Istanbul, Cappadocia and Ankara tour - 8 days (TR-06)

Today you’ll land in one of the world’s greatest cities: Istanbul. Multi-faceted and magnificent, the place the Romans called Constantinople was once the hub of the Byzantine and later the Ottoman empires. 21st century Istanbul is thriving. After your transfer from the airport to your city centre hotel, we highly recommend you take a stroll through the neighbourhood to get your first taste of this mesmerising city. Overnight in Istanbul.

We’ll begin today by concentrating on the oldest and most characterful parts of the city. On today’s itinerary are visits to the spectacular Hagia Sophia, which during its history has been a mosque, church and museum. We’ll show you around the fascinating Topkapi Palace, where the Ottoman sultans resided for more than four centuries. You can admire the cavernous Blue Mosque, officially the Sultan Ahmet Mosque - its nickname comes from the colour of the 20,000 or so Iznik tiles which cover its walls. You’ll also see the Serpentine Column and the Colossus (the column of Constantine Porphyrgenitus) and the Hippodrome, centred on a landmark Egyptian obelisk - it’s hard to believe that this was once a place where chariot racing took place. And of course no trip to Istanbul could be complete without a visit to the Grand Bazaar, one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world. Overnight in Istanbul. (Breakfast, lunch)

This morning we’ll head to Istanbul’s second most famous bazaar as we take a look around the Egyptian Market, also known as the Spice Bazaar. Under its magnificent vaulted ceiling - in Istanbul you must always look up - you’ll find traders touting for business. They sell colourful pyramids of spice, nuts, dried apricots, boxes of Turkish Delight and tourist trinkets. Outside, the square is always busy, with people and pigeons. The birds come to feed on scraps discarded by the fishermen line the Galata Bridge which spans the Bosphorus. They sit patiently by their rods, chatting as they wait for a bite. Fittingly, our next activity today is a boat trip along this important waterway. As we head upstream at a leisurely pace, you’ll have plenty of time to admire the mansions and palaces that adorn its banks.
Overnight in Istanbul. (Breakfast, lunch)

This exceptionally beautiful region lies inland, so to reach it we’ll need to take a short flight from Istanbul and then complete our journey by road. The region’s soft volcanic rock is easy to carve. When coupled with the area’s turbulent ancient history, it’s not hard to see why in the past, people felt safer underground. There are around 200 subterranean settlements of varying scale, the most famous being Kaymakli and Derinkuyu. We’ll kick off our sightseeing programme underground exploring what it would have been like to live like this. The natural landscape is just as unusual and Cappadocia is best known for its fairy chimneys. These massively eroded pillars of rock are found in great concentrations in some of the nearby valleys, so we’ll make time for a stop at a scenic viewpoint so you can grab some pictures. Overnight in Cappadocia. (Breakfast, lunch)

Cappadocia’s caves provided the ideal refuge for persecuted Christian communities and many monasteries and churches, some with astonishing frescoes, litter the area. Goreme’s Caves of God, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, will be our focus this morning as we venture into the hollowed out tufa to get a closer look at these places of worship. The bucolic valleys surrounding Goreme are also a delight to explore. There are numerous opportunities in the delightful Avcilar, Red and Pasabag valleys for short hikes and riverside strolls where you can admire cliffs pockmarked with dovecotes, fruit orchards and more of those fabulous fairy chimneys. We’ll wrap things up with a look at Uchisar’s ruined hilltop castle which will have you reaching for your camera once again. Overnight in Cappadocia. (Breakfast, lunch)

After breakfast we’ll transfer you to Ankara, making the three hour journey in comfort by car. This modern city, the country’s capital since 1923, is a commercial hub with modern shopping districts and office buildings. But it’s also where the founder of the Turkish Republic is buried. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk is one of the 20th century’s great political leaders and at home he is considered a national hero. He rests in peace at a mausoleum called Anıtkabir. An included city tour will give you a feel for Ankara’s major landmarks, such as the Presidential Palace, and you’ll see how different it is from Istanbul. Overnight in Ankara. (Breakfast, lunch)

This morning we’ll visit the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations, which is housed close to the Citadel, the hilltop settlement founded by the Hittites some 3000 years ago. It’s highly regarded, considered one of the best archaeological museums in the country. Inside you’ll find an array of exhibits that tell the story of the ancient settlers in Asia Minor from the Stone Age. The Neolithic, Hittite and Phrygian works of art are especially impressive. Down the hill from the museum are the ruins of the Roman temple of Augustus and Rome. It’s not the only legacy of this once great empire, as Ankara is also where you’ll find the Column of Julian and the ruins of the Roman baths. There’ll be free time this afternoon for you to explore these sites and more on your own. If art’s your bag, we’d also suggest calling in at Cer Modern. Overnight in Ankara. (Breakfast, lunch)

This is the end of your tour. Our driver will transfer you to the airport in time for your flight home.