Exceptional Turkey 11N/12D

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Arrival. Transfer to the hotel.

Reception. Transfer to hotel and free time. You will receive information about the start of the circuit during the afternoon, or you can check the informative panels in the hotel reception area.

IMPORTANT – IF YOU REQUESTED ADDITIONAL NIGHTS on arrival at the hotel you will have your booking made but the guide of your trip will normally not arrive until the start of the included activities. YOUR TIME BEFORE THIS MOMENT IS THEREFORE FREE. At your hotel they can help you with all the information you need.

NB: The schedules you will find in this itinerary are approximate. The guide, depending on the situation and in order to improve the development of the circuit, may adjust the schedules.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Sighseeing tour. Topkapi Palace .Night transfer to Taksim.

09.00 hrs.- A sightseeing tour of the city. We find ourselves in a city built in two continents. On our tour, we will enter the Mosque of Suleyman the Magnificent (the largest in Istanbul). We will see the walls, the Golden Horn, the fishing district, and we will admire the exterior of Hagia Sofia. After the visit, we will offer tickets and a visit to the Top Kapi Palace, which was the administrative centre of the Ottoman Empire, with its magnificent courtyards and its pavilions.

19.30 hrs.- At the end of the afternoon we will provide a transfer to the Taksim neighbourhood, the most commercialised and lively area of the city. There will be time to dine in one of its many restaurants, and you can also take the old tram that crosses the area or go to see the nearby Galata Tower. Return to the hotel around 22.00 hrs.

Important: Services during the stay in Istanbul may change order by taking the boat ride on the Bosphorus on the first day and the panoramic visit on the second day.

Today we include a boat trip on the Bosphorus that will last about two hours. We will undertake the trip on a boat exclusively for Europamundo travellers. The Bosphorus is a strait that connects the Black Sea with the Sea of ??Marmara, which separates Istanbul into two parts: the European part and the Asian one. We will enjoy seeing the liveliness of the strait with its multitude of boats. We will pass under the two bridges that unite Europe and Asia and we will admire the palaces of the sultans, the typical wooden houses and the Ottoman villas. Return to the center of Istanbul.

Rest of the day at leisure. You can go shopping in the Grand Bazaar; visit Hagia Sophia; … Multiple options in this great capital.

Total distance covered: 560 km.Scenery: Cold lands inside Anatólia.

07.00 hrs.- We will leave early morning from Istanbul.

14.00hrs.- Ephesus, the best preserved ancient city of Asia Minor; 2000 years ago it had a quarter of a million inhabitants. We will discover the Basilica of Saint John, and then the house of the Virgin Mary and the archaeological site (tickets included).

18.00 hrs- Ephesus departure. We continue on towards the Turquoise Coast.

18.30 hrs- Kusadasi- Arrival to this popular coastal town with a lot of atmosphere, commercial life and a small castle. Free time in the center to enjoy its bazaars and the city. Dinner and accommodation

Note: during the high season, from June to September (both included), accommodation may be provided in a nearby town.

Total distance covered: 320 km.

Scenery: Various beautiful sights over the Aegean sea.

08.30 hrs.- Kusadasi- Departure.

10.00 hrs- Lake Bafa- Stop to see the lake, its magnificent nature, history, mystical beauty and serenity is undoubtedly one of the natural wonders to be seen in Turkey.

10.30 hrs.- Bafa Lake, departure.

12.00 hrs.- Bodrum, free time in this beautiful fortified city of Greek origin. You can visit its castle, walk through its streets which are full of life and tourist activity or its leisure marina. Time for lunch.

15.00 hrs- Bodrum, departure.

17.30 hrs.- Marmaris, arrival to another beautiful coastal tourist enclave, with its castle, its marina and its fountains. Dinner and accommodation.

NOTE: On some high difficulty dates (especially in summer), some groups can be accommodated in a nearby town.

Total Distance: 335 km

Scenery: Coastal sections and sections between high mountains. Contrasts.

08.00 hrs.- Marmaris – Departure -.

09.30 hrs.- DALYAN – Arrival -. An incredible place beside a beautiful navigable river. Free time for a coffee in one on its many restaurants by the river, and we include a boat trip of around two and a half hours to see the LYCIAN ROYAL TOMBS.

11.30 hrs.- Dalyan – Departure -. We continue our route. Mountain scenery. Stop en route to have lunch.

16.15 hrs.- ANTALYA – Arrival -. We will make a brief visit of this great coastal city of more than a million inhabitants, the Adrian door, the Ottoman district and its large waterfall falling straight into the sea. Dinner included.

Distance covered: 530 km

Scenery: Spectacular contrasts; countryside overlooking the sea. High mountains often with snowy peaks; arid lands of Anatolia.

08.00 hrs.-Antalya – Departure -.

09.00 hrs.- ASPENDOS – Arrival – we visit the Roman theatre that many believe to be the best preserved in the world.

09.45 hrs.-Aspendos – Departure -.

10.30 hrs.- SIDE – Arrival -. A small, very tourist city, full of commercial life. You will have free time. Its Greek temple of Apollo by the sea stands out. Time for a stroll around its port and through its streets full of life.

12.30 hrs.- Side – Departure -. Amidst impressive scenery, we cross the Taurus mountains. The peaks, of more than 3500 metres, are covered with snow for a large part of the year. We stop for a meal along the way in a pretty service area in the mountains.

17.00 hrs.- KARAMAN – Arrival -. A city with an oriental atmosphere. Brief stop to view the exterior of the fortress.

17.45 hrs.- Karaman – Departure -. Great arid plains along the route in the south of Anatolia.

20.00 hrs.- NIGDE – Arrival -. We suggest a stroll around its bazaar, its ancient mosque and its fortress. Dinner and accommodation.

Total distance covered: 120 km. Scenery: We continue amid the beautiful landscapes of Cappadocia. Spectacular scenary. Picturesque towns.

Notes: Today it is again necessary to wear comfortable shoes as we continue to explore Cappadocia.

09.00hrs.- Nigde. Departure. We enjoy a full day in the fantastic region of CAPPADOCIA, with its lunar landscapes, its churches and troglodyte villages.

We start by visiting GUMUSLER, an incredible underground monastery of the 7th century with perhaps the best Byzantine frescoes in Turkey. In KAIMACLI we will visit the underground city that could house 30,000 people. Then, we will visit UCHISAR, a natural fortress where we will know its 60 meter rock filled with houses in excavated caves. Time for lunch.

We will discover after lunch the GOREME Valley with its open-air museum and its churches carved out of the rocks, entry tickets included.

Hotel in Avanos. pleasant town in the center of the region of Capadocia known for its pottery, its attractive old town with cobbled streets and its views over the river. Time to enjoy the hotel facilities or walk through the streets. Dinner is included.

At night, after dinner, we suggest attending the “Turkish night” show (optional).

Total distance: 290 km.

Scenery: We continue amid the beautiful landscapes of Cappadocia. Subsequently arid and flat areas.

Notes: Today it is again necessary to wear comfortable shoes as we continue to explore Cappadocia. In Konya, we visit places considered “holy” for the Dervish sect: please wear appropriate clothing.

07:30 hrs – Nevsehir –Departure-. In the morning we go to small characterful towns mark the Ihlara Valley.

09:45 hrs – Ihlara Canyon –Arrival-. Refreshed by the cooler air by the river, we explore churches that are carved into the rock of the canyon.

11:45 hrs – Ihlara Canyon –Departure-.

13:00 hrs. – Sultanhan –Arrival-. Here one of the most beautiful caravanserai is preserved. This magnificent building reminds us of the great caravans of camels that, in the past, marked these lands. Time to explore and have lunch.

14.45 hrs – Sultanhan –Departure-. Landscapes with large herds and arid plains.

16.15 hrs – Konya –Arrival-. In the center of Konya, we explore the MEVLANA MAUSOLEUM, a holy place for Dervishes, the Muslim sect known for their whirling “trance” dancing. Admission to the exhibition is included. Later, we suggest a stroll through the bustling bazaar. Dinner included.

At night, we suggest that you attend the dance performance of the whirling dervishes in the cultural centre.

Total distance covered: 430 km.

Scenery: Varied: mountain areas and lakes. Fantastic “cotton mountain” at the end of the day. Notes: We recommend that you also bring shoes that are easy to remove and carry in Pamukkale… and if you wish, bring your bathing costume to this place!

08.00 hrs. – Konya –Departure-. We continue our journey through Turkey´s interior.

11:15 hrs. -Egridir. Located on the shores of a lake with the same name, this is a picturesque town with its walls and mosques where we can walk and have lunch.

13:30 hrs. – Egridir –Departure-.

16:15 hrs. – Pamukkale –Arrival-. Admission included. At the “cotton mountain”, our coach will drop passengers at the top of the mountain so that – having admired the ruins that date to the Roman era – you can descend on foot between the hot springs and the “baths”. The colours at sunset are fantastic. Our coach will collect you at the area below. Finally you will have time in the hotel at which point you can enjoy its thermal pools. Dinner included.

Total distance covered: 225 km.

Scenery: Various: proximity of the sea in region at the end of the stage.

Note: Again, for the Ephesus visit, it is advisable to wear comfortable shoes.

08.30 hrs. – Pamukkale –Departure-.

11:30 hrs. – Ephesus –Arrival-. We now visit a fantastic complex of Roman ruins. 2,000 years ago, this city had a quarter of a million inhabitants. We will discover with our guide the house of the Virgin Mary, the Basilica of Saint John and the impressive ruins at Ephesus (tickets included). Time for lunch.

16.00 hrs- Ephesus departure. We continue on towards the Turquoise Coast, which has magnificent landscapes.

16.30 hrs.- Kusadasi. Arrival to this popular coastal town with a lot of atmospher, commercial life and a small castle. We will visit a gallery of leather articles where we will learn about the famous production of sheepskin garmets in this region. Free time to enjoy its bazaars and see its small castle. Dinner included.

Note: during the high season, from une to September (both included), accommodation will be given in a town near Kusadasi.

Total distance covered: 590 km.Scenery: Impressive suspension bridges crossing the Marmara Sea and the Bosphorus Strait.

08.00 hrs.- Kusadasi- Departure

09.30 hrs.- We will make a short visit to Izmir with our guide to one of the largest cities in Turkey, considered the most westernized and modern city in the country in terms of values, ideology and lifestyles.

10.45hrs.- Izmir. Departure. We will travel through the interior of Turkey again. There will be a stop en route to have lunch.

16.00hrs.- Bursa, the fourth city of Turkey whose historic centre has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, which includes traditional shopping districts, mosques, religious schools, public baths, etc. and its outstanding Green Mosque.

18.00hrs.- Bursa, departure.

20.15 hrs.- Arrival in Istanbul at the end of the day.

End of our services. Please, check the time of your flight in case you might need an additional night.