5 DAYS TASTE OF TURKEY TOUR

After breakfast, we start the Istanbul City Tour. First, we visit the HIPPODROME, an ancient arena for chariot races, where you can see the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column, and the Column of Constantine. Then we go to the SULTANAHMET IMPERIAL MOSQUE, also called the BLUE MOSQUE, built in the 16th century by Mehmet and famous for its beautiful blue tile design. Next, we see the HAGIA SOPHIA GRAND MOSQUE, a former church that was once the largest in the world and now a mosque, with impressive golden mosaics from the 6th century. We have lunch at 1pm. After lunch, we visit ASIL EFENDI for some shopping, where you can find spices, sweets, coffee, souvenirs, and more. Finally, we return to the hotel. There's an optional DINNER CRUISE ON THE BOSPHORUS in the evening, from 7:30pm to 11:30pm. You'll have a memorable night on the Bosphorus, the place where Europe and Asia meet, with dinner, drinks, dance shows, music, and more entertainment. The night ends at midnight, and you go back to the hotel for the night.

After breakfast, take a boat trip along the Bosporus, the waterway dividing Europe and Asia. You'll see old wooden homes, fancy marble palaces, fortresses, and small fishing towns. The boat tour will show you sights like Dolmabahce Palace and Yildiz Palace's parks and imperial buildings. Ciragan Palace, with its 300-meter-long marble facade facing the shore, is on the coast near the park. Every Sunday, many artists gather in Ortakoy to show their work. Ortakoy is a symbol of tolerance with a church, mosque, and synagogue that have coexisted for centuries. The Rumeli Fortress, built by Mehmet the Conqueror in 1452 before the conquest of Istanbul, was finished in just four months to control and protect the Bosporus. It's one of the world's most beautiful military structures. The Beylerbeyi Palace, the summer home of Ottoman sultans, is restored and has original antique furniture and beautiful gardens. Take a lunch break at a Turkish restaurant, then visit the Grand Spice Bazaar. There, you'll find exotic spices, Turkish sweets, coffee, and souvenirs like ceramic crafts, evil eye totems, natural olive oil, soap, and more. After the tour, you'll fly to Cappadocia, transfer to your hotel, have dinner and stay overnight there.

During the tour, you'll visit the Ozkonak Underground City, Zelve Open Air Museum, Pasabag Valley, a pottery workshop, Love Valley, Devrent Valley, Uchisar Castle, Pigeon Valley. You'll have lunch at a restaurant in Avanos. The tour will end around 6pm and you'll return to your hotel for an overnight stay in Cappadocia. OPTIONAL: Hot Air Balloon Tour in one of the world's most beautiful places. You'll see hundreds of hot air balloons take off and watch the sunrise over the stunning fairy chimneys and valleys. After a 1-hour flight, you'll toast to your experience with champagne and get a flight certificate. Then, you'll have breakfast before starting the Cappadocia Tour. If you would like to join the balloon tour held at sunrise today, get a price from us.

Today, after breakfast, you'll have free time in Cappadocia. Then, we'll head to Kayseri Airport for a flight to Istanbul, and then return home. We hope you enjoyed your tour and would love to see you on another one of our trips in the future. Have a safe journey home and thank you for choosing Navigo Travels.