Istanbul: Old city tour, Bosphorus, Black Sea cruise
Discover the moon-like landscape of Cappadocia.
Pristine white travertines of Pamukkale.
If you decide to take the amazing Bosphorus & Black Sea Cruise dinner get ready to enjoy in luxury. You will be picked up from your hotel by late afternoon to reach the cruise terminal. You will board a luxurious cruise ship for a trip across the Bosphorus Strait. Upon arrival, receive a welcome cocktail before setting sail for the Black Sea, cruising by some of Istanbul's most well-known landmarks along route. As you travel between Europe and Asia, you will also pass the Fatih Sultan Mehmed and Bosphorus bridges. You can see the Ottoman sultans' summer residences, such as Dolmabahçe Palace and Beylerbeyi Palace. With the walls of Anatolian Castle and Rumeli Castle as well as the magnificent houses that line both shores, the coastal view is breathtaking.
Enjoy a full-day historical tour of Istanbul visiting Hagia Sophia, Topkapı Palace, Blue Mosque, ancient hippodrome and numerous shops at the Grand Bazaar. You will visit Topkapi Palace, the great palace of the Ottoman sultans from the 15th to the 19th centuries housing an exquisite collection of crystal, silver, and Chinese porcelain, robes worn by the sultans and their families, the famous jewels of the Imperial Treasury, miniatures, the Holy Mantle, and enshrining relics of the Prophet Mohammed. St. Sophia, built in the 16th century by the architect Mehmet, is the Sultanahmet Imperial Mosque, known as the Blue Mosque because of its magnificent interior decoration of blue Iznik tiles. The Ancient Hippodrome, the scene of chariot races, with the three monuments: the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column, and the Column of Constantine. Then you will visit the Hagia Sophia, previously known as the Church of Divine Wisdom. Hagia Sophia is the greatest surviving example of Byzantine Architecture. For 1,000 years it was the largest church in the world, decorated with stunning 6th-century golden mosaics (currently a mosque). Lastly, experience shopping from the Grand Bazaar while gaining knowledge of Turkish craftsmanship.
Your full day excursion begins early in the morning. You will be picked up from your hotel and begin the drive to Pamukkale. After a small break, you’ll visit the cascading snow-white terraced cliffs of this mysterious Cotton Palace. The calcite-laden waters that had created this unreal landscape come from springs located in a 200-meter-high cliffthat overlooks the plain. Marvel at the mineral forests, petrified waterfalls and the series of terraced basins created by these waters. At the end of the 2nd century B.C. the kings of Pergamon built the thermal spa of Hierapolis. The ruins of the baths, temples and other Greek monuments can be seen at the site. The temples were once significant trade centers in ancient Hierapolis. You will also see the Roman theatre, the Apollo temple, Roman baths, fountains and the agora. After the tour, have a chance to swim in thermal pools. After the tour ends, you will return to your hotel.
You will have a full day of exploring ancient underground and spectacular viewpoints of Cappadocia. Visitors looking for natural beauty, the South Cappadocia and Green tour offers many terrific sites worth photographing. Your first stop of the tour is Derinkuyu Underground Village where dwellings with stables, cellars, storage rooms, refectories, churches, and wineries which were used as refuge for the Christian communities. You will then continue your tour by driving to Ihlara Canyon also known as Grand Canyon created from the ashes of the volcanic Mt. Hasan. You will hike through the canyon, which is watered with Melendiz River and see rock-cut churches spread across the area. After exploring the canyon, you will have your lunch in a local restaurant in Belisirma by the river followed by a visit to the Selime Monastry with hollowed out citadel and churches where fairy chimneys rest on the steep hillside. After the tour, you will return to your hotel.
