From Istanbul to Antalya – Bazaars, Temples and Orange Groves

Of all the world’s continents, only the Mediterranean is liquid, Jean Cocteau.

Programme

8 days and 7 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 as well as the Cappadocia region with its fairy chimneys and troglodyte dwellings, and, lastly Antalya, the Turkish riviera.

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, and 2 nights in Antalya from where you will return home.
• Airlines : Turkish Airlines, Onur Air, Pegasus Airlines, Sun Express.
• Comfortable, spacious and air-conditioned coaches equipped with Wi-Fi.
• Excellent roadway infrastructure, guaranteeing comfortable travel.

3. UNFORGETTABLE MOMENTS

In addition to the wonders of Istanbul, with a boat trip on the Bosphorus, you will be captivated by the charm of Ankara, mystical Konya and the colourful landscapes of Cappadocia.  Enjoy the effervescence of Antalya with its beautiful old town, fine sandy beaches and the magic of the Taurus mountains overlooking the Mediterranean.

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.

Istanbul’s Topkapi Palace.  Amidst the 70 hectares of this «harem» palace, twenty-six sultans succeeded one another over four centuries.

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, 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, 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.

In this mystical oriental world, let yourself be intoxicated by a multitude of scents cinnamon, cumin, saffron, mint, and thyme that impregnate the alleys. The Spice Bazaar is one of Istanbul’s most spellbinding places.

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.

The Basilica Cistern, a famous location used in the film industry. There are  hundreds of other ancient cisterns buried under Istanbul, but this is the most impressive one.

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.

Inandik vase:  a Hittite vase 82 cm high and 3,600 year’s old found in the Ankara region.  The scenes, in relief, depict a sacred wedding ceremony with musicians and dancers.

DAY 5 : Bewitching Cappadocia

Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

After walking the enchanting Pasabaglari foot paths to admire the spectacular landscapes of the famous fairy chimneys, 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 their 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 disintegrates especially at the top of the cones with strong winds.  The harder basalt blocks resist better and the unusual cones, «fairy chimneys», stand alone or in group, crowned with flat stones.

DAY 6 : Cappadocia – Konya – Antalya (530 km – 6 hours)

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.

Along the Silk Road, stop-off for a visit of the Sultanhan caravanserai, 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.

En route for a long and beautiful drive through the plains and southern mountains with the Anatolian plateau unrolling itself before your eyes.

During the classical period (5th and 4th centuries BC), these southern regions of Turkey were called Pisidia and Pamphylia.

After Pisidia, you will reach Antalya, the capital of Pamphylia.  Between the coast and the Pisidian hinterland, in classical times, this region was populated by Greeks and local people.

To reach the northern foothills of the Taurus Mountains, the dual carriageway passes through villages, meadows and gentle hills.  Nowadays, large herds of black and white goats and sheep, belonging to Turkmen nomads, graze on the arid and rocky slopes making them less austere looking.

As one gains altitude, from 1,400-2,000 metres, the vegetation suddenly becomes mountainous and after the Alacabel pass (1,825 m), a dark green mass of huge impressive pine and cedars punctuate the line of the southern slopes of the Taurus, more exposed to maritime weather conditions.  Until a few decades ago, these ranges were populated by wolves and bears.

Approaching Antalya, the road is bordered by orange groves, banana trees and palm trees; your breath will be taken away by the beauty of this alpine range overlooking the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean.

Accommodation and dinner for 2 nights at the  Alp Pasa Butik or similar hotel.

According to Mevlana, founder of the Sufi brotherhood whose followers are known as whirling dervishes, the ancient rose garden of the Seljuk palace in Konya became the convent of Rumi during the 13th century.

DAY 7 : Antalya, between Sea and Mountains

Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

After breakfast, stroll through the old town of Antalya with its typical wooden houses overlooking the port and discover Hadrian’s gate, the fluted minaret, the truncated minaret and the Hidirilik tower.

Then 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.

After lunch, you will see the impressive Karpuzkaldiran waterfalls, one of the few in the world cascading directly into the sea.  And then on to a fashion show of leather designer clothes specially presented for you.

Dinner and night at the hotel.

The city of Antalya is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea and the Taurus Mountains.  Wild berries, cliffs and craggy coves are typical features of the landscape.

DAY 8 : Return flight home

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

Assistance with check-in and departure to your destination.

Antalya, with its fine sandy beach of Kaputas with crystal clear waters. A heavenly landscape!

 

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 Hot air balloon ride : reservations can be made with your guide (extra charge)

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

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