Tour overview

Day 1: Istanbul
Meet and Greet by English Speaking guide and transfer to hotel for overnight stay.

Day 2: Istanbul
Visit Hippodrome of Constantinople the centre of Byzantine civic life.
Blue Mosque: The Blue Mosque in Istanbul is a masterpiece of Ottoman architecture and a symbol of the empire’s power and cultural influence.
Hagia Sophia or the Ayasofya Mosque: Power symbol of the cultural and religious history of Istanbul.
Topkapı Palace: administrative center and residence of the Ottoman Empire for over 400 years.

Day 3: Ferry to Bursa
Cross the Asia Side of Turkey from Istanbul by Ferry to Yalova, Orhangazi and Gemlik, enjoying the countryside, followed by a drive to Bursa.
Lunch in Bursa.
Visit the Grand Mosque and Tophane Hill with the ancient Ottoman Clock Tower. This hill also includes the Tomb of Osman Gazi and Orhan Gazi.
Osman Gazi was the first king of the Ottoman Empire and the founder of the Ottoman Empire.

Day 4: Cappadocia
In the morning, visit a Turkish delight-tasting shop on the way to Sultahanı Kervansaray. It was the hotel for the caravans when the Silk Road was only the trade road from west to east.

Day 5: Cappadocia
OPTIONAL: HOT AIR BALLOON TOUR early in the morning.
Visit Pasabagi in the Zelve area, where monks lived in seclusion in rock-cut rooms.
Visit Underground City carved into soft rocks resembling a huge labyrinth of tunnels, rooms, kitchens.
Visit Natural Fortress in Uchisar to capture a panoramic view of the beautiful plateau.
Visit the Turkish Handcraft jewelry center.
Lunch in the cave restaurant for trying pottery kebab cooked in the pottery.
Then, we visit the Valleys of Goreme to explore the unusual troglodyte dwellings and remains of the early churches comprising complicated rooms hollowed out of volcanic ash cones and decorated with scratched frescoes.
We visit pottery and carpet shop.
Lunch will be an open buffet, then proceed to the pottery town of Avanos, where Kizilirmak (Hallys), the longest river of Turkey, meanders, leaving the red clay on its banks that has been the raw material of pottery for centuries.

Day 6: Ankara/Bolu
After breakfast, drive to Ankara, on the way visit Salt Lake.
After lunch visit the Ataturk Mausoleum.
Dinner and overnight in Bolu.

Day 7: Bolu/Istanbul
Early in the morning, we drive to Istanbul. Visit Camlıca Hill with its unique view from
Asia to Europe.
Next will be the İslamic art museum under the biggest mosque in Turkey called Camlıca Mosque.
Lunch will be a fish menu under the Galata Bridge.
Visit the Ortakoy district, with amazing scenery next to Bosphorus Bridge.
Dinner will be at a local restaurant.

Day 8: Istanbul
A Bosphorus Cruise trip.
Witness the magnificent architecture of the buildings along the river and the interesting activities of our local drive to the Taksim area with Istiklal Street, the modern part of the city—free time for exploring Taksim with its
shops, cafes, and restaurants.
We will try street food for lunch, such as doner kebab or wet hamburger with a unique sauce.
Visit Grand Bazaar or Spice Bazaar.

Day 9: Farewell Istanbul
Free time at the hotel till Transfer to Airport.

Service Provider: Epic Journeys.