Tour Details

Istanbul Bosphorus Cappadocia vacation package 5 days with a full-day Istanbul tour, Bosphorus cruise and full-day South Cappadocia tour

Istanbul

Departure & Return Location

Istanbul

Price Includes

4 Nights Hotel Accomodation
Full day Istanbul Old city tour with lunch
Half day Bosphorus Cruise
Full day North Cappadocia Tour with lunch
All transportation in destination location
Tour Guide
Entrance Fees
Daily breakfast
Hotel taxes

Price Excludes

Any Private Expenses
Air tickets Istanbul – Cappadocia – Istanbul are not included.

What to Expect

Istanbul Bosphorus Cappadocia vacation package 5 days with a full-day Istanbul tour, Bosphorus cruise and full-day South Cappadocia tour

Itinerary

Day 1ISTANBUL

Arrival in Istanbul, welcome & assistance at the airport and transfer to hotel. Free day.

Day 2ISTANBUL – FULL DAY OLD CITY TOUR

We begin our tour from the Sultanahmet district, the heart of old Istanbul at Agia Sophia. Built by Emperor Justinian in the 6th century AD this church is one of the marvels of world architecture. Its massive dome dominates the skyline of old Istanbul. It is famed for its mosaics, including glittering portraits of emperors and empresses.

Next, we visit the Blue Mosque, which owes its name to the exquisite tiles adorning its interior. Dating from the 17th century, it is the only imperial Mosque with six minarets. The Hippodrome, the stadium of ancient Byzantium, held 100.000 spectators and featured objects from all corners of the empire. After a lunch break, we continue our tour at Topkapi Palace which, from the 15th to 19th century, was the principal residence of the Ottoman Sultans.

The final visit will be to the Grand Bazaar which was the commercial heart of the old city and its 4.000 shops are full of treasures – including carpets and kilims, silks, jewellery, ceramics, icons and leather goods.

Day 3ISTANBUL – HALF DAY BOSPHORUS CRUISE - CAPPADOCIA

Half-day cruise through Bosporus, the majestic strait that runs through Istanbul, linking Europe and Asia. From our cruise boat, we view the dramatic sights lining the Bosporus wooded shores: mosques, a bridge that for a time was the world’s longest and Rumeli Hisari, a massive fortress built by Mehmet the Conqueror in just three months as he prepared to take Istanbul. Also noteworthy on this tour are the 19th-century mansions of the Ottoman elite and the Sultans’ fanciful gingerbread palaces and hunting lodges Disembarkation at the European part of Turkey and transfer to the airport for your flight to Cappadocia. Upon your arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Dinner and overnight

Day 4CAPPADOCIA – FULL DAY CAPPADOCIA NORTH TOUR

Our first real encounter with Cappadocia almost Martian landscape is in the Derwent valley. We visit Pasabag’s “fairy chimneys”, where the voice of the wind harmonizes with songs of the fairies. From here we pause at Avanos centre of terracotta art which is a popular destination because of its attractive old town with cobbled streets, and views over the river and is its production of earthenware pottery, it is also the most economic activity in the town. 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 Kızılırmak has always been used. A visit to the ceramic & tile centre to see how the ceramics are made by hand.

After lunch, we visit the famous Goreme Open Air Museum to see the best examples of Byzantine art in Cappadocia. People of Goreme, at the heart of the Cappadocia Region, realized that these soft rocks could be easily carved out to form houses, churches, monasteries. These Christian sanctuaries contain many examples of Byzantine art from the post iconoclastic period. These frescoes are a unique artistic achievement from this period.

You visit a carpet cooperative, where you’ll see how exquisite Turkish carpets are hand-woven. We complete the tour with a panoramic view of the valleys of Cappadocia. Dinner and overnight.