Istanbul & Cappadocia – Turkey’s Historic Gems

Itinerary

• Day 1
  This two-centre holiday begins with a flight to historic Istanbul where you’ll be greeted by your friendly, local tour manager. You’ll then travel to your hotel, based at the heart of the Sultanahmet Square, for the first night of luxurious four-day stay. After checking in, you can unwind in the comfort of your room or get to know your fellow guests with a drink in the elegant communal lounges. The rest of the day will be at leisure to settle in. Perhaps venture out into the nearby Eminömü district or find dinner at one of the vibrant local eateries.
• Day 2
  Enjoy breakfast at the hotel ahead of a short coach trip through the city streets to the iconic Blue Mosque, an Ottoman imperial mosque known for its towering minarets and magnificent domed roofs. Marvel at the impressive structure, with a brief stop to explore its grounds, before continuing to the city’s former Roman hippodrome. The legendary racecourse, which was once the largest of its kind in the Roman world, now lies beneath Sultanahmet Square and you’ll have time to trace its route or take in its surviving obelisks. Next, you’ll pay homage to the UNESCO-listed Hagia Sophia, one of the world’s most famous religious buildings and an example of traditional Byzantine architecture. This spectacular building also embodies the city’s diverse religious heritage having been repurposed by Orthodox Christians, Roman Catholics and Sunni Muslims across its 1500-year history. After taking in the opulent interiors and manicured grounds of the grand mosque, you’ll travel to Topkapi Palace. The crown jewel of the Ottoman Empire, this exquisite imperial residence was the seat of power for the Ottoman sultans and is now open for public access. Spend time wandering around the palace’s idyllic garden courtyards and marvel at its grand libraries, home to over 13,000 manuscripts. From here, you’ll have access to palace’s harem quarters, which housed the Turkish Sultans’ concubines and hosted the domestic lives of the Ottoman royal family. Return to the hotel for the rest of the evening at leisure.
• Day 3
  Get ready for another day of sightseeing around Istanbul’s impressive ancient landmarks with breakfast at the hotel. After a short drive back towards the Hagia Sophia, you’ll descend into the largest of hundreds of underground cisterns beneath the city, the Basilica Cistern. Having been mostly drained now for easier public access, this extraordinary, pillared basin now displays its carved ‘medusa’ heads and 1,500-year-old brickwork, and you’ll have plenty of time to wander around. After exploring the underground chambers that used to hold the city’s water supply, you’ll return to the surface for a visit to the colourful Egyptian Bazaar. Here, you’ll be able to savour the scents, sights and sounds of the city’s most popular shopping area and peruse its stalls complete with heaped displays of aromatic powders and trays of Turkish delight. Your final stop today will be the opulent Dolmabahçe Palace, which has marked the city’s Bosporus waterfront for almost 200 years. As the administrative capital of the Ottoman Empire, and home to six sultans throughout its history, this magnificent building cost five million gold lira to create – the equivalent of roughly £1.45 billion in today’s currency! You’ll have time here to explore the stately residence, with its elegant facades, gilded interiors and expansive private gardens. This afternoon, travel along the Bosporus Strait to your hotel and enjoy the rest of the evening on your own time.
• Day 4
  Embrace time doing as much or as little as you’d like this morning with a full day at leisure. Perhaps venture back into Istanbul’s neighbourhoods for further exploration or meander around one of the city’s colourful bazaars. Alternatively, you’ll have the chance to join an exciting optional excursion to Buyuk Ada, one of the idyllic Princes’ Islands on Turkey’s Sea of Mamarra. Board a ferry from Istanbul’s Bosporus waterfront ahead of a scenic cruise across the archipelago. Start your sailing with views of Kinali Ada, the closest of the nine islands to the mainland, as you cruise past. This small island, historically a popular place of exile for deposed Byzantine emperors, is now home to a coastal resort and boasts panoramic views over Istanbul’s seafront. You’ll then continue past verdant Burgaz, home to a number of impressive hilltop churches and monasteries, before taking in Heybeli Ada, the second largest Princes’ Island. Here, you’ll enjoy panoramic views of the island’s pristine coastal settlements and the dense pine forests of the Degirmen Burnu Nature Park before heading on to Büyük Ada, the largest of the Princes’ Islands. The ferry will dock at the harbour town of Adala where you’ll then be free to explore at your own pace. With no cars allowed on Büyük Ada, Adala's pedestrianised streets promise a picturesque escape from the bustle of the city. If you get tired as the day goes by, electric shuttles are on hand to help you make the most of the town in comfort. Reboard the ferry later this afternoon, and see the islands transform under the setting sun on your return journey to Istanbul.
• Day 5
  Make the most of a leisurely morning with a final breakfast at the hotel before departing Istanbul for a flight to glorious Cappadocia, a region of impressive subterranean settlements and extraordinary rock features, in the heart of Anatolia. Upon arrival, you’ll check into your enchanting new hotel, Ürgüp’s Yusuf Yiğitoğlul Mansion, which showcases Cappadocia’s famous rock-carved architecture. Settle in for an introduction to the area courtesy of your hosts before enjoying the rest of the evening at your own pace.
• Day 6
  Set out for your first taste of Cappadocia’s breath-taking natural landscapes with a scenic coach trip of Göreme’s finest surrounding sights. You’ll start at Pigeon Valley with views over the region’s volcanic landscapes and famous ‘fairy chimneys’, a series of surreal-looking rock spires that dot the Cappadocian countryside. The valley, owing its name to hundreds of resident dovecotes (pigeon shelters) carved into the volcanic tuff, offers gentle trails and viewpoints. Depending on the weather, you might even see the sky lined with hot-air balloons. Continue to the town of Uçhisar, based on the outskirts of Göreme’s UNESCO-listed National Park. Here, you’ll be introduced to Cappadocia’s impressive rock-cut architecture, stopping outside the Uçhisar Kalesi (castle). Despite its name, this grand citadel is actually an immense rock cone, which has been carved and hollowed into a series of underground tunnels, chambers and guard posts. After time spent admiring Uçhisar’s memorable rock-cut landmarks, you’ll head north into Göreme National Park for a visit to Sword Valley, which owes its name to the thin, jagged rock formations scattered across its arid vistas. Observe the panoramic views of the rugged landscapes under the midday sun and take in the charming rock-cut dwellings and sculpted forts that the region’s inhabitants have used across the centuries. Your next stop will take you to the heart of Göreme to explore its fascinating open-air museum. Here, you’ll discover a wealth of monastic structures, carved from the volcanic tuff of a neighbouring hillside, and a number of ancient cave dwellings used by early refugees and later Christian missionaries. As you see these rock-carved structures, your guide will offer captivating insight into the lives and cultures of the region’s first residents. Later in the afternoon, journey back to Ürgüp, stopping in the idyllic pottery village of Avanos on the way. Set on the banks of the Kizilirmak (Red River), Turkey’s longest waterway, this delightful small town is a major producer of traditional Anatolian Iznik pottery, and you can wander around its delightful stores before returning to Ürgüp.
• Day 7
  Your last full day in Turkey awaits this morning starting with an exploration of your hotel’s surrounding town, Ürgüp. As is customary throughout Cappadocia, this town is arranged around a central stone stack, Temenni Hill, which bares the region’s traditional rock-cut architecture. The town also boasts a number of fascinating historical sites, including the hilltop tomb of a former Selcuk sultan, Kilij Arslan IV, who was executed in the area. Discover wider Ürgüp before travelling to the village of Mustafapaşa, a hub of Islamic, Greek and classical Anatolian architecture. Here, you can stroll around before enjoying a traditional Anatolian lunch. Afterwards, venture south to Kaymakli. Though it may seem like an unassuming village on the surface, you’ll discover the magnificent subterranean vaults that lie beneath with a tour of the area’s spectacular underground city. Previously used by Christian refugees as a sanctuary against invading Timurid forces, this eight-storied citadel showcases the region’s innovative rock-hewn architecture in a truly memorable way. Marvel at the underground chapels, wine presses and living quarters as you meander through the city’s labyrinthine stone tunnels. Return to the surface for the ride back to the hotel.
• Day 8
  After breakfast, you’ll travel to the airport for your return flight.