ISTANBUL 64ºF - 66ºF

Welcome to Turkey! Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel and accommodation.

ISTANBUL 64ºF - 66ºF

We will start this intense day by discovering the magnificent city of Istanbul. We´ll know the Basilica of Hagia Sophia, culmination of the Byzantine Art, and the famous Topkapi Palace, residence of the ottoman sultans for four centuries, including the treasure and the Holy Relics (entrances included). We shall enjoy a typical lunch, included, in a local restaurant in Sultanahmet area, and continue visiting the Blue Mosque, wonder of harmony, proportion and elegance and the Hippodrome (entrances included) that preserves the Obelisk of Todosio, the Serpentine Column, the Fountain of Emperor William and the Egiptyan Obelisk. To finish this marvelous day we will have a transfer to the Great Bazaar where we can get lost in its 4,000 shops. An unforgettable experience. Return to our hotel and accommodation.

ISTANBUL 64ºF - 66ºF

After breakfast we shall do one of the most beautiful activities in Istanbul, a boat tour on the Bosphorus (included), a channel separating Europe and Asia. During this tour, we can appreciate the Palaces of the Sultans, old typical wooden houses, and enjoy history in a different way. Next, we will visit one of the most appreciated places, the Spices Bazaar (entrance included), active during the last five centuries. This included tour ends in the bazaar where you can enjoy its atmosphere and a variety of shops. In the afternoon an optional tour can be done to the asian part of the city, and we´ll know the Beylerbeyi Palace, Eyup neighborhood, Caffe Pièr Loti and the Golden Horn. Return to the hotel and accommodation.

ISTANBUL 64ºF - 66ºF - AYDINPINAR WATERFALLS - CEHENNEMAGZI CAVES - EREGLI 64ºF - 64ºF - SAFRANBOLU 55ºF - 55ºF

We will leave early in the morning for the BLACK SEA REGION. We shall make our first stop at ADYNPINAR WATERFALLS where we shall walk its green paths to arrive at the beautiful waterfalls. We will continue our tour to the impressive CEHENEMAGZI CAVES (entrance included), where following the greek mythology, the door to hell was placed. We´ll continue our tour to the city of EREGLI, a city of greek origin known as Heraclea Pontica in honour of the greek mythical hero Heracles, where we will have time to know its busy center and enjoy its gastronomy. Next we will visit the GÖKGÖL CAVES, magnificent caves with its underground river with multiple colours that no doubt will surprise us (entrance included). We will arrive at SAFRANBOLU at the end of the afternoon. Dinner and accomodation.

SAFRANBOLU 55ºF - 55ºF - TOKATLI CANYON TERRACE - KASTAMONU 48ºF - 48ºF - BAFRA 63ºF - 63ºF - SAMSUN 54ºF - 61ºF

Today we will get to visit the city center of SAFRANBOLU, a small but marvelous city declared World Heritage. With our guide we will visit the most picturesque places of this city that, in its time, was an important stop for the caravan routes. Departing from the city we will make a stop in the TOKATLI CANYON TERRACE (entrance included), made of glass at a height of 80 meters, extending to the abyss, making us feel and enjoy impressive sights on the canyon. We will continue to KASTAMONU, placed in the Silk Road, a touristic center famous for its Byzantine Castles, mosques and old churches. We will visit Kastamonu castle built in the Byzanthine Period, and have free time to know the city center and eat lunch in the city, chosen the Cultural Capital of the Turkish World in 2018. We will continue our tour to the north and arrive at BAFRA, a small typical little village of the Black Sea. After some time to discover its corners we will follow to SAMSUN. Dinner and accomodation.

SAMSUN 54ºF - 61ºF - ORDU 52ºF - 52ºF - YASON CHURCH - MONTE BOZTEPE CABLE CAR - GIRESUN 41ºF - 41ºF - TRABZON 64ºF - 64ºF

After breakfast we will go to the center of the modern city of SAMSUN, located on the Black Sea coast, where we will visit the historic ship Bandirma Vapuru that took Ataturk to the city of Samsun to start the country´s war of independence in 1919 (entrance included). We will continue our route to the cosmopolitan city of ORDU, considered one of the most beautiful in Turkey. It is said that every color of nature can be found in Ordu. We will visit the city´s beautiful pink stone carved reliefs and the Yason Church at Cape Caka. Then we will go up by cable car to Mount Boztepe (ticket included) where we will admire the impressive views of the city and the Black Sea. We will continue our route to GIRESUN, a city known as the homeland of cherry and the capital of hazelnut. From its castle we will be able to enjoy the beauty of the city and the Black Sea. Late in the afternoon, after having visited the city, we will head to TRABZON. Dinner and accommodation.

TRABZON 64ºF - 64ºF

Today we will know in depth one of the most extraordinary regions of Turkey. We will start in the city of TRABZON or Trebizond, one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world, birthplace of Suleiman the Magnificent. This city was a commercial port on the Silk Route and a meeting point between cultures and religions. It still preserves a beautiful fortified old town with a medieval castle. During the walk we will admire its port, the largest of The Black Sea, as well as visit the Hagia Sophia Museum, an important example of Byzantine architecture built between 1238 and 1263, transformed into a mosque in 1670 and completely restored as a museum in the mid-20th century (entrance included).Afterwards we will visit the Greek-Orthodox Monastery of Sumela, located on a steep cliff in the Black Mountains, at an altitude of more than 300 m. It is one of the oldest in the world, founded in 386 AD during the reign of emperor Theodosius. This monastery preserves a micro-city for monks with churches, rooms, kitchens, aqueducts ... of incredible beauty.Later on we will go to HAMSIKOY, a typical town of the Black Sea where we will have time to enjoy its very famous rice with milk. We continue our route visiting a network of caves and natural wonders formed millions of years ago, the KARACA CAVES (entrance included). By the end of the afternoon we will return to our hotel in Trabzon. Dinner and accommodation.

TRABZON 64ºF - 64ºF - KIREMITCI BRIDGE - UZUNGOL LAKE - AYDINTEPE 54ºF - 54ºF - ERZURUM 66ºF - 66ºF

We start our day with an interesting visit to a Black Tea Factory, the most famous product of the Black Sea region. Continuing our route, we´ll make a stop along the way to take photos of the historic Kiremitli Wooden Bridge and the green landscapes of the Black Sea mountains. We will arrive at Lake Uzungol, a place of incomparable natural beauty and a popular tourist destination. There we will have time for a walk and have lunch whilst enjoying the fantastic views of the lake at the foot of the town. Next, we will visit the underground city of AYDINTEPE, built 3,000 years ago during the Roman period (entrance included). We will end the day by traveling towards the hinterland to arrive at the city of ERZURUM, located at an altitude of 2,000 m above sea level. This city was known in ancient times as Theodosiopolis. Dinner and accommodation.

ERZURUM 66ºF - 66ºF - CIFTE MINARELI MADRASA - MOUNT PALANDÖKEN - MUS 59ºF - 59ºF - VAN 64ºF - 64ºF

Early in the morning we will visit the historic Cift Minareli Medrasa Theological School, built in 1253 during the Turkish dynasty of the Seljuks. We will continue to the tectonic-origin mountain of PALANDOKEN, with an altitude of 3,125 meters. It has become a famous ski resort worldwide. The next stop in our route is the city of MUS, an interesting city whose origin dates back to the 6th century. It has been under the successive rule of Persians, Armenians, Byzantines and Ottomans among others, and preserves two citadels and a caravansarai. We will visit its Castle and have time in the center to enjoy its gastronomy. We will continue traveling to the countryside to get to VAN, a city inhabited mostly by Kurdish people, located on the shore of the Van Lake. It is the capital city of this spectacular province, flanked by the Anatolian mountains. Dinner and accommodation.

VAN 64ºF - 64ºF - CASTLE VAN - HOUSE CATS VAN - LAKE VAN - AKDAMAR ISLAND - ISTANBUL 64ºF - 66ºF

We will start our day with a visit of VAN, capital of the Urartu Kingdom. The city was rebuilt after the Battle of Van and the 1st World War between Armenians, Russians and Turks. During our visit we will see the old mosques and visit the Van Castle. We will discover the interesting House of the Van Breed Cats that, according to a legend, sailed aboard Noah´s Ark (entrance included).Later we will get to VAN LAKE, considered the largest saline lake in the world. We will then enjoy a boat ride (ticket included) to ISLAAKDAMAR, where you will find, in an idyllic setting, the extremely beautiful medieval Armenian Church of Akdamar. You will be able to enjoy its exterior bas-reliefs with biblical scenes, animals and fruits, as well as very fine polychrome frescoes inside. At the end of the visit we will have the transfer to the airport to take an included flight to Istanbul. Note: The departure point for the return flight to Istanbul may vary, depending on the schedules of the airlines, departing from "Van, Siirt, Batman or Diyarbakir" VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION: DURING THE MONTH OF RAMADAN THE MAIN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS WILL REMAIN OPEN ALTHOUGH IT IS POSSIBLE TO HAVE CHANGES IN OPENING AND CLOSING TIMES. DURING THE RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS (END OF RAMADAN AND SACRIFICE) THE BAZAARS AND SOME MONUMENTS WILL BE CLOSED.