5 Days, 4 Nights: Istanbul - Cappadocia

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  Day 1: Arrival in Istanbul

  Arrival in Istanbul. Transfer and check-in at the hotel. Possibility to organize an optional dinner cruise at night.

• day 2

  Day 2: Istanbul

  Departure from the hotel. Start of our visit in the Sultanahmet area. Visit of the Hagia Sophia Museum, the largest center of worship in the world between the 6th and 13th centuries. Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet, unique with 6 minarets). Visit of the Hippodrome (at the center of the 3 main empires). Visit of the Grand Bazaar, built in 1455, with its 3000 shops. Lunch. Visit of the Topkapi Palace, the largest palace of the Ottoman Empire. Visit of the Sultan's tombs at Hagia Sophia. Transfer to the hotel, overnight stay.

• day 3

  Day 3: Cappadocia

  Departure from the hotel. Transfer to the airport. Flight to Cappadocia. Arrival in Cappadocia. Transfer, then visit of the region: we present to you the lunar landscape of Cappadocia in the Devrent Valley, with a walk through this unique setting where different rock formations can be observed. We then continue to the best examples of fairy chimneys in Pasabag and the Zelve Valley. We proceed to the town of Avanos, famous for its tile and pottery workshops. We will have lunch in a typical restaurant in this small town. After lunch, our next stop is the Göreme Open-Air Museum, where you can admire the rock churches and the magnificent frescoes from different eras that adorn the walls. We then head to Uchisar Castle, the highest and most dominant point in the region, offering a breathtaking panorama. We end the day with a visit to Esentepe Windy Hill for a panoramic view and photo opportunities. Arrival at the hotel at the end of the day (it is possible to organize a hot air balloon tour the next morning, as an option).

• day 4

  Day 4: Cappadocia

  (Early wake-up, 5:40 am for the hot air balloon tour. Hot air balloon tour in the valleys of Cappadocia. Arrival at the hotel. Optional) Departure from the hotel to visit the Three Sisters Fairy Chimneys in Urgup, which are the most popular and visible in advertisements. Then, we continue to Pigeons Valley. Pigeons have always been important for the people of Cappadocia. That is why people carved dovecotes to keep them in certain places. You will see that the pigeons' houses resemble those of the inhabitants. Next, we go down to the center of the earth in the underground city of Kaymakli, one of the largest and deepest among the 200 other cities in Cappadocia. After that, we head to Mustafapasa, crossing the untouched villages of Cappadocia, surrounded by the "table-top" mountains. On the way, we visit the village of Ayvali. We continue to Mustafapasa (Sinasos), an old Greek town with its spectacular old houses; very beautiful examples of late Greek settlements and architecture. We will have lunch in Ürgüp. After lunch, our next stop is Red Valley. We walk about 4 km in one of the most beautiful valleys of Cappadocia: the Red Valley, with its fabulous volcanic rock formations, is at the heart of Cappadocia but away from tourists. The hermit churches carved into the rock, with frescoes and paintings, blend perfectly with the meditative atmosphere of the valley and have remained intact since the beginning. End of the walk to arrive at the old village of Cavusin. We finish the tour by discovering the Turasan wine factory in Urgup. You will have the opportunity to taste the famous world-renowned wine. Cappadocia wines here. Transfer to the hotel. Dinner and overnight stay.

• day 5

  Day 5: Departure

  Transfer to the airport. Flight to Istanbul. Check in for the international flight.