Day 1 - A Turkish Welcome
Arrive at Istanbul. The daily crowd is energetic. The buildings are European and are filled with restaurants and cafes that spill out onto the sidewalk. You find charming narrow alleys where old men play dominoes.
Arrive at Istanbul. The daily crowd is energetic. The buildings are European and are filled with restaurants and cafes that spill out onto the sidewalk. You find charming narrow alleys where old men play dominoes.
Visit the Blue Mosque - Six minarets decorate the skyline around the mosque. The blue tiles on the rooftops reflect the morning light. The sweeping arches create the atmosphere of an opulent palace. When the call to prayer echoes through the city the melody soothes and enraptures you.
Visit the Spice Bazaar that dates back to the 17th century. Step aboard a boat and begin your cruise of the Bosphorus. The breeze is cool and welcomed. The sea air is fresh. You soon see the rising minarets and domes of Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque & Dolmabahce Palace.
Arrive in Cappadocia. The landscape is breathtaking. The hills are honeycombed and boulders tower over the unearthly plain. The foothills roll and the mountains shift from orange to cream. The lunar panorama is unforgettable and unparalleled. The valley's ridge arches like an accordion.
Explore to the famous Goreme Open-Air Museum, Byzantine monks carved churches out of the soft rock and created tremendous chapels and monasteries. Karanlik Kilise is the most famous church and is filled with stunning frescoes.
The day is yours to spend as you wish in the tremendous setting of Cappadocia. The sky is clear and blue. You can see the remarkable boulders rise into the air and twist like independent karsts. The rush of the flame and the swelling balloon takes you into the air.
Arrive in Kusadasi. The city sits on the sapphire coast of the Aegean Sea. That famous beach of Kadinlar Denizi is energetic. The small stone fortress of Kusadasi Castle sits on its own island & the canary yellow clock tower rising over the water.
Visit the ancient city of Ephesus, home to Europe's best-preserved classical metropolis, The Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, A single pillar remains and stands over sixty feet tall & the Library of Celsus.
Visit to Pergamom. The ancient city is filled with tranquil streets and a classic splendor. The Acropolis is staggering, adorned by the great temples and the dramatic theater, The Sanctuary of Ascelpius & the rising pillars and exceptional theater seats that wrap around the curving hillside.
The sun rises and casts a golden glower over the sand. The water continues to glow a remarkable sapphire. Transfer to the airport to return to Istanbul. The streets are filled with a delightful dizzying energy.