Tour Kervansaray

Plecare din Italia cu zboruri Pegasus Airlines. La sosirea în Istanbul, întâlnire cu asistentul și transfer la hotel. Cazare în camerele rezervate, cină liberă și cazare peste noapte.

Culture

30%

Nature

20%

History

30%

Food

20%

• Golden Horn

Breakfast. Half-day excursion to the "Golden Horn," the ancient port of Istanbul with its typical fish, corn, and vegetable stalls on floating boats that can still be found all along the Golden Horn.

Morning dedicated to visiting the city, especially the Suleymaniye Mosque (built between 1550 and 1557 by Sinan, the famous architect of the Ottoman golden age), considered the most beautiful of Istanbul's imperial mosques.

Continuation with a visit to the former Greek quarter of Fener near the Jewish quarter of Balat, located on the southern shore of the Golden Horn. A walk through the neighborhood offers the possibility to see the Greek Patriarchate of Fener and the Church of St. George, as well as the Bulgarian Orthodox Church "Church of Iron."

We will then proceed to the Eminönü district, known as the main entrance to the city in Byzantine and Ottoman times and now a bustling area, where the "Egyptian Market" or "Spice Bazaar" is located. Lunch on your own. Free afternoon to explore the city individually.

There is the possibility to join a boat excursion on the Bosphorus (optional, at an additional cost) to admire both the Asian and European sides of the city and its most important palaces, mosques, and fortresses. Return to the hotel at your leisure, dinner on your own, and overnight stay.

Culture

30%

Nature

15%

History

40%

Food

15%

Breakfast and departure for the classic tour: we will start by visiting the Hagia Sophia Basilica (now a mosque) "Divine Wisdom," unquestionably one of the most fabulous buildings of all time. Built by Constantine the Great and rebuilt by Justinian in the 6th century, its immense dome rises 55 meters from the ground, with a diameter of 31 meters. During the Ottoman Empire, it was converted into a mosque, and minarets were eventually added.

We continue with a visit to the ancient Byzantine Hippodrome, which was the center of the country's civil activity, where not only horse races and gladiator fights were held but also celebrations in honor of the emperor. Today it houses the Obelisk of Theodosius, the Serpentine Column, and the Fountain of Emperor Wilhelm II; we then proceed to visit the Blue Mosque, built in 1609 by Sultan Ahmet, who aimed to surpass the Hagia Sophia with his mosque and constructed it with six minarets. Lunch on your own.

In the afternoon, a visit to the Topkapi Imperial Palace (unfortunately, it will not be possible to visit the Harem due to the intensity of the day), the residence of the Sultans for almost four centuries, whose architecture with magnificent decorations bears witness to the power and grandeur of the Ottoman Empire. We continue with a visit to the Basilica Cistern of Yerebatan and the Grand Bazaar. Return to the hotel at your leisure. Dinner on your own and overnight stay.

Culture

30%

Nature

20%

History

30%

Food

20%

• Departure for Ankara and Cappadocia

Breakfast and departure by bus to the capital of Turkey: Ankara. Passing through the Euroasia Bridge and continuing via the highway. Arrival in Ankara and visit to the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, also known as the Hittite Museum, where artifacts are displayed chronologically, allowing visitors to follow the evolution of civilizations in Anatolia from prehistoric times to the Roman period. Lunch at a local restaurant. Continuing to Cappadocia, arriving in the evening and settling into the reserved hotel rooms. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

(*) Possibility of transfer from Istanbul to Cappadocia by air as an alternative to the bus trip with the following program (optional, at an additional cost):
Transfer to the airport for the Istanbul/Kayseri flight. Arrival and transfer to the hotel in Cappadocia. Free lunch. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel along with the other participants. (Baggage allowance for the flight 15 kg in the hold + 8 kg hand luggage. Any excess baggage will be subject to a surcharge.)

Culture

20%

Nature

40%

History

30%

Food

10%

• Cappadocia

Breakfast. The entire day dedicated to exploring this fantastic region, where Saint George was born, with its fascinating and original landscape, formed 3 million years ago by lava ejected from the Erciyes and Hasan volcanoes. Visit to the underground city of Ozkonak (or another similar one), built by Christian communities to protect themselves from Arab invasions. We will make a stop at a carpet and kilim workshop. Lunch at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, visit to the numerous monasteries and chapels of Göreme, carved into the rock and decorated with frescoes, crossing the Güvercinlik (Pigeon) Valley to enjoy a wonderful panoramic view of Uchisar, located atop a promontory of volcanic rock pierced by tunnels and windows. At the end of the day, stop at a handicraft workshop for decorations, typical stones, and jewelry of Cappadocia.
At the end of the day, there is the possibility to participate in the spiritual dance of the whirling dervishes (optional, payment on-site). Return to the hotel and dinner.

There is the possibility to take a hot air balloon ride to admire the breathtaking lunar landscape of Cappadocia illuminated by the first light of dawn (optional, payment on-site and subject to confirmation based on availability. This trip may be canceled even a few hours before the start due to adverse weather conditions).

In the evening, after dinner, there is the possibility to participate in a Turkish night, with folk performances and traditional dances (optional, payment on-site). Overnight stay at the hotel.

Culture

30%

Nature

30%

History

30%

Adventure

10%

Breakfast. In the very early morning departure for Pamukkale via Konya through valleys and mountain ranges, with a brief stop to visit the Sultanhani Caravanserai (13th century), which served as a resting place for trade, pilgrimages, and military caravans, now a museum. Lunch at a highway restaurant.

Arrival in Pamukkale, or the "cotton castle," a town famous for its petrified white travertine pools, formed by the lime contained in the water of the thermal springs that emerge in the area. Accommodation in a hotel, dinner, and overnight stay.

Culture

30%

Nature

20%

History

30%

Wellness

20%

Breakfast. In the morning we visit Hierapolis, an ancient thermal city founded around 190 BC by the king of Pergamon and very prosperous during the Roman period, built on top of the pools with a beautiful theater and ruins.

Next, we depart for Ephesus. Lunch at a local restaurant in the Selcuk area.

Ephesus, the best-preserved classical city in Turkey, built in 1000 BC (the remains we see today date back to the 4th century BC), where you can admire: the Library of Celsus, the Temple of Hadrian, and its grand theater. At the end of the tour, we will stop at one of the places where parades are held and leather goods are sold. Arrival in Izmir, hotel accommodation, dinner, and overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel (depending on the departure time) and transfer to Izmir airport in time for check-in procedures. Departure for Italy with a flight via Istanbul.

PLEASE NOTE: The itinerary may undergo variations due to technical reasons or management of sites, closures of monuments due to holidays/events, or requirements of local authorities. No refunds will be made for any missed visits.