10 Days Western and Central Turkey by Train Tour

Welcome to Turkey Istanbul Airport. Meet with TravelShop Booking staff and transfer to your hotel & check in. You will be given your room key and the rest of the day is yours to explore Istanbul. Overnight in Istanbul.

(Breakfast included)

We depart at 08.30 for the Istanbul city tour. First, TOPKAPI PALACE; The great palace of the Ottoman sultans from the 15th to the 19th centuries housing an exquisite collection of crystal, silver, and Chinese porcelain, robes worn by the sultans and their families, the famous jewels of the Imperial Treasury, miniatures, the Holy Mantle; enshrining relics of the Prophet Mohammed. SULTANAHMET IMPERIAL MOSQUE. Across from St. Sophia built in the 16th century by the architect Mehmet, is known as the BLUE MOSQUE because of its magnificent interior decoration of blue Iznik tiles. Next Next HAGIA SOPHIA GRAND MOSQUE which is considered to be the 8^th Wonder of The World, a unique historical entity. HIPPODROME Ancient Hippodrome, the scene of chariot races, with the three monuments; the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column and the Column of Constantine. Lunch break and then we head to Grand Spice Bazaar which is a unique atmosphere with reasonable prices for your shopping on many Exotic Spices and Herbs, Turkish Baklava, Turkish Delights, Turkish Coffee, nuts and fruits, small souvenirs such as Ceramic Handicrafts, Evil Eyes totems, all naturel olive oil, soaps and many other goods in Souvenir Shops and stores. After the tour drop back to your hotel. Overnight in Istanbul.

Please Note: Topkapi Palace closed on Tuesdays. If your tour is on one of these days we would offer you to visit Suleymaniye Mosque instead of Topkapi palace museum.

(Breakfast included)

High Speed Train to Eskisehir, Pamukkale Express to Denizli, Home of Heirapolis and the Travertines.

We take you across the Bosphorus, to the Asian side of Istanbul. Boarding the brand new High-Speed Train, you travel to Eskisehir, before changing onto the more sedate 'Pamukkale Express', taking you across Turkey's steppe land before dropping down to the Meander valley, with the unique Pamukkale at its head. Settle into your comfortable hotel with views of the travertines, the frozen waterfalls of this UNESCO site. Overnight in Pamukkale.

(Breakfast included)

Today you will walk up through the travertines, bathe in their calcium-rich water, before swimming in Cleopatra's baths, among the fallen columns of Hierapolis. Visit the Magnificent theatre of Hierapolis before touring this extensive Frigian/ Roman Spa-City, with huge necropolis, and Martyrium of St. Phillip the Apostle where he was crucified upside down. 

This evening we take the train down the Meander Valley, to Selcuk, the site of Ephesus. Overnight in Kusadasi.

(Breakfast and Lunch included)

Great Ephesus! One of the best preserved ancient cities of the world, Ephesus was the foremost harbour of Asia Minor, home to the Temple of Artemis, one of the 7 wonders of the world. You will also have time to visit the 'Terrace Houses', a recently discovered collection of Roman townhouses, complete with impressive mosaics and frescoes, the Library of Celsus, the massive theatre, and the Arcadian Way, known as the first road to have street lighting! You will also visit the newly renovated Ephesus museum. This evening, you will take the train to Izmir, from where you will get onto the Sleeper train to Konya. Overnight in the train.

(Lunch included)

Arrive in Konya, we transfer you to the hotel. Next we depart for Konya City Tour and visit the Tomb of Mevlana, founder of the Sufi faith, visit Aladdin Keykubat Mosque, one of the oldest in Turkey, and the Karatay Medrese, with its collection of early ceramic tiles from a nearby Selcuk palace. Try to plan this day for a Saturday, and you can observe the 'Sema', a genuine and deeply spiritual display of Whirling Dervishes, the followers of Mevlana. Overnight in Konya.

(Breakfast included)

Today we take off in a private car then continue East along the Silk Road to the grand staging post of Sultanhani Caravansary, one of the finest examples of Selcuk masonry. You then continue to Ihlara Valley, an oasis of life in this harsh landscape which has harbored inhabitants for centuries and is lined with rock churches, and dovecots. You can walk along the riverside here before you continue to your hotel in Cappadocia. Overnight in Cappadocia.

(Breakfast and lunch included)

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 visit Esentepe, a fantastic panorama place. 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. Overnight in Cappadocia.

(Breakfast and lunch included)

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 Ozkonak Underground City. You will also visit the Ortahisar Natural Rock Castle. After the tour, drop back to the hotel. Overnight in Cappadocia.

(Breakfast included)

After breakfast transfer to one of the Cappadocia Airports for your flight to Istanbul for your flight back home. We hope your tour was a memorable one and we would like to see you in the future in one of our tours again. Have a nice trip back home and thanks for choosing TravelShop Booking.