Itinerary

• Day 1: MALAGA – CAPADOCIA

  Meet your guide at Malaga International Airport two and a half hours before your flight's departure. Once all passengers have checked in, proceed through passport control and, at the time stipulated by the airline, depart on your flight to Istanbul. Upon arrival, connect with another flight to Cappadocia. Arrive at Kayseri Airport and transfer to your hotel. Cold dinner and overnight stay.

  Scheduled flights and times, subject to change:

  TK1304 Malaga-Istanbul: 12:05 hrs - 18:25 hrs

  TK2020 Istanbul-Kayseri: 20:45 hrs - 22:15 hrs

• Day 2: CAPPADOCIA

  Breakfast at the hotel. Visit to this fascinating region with its unique landscape, formed by lava ejected from the Erciyes and Hasan volcanoes 3 million years ago. Visit to the Göreme Open Air Museum, an incredible Byzantine monastic complex comprised of churches carved into the rock and adorned with beautiful frescoes. Visit to the Avcilar and Güvercinlik valleys, which boast spectacular scenery with the natural formations known as Fairy Chimneys. Lunch at a local restaurant during the visit. Afterwards, we continue with panoramic views of other valleys in Cappadocia. During the excursion, we will have the opportunity to visit a carpet, onyx, and turquoise workshop where you can find quality items at good prices. Dinner at the hotel. Overnight stay.

  Optional activity:Those who wish can book an optional excursion this evening to attend a folk dance performance in a typical cave with unlimited regional drinks. Payment is made directly at the destination.

• Day 3: CAPPADOCIA – KONYA - PAMUKKALE

  Breakfast and departure for Pamukkale, crossing the Konya Plain. En route, we will stop to visit a caravanserai, an ancient type of building that arose along major roads where caravans of merchants, pilgrims, or soldiers would rest on their long journeys. Lunch en route at a local restaurant. If time allows, before arriving at the hotel in Pamukkale, we will stop to visit the ruins of Hierapolis, an ancient Hellenistic city built in a stunningly beautiful natural setting. Here, the high concentration of calcium in the water has created one of the most spectacular formations in the world: gigantic white waterfalls, stalactites, and natural pools formed over centuries by the flow of water rich in calcium salts from thermal springs. (If we arrive late to Pamukkale, this visit will take place the following day.) Arrival at the hotel in the late afternoon, dinner and overnight stay.

  Optional activity:Those who wish can book an optional hot air balloon ride at dawn this morning to enjoy breathtaking aerial views of the different valleys of Cappadocia visited the previous day. Very important: this activity is subject to weather conditions and therefore cannot be guaranteed. Payment is made directly at the hotel.

• Day 4: PAMUKKALE – EPHESUS - IZMIR

  Breakfast at the hotel. Departure to Ephesus, the best preserved ancient city in Asia Minor. During the І and ІІ centuries it had a population of 250,000 and monopolized the wealth of the Middle East. Lunch at a local restaurant. We will visit the Temple of Hadrian, the Roman Baths, the Library, the Odeon, the Theater, etc. During this day you will also visit a workshop of the famous leather fabrics of the Aegean region and the retirement home of the Virgin Mary. Late in the afternoon, arrival in the Izmir area. Dinner and accommodation.

• Day 5: IZMIR – ISTANBUL

  Breakfast at the hotel and transfer to Izmir airport for your domestic flight to Istanbul. Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight stay.

  Flight and scheduled time, subject to change:

  TK2313 Izmir-Istanbul: 10:40 hrs - 12:05 hrs

• Day 6: ISTANBUL

  Breakfast at the hotel and departure for a visit to the Rustum Pasha Mosque. Afterwards, we will enjoy one of Istanbul's most famous activities: a boat trip on the Bosphorus, the strait that separates Europe and Asia. During this journey, you will see the palaces of the Sultans, traditional wooden houses, and experience history in a unique way. Lunch at a local restaurant. We will conclude our day with a visit to one of the city's highlights: the Spice Bazaar, established by the Ottomans five centuries ago and still in use today. Today's excursion ends at the Egyptian Bazaar, and the return to the hotel will be at your own expense, allowing you to take your time exploring the bazaar. Overnight stay.

• Day 7: ISTANBUL

  Breakfast at the hotel. Morning departure to visit the ancient Hippodrome, dating back to the Byzantine era. It was the center of civic life in the country, hosting not only horse races and gladiatorial combats, but also celebrations in honor of the Emperor. Today, it preserves the Obelisk of Theodosius, the Serpent Column, and the Fountain of Emperor Wilhelm. Afterward, we will pass near the Blue Mosque, built in 1609 during the reign of Sultan Ahmed I, whose six minarets were intended to surpass the Hagia Sophia. Next, visit the Basilica Cistern and the Hagia Sophia, the most exquisite example of Byzantine art and one of humanity's greatest achievements. Lunch at a local restaurant. Afterward, we will head to the Grand Bazaar. This covered bazaar, built in 1660, can be considered a small city under hundreds of domes, with four thousand shops inside, narrow streets, squares, and 18 entrance gates. Today's tour ends at the Grand Bazaar, and the return to the hotel is at your own expense, allowing you to take as much time as you like to explore it. Overnight stay.

• Day 8: ISTANBUL - MALAGA

  Breakfast at the hotel and transfer to the airport for your return flight to Malaga. Arrival in your city of origin and end of the trip.

  Flight and scheduled time, subject to change:

  TK1305 Istanbul-Malaga: 13:15 hrs - 16:55 hrs