TURKEY HIGHLIGHTS 14 DAYS (BY TRAIN) (ISTANBUL-CAPPADOCIA-PAMUKKALE-ANKARA-ISTANBUL-KONYA)

Unique experience in Turkey by Train. We Travel around Turkey by Train, The program is including Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus, Konya.

Day 1: Arrival to Istanbul: One of our colleagues will be waiting for you at the arrival hall bearing a sign of Efendi Travel. He/she will accompany you to our vehicle and you will be transferred directly to your hotel. Accommodation in Istanbul.

Day 2: Istanbul City Tour: You will be picked up from your hotel at around 08:30. You will visit: Hagia Sophia , Blue Mosque, Roman Hippodrome Grand Bazaar After lunch you will see: Topkapi Palace , Hagia Irene  and the tour ends about 16:30 and back to hotel Accommodation in Istanbul. (breakfast at hotel, lunch on the tour)

Please note that Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays and Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays. Blue Mosque will not be visited on Fridays.

Day 3: Dolmabahce Palace Tour & Bosphorus Cruise: (check out from hotel in the morning) You will be picked up from your hotel at around 08:00-08:30 for Dolmabahce Palace & Bezmi Alem Mosque Tour. We firstly visit Dolmabahce Palace, recent residence for Ottoman Sultans. Famous with great collection of European antiquity, furniture and 4.5 tons chandelier, the palace has 285 rooms of 46 halls. After palace the next stop is Bezmi Alem Mosque. Then you will drive to the restaurant for lunch break. After lunch, you will first drive by Golden Horn shores viewing the City Walls, dating back to the Byzantine Era. Then  you will get on the vehicle and drive to Eminonu, where you will get on the boat for a 2-hour Bosphorus Cruise. You will see the most impressive sights along the shores of the Bosphorus including Dolmabahce Palace, Ciragan Palace, Maiden´s Tower, Bosphorus bridges, Rumeli and Anadolu fortresses and Ottoman Residences. After the cruise, you will be dropped off back at your hotel at around 17:00. (breakfast at hotel, lunch on the tour)

DAY 4 : Transfer from your hotel at 10:00 and have train to Ankara at 13:00 and then transfer to your hotel in Ankara. (breakfast at hotel)

Day 5 :  Transfer form your hotel and then have a tour in Ankara Anatolian Civilizations Museum, the Citadel of Ankara, the Mausoleum of Ataturk and then Accomodation in Ankara. (breakfast at hotel, lunch on the tour)

Day 6 : Transfer from your hotel and then have a train to Kayseri at 11:15 and then transfer to your hotel in Cappadocia.Accomodation in Cappadocia. (breakfast at hotel)

Day 7: First Day in Cappadocia: You will be picked up from your hotel at around 09:00, then you will drive to Devrent Valley where the geographical formations remind a place of another planet. Then in Pasabagi, you will take a stroll between the amazing fairy chimneys of Cappadocia. From there driving to Avanos to have lunch. After having the lunch you leave from Avanos to see the most beautiful examples of Byzantine art in Goreme Open Air Museum. Then you will drive to Uchisar Castle, the highest point of the region, where you will have a fabulous panoramic view over Cappadocia. After the tour, you will be dropped off at your hotel at around 17:00. Accommodation in Cappadocia. (breakfast at the hotel and lunch on the tour)

Day 8 : Second Day in Cappadocia: You will be picked up from your hotel at around 09:00 for a tour on a 4km hike through the Rose Valley visiting the churches. Afterwards visit the old Christian village of Cavusin. Stop for lunch in Pigeons Valley and then continue on to see the marvel of construction that is the Kaymakli Underground City. You will also visit the Ortahisar Natural Rock Castle. After the tour, you will be dropped off at your hotel at around 17:00. Accommodation in Cappadocia. (breakfast at hotel and lunch on the tour)

Day 9:  Meet the guide and driver at the hotel at 8.30. We set off with our guide and driver westward along the ancient Silk Road toward Konya, stopping for a look at the huge Sultan Han caravanserai en route. After we arrive in Konya, visit the Tomb of Rumi in the Museum of Mevlana, an important place of pilgrimage for Muslims. Then, we visit the Ottoman-era Sultan Selim mosque before having lunch in a traditional Turkish restaurant. After our lunch we drive to the Alaaddin Hill (a prehistoric tumulus) to visit the 1000-year-old Alaaddin Mosque. In its courtyard are the tombs of many of the Seljuk Turkish sultans. Walking down the north side of the Alaaddin Hill we pass the remains of the Seljuk sultan’s palace, then cross the street for a view of the elaborate portal of the InceMinareliMedrese theological college. And then  have a train to Izmir at 19:30 . (breakfast at hotel, lunch on the tour)

Day 10: Arrive to Izmir at 07:18 and then transfer to Ephesus Ancient City Tour. Visit the premiere Greco-Roman City of the ancient world, Ephesus. Explore the Temple of Hadrian, Domitian’s temple, Hercules gate, famous Celsus Library, Great theater and other Roman sites. We will also visit House of Virgin Mary where she is believed to have spent her last years. On November 29th, 2006, Pope Benedict XVI proclaimed the House of the Virgin Mary at Ephesus to be sacred. Give a break to taste delicious, healthy and traditional Turkish food. Take your way to the Temple of Artemis, which is the one of the seven wonders of ancient world.Accomodation in Kusadasi. (lunch on the tour)

Day 11:  You will be picked up from your hotel at around 08:15 for the tour of Pamukkale, which is the center of natural thermal spring waters with healing properties. Due to the chemical properties in the water, pure white colored travertine and stepped water terraces have been created on the mountain slope. It is for its resemblance to cotton piles that it is called ´Cotton Castle´ in Turkish. Visit the travertines and the ancient city of Hierapolis which has the biggest Necropolis with 1200 gravestones in Anatolia. The sacred pool also is one of the highlights of the site. There shallow thermal waters ripple over a wonderful scattering of ancient roman ruins that lie beneath. You will have some free time in the afternoon. And then drive back to Kusadasi and Accomodation in Kusadasi.

(breakfast at hotel, lunch on the tour)

Day 12:  Transfer from your hotel at 09:00 and then have a train to Bandirma at 10:55 and then Accomodation in Bandirma.

(breakfast at hotel)

Day 13:  Have a ferry to Istanbul at 07:45 and then transfer to your hotel and Accomodation in Istanbul .

Day 14: Transfer from your hotel and then have flight to your home.

Cost is 1950 Euros per person in double room

*** Train tickets are open to sell 15 days before of the departure if there is no availability on train will be replaced by bus.

***Konya-Izmir will be sleeper train if the train is not available it will replace by overnight bus

*** Bandirma-Istanbul will be by ferry and if ferry will not depart due to wheather conditions and seat availability it will replace by bus

Extra Offers

Whirling Dervish Show: 20 Eur per person extra

Rhythm of the Dance Show: 25 Eur per person extra

Dinner Cruise on the Bosphorus: 60 Eur per person extra

Turkish Night, Dinner & Belly Dance Show: 70 Eur per person extra

Standard Hot-air Balloon Ride: 180 Eur per person extra