Welcome to Turkiye, Arrival into Istanbul for your transfer from the airport and then check in to your hotel. Tonight we have a welcome dinner. You will meet our friendly crew and other travelers while enjoying Turkish Food and enjoy the mystical atmosphere of Istanbul at night.

This morning we depart via domestic flight to Izmir. Pick up from Izmir Airport and transfer to Ephesus to view the ruins of Ephesus, one of the best preserved ancient ruins in the world. A visit to Ephesus - once the commercial centre of the ancient world - is a highlight of any visit to Turkey. The city, whose wealth and patronage supported its splendid architectural program, was dedicated to the goddess Artemis. Her enormous temple, once considered one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World and rebuilt several times, dates in its latest form from the third century B.C. The tour of the ruins also includes a theatre, gymnasium, agora and baths, as well as the Library of Celsus. Overnight in Kusadasi

At 08:30 we depart for Pamukkale. We then arrive at Pamukkale for lunch. After lunch we shall visit the calcium terraces of Pamukkale (cotton castle) and the ruins of Hierapolis, then walk around this natural phenomenon and give you the option of lying in the waters of the natural springs. After our days activities we will check into our hotel in Pamukkale Dinner will be served at the hotel and the rest of the night is yours. Overnight in Pamukkale.

You will have time this morning to lounge in the Thermal pools at your Hotel before we continue to Konya around 12:00. We then continue for our overnight stop in the small town of Egridir, overlooking Turkey's 4th largest lake. Overnight in Egridir.

Witness one of the most beautiful sunrises over the lake, followed by breakfast. We then drive along the ancient silk trade route, stopping at Caravanserays Sultanhani and Agzikarahan. We arrive in Cappadocia late afternoon. Check in to your hotel. After having some rest and then dinner, you will have the chance to go to the famous traditional Turkish Night, you will enjoy Whirling Dervishes, Belly Dancing & Traditional Turkish Folklore. We recommend it should not be missed.

Merry Christmas... We start our morning with a Hamam, that's the word for the Turkish bath and is surely an unforgettable part of your holiday and the best way to start Christmas day. Receive a pummeling from head to toe, let the expert scrub of all those dead cells, relax and drift away. Late afternoon we start our Christmas celebrations, and yes Santa will visit you at the Hotel, the festive atmosphere is in the air. You will definitely have a Christmas night to remember. Enjoy a big Christmas feast of rich Turkish cuisine and party the night away with your new friends with Turkish live music.

We depart for one of the most interesting sites of Cappadocia: Derinkuyu Underground City The Christians hid from the armies of Rome and the raids of hostile tribes in these self sufficient cities in which there were halls for stocks of crop, barns, rooms, kitchens & ventilation channels. This afternoon we will depart for Kayseri Airport to catch our plane for Istanbul. Check into your hotel. Some rest and dinner. You have a free night to explore Istanbul by night.

This ancient basilica, built by Constantine the Great in the 4th century and reconstructed by Justinian in the 6th century, is one of the architectural marvels of all time. SULTANAHMET MOSQUE Across from St. Sophia built in the 16th century by the architect Mehmet, is known as the BLUE MOSQUE because of its magnificent interior decoration of blue Iznik tiles. HIPPODROME Ancient Hippodrome, the scene of chariot races, with the three monuments; the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column and the Column of Constantine. GRAND BAZAAR In this labyrinth of streets and passages are more then 4,000 shops with each trade having its own area: the goldsmiths' street, the carpet sellers, Turkish arts and crafts, such as handpainted ceramic plates, hand-honed copperware, brassware and trays, water ewers, onyx-ware and meerschaum pipes. TOPKAPI PALACE The great palace of the Ottoman sultans from
the 15th to the 19th centuries housing an exquisite collection of cyrstal, silver, and Chinese porcelain, robes worn by the sultans and their families, the famous jewels of the Imperial Treasury, miniatures, the Holy Mantle; enshrining relics of the Prophet Mohammed. SULEYMANIYE MOSQUE The mosque of Süleyman the Magnificent was built between 1550 and 1557 by the famous architect Sinan whose wish was to surpass the builders of St. Sophia which is conspicuous from its great size, emphasized by the four minarets rising one from each corner of the courtyard. Overnight Istanbul.

Evening Show Starts at 20:30 pm and end about 23:45pm with having dinner. Enjoy your night life in Istanbul : We have dinner in a first class restaurant with half a bottle of wine or a soft drink included and will be watching a spectacular floor show of famous belly-dancers with full night, traditional live 1001 NIGHTS Anatolian Folklore Groups featuring popular musical instruments and Turkish singers with surprises. Around midnight we will transfer you to
hotel

The air here is filled with the enticing aromas of cinnamon, caraway, saffron, mint, thyme and every other concievable herb and spice. BEDESTEN exhibits the traditional silk weaving courses carpet weaving courses authorised by the Ministry of National Education. Possibility to see jewellery, handicrafts center and leatherware show. Free time provided for shopping. BOSPHORUS ON BOAT A traditional excursion by boat along the waterway seperating Europe and Asia.The shore is lined with old wooden villas, palaces of marble, fortresses, and small fishing
villages. During the excursion you will pass the magnificent Dolmabahçe Palace, and further along, the parks and imperial pavillions of Yildiz Palace. On the coastal edge of this park, is Çiragan Palace, 300 meters of is marble facade faces the shore. At Ortaköy a great variety of artists gather every Sunday to display their work along the street. Ortaköy is a symbol of tolerance with a church, a mosque and a synagogue existing side by side for centuries. RUMELI FORTRESS Built by Mehmet the Conqueror in 1452 prior to the conquest of Istanbul, was completed in only four months to control and protect Bosphorus. It is one of the most beautiful works of military architecture anywhere in the world.
BEYLERBEYI PALACE The summer residence of ottoman sultans whit its orginal furnuture and magnificent gardens with the Harem on the Asian. BOSPHORUS BRIDGE unique change to step from one continent (Asia) to another ( Europe) CAMLICA HILL the highest point in istanbul. at the top of it you can rest and admire the magnificent panorama of Istanbul and the bosphours from the beautiful gardens, landscaped in traditional style.

The day is yours to relax and enjoy Istanbul before your New years eve celebrations start. The whole of Istanbul is electric on this night and everyone is out to celebrate. At 19:00 we will meet in the foyer of the Hotel and taken out to one of our Favorite restaurants in Istanbul. You will enjoy traditional Turkish food and free local drinks between 9-11.30pm while you are entertained by the live Music. We will celebrate into the New Year until 02:00 am, when you can keep partying or be taken back to the Hotel with your guide. This will truly be a night to remember.

Happy New Year... After breakfast check out from the hotel. We drive you back to the airport. We hope your tour was a memorable one and we look forward to seeing you in the future on another Tourka tour. Have a safe trip back home and thanks for choosing
Tourka