11 Days Flying Carpet Tour

Day 1: Arrival Istanbul

Welcome to the Flying carpet tour! Upon arrival at Istanbul Airport, be greeted by your driver and drive to your hotel. Check-in. Overnight in Istanbul.

🏚️ Hotel Option:  Celal Sultan Hotel or similar. (The 3-Star or 5-Star hotel is available on request.)

Day 2: Istanbul City Highlights Tour (B, L)

According to your group tour pick up a time to meet with your guide at the lobby of your hotel and depart for your full-day day tour to the heart of Sultanahmet. Visit  Blue Mosque, also known as Mosque of Sultan Ahmet which boats a unique feature of 6 minarets. View its glorious interiors and distinctive blue tiles and proceed to the only remains of Hippodrome of Constantinople, which consist of 3 monumental columns and fountains. This is where chariot races took place in the past. Visit Topkapi Palace, once the seat of the Ottoman Empire. Presently, it’s a museum palace with a wide collection of porcelain, antiques, holy relics, and other treasures. After lunch in the local restaurant proceed to Hagia Sophia, the church of Divine Wisdom, one of the greatest marvels of architecture, constructed as a basilica in the 2nd century by Emperor Justinian.  St Sophia was the largest cathedral in the world for nearly a thousand years; it is considered the masterpiece of Byzantine architecture. After being considered the Patriarchal Basilica of Constantinople, it was converted into a mosque in 1453 by Sultan Mehmet ll. Next: Grand Bazaar, One of the largest covered markets in the world with more than 60 streets and 5000 shops, where you will find in an authentic oriental atmosphere all kinds of gifts, leather clothing, rugs, antiques, jewelry, hand-woven fabrics, etc. After the tour drives you back to your hotel. Overnight in Istanbul.

🏚️ Hotel Option: Celal Sultan Hotel or similar.

Day 3: Flight to Izmir (B)

Today is yours to explore city your own. According your pick up time meet your driver and drive to Airport for your 1hour 30min domestic flight to Izmir. Upon arrival you wıll be greeted by your drıver who wıll drıve you safely to your hotel. Check-in. Overnight in Kusadasi

Optional: HD Cruising on Bosphorus+Spice Market Tour

🏚️ Hotel Option: Efe Boutique Hotel or similar.

✈️ Domestic flight from Istanbul to Izmir is included.

Day 4: Full-Day Ephesus Tour (B, L)

According to your tour pick-up time meet with your guide and start your full-day tour. Visit The House of Virgin Mary; located 6km to the north of the ruins of Ephesus, a church was built from the 6C AD to the top of the foundations of a house from 1C AD and it is declared by the church to be the final house where Mary spent her last days. Continue with the Ancient Ephesus; An Archeological treasure, The best-preserved classical city in Eastern Mediterranean. During the 1C AD, Ephesus was the second-largest city on the planet after Rome with more than 250,000 citizens. It was in the center of the known world and played the role of a gateway between the East and the West with its giant harbor, it was also the center of trading in antiquity. It was not only a rich commercial city but also the honeymoon place of Mark Anthony and Cleopatra. An impressive city, ıt is also home to one of the Seven wonders of the ancient world, the Temple of Artemis. Ephesus is also so well preserved that, walking on the ancient streets among the beautiful monuments such as the third largest library of the ancient world or the largest roman theatre on the Asia continent, gives you the feeling of a time traveler.
Next; the Temple of Artemis or Artemision was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Its ancient cult dedicated to Artemis was very famous in antiquity and made Ephesus a much-visited pilgrimage place. There were a total of 127 ionic columns with a height of 19m. The temple is also considered to be the earliest bank of the ancient world. At the end of the tour drive you back to the departure point. Overnight in Kusadasi.

🏚️ Hotel Option: Efe Boutique Hotel or similar.

Day 5: Pamukkale Tour / Coach to Antalya (B)

Upon breakfast at the hotel check out and according to your group tour pick up a time to meet with your guide at the lobby of your hotel and travel to Pamukkale; Pools of Heaven on Earth… Pamukkale has always been a very popular settlement where hot springs were believed to have healing powers so it is considered to be the earliest spa on earth where, in history, people traveled long distances in order to find a cure. The unique terraces were formed by running warm spring water at a temperature of 35 C, containing calcium bicarbonate. Today Pamukkale is declared as a world heritage site by UNESCO. Visit; the ancient city of Hierapolis which has the biggest Necropolis with 1200 gravestones in Anatolia. Also, The Sacred Pool is one of the highlights of the site. Theır shallow thermal waters ripple over a wonderful scattering of ancient roman ruins that lie beneath. After the tour, drive you to Denizli bus station for your 5 hours bus journey to Antalya. Upon arrival, Antalya bus station greeted by your driver and drive to your hotel. Check-in. Overnight in Antalya.

🏚️ Hotel Option: Best Western Khan Hotel or similar.

🚍 Coach ticket from Denizli to Antalya is included.

Day 6: Perge, Aspendos, Side (B, L)

According to your tour pick-up time meet with your guide and start your full-day tour. The first visiting place is Perge, one of the largest and most popular ancient cities in the Pamphylia region. Perge was the capital of Pamphylia then eventually came under Roman rule in 133B.C. and this is when it flourished most and indeed most of the ruins that are left today are from that area. You will see the Agora, Roman Baths, Colonnaded Street, Nympharium and also Grand amphitheater which could hold 15.000 people.
Our second visiting place is Aspendos Ancient Theatre. Probably an earlier ancient theatre was built 2nd century on the site. The Aspendos theatre can hold over 20,000 and ıs still being used for festivals and music concerts. After lunch at the local restaurant on a nearby river, we depart for Side; one of the most popular and classical ancient cities of Turkey, also became an important base for the Cilician pirates and their slave trade and profited from this. With the defeat of the pirates, Side fell under the control of Rome and became part of the Roman Empire and many constructions took place in Sides such as a large theatre, Roman Baths, and The Temple of Apollo.
After Side Ancient City we drive back to Antalya on the way, you get a chance to see Kursunlu Waterfall Enjoy fresh pine scent, cool atmosphere, and spectacular waterfalls.

🏚️ Hotel Option: Best Western Khan Hotel or similar.

Day 7: Leisure Day (B)

Today is yours to explore the city on your own. Overnight in Antalya

Optional: Antalya City Tour or Rafting

🏚️ Hotel Option: Best Western Khan Hotel or similar.

Day 8: Flight to Cappadocia (B)

Upon breakfast at the hotel check out and according to your flight departure time meet with your driver and drives to Antalya Airport for your 1h 30min domestic flight to Cappadocia. Upon arrival, the Kayseri Airport is greeted by your driver and drives to your hotel. Check-in. Overnight in Cappadocia.

🏚️ Hotel Option: Hera Cave Suites or similar.

✈️ Domestic flight from Antalya to Cappadocia is included.

Day 9: Fairy Chimneys of Cappadocia (B, L)

According to your tour pick-up time meet with your guide and start your full-day tour. Explore Goreme Museum; which consists of many rock-cut churches from the second half of 9C with beautiful colorful frescoes decorating the walls. Next; is Devrent Valley; famous for its quirky animal-shaped rocks. It looks like a sculpture zoo made by nature. There is even a rock pillar that looks like the Virgin Mary, holding Jesus Christ. Take in the unique lunar landscape of the valley and feel like you’re in another World. Next; Pasabagi which means: the Pacha’s vineyard. This site is also called Monks Valley. The hermitage of Simeon monks was here.
Next Avanos; where you will enjoy typical Turkish Lunch and experience make Potter with local experts. Next, we continue to Goreme Panorama, which has one of the best panoramic views of the fairy chimneys. Next Uchisar the Naturel highest Rock Castle provides a magnificent panorama of the surrounding area. At the end of the tour drive you back to your hotel. Overnight in Cappadocia.

🏚️ Hotel Option: Hera Cave Suites or similar.

Day 10: Underground Cities of Cappadocia (B, L)

According to your tour pick-up time meet with your guide and start your full-day tour. Visit Rose and Red Valley; is an incredibly unique area of Cappadocia with sharp ridges, tinted in pink especially during sunset! the minerals in the sandstone have a pink tinge. Next Cavusin; is surrounded by a valley, which becomes gradually wider, called Red Valley. The houses of the village were cut into massive rock formations. The village is famous for its rock churches. Next; Pigeon Valley; earned its name from the countless man-made dovecotes (Pigeon Houses) that have been carved into the soft volcanic tuff. Pigeon Valley is one of the best spots for walking in the marvelous Cappadocia region. Next; Underground Cities; once a place of refuge for 15000 Christians. These settlements were of enormous value to the development of Christianity as they provided shelter and worship and were in use until the end of 7C AD. Witness the ancient bedrooms, church, meeting hall, and food storage rooms in this eight-story city connected by 30km of corridors and passageways. Tour continues with Ortahisar; famous for its friendly inhabitants, picturesque stone houses, narrow streets, and lovely churches as well as the castle-like rock formation after which the town is named At the end of the tour drive you back to your hotel. Overnight in Cappadocia.

🏚️ Hotel Option: Hera Cave Suites or similar.

Day 11: Flight to Istanbul (B)

Upon breakfast at the hotel, check out and transfer you to the Airport for your domestic flight to Istanbul. You will be leaving Turkey with unforgettable memories. End of our service.

✈️ Domestic flight from Cappadocia to Istanbul is included.