10-Day Turkey Private Tour – Provincial Capitals of Asia Minor

DAY 1 – Arrive at Turkey International Airport for Your Turkey Private Tour

When you arrive at the airport in Turkey, one of our travel representatives will be standing by to meet and greet you. Once you have cleared immigration, you will get transferred to your hotel in one of our clean and modern air conditioned vehicles.

On arrival at your hotel, and once you have checked in, our travel representative will go over your travel itinerary with you and confirm pick up times for your upcoming tours. After this, you will have the remainder of your first day in Turkey to yourself to enjoy as you wish.

DAY 2 – Istanbul Highlights Tour

Begin the 2^nd day of your Turkey private tour with a good breakfast at your hotel and then at the confirmed time, you will be picked up and your full-day tour of Istanbul will get underway. Your first stop of the day will be at the magnificent Hagia Sophia which is without a doubt one of Turkey’s most famous and most popular historical attractions.

Originally, the Hagia Sophia was built as a Christian church/basilica but it was later converted into a mosque when the Ottomans conquered Constantinople. Later in history, it stopped functioning as a mosque and was converted into a museum. Today it is once again a functioning mosque although people of all religions are welcome to visit and explore both the exterior and interior, apart from during prayer times.

Your next stop will be at Topkapi Palace which served as the official residence of numerous Sultans between 1478 and 1856. Besides the exquisite palace itself, the complex also consists of several kiosks pavilions and beautiful gardens. The complex stretches from the center of Istanbul’s historic neighborhood, all the way to the tip of the Golden Horn.

Once you have finished exploring Topkapi Palace, you will then make your way to Istanbul’s splendid Blue Mosque. Not only is this mosque visually stunning but it is also very unique due to the fact that it has six tall minarets.

In the afternoon you will then visit the Hippodrome which once hosted chariot races and circuses, the main source of entertainment for the inhabitants of Constantinople for more than 1,000 years. From here you will head to the Grand Bazaar which is one of the largest covered bazaars in the world. Enjoy some free time to explore the bazaar and do some shopping if you want to, and then you will be transferred back to your hotel for the second night of your Turkey private tour.

Meals Included: Breakfast

DAY 3 – Istanbul to Cappadocia and Cappadocia Tour

Shortly after you have had your breakfast you will check out from the hotel and you will be driven to the airport where you will board a domestic flight to Kayseri Airport in Cappadocia. On arrival in Cappadocia, you will be met by your personal English speaking guide.

Today’s tour begins with a visit to Saruhan Caravanserai, an inn that was built for commercial caravans during the 12th century. Once you have finished exploring this site you will then head to Zelve Valley where Christians and Muslims lived side by side in harmony until 1924.

Next, you will begin making your way to the ancient city of Ortahisar, passing through Devrent Valley where you will be able to admire some breathtaking rock “fairy chimneys” which have been formed and sculptured by Mother Nature over the course of thousands of years.

With today’s sightseeing tour now over you will be driven to your hotel in Cappadocia for the third night of your amazing Turkey private tour.

Meals Included: Breakfast and Dinner

DAY 4 – Full Day Cappadocia Tour

Begin the 4th day of your Turkey private tour with another good hotel breakfast, and then at the confirm time you will be picked up for a full day of sightseeing. Your first stop today will be at the indescribable Göreme Open Air Museum which is renowned its cave churches, some of which have absolutely beautiful interior frescoes that date back to the 10th and 11th centuries.

Next, you will enjoy a relatively brief visit to Pigeon Valley, and then you will continue on your way to Pasabag which is also known as Monks Valley. After some sightseeing at Monks Valley, you will then head to Avanos, the city of potters where you will visit Serhatlı or Özkonak, an ancient underground city renowned for its many subterranean levels. The region is home to several such underground cities, all of which were created and used as places of refuge by early Christians during the 6th and 7th centuries.

Finally, you will head to a carpet workshop to see how Turkey’s world famous rugs and carpets are woven. From here, you will also visit a jewelry store which is renowned for its hand crafted silver and onyx jewelry. This will be the last stop of the day, so from here you will be transferred back to your hotel for the 4^th night of your 10 day Turkey private tour.

Meals Included: Breakfast and Dinner

DAY 5 – Sightseeing Transfer from Cappadocia to Antalya via Perge and Aspendos

Begin your day with a good breakfast at your hotel and then at the confirmed time your personal guide will meet you and you will check out from your hotel, and then you will begin making your way towards Antalya. Along the way you will stop at Perga, an ancient town that was once a very important city in the region of Pamphylia which is located between the Catarrhactes and Cestrus rivers.

Today, Perga is a collection of ancient ruins that are located on a coastal plain roughly 15 km to the east of Antalya. While you are here you will also visit an acropolis which dates back to the Bronze Age. From here you will move on to Aspendos, the remains of a city that was founded in pre-Hellenic times by people who are believed to have originated from ancient Pamphylia that was located on the southern coast of Argos which in turn is located on the southern coast of Asia Minor. Aspendos is approximately 45 km to the east of Perga, a town which is well and truly off-the-beaten-track.

After another fantastic day of sightseeing you will now be transferred to your hotel in Antalya where you will be spending the fifth night of your Turkey private tour.

Meals Included: Breakfast and Dinner

DAY 6 – Sightseeing Transfer from Antalya to Pamukkale via Sagalaso

Shortly after you have had breakfast at your hotel, your personal guide will meet you, and you will then check out and begin the journey to Pamukkale. Your first stop today will be at Sagalaso. When Alexander the Great conquered Sagalaso in 333 BC during his journey to Persia, it was the richest city of Pisidia. Later, when Alexander the Great died, Sagalason became part of the territories of Antigonus Monophthalmus, a Macedonian noble.

Next, you will continue on your way to Pamukkale, stopping at a truly magnificent and incredibly beautiful place known as Cotton Castle. The site is famous for its collection of naturally formed limestone pools and hot springs, and even a petrified waterfall. After enjoying some time at Cotton Castle, you will then be transferred to your hotel in Pamukkale for the 6th night of your Turkey private tour.

Meals Included: Breakfast and Dinner

DAY 7 – Sightseeing Transfer from Pamukkale to Ephesus and Kusadasi

This day of your Turkey private tour will see you leaving Pamukkale, and traveling to Kusadasi. After you have enjoyed your breakfast, your personal tour guide will meet you and you will check out from your hotel, and you will begin the trip to Ephesus, the most well-preserved ancient town in all of Asia Minor.

It is believed that during the first and second century, Ephesus had a population of roughly 250,000 people. While you are at this ancient city your guide will see to it that you get to visit all the top attractions in the area, including: Hadrian’s Temple, the Roman Baths, the Celsus Library, and the Odeon, which was a particularly large theater for its time and had a capacity to accommodate roughly 24 ,500 people.

Next, you will visit the house of the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus. It is believed that this is the last place where Mary stayed. From here you will make your way to a fashion show that showcases high quality locally made leather products. Most people who visit this fashion show simply cannot resist the temptation to buy one or more products.

When you are finished at the fashion show you will then complete the final leg of your journey to Kusadasi where you’ll be spending the 7th night of your Turkey private tour.

Meals Included: Breakfast and Dinner

DAY 8 – Sightseeing Transfer from Kusadasi to Bodrum

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel, and then at the confirmed time your private guide will meet you and you will check out from your hotel and begin the journey to Bodrum. Along the way you will be taken to see the wonderful remains of the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus which was built between 353 and 350 BC for Mausolus, a satrap governor of the Persian Empire.

Next, you will visit the Castle of Saint Peter of Halicarnassus which is also referred to as Bodrum Castle. The castle was attacked and significantly damaged by the forces of Suleiman the Magnificent, but it was later repaired and restored using materials from the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus which is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Finally, after another wonderful day of sightseeing you’ll be driven to your hotel in Bodrum for this night of your private Turkey tour.

Meals Included: Breakfast and Dinner

DAY 9 – Return to Istanbul from Bodrum

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel and then at the confirmed time you will check out and you will be transferred to Bodrum Airport where you will board a flight back to Istanbul. When you arrive at the airport in Istanbul one of our representatives will be standing by to meet you and to escort you to the hotel where you will be spending the last night of your 10 day Turkey private tour. There are no tours or excursions scheduled for this day so once you have checked in at your hotel you’ll have the remainder of the day to enjoy as you wish.

Meals Included: Breakfast

DAY 10 – Your Turkey Private Tour Ends

Sadly, your wonderful 10-day vacation in Turkey has now come to an end. Enjoy a good breakfast and then at the appropriate time you will be met at your hotel, you will check out, and then you will be transferred to Istanbul International Airport in time for you to board your flight out of Turkey. Your Epic Turkey private tour may have come to an end, but you will be leaving Turkey with memories which you will almost certainly never ever forget.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Inclusions – What is included in your 10-day Turkey private tour:

• Arrival and departure private transfers with assistance.
• Accommodation for 3 nights in Istanbul including breakfast.
• Accommodation for 2 nights in Cappadocia including dinner & breakfast.
• Accommodation fpr 1 night in Antalya including dinner & breakfast.
• Accommodation for 1 night in Pamukkale including dinner & breakfast.
• Accommodation for 1 night in Kusadasi including dinner & breakfast.
• Accommodation for 1 night in Bodrum including dinner and breakfast.
•  Domestic Flights (Istanbul-Cappadocia and Bodrum-Istanbul) ( 1 luggage 15 KG + Handbag 8 KG ).
• Professional English-speaking guides.
• Deluxe car with A/C.
• Entrance fees to museums.
• Tips at hotels
• All taxes are included.

Exclusions – What is not included in your 10-day Turkey private tour:

• International Airfare.
• Turkey entry visa.
• Any optional tours, personal spending money, tipping or any extras not mentioned in the Turkey-Greece trip itinerary.

Accommodation Plan

• Adempira Temel and Spa Hotel, Pamukkale  (5* or similar)
• Mustafa Hotel, Cappadocia (5* or similar)
• BW Khan Hotel (5* or similar)
• Larmartine Hotel, Istanbul (4* or similar)
• Ramada Suites Hotel, Kusadasi (5* or similar)
• Salmakis Resort Hotel (5* or similar)

Prices

• 9 – 10 persons starting from US$ 2,170
• 7 – 8 persons starting from US$ 2,330
• 5 – 6 persons starting from US$ 2,640
• 3 – 4 persons starting from US$ 3,180
• 2 persons starting from US$ 4,890