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Day 01—Flight to Nevsehir/Kayseri – Transfer to Urgup - North Cappadocia Tour – Goreme
Transfer from Istanbul hotel at 05:00 to Istanbul Ataturk Airport. Flight to Nevsehir/Kayseri at 06:35. Upon arrival to Nevsehir at 07:50 you will be met and transferred to our office in Urgup (1 hour) for a short break before the tour. We start our day with a gentle hike through orchards, unusual volcanic rock formations, rock-cut houses at Red Valley & (Pasabagi) where you will find the world known fairy chimneys. Visit the old Christian Village of Cavusin, followed by lunch break & then an excursion to Pigeon Valley. Then continue on to Goreme Open-Air Museum where you will visit the numerous rock carved churches, monasteries decorated with striking frescoes from early Christianity. Our last stop for the day will be the panoramic viewpoint offering spectacular views of the landscape from the natural rock castle at Uchisar. End of the tour, drop-off Goreme Hotel for overnight. (Meals:Lunch)Day 02—*Optional Balloon Tour - South Cappadocia Tour – Fly to Antalya
*Pick up from the hotel at 06:00 for 1 hour balloon tour during the sunrise. At the end of the tour return to the hotel for breakfast. After breakfast at hotel, we will start the second day tour with Rose Valley, is named after the pink tints visible in some of the weathered rocky sides. Along the route see the first currently inhabited rock-cut houses. Then proceed to Cavusin Village, one of the oldest settlements in the area. The Church of St. John the Baptist offers a panoramic view of the village. After lunch we will drive to south of Cappadocia to visit Kaymakli Underground City. This widest underground city of Cappadocia region, it was carved out underneath a rock hill (Kaymakli Castle). The day tour will finish with Ortahisar. Its most pronounced structure is the Castle of Ortahisar situated at 86 m height cave in the period of Etic. At the outskirts of the castle there are available the samples of the civil architecture characteristic to Cappadocia. End of the tour, transfer to Kayseri Airport. Flight departs at 20:25. Upon arrival to Antalya at 20:40 you will be met and transferred to your hotel in Antalya (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch)Day 03—Perge – Aspendos- Side Tour – Antalya
After breakfast athe hotel, you will be picked up to take an excursion to some of the most important archaeological sites of Anatolia on an 8-hour tour from Antalya. You will visit 3 of the 4 great cities of the Hellenistic period, and cool down at the magnificent Kurşunlu Waterfall on one of the tributaries of the lovely Aksu River. First you will visit Perge, an ancient Greek city founded in the southwest of Anatolia, approximately 9 miles east of modern day Antalya. During the Hellenistic period Perge was the capital of Pamphylia, and one of the 4 great cities that also included Aspendos, Side, and Sillion. It was one of the richest and most beautiful cities in the ancient world, most famous for its temple dedicated to Artemis, the beautiful goddess of wilderness. Home to the renowned Greek mathematician Apollonius of Perge, according to legend, it was also the birthplace of beer. For approximately 450 years, Perge was under the control of the Greeks until the Persians conquered it in 546 BC. 200 years later the armies of Alexander the Great entered Perge, ending the Persian reign. From that time, until the fall of the Roman Empire, Perge was under the patronage of the Romans. With its long history and its combination of 3 different cultures, the ruins are a delight to explore. Continue to Aspendos, approximately 25 miles east of Antalya. Another of the great cities of Pamphylia, Aspendos was located on an important trade route. Alexander the Great’s armies had the city in their sight, finally conquering it in 333 BC. Aspendos then fell under Roman patronage in 930 BC until the end of the Roman Empire. The theatre, built between161-180 AD during the reign of Marcus Aurelıus, is considered one of the world’s best-preserved theaters from antiquity, and is an immensely popular tourist attraction. Continue to Side. The ancient Greek city’s spectacular natural harbor setting made it one of the most important cities in Pamphylia, and one of the most significant centers for trade, especially of olive oil and slaves. This also made it a target for many invaders and, after the Greeks, the Persians took Side under their wing, eventually giving in to the forces of Alexander the Great’s armies in 333 BC. By the 4th-Century Side had begun to decline. Following non-stop invasions and a succession of natural disasters, the city was completely abandoned in the 10th-Century, leaving behind ruins that are considered among the most notable in Asia Minor. Departing Side, you will make your way back to Antalya, about 45 miles west of the ruins. Arrive back in the Mediterranean Sea resort for a hotel drop-off at the end of the tour (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch)Day 04— Early Morning Departure to Pamukkale & Hierapolis Tour - Selcuk
After breakfast drive to Pamukkale(3.5 hours)Upon arrival stop for lunch. After lunch Visiting Pamukkale. The hot springs at Pamukkale, meaning "cotton castle" in Turkish, are in south-western Turkey. It is some 2,700 meters long & 160 meters high & can be seen from a great distance. This natural phenomenon leaves thick white layers of limestone & travertine cascading down the mountain slope, which resemble a frozen waterfall. There will be free time to walk on the terraces (where allowed). We will be also visiting Hierapolis Ancient City from 500 AD with Church of St. Paul. At the end of the tour We will be heading back to Selcuk. Overnight in Selcuk / Kusadasi (Meals: Breakfast – Lunch)Day 05— Full Day Ephesus & Virgin Mary Guided Tour- Fly back to Istanbul
After breakfast, you will be picked up from the hotel. Explore an historical gem of the eastern Mediterranean on a full-day tour of Ephesus from Selcuk and walk in the footsteps of Cleopatra, Mark Antony, the Virgin Mary, and John the Apostle. The largest open-air museum in Turkey, Ephesus contains more than 30 buildings and structures linked together by streets that still bear the marks of chariot wheels. Your guide will show you the awe-inspiring Great Theater, where St. Paul preached against the pagans and gladiators once engaged in battle. Walk along Marble Street to the Library of Celsus and be dazzled by its restored façade. Visit the Temple of Hadrian, Roman baths, and other remarkable ruins. Continue to the Church of the Virgin Mary. According to Christian tradition, Mary was brought to Ephesus by the Apostle John after the Resurrection of Christ. The church was erected on the foundation of the house where she spent her final days, as authenticated by Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II. End your day at the Temple of Artemis, one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World. Today there are only a series of columns and scattered ruins of this marvelous Hellenistic construction, though the grandeur of the colossal structure once exceeded that of the Parthenon. The end of the tour heading to Izmir Airport. Flight to ıstanbul at 19:10 Upon arrival to Istanbul at 19:35 you will be met and transferred to your hotel in Istanbul (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch).