Turkey: A Journey to Majestic Cities Filled with History, Beauty, and Culture

Breakfast. Departure to Troy, crossing the Dardanelles Strait to reach the Asian side via the longest suspension bridge in the world, which will be inaugurated on March 18, 2022, commemorating the emblematic date of the famous Battle of Galipoli. Arrival in Troy, an ancient city that has been the headquarters of the legendary war narrated by Homer in the best-selling book in the history of humanity: ''The Iliad''. After visiting the archaeological site, we will enjoy free time to photograph the replica of the famous Trojan horse. Lunch and continuation of our trip, passing through the famous Ida Mountains, where the world's first beauty contest took place, the prize of which was a shining golden apple, which according to Greek mythology was won by the goddess Aphrodite. Arrival in the province of Izmir. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast. Departure to Ephesus, capital of Asia Minor in Roman times. In 2015 it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage list, for being an excellent example of urban planning adapted to the landscape and for being one of the three best preserved cities of the ancient world. Visit of the archaeological site where we will see the location of the Fountain of Trajan, the temple of Hadrian, the library of Celsus, the great theater with capacity for 25,000 spectators, the state agora and the commercial agora. Visit to a typical leather jacket center, famous for its high quality and elegance. Lunch. Continuation to Pamukkale, known as Cotton Castle, a unique formation in the world, which apart from its natural beauty gave rise to one of the richest Greco-Roman cities of ancient times: Hierapolis. After entering the walls of the ancient city, we will have free time to enjoy the natural landscape of the giant white petrified waterfalls that remain within the ancient city of Hierapolis. Dinner and accommodation.

We recommend taking advantage of the morning of this day to take an optional hot air balloon excursion at sunrise. We have insured your places with a pre-reservation in one of the most prestigious and reliable balloon companies in the region.

Breakfast and departure to visit this wonderful region, a mix of the whims of nature and human art. Visit the Göreme Open Air Museum, one of the first monasteries of Christianity, with its cave churches decorated with frescoes. Next, visit the town of Uchisar where you can see the ancient troglodyte fortress excavated in volcanic rock. Lunch. We will make various panoramic stops to enjoy the capricious natural forms of the different valleys of the region: Güvercinlik -valley of the Palomares- or Avcilar -valley of the hunters. We will also have time to visit typical local jewelry and carpet workshops, where you can find good value for money.

Dinner and accommodation.

Breakfast and departure to visit the Rustem Pasha Mosque, an Ottoman mosque, built between 1550 and 1561 by the well-known architect of the time Mimar Sinan in honor of the grand vizier Rüstem Pasha, son-in-law of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, with beautiful tiles. Nicene blues. Following the banks of the Golden Horn we will continue to Taksim Square, the nerve center of the modern European part of Istanbul. We will walk along İstiklal Street, seeing the most important 19th century buildings in the city such as the Church of San Antonio, the famous Pera Palas Hotel, the Galatasaray High School, the Flores Passage, etc. Lunch. We will take the boat and take a beautiful cruise through the Bosphorus Strait, which divides the city into two continents: Asia and Europe. On a landscape level it is, without a doubt, the most beautiful space in the city. From the boat, we will see all the buildings that adorn the shores: the palaces of the sultans, museums, bridges, neighborhoods, mosques, bridges, summer palaces of the pashas. At the end of the cruise we will go to the Spice Bazaar, a universe of smells, colors and flavors where we will have free time to enjoy the atmosphere that will take us to past centuries. At the agreed time, transfer to the hotel.

Breakfast and departure to visit the old part where the most outstanding Ottoman and Byzantine monuments are concentrated. We will visit the very famous temple of Santa Sofia, a culmination of Byzantine art, built by Emperor Justinian in the 6th century, converted into a Mosque after the fall of Constantinople to the Turks. It was converted into a museum in 1936 and is currently a Mosque again. After this visit we will continue to Topkapı Palace, from where the entire Ottoman Empire was ruled for almost 400 years. It is the largest civil building in the country with more than 700,000 square meters. It has four patios and multiple buildings inside: weapons room, kitchens, the Divan, the library, the custody of the sacred relics, kiosks and unbeatable views of both the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus. Lunch. Next, we will see the ancient Roman Hippodrome, finishing our excursion with a visit to the famous Blue Mosque, the only one in the world with 6 minarets. Our guides will accompany you to the Grand Bazaar.

End of the excursion.