7 Days Golden Triangle Tour ? ?stanbul
“Golden Triangle in Turkey”
?stanbul-Cappadocia-Ephesus
Aiming to cover the best must seen sites of Turkey, for those who wish to move on quickly and comfortably, on On ancient heritages ‟Golden Triangle‟ is an ideal itinerary of highlights.
Staying in luxurious and unusual hotels of Turkey and explore diverse locations and cultures including fascinating Istanbul on two continents, moonscape like Cappadocia with cave dwellings and underground cities where early Christians survived and most impressive ruins of the world in Ephesus.
Your journey starts in Istanbul and stay in the hearth of the old city minutes walk away from main attractions. Flexible itinerary is going to allow you to enjoy your own private guided touring with visits to ancient Hippodrome, Blue Mosque, Underground Cistern, St. Sophia, Topkapi Palace the old residence of Ottoman Sultans where more than 20 Ottoman rulers lived during almost 400 years, with treasury and Harem sections with an exclusive lunch within the Palace grounds. Byzantine and Ottoman Heritages will be covered so, you can continue leisurely with a visit to Spice Market and shop for textiles, jewelry, carpets, antiques at the biggest shopping mall of the world Grand Bazaar.
Sample the vibrant colors of the capital of tree emperorships at night and enjoy Turkish Cuisine at its best at different neighborhoods.
Following an hour domestic inland flight, Cappadocia is going to welcome you with its magical atmosphere and moonlike terrain filled with “Fairy Chimneys” and frescoed ancient churches, monasteries, cave dwellings, valleys to hike and underground cities. Unesco World Heritage site Goreme Open Air Museum will be an easy journey to the past.
Hot air balloon flight will be a highlight of your visit while giving you the opportunity to see this scenic land from birds eye, in early morning
A stay in a cave suite is going to somplement your entire experience a memory to remember for years to come.
Next stop is Kusadasi after an hour and half inland flight to Izmir. Your private guide is going to be ready all the way from the moment you land and give you all the insights of magnificent ruins of Ephesus with newly opened Terrace Houses of the nobles, Selcuk Museum to complete the picture perfect sites experience following a visit to holly grounds of House of Virgin Mary.
Stay overnight in the most re-known boutique hotel of the region.
After leisurely breakfast, time to fly back to Istanbul for one more night.
Half day flexible touring in Istanbul either with a private Bosphorus cruise to enjoy the straight and see Ottoman Imperial palaces and waterfront wooden mansions and see Asia and Europe at a time over a glass of champagne or complete the Byzantine and Ottoman Heritages including adorable Chora Church and Dolmabahce Palace.
You will not be packing only your suitcases but have great memories to take with you and transferred to Istanbul Ataturk Airport privately to catch your flight back sweet home.
Itinerary Overview
Day 1 – Arrive Istanbul and private transfer to your hotel for 2 night stay
Day 2 – Istanbul – Full-day flexible private old city touring
Day 3 – Istanbul – Cappadocia, private transfer and morning flight to Cappadocia for 2 nights.
Full-day flexible private touring on arrival “Cappadocia Classic” with Goreme open air museum, imagination Valley, Pasabag, Cavusin the abandoned village and sample ceramic arts demonstration from Hittite era.
Day 4 – Cappadocia; early morning hot air balloon flight at down and full-day flexible private touring “Wonders of Cappadocia” with Ihlara Valley, underground city, Saruhan Caravanserai on Silk Road from Seljukian era.
Day 5 – Private transfer to Kayseri airport to fly Izmir. Private transfer with your guide to Ephesus private touring and 1 night stay at Kusadasi
Day 6 – Noon flight to Istanbul. Half Day flexible touring of choice.
Day 7 – Private transfer to Ataturk Airport for a flight to Bodrum, Marmaris or Gocek. Check in to your gullet yacht in turkey.
Day 1: Arrival to Istanbul Ataturk Airport and Private Transfer to your hotel Overnight in Istanbul
Day 2: “Walking Tour in Istanbul”, Full Day Tour Overnight in Istanbul
The old city of Constantine Istanbul sightseeing tour in the morning begins with Hippodrome Square where chariot races were once held in Roman Age and today one can see the Serpentine Column from Delphi, the marvelous Underground Cistern built in order to solve water supply problem nearby, Obelisk from Egypt and the Fountain of Wilhelm II and the Colossus . St. Sophia operates as museum today followed by a visit to the masterpiece of Byzantine architecture. The massiveness of its architectural proportions, the splendor of the interior decoration, being unusual for a church and the most important of all, the height of its central dome has amazed everyone since it was first constructed. Then only a short walk away, Sultanahmed Mosque is the only mosque with six minarets in Istanbul. Because of the dominant color of more than 20.000 Iznik tiles decorating the spacious interior, called as blue mosque by foreigners. The Mosque is regarded as the highest success of Ottoman architecture. The highlights of the afterrnoon is a visit to the magnificent Topkapi Palace which is the only palace remaining from the Ottomans reflecting the splendor of the once mighty empire.
Day 3: “Splendors of Istanbul”, Full Day Tour Overnight in Istanbul
Visit the magnificient and colorful Spice Market which was the biggest spice mall of the middle east when the silk road was still functioning before the Suez channel and the route below Africa invented by the Portuguese… The tour will include a short Bosporus cruise for an hour approximately giving us a chance to see the beautiful Bosporus mansions and old houses reflecting us the late Ottoman era architecture. We will experience the world’s second oldest subway after the cruise,; Tunel which literally means Tunnel that will take us to contemporary Istanbul; Beyoglu region. A gentle walk up to the Taksim square will give us opportunity to see todays Istanbul and lunch can be haven at one of the restaurants along the way. Walk down to the Galata tower, built by the Genoese in 1348 after lunch. Because of their help in defeating a Crusade, The Old Pera was donated to them by the Ottoman Empire. We will get to Karakoy area to meet with our driver to take us back home, after a short gentle walk.
Day 4: Flight to Cappadocia and ‘Classical Cappadocia’ Tour Overnight in Cappadocia
In the morning, we are meeting with the lunar landscape of Cappadocia, starting with the rock formations beyond imagination in Devrent valley; Walking in Zelve Open Air Museum: a journey in the past with its troglodyte houses; visit Pa?abag –three coned fairy chimneys” where the voice of wind mixes with the “songs of fairies”. Having lunch is in Avanos, center of terra cotta work of art since 3000 BC. In the afternoon visit the famous UNESCO World Heritage Site Göreme Open Air Museum and see the best examples of Byzantine art in Cappadocia in rock-cut churches with frescoes and paintings (10th & 13th century). It is recommended to have Turkish coffee right across the red valley to relax before returning to your hotel. Göreme Open Air Museum visit time can be altered to avoid crowds of tour buses, depending on the period of the season. Dark Church is also included in this tour.
Day 5: Hot Air Balloon Flight in the mornign and half day ‘Hidden Dwellings of Cappadocia Tour’ Overnight in Cappadocia
Red Valley, with its fabulous volcanic rock formations, is in the heart of Cappadocia but away from the tourist crowd. Rock-Cut hermit churches with frescoes and paintings fit with the Valley’s meditative atmosphere, remained intact since the beginning. Our lovely hike will start from a beautiful panoramic point presenting us great light in the morning for pictures. After the hike we give a refreshment break in Cavusin village which will be complemented by a visit to the first church of the region; John the Baptist. Lunch is in a local house in lcoal restaurant. After lunch, 20 minute drive will take us to the UNESCO heritage site; Kaymakli Underground city; unlike other underground cities, Kaymakli has different ventilation and security system. 4 of the 8 floors is open to visitors and believed to shelter 60,000 people from persecution and loots.
Day 6: Flight to Izmir and Ephesus Tour, Overnight in Sirince Village
After a short and scenic drive, visit to the House of Virgin Mary where she is supposed to spend her last years together with St. John in the vicinity of Ephesus; Then to Ephesus, the best-preserved ancient city in Turkey and the place to get a feel for what life was like in Roman times, famous for its Celsius library, great theatre, marble streets, temples, and baths. It’s situated in the fertile Ionian landscape and has been known throughout history for its temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Ephesus is one of the most extensive archeological sites in the world. After lunch in the town of Selcuk visit to St. John’s Basilica and Ephesus Museum. Then drive back to Hotel.
Day 7: Private Transfer to Bodrum, Marmaris or Gocek for your cruise