best of Turkey

DAY 01 : DEPARTURE MANILA / ARRIVAL ISTANBUL (D):

Check-in at Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Enjoy your flight with on board amenities and entertainment. Arrival at Istanbul Airport. Meet and assist, board your coach. Then drive to Istanbul. Then transfer to the hotel for check in, dinner and overnight.

DAY 02: ISTANBUL – CANAKKALE (BLD):

Breakfast at the hotel, check-out at the hotel, then visit TOPKAPI PALACE, once the seat of the Ottoman Empire. Today, it is a museum palace with a wide collection of porcelain, antiques, holy relics and other treasures. After lunch, visit BLUE MOSQUE, also known as the Mosque of Sultan Ahmet, which boasts a unique feature of 6 minarets. Admire its glorious interiors and distinctive blue tiles. Next, view the only remains of Hippodrome of Constantinople, consisting of 3 monumental columns and a fountain. This is the site where chariot races took place in the past. You will also visit HAGIA SOPHIA MUSEUM, a mustsee attraction due to its religious and architectural significance. After having lunch in Istanbul, we depart to Canakkale, cross Dardanelle by boat for your overnight stay in Canakkale.

DAY 03: CANAKKALE (TROY) – PERGAMON – KUSADASI (BLD):

Breakfast at the hotel, check-out at the hotel, drive to the ancient city of Troy and the infamous tourist attraction in Troy, of course, is the Trojan Horse. This is a replica wooden horse that was given to the Trojans by the Greek Army. Then visit the ancient roman city of Pergamon, famous for the steepest theatre in Turkey, Trajan Temple, Athena Temple, Agora and Pergamon Palace. Arrive Kusadasi and overnight.

DAY 04: KUSADASI – EPHESUS – PAMUKKALE (BLD):

Breakfast at the hotel, check-out at the hotel, departure to EPHESUS, Visit the House of Virgin Mary, where she is believed to have spent her last years. After that visit EPHESUS, Greco-Roman city very well preserved in Asia Minor, It Roman Theater, the 2 magnificent Library of Celsus (third largest library in the ancient world, the Temple of Hadrian and the Marble Street. We will watch a lovely leather fashion show. Turkish leather production goes back to 12th century and leather tanning is one example of the diverse and traditional Turkish handcraft. After lunch, we depart for PAMUKKALE (COTTON CASTLE), visit the extensive ruins of HIERAPOLIS & NECROPOLIS –known for its thermal baths and health centre. Thereafter, see “Cotton Castle” or Pamukkale’s magical and unique terraces & castles created by deposits of white limestone from thermal springs. Enjoy your overnight stay in Pamukkale Thermal Hotel. Dinner at hotel.

DAY 05: PAMUKKALE – KONYA – CAPPADOCIA (BLD):

Breakfast at the hotel, check-out at the hotel, departure to KONYA visit the museum of 13th century Philosopher Melvana Celaleddin-i Rumi, which used to be the cloister for Mevlevi Dervishes. Departure for Cappadocia and En route visit the magnificent CARAVANSERAI OF SULTANHAN, Arrived to Cappadocia check-in at the hotel, dinner and overnight.

DAY 06: CAPPADOCIA (BLD):

Early this morning just before your breakfast, if you are ready for some excitement, you may consider trying out the possible optional Hot Air Balloon experience. Then after breakfast at the hotel, visit Underground City of KAYMAKLI or OZKANAK, once a place of refuge for 15,000 Christians, witness their ancient bedrooms, church, meeting hall and food storage rooms all within this eight-story city connected by 30km of corridors and passageways. Next, do not miss this rare opportunity to experience the beauty and work of local hand-made crafts through a Turkish carpet weaving course. Thereafter, make a visit to the fascinating frescoed rock churches and chapels at Goreme Open-Air Museum, to explore the unusual troglodyte dwellings, remains of the early churches comprising of complicated rooms hollowed out of the cones of volcanic ash and decorated with scratched frescoes. Photo-stops will be made at Uchisar “castle” village, a fantasyland of strange and wonderful works of man and nature. Then, proceed to their local Cave House and Avanos Pottery Village, set on the banks of the Kizilimak (Red River). After dinner, optional tour of a fascinating Belly Dancing and Folkdance performances in Cave restaurant.

DAY 07: CAPPADOCIA – ANKARA – ISTANBUL (BLD):

Breakfast at the hotel, check-out at the hotel, depart to Ankara, the capital of Turkey, on the way visit Salt Lake and arrive to Ankara then visit the Ataturk Mausoleum – the final resting place of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk – Father of modern Turkey. Lunch at local restaurant. Proceed to Istanbul. Dinner at restaurant and overnight.

DAY 08: DEPARTURE ISTANBUL (BLD):

Breakfast at the hotel, check-out at the hotel, our visits today start with BOSPHORUS TOUR. We will navigate the Bosphorus strait that separates Europe and Asia continents, in which 60,000 ships pass annually. From the boat we can see a wonderful view of the strait with its palaces, forts and summer houses. After the boat tour we will continue to the SPICE MARKET, built in the seventeenth century, with typical products like pashmina, saffron, spices, dried fruits, teas, treats, perfumes and more! Visit the famous GRAND BAZAAR which is a covered market of the fifteenth century, consisting of 5000 stores, and is considered one of the first shopping centers in the world. Dinner in Asian restaurant and then drive to airport for your flight back to Manila. 

DAY 09: ARRIVAL MANILA (BLD):

Home Sweet Home.