Itinerary

Day 1 - Istanbul 

Welcome to Turkey, arrival into Istanbul. Transfer from airport & check in to your hotel. Overnight in Istanbul.

Day 2 – Private Istanbul Tour

(Breakfast, lunch included)
Haghia Sophia: From the Golden Age of Byzantine, this once Christian church is one of the the most extraordinary buildings in the history of architecture. It played a very important role in the Byzantine Empire and later as a mosque in the Ottoman Empire.The word "Hagia" in Greek means "Divine" and "Sophia" means "Wisdom". "Divine Wisdom" is one of the attributes of Jesus Christ and this church is devoted to his divine wisdom.
Blue Mosque:The Blue Mosque is one of the most prominent landmarks of Istanbul, especially when viewed from the First Hill or from the Asian shore of the Sea of Marmara. It is very impressive with its beautiful domes and semidomes, nice courtyards and six slender minarets.
Hippodrome and Obelisks:The square in front of the Blue Mosque covers the site of the ancient "Hippodrome", one of the most famous areas in Byzantine.
Grand Covered Bazaar:The oldest and the largest covered market place in the world is situated in the center of the city. After visiting the Grand Bazaar, there will be optional shopping opportunity before having lunch at our restaurant.
Topkapi Palace: Topkapi Palace was more than just the private residence of the Sultan and his court. It was the seat of the supreme executive and judiciary council, the Divan and the training school.

Day 3 – Private Istanbul Tour Bosphorus and Two Continents

(Breakfast, lunch included)
City Walls:The first breach of the walls was by the Fourth Crusade in 1204, the second by the cannons and troops of Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror in 1453.Drive by bus Golden Horn As natural and extremely secure harbor, the Golden Horn has played an important role in the development of Istanbul. The inlet separates the European shore into two. It is approximately 8 km long, and the widest part is the entrance from the Bosphorus. Two streams drain into this inlet at its far end.Spice Bazaar(Egyptian Bazaar): The air here is filled with the enticing aromas of cinnamon, caraway, saffron, mint, thyme and every other concievable herb and spice.
Boat Trip On The Bosphorus: A traditional excursion by boat along the waterway seperating Europe and Asia. The shore is lined with old wooden villas, palaces of marble, fortresses, and small fishing villages. During the excursion you will pass the magnificent Dolmabahce Palace, and further along, the parks and imperial pavillions of Yildiz Palace. On the coastal edge of this park, is Ciragan Palace, 300 meters of is marble facade faces the shore. At Ortakoy a great variety of artists gather every Sunday to display their work along the street. Ortakoy is a symbol of tolerance with a church, a mosque and a synagogue existing side by side for centuries.Rumeli Fortress (From the sea, no interior visit) Built by Mehmet the Conqueror in 1452 prior to the conquest of Istanbul, was completed in only four months to control and protect Bosphorus. It is one of the most beautiful works of military architecture anywhere in the world. Beylerbeyi Palace: The summer residence of Ottoman Sultans with its original furniture and magnificent gardens with the Harem on the Asian Side. Bosphorus bridge Unique chance to step from one continent (Asia) to another (Europe)Camlica Hill The highest point in Istanbul. At the top of it you can rest and admire the magnificent panorama of Istanbul and the Bosphorus from the beautiful gardens, landscaped in traditional style. Transfer back to your hotel.

Day 4 - Private Istanbul & Bursa

(Breakfast, lunch included)
We travel by ferry to Yalova, then by luxury coach to the city of Bursa, the first capital of the Ottoman Empire and one of the greatest treasure houses of Islamic architecture. We will first visit the Green Mosque : and the neighbouring Green Mausoleum: both world-renowned for their superb tile decoration, as well as the late 14th century Great Mosque and the Koza Han, which for centuries was the center of Bursa's flourishing silk trade. After enjoying a leisurely cable car ride up the steep slopes of Mount Olympus (Turkish: Uludag), we drive to the historic village of Cumahkizik. This is one of the best preserved Ottoman villages in Turkey with scores of picturesque houses built in the traditional style, with i projecting bays called "cumba", pronounced "joomba". Lunch is at one of Bursa's most famous traditional Turkish restaurants, the Daruzziyafe, where we will enjoy - the finest authentic Ottoman cuisine in a historic setting, where Sultan Murat the Second once dined.

Day 5 – Private Istanbul to Cappadocia

(Breakfast, lunch included)
Take the early morning flight from Istanbul Ataturk airport to Cappadocia by Turkish airlines. Arrival and meeting at the airport just outside the arrival's gate transfer to Your Hotel Checjk in. Your guide will pick you up from your hotel to tour of Cappadocia. First meeting  with the lunar landscape of Cappadocia: rock formations beyond belief in Devrent valley; visit to  Pasabag "fairy chimneys" where the voice of  wind mixes with the "songs of fairies". Afternoon, visit  the famous Goreme Open Air Museum and see the best examples of Byzantine art in Cappadocia in rock-cut  churches with frescoes and paintings (10th to 13th century). Avanos, centre of terra cotta work of art since 3000 BC.  and a demonstration in a traditional pottery workshop. Stop by Uchisar Rock-Castle to have a panoramic view of the valleys of Cappadocia. Visit to Kaymaklı Underground City, one of the most interesting underground settlements in Cappadocia.

Day 6 – Private Cappadocia & Konya Mausoleum of Mevlana

(Breakfast, lunch included)
Today daily Trip to Konya. This morning we drive to Konya and see the imposing green-tiled Mausoleum of Mevlana, the mystic founder of the Islamic Sufisect (Sufism is less an Islamic sect than a mystical way of approaching the Islamic faith. It has been defined as mystical Islamic belief and practice in which Muslims seek to find the truth of divine love and knowledge through direct personal experience of God. Whirling Dervishes). After the Konya Tour transfer to Konya airport for our domestic flight to Istanbul. Overnight in Istanbul.

Day 7 - Istanbul - End of Tour

(Breakfast included)
After breakfast check out from the hotel. We hope your tour was a memorable one and we would like to see you in the future in one of our tours again. Have a nice trip back home and thanks for choosing TouristGuide Turkey.