CENTRAL AND AEGEAN TURKEY1

DAY 1            IZMIR, EPHESUS, SIRINCE, MOTHER MARY’S HOUSE
This morning you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Izmir. You will be met upon arrival and transferred to your hotel located in the sea side town of Kusadasi approx. 1 hour drive south along the Aegean coast from Izmir.

Step back in time as you wander through UNESCO World Heritage-listed Ephesus open-air museum, one of the world’s best preserved ancient Greek city on the coast of Ionia. Contains more then 30 buildings and structures adorned with columns and statues of the Gods, Goddesses and Emperors linked together by streets that still have the marks of ancient chariot wheels. Walk on the ancient roads where Holy Mother Mary, St John, St Paul, Mary Magdalena (one of the few people who witnessed crucifixion and resurrection), Cleopatra and Mark Anthony, once walked and see monuments such as Harbour Street, the Brothel, Gymnasium, Agora, Trajan Fountain, Odeon Temple, Celcus Library, one of the richest libraries of the ancient world after Alexandria and Pergamon. It counted more than 12,000 hand-written scrolls. Facade niches hold replica statues of the Four Virtues. From left to right, they are Sophia (Wisdom), Arete (Goodness), Ennoia (Thought) and Episteme (Knowledge). Temple of Hadrian, where the main keystone arch is still in place nearly 2,000 years after its construction. The Grand Theatre is where St Paul gave his famous sermon. Opt to see famous Terrace Houses, in many regards, the remains are on a par with the famous ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum in Italy – making them one of the world’s key sites to experience and admire the sophistication, luxury and aesthetic refi nement of upper-class Roman domestic life. Enjoy a delicious lunch of Turkish cuisine at a local restaurant.

You will also have the chance to visit the pilgrimage point claimed to be the last home of the Virgin Mary at Mount Koressos before eyewitnessing one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world, Temple of Artemis aka the Temple of Diana, built in around 550 BC destroyed in AD 268 in a raid by the Goths. Later, drive past vineyards, apple and peach orchards to the quaint Ottoman-Greek village of Sirince, where charming, red-roofed houses clamber up the hillside. Here are the sounds of the village: birds chirp, mourning doves coo, dogs bark, roosters crow, children play, tractor passes. Before tour’s end, visit the wonderful example of the Seljukian architecture, Isabey Mosque.

This evening you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Kayseri or Nevsehir. On arrival you will be met and transferred to Cappadocia. Cappadocia is an extraordinary national treasure and is perhaps even the jewel in Turkey’s illustrious crown. Turkey’s most visually striking region, where erosion has formed caves, clefts, pinnacles, fairy chimneys and sensuous folds in the soft volcanic rock. Overnight Cappadocia. (L)

DAY 2            NORTHERN VILLAGES
This morning you have the option of taking a hot-air balloon ride in a region famed for being one of the best places in the world for ballooning.

Sunrise hot-air balloon ride – TBA
Our crew will pick you up at your hotel before dawn and transfer you and fellow travelers to the takeoff site. Feels like stepping out of a bus or getting off a spacehip? Watch our team’s preparation for flight, inflating balloons against the backdrop of the dawn sky. Listen to your pilot who will share safety measures and the do’s and don’ts during your flight. With the sound of a fire-breathing dragon, you skim the grass and slowly lift off, graceful stability with majestic views. Hundreds of hot air balloons float across the sky. It lives up to the hype, times 100. Floating silently above the oddest-looking landscape dotted with villages, vineyards, and fruit orchards for about an hour, coming down in a farmer’s field. Break out the bubbly for a traditional champagne toast to a successful aeronautical adventure! ONCE IN A LIFETIME EXPERIENCE! Your Cappadocia hot-air balloon flight includes a complimentary pre-flight breakfast and transfers between your hotel, take-off and landing spots. Prices can vary greatly depending on the time of year you fly and how far in advance you book.

Meet the Flintstones! The fairytale rock chimneys of Cappadocia rising majestically from an otherworldly landscape, formed by the eruptions of three volcanoes, Mount of Erciyes, Melendiz and Hasan, which created one of the most distinctive landscapes in the world. Cappadocia is Turkey’s very own fairy-tale kingdom. Imagine, if George Lucas had succeeded in his original plan to shoot Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace in Cappadocia. Not even Walt Disney could have dreamt of such lofty, multi-tiered housing for Tinkerbell—miles and miles of pyramid- and mushroom-shaped rocks that have sheltered or hidden people for thousands of years.

Discover fascinating stories, insights and facts on the roots of Cappadocia’s history. Kick off your exhilarating day out with Devrent Valley – nicknamed Imagination Valley is well known for its unusual rock formations. Find rocks that resemble those seen in the Hobbit and Smurfs as well as a dolphin, camel, kissing birds, Napoleon’s hat, the Virgin Mary holding Jesus Christ. Next, explore one of the region’s most magnificent town of Pasabag where Monks once inhabited and epic fairy chimneys and cave dwelling are widely regarded as the best in the region. If Fred Flintstone lived in Cappadocia, Pasabagi is the place he’d call home. Drive to the pottery town of Avanos, on the banks of the Kizilirmak, where the longest river in Turkey passes through. Have the chance to view the pottery making demonstration and even try your hand at making your own unique pot. The ancestral techniques and know-how of the craftsmen workshop will show you all the secrets.

Break for a buffet lunch at a local restaurant before visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Goreme National Park home to surreal wonderland of rock churches, chapels and decorative frescoes around 1000-1200 AD. This is most certainly a gorgeous sight to behold! Before tour’s end, enjoy a visit to Uchisar, natural castle of volcanic tufa giving it a Swiss-cheese look. It is a giant rock formation at the highest point of Cappadocia used as a fortress by the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman armies. Enjoy the rest of your day at leisure once dropped off back at your hotel.

Cappadocia derived from the Hittite word ‘Katpatuka’, it is commonly held to mean ‘Land of beautiful horses’. Still plays a big role in local life, and a popular way for visitors to explore the region. Maybe you would prefer to explore vineyards and abundant orchards of Cappadocia from the saddle of an Anatolian horse, visit a gorgeous 15th-century bath house, take an off-road quad-bike, jeep safari, vintage car tour, photo or drone shoot either at sunrise or sunset – the list is almost endless. The choice is yours. Optional activities are a different way of seeing more of the region in a shorter time. Overnight Cappadocia. (B, L)

DAY 3            SOUTHERN VILLAGES
If your flight is canceled a day before, you don’t lose your booking or money, we’ll reschedule your balloon ride for this morning based on the availability on the particular day.

Today you will begin with a visit to the remarkable Underground city of Kaymakli, we will take a 40-minute drive to see a primitive engineering achievement features a maze of tunnels and rooms carved eight levels deep into the earth. Feels like wandering through a gigantic sponge. An estimated 60,000 people lived for periods of up to three months and there are over 200 underground cities in Cappadocia, most of them are connected through underground pathways. Each rock settlement had access to the safe sanctuary of these underground dwellings by way of a secret underground passageway that would provide swift and unseen escape in times of emergency. In fact, an access tunnel can still be found on just about every villager’s property. Every crucial entry point into the city was either camouflaged or blocked by a keystone, a large stone wheel that, once fixed in place, was immovable. Stout rolling-stone doors prevented invaders from entering, deep wells provided water and tall chimney ventilations to allow steam to rise.

The tour will then visit natural landmark of Ortahisar Castle and Cavusin Old Village Ruins, an old Christian village, where you will see a triple apse church and the Monastery of St. John the Baptist. The day’s touring includes lunch and an easy grade, three kilometer hike through the Red Valley, inaccessible by automobile and providing absolutely breathtaking scenery. Sandstone landscape can be everything from a light pinkish grey to peachy orange depending on how the light hits it. It’s undoubtedly one of the best hikes in Turkey – if not the best. If you only have time to do one hike, then this should be it.

Evening transfer to the airport and return flight back to Istanbul. Tour ends where we began with an airport to hotel transfer. Opportunity to finish up your sightseeing or get in some last minute shopping at your own pace. Our tour draws to a close and we say goodbye to our new friends.

Please note that check-out time from the hotel is normally noon, but luggage storage facilities are available. We are able to organise extra post-trip accommodation and day tours/activities if you wish to extend your stay. Happy travels! (B, L)