From Istanbul to Izmir – Spices, Temples and Olive Groves

Programme

9 days and 8 nights with full board included (three meals per day, from dinner on the first day to lunch on the last day) and lodging in 4* and 5* hotels.  Discover in complete serenity the most famous cities of Turkey: Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir (the ancient city of Smyrna), as well as the Cappadocia region with its fairy chimneys and troglodyte dwellings, and, lastly the extraordinary city of Ephesus.

Book an unforgettable hot air balloon ride and fly over the stunning Cappadocia landscapes sculpted by geological erosion. Reservations can be made with your guide for an extra charge.

100% customisable programmes.

THREE REASONS FOR CHOOSING SCOPE VOYAGE

1. IRREPROACHABLE QUALITY

• Enjoy full board throughout your stay: tour price includes catering from dinner on the first day to lunch on the last day.
• Reap the benefits of small group travel: 18 participants maximum.
• Be accompanied by an experienced bilingual and knowledgeable tour guide. Individual audio-phones for all guided tours will also be provided.
• Delight in the high standards and comfort of the 4* and 5* hotels we have chosen for you.
• Participate in food and wine tastings of local products.

2. ABSOLUTE COMFORT

• Discover Turkey while having fun and relaxing. Our tours are designed to give you just the right amount of time to explore.  Spend 2 nights in Istanbul, 1 night in Ankara, 2 nights in Cappadocia, 1 night in Pamukkale, 2 nights in  Kusadasi or Izmir, from where you will return home.

3. UNFORGETTABLE MOMENTS

In addition to the wonders of Istanbul with the highlight of a boat trip on the Bosphorus, you will be captivated by the charm of Ankara, mystical Konya, Cappadocia and its colourful landscapes, not to forget the ancient city of Ephesus.  You will fall under the charm of the effervescence of the Aegean coast.

Itinerary

DAY 1 : Flight to Istanbul

Meeting point at your departure airport. Assistance with check-in and boarding of your flight to Istanbul.  Upon arrival, you will be greeted by your guide, then transfer to your hotel. Welcome cocktail before heading to your room.

Accommodation and dinner for 2 nights at the Yasmak Sultan 4*  or similar hotel.

At Topkapi Palace, the most beautiful kiosk in the Tulip Gardens is undoubtedly the Baghdad kiosk, with its walls covered with glazed earthenware panels.  From the terrace of the bronze covered balcony, take in the spectacular view of the Golden Horn and the European districts of Istanbul.

DAY 2 :From Emperors to Sultans

Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

You will start the day with a visit to Hagia Sophia, one of the most remarkable monuments in the world. Its architecture is an example of the refinement of the Byzantine capital during the sixth century and marked the height of the reign of Emperor Justian I.

Onwards to the Basilica Cistern, an ancient water reservoir and superb Roman hydraulic masterpiece of engineering.

Across from the Hippodrome Square, you will visit the worldwide famous Blue Mosque, built between 1609 and 1616 for the Sultan Amhet I.  Its six elegant minarets tower over the Sultanahmet Square where sporting, political and cultural activities took place during the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman periods.

After lunch, you will discover the incredible beauty of the Topkapi Palace; the lavish residence of Ottoman Sultans and ladies of the harem for four hundred years.  Surrounded by five kilometres of ramparts, it stretches over 70 hectares.  In 1985, Unesco inscribed it on the World Heritage list, describing it as «an unmatched assemblage of buildings constructed over four centuries». You will be captivated by its art collections: ceramics, jewellery, silverware, ceremonial furniture, miniatures, weapons and mosaics.

At the end of the day, you will have free time to stroll and shop in the Grand Bazaar.  With its 60 alleys and 4,000 stalls and shops spanning over 30 hectares, it is still the largest indoor market in the world today.

Dinner out in the city and night at the hotel.

Brought back from Karnak 1,800 years ago, this 19 m high Egyptian obelisk was erected in the Hippodrome square during the reign of Theodosius I.

DAY 3  :Istanbul – Ankara (430 km of motorway – 5 h 30)

Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Departure for the picturesque Spice Market, a complex with vaulted ceilings and a multitude of shops under its arches. Breathe in the perfumes of cinnamon, caraway, saffron, mint and thyme and experience the colours and flavours of the Silk Road.

Afterwards, take a boat trip on the Bosphorus and admire the best views of Istanbul.  Along the strait on both banks, you will pass by the marble palaces of Dolmabahçe and Beylerbeyi, the beautiful wooden Ottoman mansions (the yali ») and the medieval fortresses.

After lunch, departure for Ankara and en-route marvel the beautiful landscapes of the Black Sea.

Accommodation and dinner at the Hilton 5* or similar hotel.

Dolmabahçe (19th century), the luxurious palace of the last six sultans situated on the west bank of the Bosphorus, has become a museum and palace of the Republic.  A mixture of mostly western art, (classical and baroque) and Ottoman art.  The interiors are just as luxurious with chandeliers in Bohemian and Baccarat Crystal and precious rugs.  Foreign heads of state are often received here.

DAY 4 : Ankara – Cappadocia (290 km – 3 h 20)

Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Departure for the mausoleum of Atatürk, the most imposing monument of the capital, erected in honour of Kemal Atatürk, founder of the Republic of Turkey, who died in 1938.  Stroll through the alleys of the citadel with the most magnificent panoramic views of Ankara.

Visit the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations, which houses the most unique collection of antiques from the Hittite Empire (2nd millennium BC).

After lunch, en route for Cappadocia along the shores of the Salt Lake.

In central Turkey, Cappadocia is a unique place.  It is a plateau formed by tuff ash deposited by old volcanoes.  These relatively soft formations have been sculptured by the valleys and created fairy chimneys covered by harder blocks.   Along the way, you will explore one of the many Byzantine underground towns, used between the 7th and 10th centuries for the local people to hide in during times of invasion.

Accommodation and dinner for 2 nights at the  Yunak Evleri or similar hotel.

Atatürk (1881-1938): a national hero and founder of the Republic of Turkey.

DAY 5  :  Bewitching Cappadocia

Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

After a walk along the Pasabaglari paths to admire the enchanting and spectacular landscapes of the famous fairy chimneys, you will continue on to the troglodyte village of Çavusin.

Visit the Goreme Valley open-air museum, a Unesco World Heritage Site.

This site shelters the largest number of monasteries and chapels, some of which have superb Byzantine frescoes dating from the eleventh and twelfth centuries.

Then on to Avanos, a charming little town well known for its artisanal pottery and knotted carpet making.  The beauty and quality of a Turkish carpet can’t be matched. This ancestral art will be explained during a visit to a renowned carpet factory.

After lunch, discover the Avcilar and Kiliçlar valleys, with their ancient troglodyte dwellings and fairy chimneys.

Onwards, for a stroll through the delightful village of Uçhisar.  Its citadel crowns a rocky peak offering a superb panoramic view over the entire region and the Pigeon valley.

Return to the hotel.

The layer of relatively soft volcanic tuff, gradually disintegrated especially at the top of the cones with strong easterly winds.  The harder basalt blocks resisted better and the unusual cones, «fairy chimneys», stand alone or in group, crowned with flat stones.

DAY 6  :  Cappadocia – Konya– Pamukkale (590 km – 6 h 30)

Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

After breakfast, en route for Konya, former Iconium and religious city located in the heart of the Anatolian steppe, at an altitude of 1,015 m.

On the way, you will visit the Sultanhan caravanserai on the Silk Road,  built between 1226 and 1229 and one of the best preserved in the world.  This complex allowed merchants to store their goods and to stay there in safety.

Upon arrival at Konya, lunch and visit of the museum dedicated to Celaleddin Rumi (Mevlana), who in the 13th century founded the Sufi order of the whirling dervishes.

A lovely long drive through rural western Turkey. Once at Pamukkale, your breath will be taken away by the beauty of this natural site.

Upon arrival at your hotel, enjoy a taste of what awaits you the next day and take time to relax at the swimming pools, thermal water baths and spa.

And, why not treat yourself to a relaxing massage? (optional, at your own expense).

Accommodation and dinner at the Doga Thermal 5* or similar hotel.

During ceremonies, the dervishes are dressed in long white robes and cylindrical camel hair caps.  From ten to thirty minutes, they pivot on the tips of the toes of their left foot, forming a circle around the dance floor. The position of their hands is symbolic: the right hand raised to the sky collects the divine grace which is then passed on to the earth through their left hand which is turned downwards.

DAY 7  :Pamukkale – Kusadasi (190 km – 2 h 30)

Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

After breakfast, discover Pamukkale:  from the top of a 200 m high cliff overlooking the plain, the hot springs bearing deposits of calcite created an unreal landscape of petrified waterfalls and stepped basins.  This unique site in the world was named Pamukkale or «cotton castle».

The city of Hierapiolis, an exceptional Greco-Roman spa complex, was built on this extraordinary natural site.  The remains of the Martyrium of Saint Philip, discovered only in 2011, can also be seen and affirms the extraordinary influence of the Christian community from the first century.

Like the nearby city of Laodicea, Hierapolis is one of the seven churches mentioned in the Revelation by the apostle Saint John.

To reach Selçuk, you will cross over the rich alluvial plain of Menderes irrigated by the Meandros river (the Meandros river god) with its long winding course disappearing into the distance.  The road bordering the river is lined with trees and plantations including plane trees, reeds, fig, olive, pomegranate, orange and lemon and strawberry fields.

After lunch, visit Ephesus, one of the most beautiful ancient cities and remarkable for its architecture and among its gems are the Library of Celsus, the theatre and the remains of the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

At the peak of the 3rd century BC, Ephesus was an important port and a major administrative centre with a population of almost 200,000 inhabitants.  Ephesus played a significant role in the spread of Christianity, in large partly due to Paul’s lengthy stays in the area as of the year 52.

Then on to visit one of the largest jewellery stores in Turkey with unique pieces set with precious gemstones.   The country is ranked second in the world in this art form.

Accommodation and dinner for 2 nights at the Ramada by Wyndham 4* Kusadasi or similar hotel.

Pamukkale a fascinating site with its natural pools forming a series of stepped waterfalls.

DAY 8  : Kuşadası

Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

After breakfast, departure for the Isa Bey Mosque and the Greco-Turkish village of Sirince, surrounded by a sea of olive trees.

Then on to the House of the Virgin Mary which is believed to be the last home of the mother of Jesus.  It is an important place of pilgrimage, both for Christians and for Muslims.

And to end the day, a fashion show of leather designer clothes will be presented specially for you.

Dinner and night at the hotel.

The village of Sirince: with its numerous charming houses with lime washed walls.

DAY 9 : Return flight home

Breakfast and transfer to Izmir airport according to your flight schedule.

Assistance with check-in and departure to your destination.

Istanbul, at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, surrounded by water and with its rich history, continues to inspire many artists.

The price includes

✈ International round trip flights.

o Meeting upon your arrival.

o Transfers airport/hotel/airport.

o Assistance from your experienced bilingual guide during the tour.

o Double room accommodation in the assigned hotels or ones of similar standing, hotel luggage porters.

o Full board from dinner on the first day to lunch on the last day.

o Transportation in comfortable vehicles adapted to the size of the group, a window per person.

o Visits and entrance fees to sites and museums mentioned in the programme.

24/7 assistance from our agency.

The price does not include

X Single room supplements.

X Drinks and personal expenses, tips for the guide and the driver.

X No insurance is included (Scope Voyage recommends you purchase travel insurance).