Bosphorus Bridge
Hagia Sophia
Ankara - Kocatepe Mosque
Hatay Archeology Museum
Gaziantep Kitchen
Mount Nemrut
Halil-ul-Rahman Lake
Harran
Mardin
Hattusas
Bolu | Day 1: Istanbul
You will travel on a charterflight to istanbul. You will be welcomed by your tour guide who is ready to take you to your accommodation. Your tour manager will tell you stories to prepare you for this beautiful city.
Day 2: Istanbul
We will visit the Hagia Sophia, which was the biggest bazilika in the world between the 5th-16th century. The Ottomans converted the building into a mosque and used it for 500 years as a mosque until it became a museum. The next visit is to the 'Blue Mosque' (Sultanahmet Camii), built in the 16th century during the rule of Ahmed I and has been the biggest mosque in the world for centuries. The Bosphorus boat trip will amaze you.
Day 3: Ankara
Drive to Ankara the capital of Turkey and visit of Museum and Atatürk's mousoleum, overnight in Ankara
Day 4: Cappadocia
The fairy-tale landscape in Cappadocia is our programm today. The erosion caused interesting formations such as arised chimney rocks. These rocks have been shaped to houses, in which still the folk of Cappadocia live. We will also visit the villlages Göreme and Ürgüp, both have been declared as UNESCO world heritage.
We are going to visit the Göreme open air museum as well as the citadel of Uchisar. Many other photo stops at magnificient valley views are our program today. In the afternoon we will visit Avanos, the pottery town. Here we will have the possibility to watch a demonstration at a workshop.
Our next visit is a carpet handicraft center, supported by the government in order to keep the carpet manifacturing tradition alive in the Cappadocian region. Overnight in Cappadocia.Day 5: Hatay
We are arriving Antioch, the center of Hatay, in where religions and languages live in harmony, capital of love and tolerance, city of Olympics in Rome Empire Era. We are having our lunch in Harbiye (defne) region filled with menu of different and tasty appetizers. We are taking the narrow roads of Antioch after the world's 2nd big Mosaic Museum as Hatay Museum. We are harking back in Long Bazaar. Habib Neccar Mosque which is believed the place of an event told in Thirty-sixth Sura of the Koran, is going to be among our visitations.
Day 6: Gaziantep
After the breakfast while we are driving out over Hassa to Kilis, we visit Yesemek Open Air Museum and Sculpture Atelier locates on the side of Tahta Köprü Dam. After this visitation, we are arriving to Kilis, became a city in 1995 and locates 58km to city of Gaziantep. After a panoramic tour in Kilis, we are moving to Gaziantep. On the arrival of Antep; we are starting our Antep tour with one of the world's richest museum Zeugma Mosaic Museum. After the museum, we are going to continue our tour after we have the most delicious foods of Antep kitchen in our lunch. On our walking tour in the Old City, we are arriving to city center as Kale, the museum of Kitchen Culture which is the old house of one of the most rooted and oldest family Göğüş Family, many historical inns, mosque and bazaar to Coppersmiths' Bazaar. Day 7: Adıyaman
Over Yavuzeli, Araban and Besni we are going to Adıyaman at noon. After checking into our hotel in city center and short rest we are starting the adventure of Mount Nemrut by getting on our minibuses. Before we arrive the mausoleum which had made on top of Taurus Mountains by the mad and idealist king of 2000 years ago, Antiokhos. We have other historical artifacts to see. In turn, Karakuş Tumulus which is the mausoleum of Royal Kommagene Family Women, one of the best bridge examples of Rome Military Architecture, Cendere Bridge and remains of Arsemia which is the summer capital of Kommagene kings and then we are reaching to Mount Nemrut on 2150 m high. (as long as weather and road conditions are available). We are finishing our day by seeing Terraces of East and West, Zeus-Oramasters, Apollo-Mithras, Heracles-Artaganes, Goddess Kommagene, Kingf Antiochos and guardian Lion- Eagle sculptures and watching the magnificent sun set.
Day 8: Şanlıurfa
After breakfast, we are visiting Dam of Atatürk which is the biggest watering project and biggest dam of Turkey called GAP. After Dam tour, over Yaylak, we are arriving to Halfeti which is on the back of Birecik Dam set on Fırat River and coming to mind as Black Rose. We are arriving to Prophet's city, Urfa. We are starting to our tour with Halil-ül Rahman Lake which known as Prophet İbrahim was put on fire. In here, after the stories about the life of Prophet İbrahim, we walk to the cave in which Prophet İbrahim was born. We go to Prophet Eyüp Mosque, in where prophet Eyüp stomped and make healing water to come surface, to drink this water and drinking from the water as it is known that this water heals every kind of diseases. After the praying we go back to our hotel.
Day 9: Şanlıurfa / Mardin
After the breakfast in the hotel, we are moving Harran Valley. Between the fertile soils, we are arriving to Harran city. Our first stop in Harran. The remains of Ulucami points to one of the oldest universities of the world Harran University remains. Then, we arrive to Harran houses, to observe old Harran life and chat with local people and drink our Mirras. As leaving Harran, over Viranşehir, Kızıltepe, we are arriving to Mardin. Mardin is a city of tale. We are visiting Kasımiye Madrasah, which is one of the masterpieces of Artuklu. Here, the view of Mesopotamia valley will fascinate you. After the food, we start to walk on Mardin streets. During the tours of Ulu Mosque Neighborhood, Abbaralar, Şehidiye Mosque and House of Şahtana, you will feel like you are in another world. After the free time we are going to our hotel. Day 10: Mardin / Elazığ
After the breakfast, we arrive to one of the first settlements of Assyrians, the heart of Tur Abdin region, Midyat. We make our visitation to Guest House, in which many TV series were shot. In here, after the free time we take in regional filigree (wirework) artists, we arrive to one of the first settlements of archaic age, Hasan Keyf. In the city, which has the danger of extinction because of the Ilısu Dam to be set up on Tigris, we visit New Palace, Mosque, and Watch Tower, Big Palace, Zekat Well, Ulu Mosque, Caves and going down from the Castle, the only remain of Rızk Mosque, unique minaret, Historical Bridge, Shrine of Bling Zeynel and we are completing our tour. Afterwards, by the Batman and Bismil road we are arriving to Diyarbakır. It has thousands of years history and stonemasonry keeps the city up. In here we make On Gözlü Bridge, Mardin Kapı, Keçi Burcu, Cahit Sıtkı Tarancı House and Ulu Mosque tours and then we arrive to Elazığ over Ergani. We arrive to Harput where is known as the oldest settlement of Elazığ District. In here we visit harput Casle also known as "Milk Castle", Kurşunlu Mosque and Ulu Mosque which was built by Artuklu King Fahrettin Karaaslan in 12th century. Then, after the free time in city center we leave Elazığ and following Euphrates River, we drive long time on the side of Karakaya Dam Lake and we arrive to Malatya. Arriving hotel in the evening and dinner and accommodation is in our hotel.
Day 12: Çorum / Bolu
Drive to Çorum and visit to Hattusa was the capital of the Hittite Empire in the late Bronze Age. It was found to be located near modern Boğazkale, Çorum, within the great loop of the Kızılırmak River. Hattusa was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1986. Overnight in Bolu Day 13: Bolu / Departure
Deperture from Bolu to Istanbul. |
