Private guided tours

Tour Itinerary

Day 1 : ISTANBUL

Welcome to beautiful Istanbul, Turkey. After you have been cleared through customs checks and immigration, your guide will be waiting at the airport to meet you and help you with your transportation to your hotel. Once your hotel check-in has been completed, you are free for the afternoon to pursue the leisure activities of your choice. You can choose to unpack and take a rest in your hotel room, or if you prefer you can take a quiet stroll around the hotel facilities.

Day 2 : ISTANBUL

After departing from your hotel, you will be taken to visit the Topkapi Palace (Palace of the Cannon Gate), one of the largest palaces in Istanbul and royal residence of the Ottoman Sultans for around 400 years. Now a museum, your visit to the palace will include the opportunity to view the exhibit of the second largest collection of porcelain in the World, currently housed in the palace kitchens. This collection of porcelain is also the most valuable collection of Japanese and Chinese porcelain in the World.

Your next stop on the tour will be the Imperial Council Hall, with its stunning domed architecture, high ceilings and elaborate golden embellishments. Next to see is the Treasury which houses the historical Ottoman relics. The morning tour of the Topkapi Palace will be rounded out with a visit to the many Pavilions. At the completion of your tour of the Pavilions your guide will escort you to lunch.

After a chance to relax and enjoy a pleasant lunch your guide will escort you to see the famous Little Hagia Sophia Mosque, which was built back in 537A.D. during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Justinian the Great, and was the biggest church in existence during that era, and remains one of the largest standing churches in Istanbul to this day. Located directly opposite to the Hagia Sophia is the Blue Mosque, famous for its stunning architecture and beautiful Iznik tiles. It is named the Blue Mosque because of the blue tiles that adorn the surrounding walls. Although being a building of historical significance, the Blue Mosque is still used for prayer to this day.

A tour of Istanbul would not be complete without visiting the Hippodrome, where you will be immersed in the history surrounding Emperor Theodosius. The Hippodrome is a huge rectangular arena and was where the Greek would race horses and hold chariot races. Sights to be seen are the Serpentine Column from Greece, he Fountain of Wilhelm Kaiser II, the Obelisk from Egypt and the Byzantine Column. After enjoying a trip back in history, your guide will then escort you to see the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art where you will view Islamic calligraphy, rugs, tiles as well as a wealth of other beautiful arts and crafts from different cultures, regions and eras. You will also be able to see recreations of rooms and dwellings from the various periods and regions. 

Your guide will then return you to your hotel where you will spend the night.;

Day 3 : ISTANBUL

Your third day in Istanbul begins with one of the city's major highlights, the Bosphorus Cruise. You will board a luxury boat which will cruise along the river so you can spend a relaxing morning seeing the beautiful vistas offered by the two sides of Istanbul, the European side and the Asian side. Buildings of historical and geographical significance such as the Palaces that line the river, as well as the Rumeli Fortress and the Bosphorus Bridge can all be enjoyed from your seat on the deck.

At the completion of the cruise, you will arrive at the Sariyer fish restaurants located close to the river and the Black Sea, where lunch will be served. After enjoying a delicious lunch, you will be driven to the Asian side of Istanbul, where you will then drive up Camlica Hill, the taller of the two peaks that make up Mount Bulgurlu, 267 meters above sea level. The magnificent views are well worth the drive and offer many opportunities for taking great photographs.

Upon leaving Camlica Hill, you will be driven to Kanlica, a picturesque old town where you will be able to enjoy some of its famous "yoghurt" in a local café. After leaving Kanlica you will be driven across Bosphorus Bridge to arrive in Ortakoy. While in Ortakoy you will have the opportunity to meet up with some of the local citizens under the bridge, to capture the moment with a photograph of the gorgeous silhouette of the city's 'Ortakoy Mosque'. Ortakoy is home to a vast range of wonderful art galleries, night clubs, cafés, bars, and restaurants.

The day is ended with a drive back to the hotel where you will spend the night.

Day 4 :ISTANBUL

Day 4 begins with a drive to the Saint Saviour-Chora Church, where along the way you will see the ancient walls of the city. After arriving at the Church, you will be able to see the intricate golden mosaics that were inspired by the Bible and the lives of the Virgin Mary and Jesus. The Virgin Mary spent her last days here. There is a vast array of magnificent art works and Christian iconography.

You will then leave the Church and be driven to see the Eyup Mosque, where you will witness the religious life and the ritual pilgrimages to the tomb of the beloved Prophet Muhammed. Some of Muhammed's personal belongings are preserved In the building that the tomb is in. Following the Eyup Mosque there will be an uphill drive to enjoy and an opportunity to take photographs of the beautiful view over the Golden Horn, followed by an enjoyable lunch in the Pierre Loti Café. 

After lunch you will be driven to the Patriarchate of Orthodox Christianity Cathedral where you will be able to see the ancient restored church, followed by an opportunity to experience firsthand the lifestyle of the citizens of the fabulous city Taksim throughout the rest of the day. Taksim Square is famous for its hotels, shops and restaurants, so there will be plenty to see and do. Taksim is also considered to be the heart of modern Istanbul and is home to many familiar sights such as Burger King, and more. 

At the end of the day you will be returned to your hotel where you will spend the night.

Day 5 : ISTANBUL / KAYSERI /CAPPADOCIA

After breakfast at the hotel you will check out and be transferred to Istanbul Airport, where you will board a flight that will take you to Kayseri, near Cappadocia. Upon arrival, you will be met by your guide and you will begin your discovery tour of the great wonders that Cappadocia has to offer. 

Your tour today will begin with a visit to Uchisar Castle (also known as Landlord's Castle), which is a massive rock that is the highest of the region. You will be able to experience views of the different valleys, enjoy the rock dwelling houses, vineyards and pigeonaries that are spread over the landscape.

After visiting the castle you will have the opportunity to enjoy a scenic walk into the village, where you will get to see the volcanic houses up close. You will then take a break from the sightseeing to have a nice lunch in a little local eatery.

Next on the tour of Istanbul's wonderful sights is a visit to the Goreme Open Air Museum, where the beautiful frescoes that date back as far as the 4th to 13th centuries A.D. can be seen. The Goreme Open Air Museum contains many fascinating churches and chapels. Along the way there will be a stop so you can enjoy a visit to a carpet weaving rug palace, where you will hear an interesting lecture on the historical significance of Turkish carpet making, given by one of the locals of the Cappadocia region.

The day will be ended with viewing of a stunning sunset from one of the best local panoramic view points (weather permitting). 

You will then be taken to your accommodations for an overnight stay in Cappadocia.

Day 6 : CAPPADOCIA

Day 6 offers an optional one hour ride in a hot air balloon in the morning that ends with a glass of champagne and a flight certificate. If you have never been up in a hot air balloon before, prepare yourself for one of the most spectacular experiences to be had in this region, as you peacefully float over the rock formations that exist in the various valleys and enjoy the tranquility and beauty of the landscape of Cappadocia below you. 

With plenty to see, this day begins with a visit to the underground city of Kaymakli, the widest of 36 underground cities in Cappadocia. Excavated as early as Hittite times, these troglodyte cave-cities are unique and fascinating. Some of the locals use the tunnels as cellars, stables and storage spaces. Alternatively you may visit Derinkuyu located in the southern part of the region. There are about 100 tunnels under the city but only a few areas are open for viewing at this time. 

After driving for an hour, you will arrive in the Ihlara Valley,which is a long gorge cut into volcanic rock. While here you will get to enjoy an abundance of all kinds of flowers, bird species, located on one of the branches of Turkey's longest river, as well as beautiful frescoed churches. Ilhara Valley is home to hundreds of old churches located in the volcanic rock caves. The whole canyon consists of a honeycomb of churches and dwellings, and is famous for being the first place settled by the Christians escaping from Roman soldiers. 

After enjoying the local wildlife and sights, you will then hike approximately 2 hours into the valley where you will be able to see inside some of the frescoed churches. Lunch will be served in the mid-valley, near the Melendiz River, and you will be able to savor freshly caught trout from the river.

During the return drive to the hotel there will be a stop at the end of the valley for you to take photographs of the fairy chimneys, which resemble the "Sandy People" from the 1970 "Star Wars" movie. The local people named them 'fairy chimneys' because they believed that fairies lived in them. Many of the 'fairy chimneys' have been hollowed out to form dwellings inside them.

The last stop on today's itinerary is Agzikarahan Caravansarai (Caravan Palace), where traders would stop with their camel trains to rest overnight, take a bath and have their shoes repaired, among other things.

You will then be returned to your accommodations in Cappadocia where you will stay overnight.

Day 7 : ISTANBUL

After having breakfast at the hotel you will check out and be driven to Kayseri Airport to board a flight that will return you to the city of Istanbul. Your guide will be at the airport to meet you when you arrive. You will then be taken to see the splendor of the imperial Suleymaniye Mosque, where the tombs of sultan Suleyman the Magnificent and his harem girl wife Roxelana are located. The Mosque is a beautiful example of a blend of Islamic and Byzantine architecture and features tall, slender minarets and large domed buildings.

After taking a break for lunch, you will then be taken to the Grand Bazaar, to enjoy perusing shops displaying many types of jewelry, silver goods, leather goods, carpets, clothing, furniture, and kilim shops. Grand Bazaar is one of the oldest and largest covered bazaars in the World and is visited by between 250,000 and 400,000 people every day and employs 26,000 staff. A hive of activity, the Grand Bazaar is full of color and excitement, and is a mecca for those wanting to shop for souvenirs and keepsakes to take home to their families.

At the end of Day 7 you will be returned to your hotel where you are free to enjoy a leisurely evening and to prepare for your departure the following day.

Day 8: ISTANBUL / HOME

After checking out of your hotel in the morning, your guide will meet you to take you to the airport, where we will farewell you and you will board your flight home.

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