Timeline
You will be greeted at the airport and taken to your hotel. After check-in at hotel, the remainder of the day is a free day. Spend it resting or venturing out into the city.
Take the ferry from Istanbul to Büyükada, the largest of the Princes' Islands, on a day tour. Relax on a tranquil island where there are no cars and see Büyükada's elegant Ottoman mansions, pine forests, and plum trees from your horse-drawn carriage.
- See Istanbul and the Princes' Islands from the ferry
- Explore the island of Büyükada by horse-drawn carriage
- Check out Büyükada's magnificent Ottoman mansions
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Enjoy breakfast at the hotel. At 9:00 am you will be picked up from your hotel to begin the tour of Princess Island.
Escape the bustle of Istanbul for a leisurely cruise across the Sea of Marmara to the unspoiled island of Büyükada, and pass by the smaller Princes' Islands that surround Büyükada along the way.
Riding around the island by horse-drawn carriage will take you back to a more gracious age, when the 19th-century bourgeoisie would stroll down to the waterfront for afternoon promenades.
Lunch will be served at a traditional fish restaurant on the waterfront, where you can see Istanbul's Asian shoreline. Some of the Turkish capital's most popular sights can also be seen from the sea. Check out Topkapi Palace, Leander's Tower, and Uskudar, and then hop back on the ferry to Istanbul, having had a tranquil day that harks back to Turkey's Golden Age.
Admire Istanbul's main attractions on this full-day guided tour. You’ll visit the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, and the Grand Bazaar. From history to shopping, this sightseeing tour offers an authentic Istanbul experience.
- Visit the Blue Mosque, a stunning example of Ottoman architecture
- Feast your eyes on the Hagia Sophia, one of Turkey’s most important museums
- Marvel at the grandeur of Topkapi Palace
- Shop at the massive Grand Bazaar
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This full-day sightseeing tour of Istanbul provides a perfect introduction to the city that straddles Europe and Asia.
When Istanbul was known as Constantinople, it was the capital of the Roman Empire and the wealthiest metropolis in Europe. On this city tour you’ll visit Istanbul’s 4 most important historic sites with a local guide.
The Blue Mosque is an iconic monument in both the Turkish and Islamic worlds. The stunning structure was built in the classical Ottoman style, and features 6 towering minarets and 260 windows that provide illumination for its vast inner chamber that is lined with more than 20,000 Iznik tiles.
In the 6th century, the Hagia Sophia was built by the Emperor Justinian. After the Ottoman conquest, it was converted to a mosque and later converted into a museum, featuring many beautiful Byzantine mosaics.
One of the largest and oldest palaces in the world, Topkapi is the crown jewel of the Ottoman Empire. With its treasury and exotic buildings overlooking the Golden Horn, walking Topkapi's grounds offers gorgeous views of the city and the nearby Bosphorus.
You’ll have time to shop at the Grand Bazaar – its 58 streets are lined with more than 4,000 shops. It is one of the world's largest covered markets, and is particularly known for its jewelry, leather, pottery, spices, and carpets.
Explore Istanbul and the Bosphorus on a full-day tour and see the main sights, including the Spice Bazaar, Dolmabahce Palace, and Camlica Hill. Then take a relaxing cruise on the Bosphorus and ride by cable car to the highest point of the city.
- Enjoy a full-day tour of Istanbul's major attractions by coach, boat, and cable car
- Experience the fragrant atmosphere of the Spice Bazaar
- Drive along the Golden Horn and see the historic port of ancient Istanbul
- Take a relaxing cruise on the Bosphorus
- Tour the inside of Dolmabahce Palace, home to the last Ottoman Sultans
- See the Bosphorus Bridge, connecting Europe and Asia
- Take in the best views of the city from the top of Camlica Hill
- Ride the cable car to Pierre Loti Hill
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Get a comprehensive overview of Istanbul on this full-day tour of the city by coach, boat, and cable car. You will be picked up from your hotel at 9:00 am by bus and driven along the length of the Golden Horn, the historic water that divides Istanbul.
Take in the sites of the historic city center and the main port, dating back to the Ottoman and Byzantine empires. In the district of Eminonu, you will stop to explore the delights of Istanbul’s Spice Bazaar, also known as the Egyptian Bazaar, where the air is filled with the aroma of cinnamon, caraway, saffron, mint, thyme, and every other conceivable herb and spice. Marvel at the beauty of the Yeni Mosque, opposite the Bazaar and across a monumental courtyard.
Travel to the top of Pierre Loti Hill by cable car, and admire panoramic views of the city as you drink coffee at the famous Pierre Loti Café, named after the French novelist who spent much of his time there.
Experience the splendor of Istanbul from the water. In the afternoon you will enjoy a relaxing cruise on the Bosphorus and take in the grand spectacle of the city’s houses and palaces from the river. You will also be taken on a tour of Dolmabahce Palace, home to the last of the Ottoman Sultans. Admire one of the most glamorous palaces in the world, once the administrative heart of the Ottoman Empire.
Your day will be complete with a visit to the Bosphorus Bridge and a trip to the top of Camlica Hill, the highest point of Istanbul. Perfect for those who aim to get a sense for what makes Istanbul unique, this full-day exploration gives a varied tour of the city. It will reveal a mixture of Eastern and European influences that makes the city so unique.
Experience a magnificent view and clean, fresh air climbing up Uludağ Mountain by cable car arriving to top of mountain which is 2.486 metres above sea level. Enjoy a full-day trip to Bursa, an Ottoman capital city filled with fascinating relics of the past. Enjoy its many green spaces, visit the ancient Grand Mosque, snack on roasted chestnuts and Turkish sweets, and wander through its silk market.
Barbeque lunch will be provided on the mountain. Skiing options are limited to only winter months. Returning to Istanbul, you will see the famous, old tree which is more than 600 years old!
- Soak in the incredible view as you take the cable car up Mt. Uludağ
- Enjoy a BBQ lunch
- Taste some of the traditional local products, like roasted chestnuts or Turkish sweets
- Pay a visit to the ancient Ulucami (Grand Mosque)
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Departing from your hotel in Istanbul at 08:00, head directly for the port and board a ferry-boat that will take you to the city of Bursa.
The streets of Bursa, the first capital of the Ottoman Empire, are filled with relics of the past, including historical buildings and artifacts that tell the story of Turkish history, culture and civilization. Often called "Green Bursa," the city is also filled with lush parks and gardens, vast forests, and orchards.
Take the cable car to the Mt. Uludağ, where you will enjoy a BBQ lunch before visiting Ulucami (Grand Mosque). The mosque, built between 1399 and 1400, is still the largest mosque in Bursa. There, you can admire its exquisite calligraphy and the great craftsmanship.
Afterwards, you may enjoy some famous local Turkish products, including roasted chestnuts and Turkish sweets.
Before the day is done, pay a visit to Bursa's silk market and then begin your journey back to Istanbul.
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel. At 9:00 am you will check-out and be picked up from your hotel to begin the trip by minivan to Cappadocia.
After arrival in Cappadocia and check-in to hotel, the remaining day and evening is free to spend resting at the hotel or sightseeing as you wish.
The tour covers the main attractions of the North Cappadocia. You will explore the most famous valleys (Devrent and Pasabag),visit Göreme open-air museum, Çavuşin village, and Uçhisar castle.
- Explore many rock formationsin Cappadocia
- Visit Goreme Open Air Museum
- Enjoy some authentic Turkish lunch in a traditional restaurant
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The pick-up time from your hotel is around 9:30 am depending on your hotel location. Our professional tour guide will help you get acquainted with a unique area called Cappadocia.
Avanos town is famous for its production of earthenware pottery. The ceramic trade in this district and its countless pottery factories date right back to the Hittites, and the ceramic clay from the red silt of the Kizilirmak River has always been used. The tour program includes a pottery demonstration with the Hittite technique.
Çavusin is one of the oldest settlements in Cappadocia which dates back to the 5th century. It's an old village where people still live in rock-cut dwellings and stone houses. The Church of St. John the Baptist in Çavuşin village dates back to the 5th century, its paintings - to the 6th, 7th and 8th centuries. The church offers a spectacular panoramic view of the village.
Devrent Valley (known also as Imagination valley) doesn't have any rock churches and monasteries, it is famous for lunar landscape with unique rock formations that look like animals (camel, alligator, snakes, seals, etc) and people (dancers, praying St. Mary, etc). You will definitely enjoy your walk through these amazing fairy chimneys.
Goreme Open-Air Museum is a UNESCO protected site with rock-cut churches and monasteries dating back to the 5th and 13th centuries. There are over 400 churches in Goreme, most of them are with beautiful frescoes whose colors still retain all their original freshness (the Apple Church, The St. Barbara Church, the Church of the Serpent, the Dark Church, etc.).
Pasabag Valley has the best collection of fairy chimneys in Cappadocia. These rock formations with twin and even triple rock caps are named mushroom shaped fairy chimneys. The valley is also known as Monk's Valley due to the monks who used to take refuge here. A chapel dedicated to St. Simeon and a hermit’s shelter has been built into one of the fairy chimneys with three caps; it is possible to visit the inside and climb to the top of it.
Uchisar Rock Castle is the highest point in Cappadocia. There's a magnificent panoramic view of the area with the Erciyes mountain at the distance from the top of the castle. It's the best view of Cappadocia except that opening during a hot-air balloon tour. Rooms of this rock multi-level castle are connected to each other with stairs, tunnels, and passages.
The North Cappadocia tour finishes at 4:30 pm.
This tour covers all the main attractions of the South Cappadocia. You will visit the largest excavated underground city in Turkey, trek in Ihlara valley, and much more!
- See wonderful Kaymakli Underground City
- Soak up the atmosphere in Cavusin Village
- Marvel at the sights
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It is a full day tour with a professional licensed guide. Pick up time from the hotel is around 09:30 am depending on your hotel location.
Derinkuyu Underground City is the largest excavated underground city in Turkey, and the deepest one in Cappadocia. Inside there are food stores, kitchens, stalls, churches, ventilation chimneys, water wells and a missionary school. With the depth of 85 m this multi-level city could accommodate up to 20,000 people at the same time.
Derinkuyu Underground City was opened to visitors in 1969 and about half of it is accessible to tourists. Continuing on you will visit Ihlara Valley (4 km trekking) which begins at Ihlara village and ends with the Selime Monastery at Selime village. It was formed by the Melendiz River thousands of years ago. The total length of the canyon is 14 km and the depth is approximately 100 m. Ihlara Valley has many cave churches dated from the 7th to 11th centuries. Most of them are decorated with frescoes in bright colors and display scenes that are different to the scenes depicted in other Cappadocian churches.
Belisirma Village is situated in the middle of Ihlara Valley. It's a typical Anatolian village which is of great interest to tourists. There are so many cafes and restaurants nearby the Melendiz River that offers fresh fish and very delicious local food. You will have a nice lunch at one of this local restaurants. From 100 churches of Ihlara Valley only 14 are open to visitors now and 7 of these churches are situated around the Belisirma village.
Selime is a town established at the end of Ihlara Valley. It's famous for rock-cut churches and Selime Monastery - one of the biggest rock-cut monasteries of Cappadocia with a cathedral sized church. Selime monastery was carved by the monks in the 13th century and apart from the church it has the monks quarters, a large kitchen, and stables for animals.
Pigeon Valley (which includes a photo break and a panoramic view over the valley) got its name due to the numerous pigeon houses carved into fairy chimneys. Farmers used these pigeon houses to collect the droppings of pigeons which is an excellent natural fertilizer for the orchards and vineyards.
Goreme (Esentepe) provides one of the most beautiful panoramic views of Cappadocia and of Göreme Valley in particular. You will enjoy the beauty of the Cappadocian lunar landscape and see unique rock formations with a great shape and colour diversity.
At the end of the tour you will be dropped off back at the hotel. The tour finishes around 6:00 pm.
An optional and breathtaking Hot Air Balloon ride is available in the early morning hours before returning to Istanbul for those wishing to experience this memorable tour. Hot Air Balloon Tours costs €200 and are not included in the overall price of the tour package.
In this tour, you will glide over the fairy chimneys and rock-cut houses of Cappadocia on a 1-hour hot air balloon flight, and experience stunning views of the unique landscape from the air and watch the sun rise over the valleys. It is an incredibly beautiful tour, but entirely optional.
Breakfast will be available at the hotel.
At 9:00 am you will check-out and be picked up from your hotel to begin the trip by minivan back to Istanbul.
After return to Istanbul and check-in to hotel, the remaining day is a free day.
Optional Hot Air Balloon Tour in Cappadocia
- Watch the sunrise over the valleys and mountains of Cappadocia
- Float over the fairy chimneys in hot air balloons
- Get a pre-flight breakfast with hot coffee and tea
- Leave with lasting memories and a souvenir flight certificate
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Enjoy a thrilling hot air balloon flight over the fairy chimneys and rock cut churches and houses of Cappadocia, with transfers from your hotel and a pre-flight breakfast on arrival at the launch site.
You will be picked up from your accommodation in Cappadocia at approximately 04:00 for the transfer to the launch site. Warm up from the early morning chill with complimentary coffee and tea. While you enjoy breakfast, watch the balloons as they are prepared and inflated.
Then, as the sun begins to rise, float to an altitude of about 1,000 feet (300 meters) for extraordinary 360-degree views of Cappadocia. The wind will transport you across the valleys and mountains for about 45 minutes to 1-hour, depending on the weather. Marvel at the unique rocks and caves of the region from a bird’s eye perspective.
Upon landing, you will receive a personal flight certificate before the transfer back to your hotel at about 07:00 and the start of the rest of your day.
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel.
You will be transferred to the airport for your return home.
This unique tour offers travelers the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in the magnificent wonders of Istanbul, Bursa and the ethereal beauty of Cappadocia.
The ancient city of Istanbul is extremely rich in culture and history. One cannot say they toured Istanbul without visiting the incredible Sultan Ahmed Mosque (also known as the Blue Mosque), Hagia Sophia, Topkapı Palace, the Grand Bazaar and the Egyptian Bazaar (also known as the Spice Bazaar). Cruise the Bosphorus, refreshed by sea breezes as you sail past palaces and the meeting point of East and West. Exploring Istanbul will create a myriad of unforgettable experiences for every traveler.
The Ottoman Empire was one of the largest empires in the history and Bursa was its first capital. The city that is settled on the northwestern slopes of Mount Uludag is known as "Yesil Bursa" (meaning "Green Bursa") from its beautiful parks and gardens located throughout the city. Bursa offers fresh air from the lush vegetation and the vast forests as well as all the advantages of a big city, by being one of the fourth biggest cities in Turkey. It is also known for its peaches, chestnuts, silk industry, its thermal baths, interesting museums (notably a rich museum of archaeology) as well as its famous ski resort.
Travel inland to the stunning landscape of Cappadocia. This vast range of hills, mountains, and delicate spires are the result of ancient volcanic tuff being hewn into wonderful shapes by millions of years of wind and rain. As a unique historical region and cultural heritage in Central Anatolia, Cappadocia, home to a number of breathtaking sights, is a must-see!
This unique, 10-day tour will undoubtedly create many beautiful and unforgettable memories.