See the Grand Covered Bazaar with its many shops perfect for your holiday souvenirs.

Cross over the Bosphorus Bridge to Asia where you will visit Beylerbeyi Palace, which was once the summer address of the Ottoman Sultans, then on to Camlica Hill for a fantastic view of Istanbul.

Transfer to the airport in the morning and fly to Trabzon. Arrive and transfer to your hotel. Visit the Sumela Monastery which is also known as the Monastery of the Virgin Mary, and has been said that it is neither in heaven or on earth. Carved on the mountain, it looks like a nine-story high building that hangs down from the clouds and sits on the top of the forest.

Continue to Erzurum via Bayburt where we check-in for an overnight stay in Erzurum.

After our visits here we will then drive to Sarikamis once the Tsars of Russia favourite retreat and where we spend the night.

We will also visit the Muradiye waterfalls en route.

After lunch at a local restaurant, we head to Cavustepe.

We have an early departure for the longest bus ride of the tour (7:30 am – 3:30 pm). Drive west from Van around the southern end of Lake Van to Bitlis, then southwest to Mardin near the Iraqi border. We then travel via Bitlis and Ahlat where we will visit the Conic Tombs of Seljuk-Turkish period.

Soon to be submerged under the floodwaters of a new dam on the Tigris, Hasankeyf has hundreds of caves, hidden waterways, tombs, a larger and smaller Palace, as well as ruins of the Great Mosque. We will then drive to Urfa.

Today we will visit the Mevlid Halil Mosque, the Cave of Prophet Abraham and the sacred fish pool. You will also have a chance to wander the streets in the Old Bazaar before continuing to Harran, city of the prophet Abraham. See Islamic school, the fortress and the curious beehive-shaped adobe houses. We will then make our way to Kahta for an overnight stay.

Then drive back to the hotel for a delicious breakfast before driving to Kahraman Maras to have some world-famous ice-cream. Then we will then drive to Cappadocia.

Visit Saruhan Caravanserai, a roadside inn where travellers would rest and recover from their day’s journey. Caravanserais supported the flow of information, commerce and people across a network of trade routes of North Africa, Asia, and South-Eastern Europe on the legendary Silk Road and the Spice Road. Continue with the panorama of the Red Valley, with its fabulous volcanic rock formations and is in the heart of Cappadocia but still away from the tourist crowd.

Continue to Uchisar Rock-Castle to have a panoramic view of the valleys of Cappadocia.

OPTION 1: IHLARA CANYON HIKING to Ihlara and on the way walk in the Ihlara Canyon, a “mirage” in the Steps of Anatolia to Belisirma village, the ancient Peristrema: “Valley of the Sky” along the Melendiz River. OPTION 2: TURKISH VILLAGE LIFE AND CULINARY TOUR Starting the day with a visit to the local market (only available only on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays) or take a morning walk to the fruit orchards in Ayvali Village.

We will then visit the beautiful Kursunlu waterfalls or Antalya Museum.

Drive to the travertine terraces at Pamukkale which are definitely one of the most spectacular natural wonders that you will be able to see from several mineral springs in a substantial white cliffside.

Drive to Ephesus, on the way, visit Aphrodisias which was primarily known as a centre for the arts, specifically sculpture. The Aphrodisias School of Sculpture had a distinctive style and was very well circulated throughout the Greek and Roman world.

We will continue with Saint John Church where Apostle John spent his final years and was buried.

Visit Pergamon that became an important kingdom during the Hellenistic period and had the second-best library in the time of the ancient Greek civilisation, after Alexandria. Asclepion that is located to the southwest of the lower city and was a sanctuary dedicated to the god of health. Asclepics that was one of the largest hospitals in history and is located to the west of the city, which was a great centre of culture, art and medicine. When the Ptolemies stopped exporting papyrus because of competitors, and partly because of shortages, the Pergamenes created a new substance to use in codices, called pergaminus or parchment after the city. This was made of calfskin, a predecessor of vellum.

Visit Troy in the morning, 4000 years old Ancient City popular with the Trojan War and Trojan horse and known as the centre of ancient civilisations. Many years, people believed that it was a city in tales, and that is never actually existed until it was first found. It was first known as Ilium or New Ilium. Today Troy or New Ilium places in Hisarlik at Canakkale. The remains of the city from the thieves and destructors can be visited. After your visit, you will be transferred to Istanbul.

Transfer to Istanbul Airport to connect to your international flight