient City, including the Library of Celsus, Temple of Hadrian, Fountain of Trajan, and the Great Theatre.
- Lunch at a local Turkish restaurant.
- Visit the İsa Bey Mosque, built in 1375 by the Anatolian Seljuks.
- Visit the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, located near the Ephesus archaeological site.
- Return to Kuşadası.
- Overnight stay in Kuşadası.
Day 7: Fly from Kusadasi to Istanbul
- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Transfer to the airport.
- Flight to Istanbul.
- Connection for international departure.
