Day 1: Sunday: Istanbul

Upon arrival, meet your representative and transfer to your hotel. Attend briefing about your journey at 7pm there. Dinner is on your own.

Day 2: Monday: Istanbul (B,L)

After breakfast, visit the Suleymaniye Mosque (the culmination of Ottoman architecture), as well as the Rustem Pasa Mosque with its beautiful Iznik (Nicea) tiles and the Spice Market with its exotic aromas. After lunch, begin to explore Istanbul: Topkapi Palace, the residence of the Ottoman sultans between the end of the 15th and the first half of the 19th centuries, with its treasures, terraces overlooking the Marmara Sea, the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn... You will end the day at the historical Grand Bazaar. Dinner is on your own. Overnight at hotel.

Day 3: Tuesday: Istanbul (B,L,D)

In the morning visit the Blue Mosque, recognizable from its six minarets, built between 1609 and 1616 for Sultan Ahmet I and decorated inside with 21,043 tiles from Iznik in a dominant blue color; the Hippodrome where political, cultural, and sports activities took place during Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman times; the imposing Haghia Sophia which marked the apogee of Byzantine Emperor Justinian's reign. Then possibility of cruise on the Bosphorus (optional) that separates Asia from Europe and connects the Marmara Sea to the Black Sea. You will get the best views of the city and most of the historical monuments in Istanbul. All along the strait and on both shores, you will discover the marble Palaces of Dolmabahce, Beylerbeyi, the beautiful wooden Ottoman villas called "yali" (water-side residences), the medieval fortresses etc. Lunch at a restaurant along the Bosphorus. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Day 4: Wednesday: Istanbul - Troy – Canakkale (B,L,D)

In the morning, depart for Çanakkale. Lunch at Gallipoli Peninsula. Then, cross the Strait of the Dardanelles by ferry to Gallipoli where the dramatic battles of WWI took place. Drive to explore the ancient city ofTroy whose history covers a period of about 3,400 years with nine layers of settlements (Troy I to IX). King Priam's glorious city, which was immortalized in Homer's epic poem, the Iliad brought to life the stories of Helen, Menelas, Pâris, Agamemnon, Achilles and Hector. A reconstruction of the infamous Trojan Wooden Horse stands at the entrance of the site. Return to Çanakkale. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Day 5: Thursday: Canakkale - Pergamum – Selcuk (B,L,D)

In the morning, depart for Pergamum, the capital of the Attalid dynasty. After lunch, visit this ancient city where parchment was invented. Highlights include the Acropolis with the ruins of the agoras, temples, palaces, the library which contained 200,000 volumes, the podium on which stood the Zeus Altar which was sent to Berlin, and the impressive theatre built into the steep hillside which provides a wonderful panorama of the surroundings. In the lower part of the ancient city, visit the Asclepion, a sanctuary and a healing center dedicated to the god of healing, Asclepius. Lunch and continuation to Selçuk. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Day 6: Friday: Ephesus (B,L,D)

After breakfast, discovery of another World Heritage; Ephesus. The site today is one of the best places of the world to visualize an ancient Roman city: Explore the Marble Street, Agora, Odeon, and Theater, as well as the Fountain of Trajan, the Temple of Hadrian, and the Library of Celsius. View the remains of the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Lunch. Visit also Ephesus Museum where you will discover statues of Artemis. Then, drive to Sirince Village with its old 19th century Greek houses which have been nicely restored. You will end the day by a mini fashion-show which let you appreciate leather production in Turkey. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Day 7: Saturday: Selcuk - Aphrodisias – Pamukkale (B,L,D)

Drive to Aphrodisias, the ancient site dedicated to the goddess of beauty, love, and fertility. Appreciate Anatolia's best-preserved stadium. At this site which drew artisans to its famous school of sculpture, enjoy the Temple of Aphrodite, the Tetrapylon and the Theater… Following lunch, admire the unreal landscape at the "Cotton Castle" of Pamukkale with its white terraces of limestone deposited by thermal waters through the ages. Discover the necropolis at Hierapolis, one of the largest cemeteries of the ancient world. Dinner and overnight in Pamukkale.

Day 8: Sunday: Pamukkale - Sagalassos – Antalya (B,L,D)

Leaving Pamukkale behind, cross the Taurus Mountains, to Sagalassos - Greco-Roman city, a recently excavated archeological gem of Turkey. After lunch, drive to Antalya, Turkey's biggest international sea resort. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Day 9: Monday: Aspendos – Perge (B,L,D)

Today, two magnificent Roman sites are on our agenda; Aspendos with the best preserved Roman Theater and Perge, a spectacular Greco-Roman city. On the return to Antalya, discover the tradition of jewellery making on this soil while visiting one of the largest jewelers of Turkey. Later in the afternoon, visit Old Antalya - Kaleici will be visited to enjoy strolling through picturesque streets of the old port. Lunch during the visits. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Day 10: Tuesday: Antalya - Konya – Cappadocia (B,L,D)

After breakfast, drive to the holy city of Konya, ancient capital of the Seljuks. Tour the Museum of Mevlana, honoring the famous mystic poet and founder of the Sufi Order of the Whirling Dervishes. Photo-Stop at Aladin Mosque (13th c.) and Karatay Medrese's sculptured portail. En route to Cappadocia, visit the Caravanserai, a hotel for merchants during the Seljuk period - 13th century on the Silk Road. Arrive in Cappadocia. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Day 11: Wednesday: Cappadocia (B,L,D)

Early in the morning, possibility to participate a Hot Air Balloon Ride over the magnificent landscape of Cappadocia (optional: 160 €). After breakfast, a full day tour to explore Cappadocia. Visit the Goreme Valley an open-air museum with rock-cut churches (7th-13th centuries) adorned with biblical frescoes. Learn about the art and crafts of rural Turkey at a handicraft center, and attend a lecture on Turkish hand-made rugs. Drive back to hotel for lunch. In the afternoon, visit the Underground City, a multi-level labyrinth for protection during invasions. Admire the impressive rock formations at sunset. Dinner and overnight at hotel

Day 12: Thursday: Cappadoccia (B,L,D)

In the morning, depart to Soganli Valley to visit its rock-cut churches. Barbecue lunch in Soganli. In the afternoon visit the Avcilar Valley and the Kiliçlar Valley with their old cave-dwellings and fairy chimneys. Photo stops at Uchisar and Pigeon Valley, best vista points on the way to the hotel (Optional ceremony of Whirling Dervishes: 20 €). Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Day 13: Friday: Cappadocia - Ankara – Bolu (B,L,D)

After breakfast, drive along to Salt Lake to Ankara, the Turkish capital since 1923. After lunch, visit The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations for its rich and unique collections from the Hittites and the others who went over this soil. Then, visit the Mausoleum of Ataturk, the father of modern Turkey. Continue to Bolu. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Day 14: Saturday: Bolu – Istanbul (B,L,D)

In the morning, drive to Istanbul. Lunch upon arrival and explore residential sections of Asian Istanbul. Ascend Camlica Hill to take in one of the city's best panoramas. Cross the Strait of Bosphorus through the suspension bridge to reach the European side. Check-in to hotel. Free time for last shoppings. In the evening, a goodbye drink and farewell dinner at the hotel's restaurant. Overnight. at the hotel.

Day 15: Sunday: (B)         

Transfer to the airport.

B= Breakfast / L= Lunch / D= Dinner

Hotels

Istanbul - Aziyade - 4 stars
Canakkale - Akol - 4 stars
Kusadasi - Ephèse - Kalehan - Special Cat.
Denizli - Pamukkale - Tripolis Hotel - 4 stars
Antalya - Grida City - 4 stars
Cappadoce - Mustafa Hotel - 4 stars
Bolu - Koru Hotel - 4 stars
Istanbul - Aziyade - 4 stars