Program of the day: Excursion to “Goreme” Goreme Open Air Museum : Goreme was known, in the ancient times as Korama. The first references to it are in the early 7th Acts of St.Hieron, a 3rd C. saint, a native of Matianoi, or the modern Maccan. Goreme is an amphitheatre surrounded by steep cliffs leading to a pleasant, verdant valley, which puzzles every single visitor, by the interesting access to the many caves. The place we refer as the Goreme Open Air Museum is located in a small part of the whole valley and right next door to the modern village of Goreme. It is famous for its monastic complex of rock churches and chapel covered with frescoes.

Zelve Valley: Fairy chimneys with multiple stems and caps are the attraction of this area. A chapel dedicated to St. Simeon and a hermit’s shelter built into a fairy chimney with three heads is one of the highlights of the valley.

Devrent Valley: Devrent is one km. from Zelve Valley. The ruins at Devrent are spread over three valleys, which also house several pointed fairy chimneys with large stems.

Cavusin Village: One of the oldest settlements in the area, Cavusin is 2 km. from Goreme, on the Goreme-Avanos road. The Church of St.John the Baptist offers a panoramic view of the village. This church and its paintings date back to the 5th century, making it the oldest church in the region. Avanos: A center of terra cotta work of art since 3000 BC. You will be invited to visit a traditional pottery workshop, which is possibly set deep into the hillsides. The clay, which comes from the Red River (Kizilirmak, the longest stream of Turkey) passing through the town gives life both to the land and to the local economy.

Ortahisar Village: Ortahisar is dominated by a fortress-like rock rising above winding roads. The present-day town is located at the foot of the “fortress” and a complicated network of paths leads to abandoned rock dwellings. In addition to cultivating the land, the inhabitants of Ortahisar earn their living by storing fruits yearlong in the caves cut from the volcanic rock. From the summit of the fortress which is accessible by stairs, one can enjoy a wonderful panoramic view of the surrounding area.

In the village directly below the fortress are dozens of tuff cones hollowed out as rooms. Many of these are still in use.

Optional Hot Air Balloon Ride; Early birds may want to enjoy a warm air balloon ride before continuing with the program: Enjoy a unique Sunrise balloon ride and view the lunar landscape of Cappadocia. Balloon, though agreed for up to 20 passengers, are rarely taking off with more than 12 persons. Return to your hotel for breakfast before joining a group tour.

Program of the day: Excursion to “Kaymakli” Kaymakli: Kaymakli Underground City: Kaymakli is one of the largest underground cities in Cappadocia with eight stories. It covers an area of approximately 4 km2 /1.5SM. Visitors can see only about 10% of the city by going down a maximum of five floors. The population of Kaymakli is thought to have been about 3000.

Pigeon Valley: Here you will see where the Pigeons and learn how they were used to help the people : sending messages, fertilizing the grapes... Also you will enjoy a wonderful panoramic view.

Uchisar Rock Castle: Uchisar is the name of the fortress and the town where it is located (“Uc” is tip, “hisar” is fortress in Turkish). This 60 mt. high (200ft) fortress was not built but carved out of a natural hill dominating the area with a breathtaking view of all the surrounding Cappadocia formations.

Esentepe Panorama: This is the best panoramic viewpoint from which to contemplate the view of Goreme Village; fairy chimneys, rock formations and cave houses.

Rose Valley: This isolated valley behind Urgup has beautiful rock formations with some great hidden rock-carved churches. The most interesting part of this area are the countless tracks connecting the small villages and towns through vineyards and gardens like a spider web. It is always possible to see villagers working in the area and offering grapes, apples or apricots to you.

Program of the day: Excursion to “Ihlara” Ihlara : Ihlara Canyon: Near Mount Hasan (one of the three volcanoes of Cappadocia) is a canyon with a depth of approximately 100 m carved by the Melendiz River thousands of years ago. It begins at Ihlara Village and ends at the village Selime after making 26 bends along 14 kilometers. It is believed that the valley housed more than four thousand dwellings and a hundred churches. It is estimated that arround eighty thousand people once lived here.

It is very pleasant to walk through the Ihlara Valley by the vineyards, poplars and pistachio trees to the shooting sound of the rushing water and sorrounded by a rich wildlife of lizards, frogs, butterflies, birds and sometimes eagles and some mammals like lambs and sheep.

The churches in the Valley can be divided into two groups; The Ihlara group including the Agacalti, Purenli Seki, Kokar, Egritas and Yilanli churches that reflect Oriental influences, and the Belisirma group, comprising the Sumbullu church and others with Byzantine characteristics.

The churches of the Ihlara group display scenes dissimilar to the scenes depicted in other Cappadocian churches. In fact, they are reminiscent of the early churches of Syria and the Coptic churches of Egypt. The texts in Ihlara group churches are unusually long. In this group special emphasis was laid upon Satan and women as the source of evil.

Selime Monastery: ancient monastic site and several rock hewn churches.

Belisirma Village: We enjoy a 4 km. hike through the Ihlara Valley to arrive in the Belisirma Village.

Derinkuyu Underground City: Derinkuyu is one of the largest underground cities in Cappadocia with eight stories.

At the end of this tour, transfer to the airport and flight to Istanbul for overnight.

Today we will visit the capital of three empires, the only city spread over two continents, bridge between East and West... a metropolis full of surprises!

The highlights of this city, the must do’s are the Ayasofya Museum, the Topkapi Palace, the Sultanahmet (Blue) Mosque, the Hippodrome…!

To better feel, live Istanbul, we propose a walking tour (max. 2km – 1,5Mi) : Our visits will start at the Saint Sophia, a basilica built by Constantine the Great in the 4th century and reconstructed by Justinian in the 6th century. Once the symbol of the Ottoman conquest of Istanbul and reconverted to a mosque, the Saint Sophia is today a museum and one of the architectural marvels of all times.

Just opposite the Saint Sophia, the Sultanahmet Imperial Mosque: this building of the 16th century is also known as the Blue Mosque because of its magnificent interior decoration of blue Iznik tiles.

The Hippodrome was the scene of chariot races in the Byzantine times. The three monuments in the middle, the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine column and the Column of Constantine, are relics of these glorious times.

After lunch, we continue with the visit of the Topkapi Palace, the palace of the Ottoman sultans for about 5 centuries which today houses a marvelous collection of crystal, silver and Chinaware, robes worn by the sultans and their families, the imperial jewels, miniatures. Except from these you will also enjoy wandering in the gardens entering imperial rooms and salons.

The Saint Sophia museum is closed on Mondays, official and religious holidays. This tour does not include the visit of the Harem. The Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays, official and religious holidays.

Overnight in Istanbul

Buyukada, literally “Big Island” in Turkish, is the original Princes' Island, and the largest and most populated of the Princes‟ Islands. Buyukada was used as an exile destination and as a monastery region during the Byzantine Christian period. During the Byzantium history the island was also used as a prison for those who were opposing the Emperor. It was Buyukada where the Byzantine empresses Irene and Zoe and Anna Dalassena were sent on exile. After his deportation from the Soviet Union in February 1929, Leon Trotsky also stayed for four years on Buyukada. We see mansions, palaces, churches, convents and much more... We meet the guide at the pier and take the regular cruise boat to the island.

Bosphorus Cruise & Spice Bazaar:

We visit Rustem Pasa Mosque and then walk to the embankment. You take the boat and cruise for 90 minutes. The boat goes by the shores of Bosphorus while your guide specialist on Bosphorus will explain you everything en route. You will see the views of Dolmabahce Palace, Leanders Tower, two suspension bridges, Rumeli Hisari Fortress, beautiful mansions by the shores of Bosphorus and finally we disembark near the Spice Bazaar.

What about a different way to spend your last evening in Turkey… by joining a “Dining Out the Turkish Way”?

This is a real traditional night in Istanbul. You will not see professional belly dancers or folkloric dancers. No touristic places – but you will see much more than that ! We will take you where “real people” go to dine in a “Turkish way”. You will see and have a chance to meet local people having fun with their friends. We start the evening in a “Simit Bakery”. Simit is a bread roll, which is covered with grape molasses and sesame seeds. We take our “simit” and visit one of the local kiraathane – which literally means reading rooms – but in reality is a coffee shop with lots of men playing cards or backgammon! After having Turkish tea in a traditional tea glass we visit another typical place : “Ocakbasi” which is a self-service barbecue restaurant where you sit by the fire and grill your kebabs, along with a glass of Turkish Raki of course ! We continue our gourmet journey passing, seeing and sniffing by some Turkish Restaurants. Finally, we end up in a “Meyhane” – a traditional tavern where you taste “Meze” (cold and warm starters”, drink “Raki” and listen to live Turkish music performed by Gipsy musicians. Well if you think that it’s over for the night, you are wrong! We will offer you a traditional “Iskembe Corbasi” (Tripe soup) – the same way Turks complete their evening after being sated with “Turkish Raki”… And of course no Turkish night is “complete” without tasting the “Turk Kahvesi” – Turkish coffee. Sounds tasty huh ! And to give it quality, you will be escorted by a professional guide who will explain to you everything that you will need to know.

Overnight in Istanbul

After a last night and breakfast in Turkey, the time to return to the airport has come.

For international flights the departure from your hotel will be 3 hours prior to expected take-off.

Yet, you may be lucky and only need to depart in the afternoon.

This may be an opportunity to visit the Museum of Archaeology and / or the Museum of Ottoman and Islamic Arts.