Special Grand tour of Turkiye

SPECIAL GRAND TÜRKIYE TOUR

FROM € 1,583

WHEN 23/09/2024 – 03/10/24

VISITING

Cappadocia, Goreme Valley, Pasabaglari, Avanos, Mevlana Mausoleum, Antalya, Green Canyon, Pamukkale, Kusadasi, Sirince Village, Ephesus, Canakkale, Izmir city and wildlife park, Bergama, Troy, Tekirdag, Taksim & Istanbul.

MONDAY, 23rd SEPTEMBER

We meet at the airport at 8.00am for our Turkish Airlines flight departing at 10.35am, taking us to Cappadocia via Istanbul. On arrival at 5.30pm, we are transferred to our hotel, and have dinner.

TUESDAY, 24TH SEPTEMBER

(Optional: Hot Air Balloon riding available early in the morning! A unique experience). After breakfast, we go on a full-day excursion to visit Cappadocia. Here, we can see the main Goreme Open Air Museum situated in the Goreme Valley, home of early Christian churches decorated with unique frescos. Then, we proceed to Pasabaglari (Monk’s Valley) to see the world-famous fairy chimneys which have a unique shape. Then, we have lunch (extra) and visit Avanos, the well-known pottery and craft centre, before we enjoy some free time to shop for some jewellery. We return to our hotel in time for dinner.

WEDNESDAY, 25TH SEPTEMBER

After breakfast, we check-out from our hotel and board our coach to make our way to Antalya. On the way, we make pass through Konja and make a stop at a Caravanserai. In Konya, we visit the Mevlâna Museum, which is the mausoleum of Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi, a Persian Sufi mystic. It was also the dervish lodge of the Mevlevi order, better known as the whirling dervishes. Afterwards, we have lunch (extra) at Konya. We later continue with our drive to Antalya. Check-in and dinner at hotel.

THURSDAY, 26TH SEPTEMBER

After breakfast, we start our full-day sightseeing tour. We will start by embarking on a boat cruise adventure from Side to the Green Canyon, which is the only way to enjoy Turkey’s emerald lake. We will also enjoy buffet lunch onboard (included) whilst passing through the lush woodland and rugged cliffs scenery. Later, we return to our hotel for dinner.

FRIDAY, 27TH SEPTEMBER

After breakfast, we check-out from the hotel and start our drive to Pamukkale (Hierapolis), leaving the colourful town behind and pass through the verdant countryside. On the way, we stop for a coffee break. Upon arrival in Pamukkale, we have lunch (extra), and after we start our visit. Pamukkale is a town in western Turkey known for the mineral-rich thermal waters flowing down white travertine terraces on a nearby hillside. It neighbours Hierapolis, an ancient Roman spa city founded around 190BC. Ruins there include a well-preserved theatre and a necropolis with sarcophagi that stretch for 2km. The Antique Pool is famous for its submerged Roman columns, the result of an earthquake. We later drive to our hotel in Pamukkale for check-in, dinner and overnight.

SATURDAY, 28TH SEPTEMBER

Breakfast, and check-out. Today, we drive to Kusadasi. Our first stop will be a visit to a factory outlet textile Burberry shop. On our arrival in Kusadasi, we will have lunch (extra) and afterwards visit Sirince Village (Old Greek Village). Şirince, known as Kirkintzes in Greek, is a village of 600 inhabitants in İzmir Province, located about 8km east from the town of Selçuk and about 8km from Ephesus. The area around the village has history dating back to Hellenistic period. Afterwards, we go to our hotel in Kusadasi for dinner and overnight.

SUNDAY, 29TH SEPTEMBER

After breakfast, we will join our guide and visit Ephesus. Our first stop will be at the Virgin Mary’s House, where it is said that Mary was brought to Ephesus by the Apostle John after the Resurrection of Christ and lived out her days here. We then go on a walking tour and see the Odeon, The Fountain of Trajan, the stream baths of Scholastic, the temple of Hadrian and the impressive library of Ephesus. We then pass through the Arcadian Way, where Mark Anthony and Cleopatra once rode in procession. Lunch (extra), and then we will have time to visit the Carpet village. We return to our hotel for dinner.

MONDAY, 30TH OCTOBER

After breakfast, we check-out and start our drive to Canakkle. We will visit Izmir wild life park, which has nearly 1,800 animals from 132 species, We will then stop at Bergama (for lunch). Afterwards will drive to our hotel in Canakkale. We do the check-in and have dinner.

TUESDAY, 1STOCTOBER

After breakfast, we check-out from our hotel, and start our trip to Istanbul. Our first stop of the day shall be Troy (Ancient City). Troy or Ilium was an ancient city located at Hisarlik in present-day Turkey, 30km southwest of Çanakkale. It is known as the setting for the Greek myth of the Trojan War. We later take a ferry and cross the Dardanel. We make a stop at Tekirdag for lunch (extra). We later continue our way to Istanbul. Upon arrival in our hotel, we check-in and later we can join our leader for an orientation walk in Taksim district which is considered to be the heart of modern Istanbul. It is a great place to experience the nightlife and culture of Istanbul as well as find numerous restaurants and shops.

WEDNESDAY, 2ND OCTOBER

After breakfast, we go on a full-day optional tour of Byzantium & Ottoman Relics. We begin our tour at the Sultanahmet district, the heart of old Istanbul, at Saint Sophia. Built by Emperor Justinian in the 6th century AD, this church is one of the marvels of world architecture. Then, 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, and The Hippodrome. After lunch (extra), we visit the Basilica Cistern, the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath Istanbul.  Will also visit Hagia Sofia (extra), originally built as a Christian Orthodox church, was transformed into a mosque by the Ottomans. The last stop is at the Grand Bazaar, the commercial heart of the old city with its 4,000 shops full of treasures – including carpets and kilims, silks, jewellery, ceramics, icons, and leather goods. We have time to wander around the Grand Bazaar and do some shopping.

THURSDAY, 3RD OCTOBER

Breakfast, and today we have a free morning for personal sightseeing. In early afternoon, we go to the airport for our return Turkish Airlines flight departing at 4.55pm and arriving in Malta at 6.20pm.

PRICE PER PERSON                                         

*SEPCIAL PRICE

€ 1,683/*€ 1,583 Adult in Triple

€ 1,733 /*€ 1,633 Adult in Double

€ 2,163 /*€ 2,063 Adult in Single

€ 1,099 /*€ 999 Child sharing w/2 adults

NOT INCLUDED IN THE PRICE

Hot Air Balloon (including transfers) – TBA

Byzantian and the Ottoman Relics Tour € 90 per person

Hagia Sofia €25 per person

Note: Hot Air Balloon excursion is not covered by insurance. It is suggested to be booked with deposit to secure activity

PRICE INCLUDES

Turkish Airlines flights to Cappadocia via Istanbul and return from Istanbul to Malta incl. 8kg hand luggage & 23kg checked-in luggage

2 nights in Hotel in Cappadocia

2 nights in Hotel in Antalya

1 night in Hotel in Pamukkale

2 nights in Hotel in Kusadasi

1 night in Hotel in Canakkale

2 nights in Hotel in Istanbul

Meals as indicated on the programme

Airport transfers

All excursions as indicated on the programme (except where optional)

Services of tour leader

Professional English-speaking guide during sightseeing

All taxes & service charge

Insolvency fund