Luxury Istanbul & Cappadocia

Arrival at Istanbul Airport and transfer to the hotel. Dinner at your leisure and accommodation at the hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, we will head out for a full-day excursion (lunch included) "Classical Istanbul" in the Sultanahmet district, recognized by UNESCO as the heart of Istanbul's old town. We will visit the Hagia Sophia, the first great church of Christianity, which was a meeting point for Orthodox Christians for 1000 years. It was the first building in the world constructed with a dome, in the 6th century, and it was converted into a mosque in 1453. We will continue the walking tour to the Blue Mosque, named after the Iznik tiles that adorn its interior. Next, we will see the remains of the Byzantine Hippodrome, where an Egyptian obelisk, a bronze sculpture from ancient Greece, and a German fountain are still preserved. We will then proceed to the Topkapi Palace, the residence of the sultans of the Ottoman Empire, which today is one of the richest museums in the world, with excellent collections of jewelry, porcelain, costumes, and relics. Afterwards, we will arrive at the exciting Grand Bazaar, where we will have free time to explore the more than 4,000 shops in this spectacular bazaar. After bargaining and shopping, we will return to the hotel. Dinner at your leisure and accommodation at the hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, today we will discover "the Bosphorus and the Asian side" of Istanbul, on a full-day excursion (with lunch). We will head to the Spice Bazaar and then proceed to the pier to begin a cruise along the Bosphorus, the strait that separates the continents of Asia and Europe. This beautiful ride offers views of stunning palaces and mansions, as well as a picturesque panorama of the small villages along the shores. In the afternoon, we will cross by coach over the intercontinental suspension bridge to the Asian side. We will visit the Beylerbeyi Palace, the summer residence of the sultans, and ascend Çamlica Hill or “Lovers’ Hill,” an impressive lookout from which you can see the Bosphorus and the European part of the city. Dinner at your leisure and accommodation at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel and at the scheduled time, transfer to Istanbul Airport for the flight to Kayseri. Arrival and transfer to your hotel in Cappadocia, dinner at your leisure, and accommodation.

Hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia at sunrise. At around 5:30 AM, we will be picked up from the hotel and taken to the location where our balloon will take off. While the professionals prepare the balloon, we can enjoy tea and coffee. Then we will board the balloon and watch the sunrise from the air, celebrating the arrival of a new day with champagne. Around 8:30 AM, we will return to the hotel for breakfast. After breakfast, we will head out to explore this impressive region on a full-day excursion (with lunch). We will tour the fascinating world of Cappadocia with its rock-cut churches in the Goreme Valley, the troglodyte villages of Urgup, the Uchisar fortress, and the Avcilar and Pasabagi valleys with their enchanted fairy chimneys in a surreal and extraordinary landscape. We will visit the incredible underground city of Ozkonak, used by Christian communities as a refuge to escape persecutions. The day will end with a visit to a carpet workshop to witness the artisanal production process. Dinner at your leisure and accommodation at the hotel.

After breakfast (if the flight schedule and transfer time allow), transfer to Kayseri Airport for the flight to Istanbul. Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Afternoon free for personal activities. Dinner at your leisure and accommodation at the hotel.

After breakfast (if the flight schedule and transfer time allow), transfer to the airport.