Turkey's treasures: Lycia, Istanbul and Cappadocia!

Arrival in Istanbul (New Ist Airport) on a day or evening flight, ideally around 12:00 (because check-in at the hotel is no earlier than 14) or later. After which - transfer and check-in at the hotel

Two mosques

We'll start the morning with a visit to the Suleymaniye Mosque, one of the most magnificent mosques in Turkey.

Anatolia

The interior will amaze you with its scale to match the relics of the then Ottoman Empire. We'll have lunch and take some photos of the famous Maiden Tower from

Modern city center

We return to the European part, visit Taksim Square and walk from there along the famous Istiklal Street directly to the Galata Tower.

On the way along the street, we'll look into the Christian Church - a real piece of Italy in the center of Istanbul. From the tower we'll go down to the Galata Bridge, then it's time to return to the hotel.

Egyptian Bazaar

In the morning, we'll visit the famous Egyptian Market, the aromatic center of Istanbul.

It is not an easy task to resist the enchanting delicacies at the Spice Bazaar. You'll see colorful mosaic lights, sun-dried sausages, tomatoes, peppers and eggplants hanging from the ceilings and facades of stores and lined up with shops every step of the way up to the exit from the bazaar

Princes' Islands

These islands were once used to imprison the sons of Byzantine kings, but today they are known for their sandy beaches, old wooden structures and their clean air.

We'll start this journey with a boat trip across the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmara. The journey takes 1.5 hours towards the first island. After arriving at the largest island, we will go up to its very top by electric transport, and we will walk the last 1 km to the monastery and the observation deck. Upon returning to the marina, it's time for lunch at a restaurant with a large selection of seafood.

In the afternoon, we return to Istanbul, where you will have some free time for shopping or dining in the historic city center.

Historic center

We move to the most historic center - Hippodrome Square with its ancient artifacts. After that, we go to Topkapi Palace for more than 2 hours

The Topkapi Grand Palace has been one of the main residences of the Ottoman sultans for almost 400 years. The palace complex consists of four main courtyards and many smaller buildings. At its peak, the palace was home to 4,000 people and covered a large area with a long coastline. It housed mosques, a hospital, a bakery, and a mint. You will see all this from the inside, and as a bonus, you will get another great view of the Bosphorus

Two mosques

Now it's time to visit Istanbul's two most famous mosques, located opposite each other: Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia. Hagia Sophia is famous for its massive dome and is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture. It remained the largest cathedral in the world for almost a thousand years, until 1520. Both buildings will amaze you with their scale and give you some of the most unforgettable moments of

In the evening we have some free time and we return to the hotel

In the morning, we check out from the hotel in Istanbul, then an hour transfer, then an hour's flight, and upon arrival, an hour's transfer to the center of Cappadocia and check into a hotel.

Hiking

Today is dedicated to hiking. We will visit the 3 most beautiful valleys of Cappadocia

We'll make it to one of them before lunch (the walk takes 1 hour).

And in the afternoon, the main hiking route of the tour to the Cappadocia Valleys awaits us, surrounded by bizarre geological formations and the way of life of local residents. You'll also see stunning early Christian churches hidden in the valleys

In the evening, a picturesque sunset on the best observation deck in the Goreme area.

We will try to provide you with a balloon flight (paid option) on the very first morning in Cappadocia.

Underground city

We ask ourselves: what are the underground cities of Cappadocia? These troglodyte cave cities date back to the Hittites and expanded over the centuries as various marauding armies crossed Central Anatolia in search of captives and looting.

Canyon and monastery

We are waiting for a walk in a canyon formed by the river thousands of years ago. It is very pleasant to walk through the valley among vineyards, poplars and pistachio trees to the quiet sound of the rushing water, surrounded by rich wildlife

We'll have lunch right here in the canyon.

After lunch we will visit an old Christian monastery.

On the way back to the hotel, we'll stop by a shop with all sorts of sweets and souvenirs.

Today we have a rich program and all kinds of observation decks in Cappadocia (including the Valley of Love). It all looks like a sculpted zoo created by nature. Top-notch Instagram photos in each location are guaranteed to you!

Valleys of monks and imagination

The Valley of the Monks is home to some of the brightest fairy chimneys in Cappadocia, with double and even triple stone roofs. This style is unique even to Cappadocia, and these fairy chimneys are called mushroom-shaped chimneys. We will see even more bizarre figures in the Valley of Imagination on the

Open-air museum

Once home to one of the largest communities in the region, the open-air museum is an amazing cave town dotted with dwellings, religious and secular spaces.

Then it's lunch time.

Pottery town

Our next stop is a pottery town, home to many family-run pottery workshops. These famous potters make great souvenirs, and here you can buy everything from simple ashtrays and mugs to decorative plates and chess sets. We will visit one of the pottery shops and workshops, as well as the local ethnographic museum

Late in the morning, we check out from our hotel in Cappadocia for an hour transfer to Kayseri Airport.

The flight will take 1 hour, and upon landing, we will immediately have lunch in Antalya and start our journey to Lycia.

Getting to know Lycia

The first location in Lycia will be a stunning canyon — a breathtaking natural park created by nature more than two million years ago. This ancient wonder invites you and your loved ones to enter a world where adventure and natural beauty merge together. We'll walk to the very end, admiring the views from a great height, and it will take 1.5-2 hours to get there

After visiting the canyon, we settle in the eastern part of the Lycian Peninsula

In the morning, we check out of our hotel by the sea and drive in just over an hour.

Ancient city

Today we will see one of the 10 ancient cities of Lycia, which was part of the Lycian League

modern ruins consist of a theater at the southern foot of the acropolis and rock tombs on either side. Research has shown that in addition to the Roman-era walls, which are quite well preserved today, you can find remains of Hellenistic walls on and around the acropolis hill, even dating back to the 5th century BC. The theater, located at the southern foot of the acropolis, shows the characteristics of a well-preserved Roman-era theater, both with its rows of seats and with the stage building. The stage building is only halfway to the second floor. On both sides of the theater, there are rock tombs with reliefs or simple rock tombs

After 45 minutes in the ancient city, we will continue.

The most beautiful place in Turkey

Another 40 minutes of driving and we will arrive at the most beautiful place in

The bay was included in the provisional list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2000

bay is an ensemble of picturesque islands and numerous bays. As a result of the earthquakes, ancient houses along the northern coast of the island went under water, forming a sunken city. Just above are the fortified walls of the Roman castle, which houses a small rock theater. Once you reach the top, you can enjoy a bird's-eye view of the bays, bays, islands and yachts sailing on the mirrored surface of the water. Numerous sarcophagi scattered across the hills will also be visible in the distance

A short climb up the hill to the fortress - and we will have stunning views of the pristine bay. After crossing the hill, we will be able to go down to the water. In general, we will stay at this location for about 2 hours, then we will have lunch here.

Dunes

After 50 minutes of travel, we will reach the shores of the Aegean Sea and walk along the largest sand dunes on the Turkish coast, which break off into the

After 1.5 hours of driving at the end of the seabed, we settle on the coast of the Aegean Sea

Funicular

We'll check out from the hotel and take the funicular to the mountain that overhangs the bay. The views that we will see from above are the hallmark of Turkey and the Aegean coast

The mountain we'll climb is the most popular paragliding destination in Turkey. The mountain is about 2,000 meters high, and its top is covered with ice all year round.

Giant canyon

Then, after 1 hour's drive, we'll have lunch and visit a 300-meter-deep and 18-kilometer-long canyon that will reveal the splendor of nature in all its glory. The canyon was formed as a result of rock erosion by waters that have flowed here for thousands of years

Walking along the canyon passages, you can cool off by dipping your feet in the cold waters of the canyon. You and I will walk as far as possible into the canyon at this time of

At the end of the day, we will arrive at Dalaman Airport for evening departures