DAY 01: ARRIVE ISTANBUL (l, d)Arrive at Istanbul Ataturk Airport (or Karakoy Port). Meet AVOTUR's local guide or representative and transfer to the hotel. Check-in and short rest. (Please note check-in time at most hotels is 14:00 but we will do our best to arrange early check-in if necessary.) Departure for halfday city tour. Lunch at a local restaurant. Halfday city tour with a visit to the main historical center of Istanbul, Sultanahmet with its Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman monuments. The monuments to be visited are the Blue Mosque, Roman Hippodrome (Obelisk of Theodosius, serpent column, brick column, Kaiser Wilhelm II fountain), the Hagia Sophia, the Topkapi Palace with its Treasury and Sacred Trust sections. Return to the hotel after the tour. Dinner at the hotel.
DAY 02: ISTANBUL - BURSA (b, l, d)
Breakfast at the hotel. Intercontinental Bosphorus suspension bridge crossing to the Asian side of Istanbul. Continue to Bursa. During the 3 hour journey we will ride a ferry across the Sea of Marmara. On arrival city tour in Bursa. Visits include the Grand Mosque (Ulucami), Bazaar, Silk Market (Kozahan), Green Mosque and Mausoleum. Lunch at a local restaurant. Leisure time for shopping. Transfer to the hotel. Dinner at the hotel in Bursa.
DAY 03: BURSA - PERGAMON - IZMIR - KUSADASI (b, l, d)
Breakfast at the hotel. Continue to Bergama. Visit the ACROPOLIS at PERGAMON with its breathtaking amphitheater. Lunch at a local restaurant. Depart for IZMIR, Turkey's largest export harbor and 3rd biggest city. Panoramic tour and continue to Kusadasi. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Kusadasi.
DAY 04: KUSADASI - PAMUKKALE (b, l, d)
Breakfast at the hotel. Visit the ancient city of EPHESUS. Highlights will be the Odeon, Celsus Library, Hadrian's Temple, Trajan's Fountain, the Agora, the Scolasticia Baths, the Marble Street, the amphitheater with its 25.000 seating capacity and the Arcadian Way leading down to the port which is now silted up. On Mount Nightingale, The HOUSE of MARY (Meryemana), a pilgrimage site where Mary is believed to have spent her last days, will be visited. Lunch at a local restaurant. Continue to Pamukkale. Visit the thermal springs and the ancient city of HIERAPOLIS. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Pamukkale.
DAY 05: PAMUKKALE - KONYA - CAPPADOCIA (b, l, d)
Breakfast at the hotel. Depart for Konya. Visit the MEVLANA MUSEUM who was the founder of the WHIRLING DERVISHES. Lunch at a local restaurant. Before reaching Cappadocia visit the SULTANHANI CARAVANSERAI. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Cappadocia.
DAY 06: CAPPADOCIA - ANKARA (b, l, d)
Breakfast at the hotel. Our tour of Cappadocia includes UCHISAR rock formation to have a panoramic view, GÖREME Valley Outdoor Museum to view the frescoes of the famous churches known by the names Apple, Dark, Barbara, Sandal and Snake churches, the PASABAGI Monks Valley, an underground city and URGUP fairy chimneys. Lunch during the tour. Visit the Avanos village pottery center located along the Kizilirmak (Red River, Turkey's longest river). Afternoon spent at the various handicraft workshops of the region selling carpets ad rugs, ceramics, onyx, jewelry and souvenirs. Continue to Ankara. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Ankara.
DAY 07: ANKARA - ISTANBUL (b, l, d)
Breakfast at the hotel. City tour in Ankara with visits to the ANATOLIAN CIVILIZATIONS MUSEUM at the CITADEL area and the MAUSOLEUM of ATATÜRK (founder of the Republic of Turkey 1881-1938). A short drive will introduce you to the capital of Turkey with the panoramic Atakule tower, Presidential Palace at Cankaya, the Turkish Grand National Assembly and the Ministries. Lunch on the way back to Istanbul. On arrival transfer to the hotel. Dinner at the hotel.
DAY 08: DEPART ISTANBUL (b)
Breakfast at the hotel. Day at leisure. (Please note check-out time at most hotels is 12:00) Pick-up from the hotel and transfer to Istanbul Ataturk Airport.
Hotels to be used in:
| ISTAMBUL | |
| 3 STAR | Golden Age Istanbul |
| 4 STAR | Grand Öztanik Istanbul |
| BURSA | |
| 3 STAR | Holiday Inn Bursa |
| 4 STAR | Almira Bursa |
| KUSADASI | |
| 3 STAR | Atinc Kusadasi |
| 4 STAR | Korumar Kusadasi |
| PAMUKKALE | |
| 3 STAR | Richmond Pamukkale |
| 4 STAR | Richmond Pamukkale |
| CAPPADOCIA | |
| 3 STAR | Dinler Cappadocia |
| 4 STAR | Lodge Cappadocia |
| ANKARA | |
| 3 STAR | Ickale Ankara |
| 4 STAR | Etap Altinel Ankara |
