Itineary of the Trip

Istanbul-Izmir-Ephesus-Antalya-Side-Alanya-Konya-Cappadocia-Kayseri

Day 1
12:30 PM- Arrival in Istanbul and transfer to the Hotel
3:00 PM- Istanbul sightseeing & Bosphorus Blue Cruise
After dinner, back to hotel and rest.


Day 2
8:00 AM- Breakfast and after breakfast Our journey begins in Istanbul, the only city in the world situated on two continents. Byzantium, Constantinople, Istanbul - its three names span more than 2600 years, nearly 1600 of them as the capital of two of the greatest empires the world has known, Byzantine and Ottoman. We visit the Hagia Sophia (one of the greatest marvels of architecture, constructed as a basilica by Emperor Justinian in 571 A.D ), The Blue Mosque and Hippodrome, where chariot races and the Byzantine riots took place.

“Blue Mosque”, facing to Hagia Sophia, famous with its blue Iznik tiles and unique with 6 minarets, built in the name of Sultan Ahmet in 16th century..
Obelisk of Theodosius, Serpentine Column, German Fountaion of Wilhelm II are the monuments decorating Hippodrome.
1:00 PM- Lunch at a 100 years old traditional restaurant, after that visiting “Topkapi Palace” which was the first Ottoman Palace.
At the end of the tour we head back to hotel to get ready for dinner with a local family
Later on, back to hotel and rest.


Day 3
8:00 AM- Breakfast and after that discovering Istanbul, “Grand Covered Bazaar” world’s first covered mall,most attractive shopping center and biggest “souk” in the world with nearly 4000 shops selling antiques, jewellery, gold, rugs and souvenirs.

Lunch, at “Spice Bazaar”, which is one of the oldest covered trade center in Asia minor.
The Underground Cistern is one of the most extraordinary and impressive buildings in Istanbul.
Visiting Jewish Museum and synagogue .

At the end of the tour we head back to the Ataturk Airport-Domestic Airlines Terminal to fly to Izmir.

Dinner at Yamanlar HighSchool and overnight stay at Izmir.


Day 4
8:00 AM- Breakfast and city sightseeing. Then head to Ephesus to see the largest archeological site in Turkey.
Lunch, after that seeing “House of Virgin Mary” and visit “St. John Basilica”
Then drive to Antalya where we have dinner and overnight stay.


Day 5
8:00 AM- Breakfast and city sightseeing, then explore the oldest quarter called as Kaleici.
Antalya was founded in the second century BC by Attalus II, King of Pergamum and named Attaleia in his honor. Attalus ordered his men to find the "Paradise on Earth".
Drive to Side, an ancient Turkish harbor that has made a graceful transition into a lovely resort village. Its present popularity is due not only to its new resort atmosphere, but also to the many archaeological ruins that permeate this ancient settlement and visit The Temple of Apollo and have lunch there.
Dinner at yacht harbor and overnight in Antalya.



Day 6
8:00 AM- Breakfast and then stop first at Perge, a wealthy and culturally well-developed city in ancient times.
A few miles away is Aspendos, where the prosperity this city experienced in the second and third centuries AD is still visible. Enormous blocks of marble were transported from as far as the Marmara Island for the construction and ornamentation of its imposing buildings.

Then we will drive on to Konya (the city of Whirling Dervishes)

Dinner with a local family and overnight stay in Konya.



Day 7
8:00 AM- Breakfast, then sighteeing in Konya, visit the tomb of Rumi, Alaaddin Hill.

Lunch at Meram Aydin Cavus Tepesi and then drive on to Cappadocia (Urgup-Goreme).The underground Christian city from 6th century.
Dinner and overnight stay at Konya.

Day 8
7:00 AM- Breakfast and leaving Konya for full day discover Cappadocia; Unusual Space land, the fairy chimneys, troglodyte dwellings and underground cities built by Christians in the 6th century.
Visit the Goreme Valley, Zelve, Uchisar and the underground city of Kaymakli
Then we drive to Kayseri.
Dinner with a local family and overnight stay in Kayseri.



Day 9
Wake up at 5:00 am, check out and transfer to the airport.
6:15 flight from Konya to Istanbul. Breakfast at the hotel.
Visiting Dolmabahce Palace & Fatih University
Lunch at a restaurant,dinner with a family.


Departure
Wake up early in the morning
After having breakfast, moving to airport at 8:30 am
Then fly back to Indianapolis at 10:00 am.