ISTANBUL/BOLU/ANKARA/CAPPADOCIA and AEGEAN COAST 8 DAYS, 7 NIGHTS
TOUR “C” ISTANBUL/BOLU/ANKARA/ CAPPADOCIA and AEGEAN COAST 8 DAYS, 7 NIGHTS
DAY 1: Istanbul
Arrival in Istanbul, assistance at the airport and transfer to the hotel. Free dinner. Overnight at the hotel.
DAY 2: Istanbul
Breakfast at the hotel. Full day visit of Istanbul Old City by walking with guidance service: Hagia Sophia Museum, Blue Mosque (Blu Mosque is visioned from outside on Fridays due to Friday prayer) Hippodrome Byzantian, Grand Bazaar, Topkapi Palace (Salloons of Treasury and the Clothes of Sultans are closed due to the renovation) and Tombs of Sultans. Free lunch. Return to the hotel. Free dinner. Overnight at the hotel.
DAY 3: Istanbul/Bolu/Ankara approx. 450 km
After breakfast at the hotel, free time for optional excursions. In the early afternoon around 12:30 maximum 13:30 departure by private vehicle together with other participants for Ankara via Bolu highway. Arrival in Ankara around 20:30 and transfer to the hotel. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
DAY 4: Ankara/Cappadocia approx. 300 km
After breakfast at the hotel, departure to visit Museum of Ancient Civilization of Anatolia (Hittite Museum) and Ataturk’s Mauseloum. Lunch at the restaurant. After lunch departure for Cappadocia. Arrival in the evening, dinner and overnight at the hotel.
DAY 5: Cappadocia approx. 100 km
Breakfast at the hotel. Full day Cappadocia tour; Ozkonak Underground City, Uchisar Castle, Goreme petrified valley with its churches decorated with frescoes and Pasabag Valley (fairy chimneys). Lunch at the restaurant. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
DAY 6: Cappadocia/Konya/Pamukkale approx. 650 km
Breakfast at the hotel and departure for Pamukkale via Konya. Onroute stop for the visit of Sultanhani Caravanserai. Arrival to Konya and visit of Mevlana Mauseloum (Whirling Dervishes). Lunch at the restaurant. In the afternoon continue to Pamukkale. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Pamukkale.
DAY 7: Pamukkale/Ephesus/Izmir approx. 330 km
After breakfast, visit the ancient city of Hierapolis (Necropolis and the Baths) and the famous travertine pools. Departure for the visit of the House of the Madonna. Lunch at the restaurant. Continuation to visit the ruins of Ephesus: the Temple of Hadrian, the library of Celsus, the way of Marble, the Great Theater. Continue to Izmir. Hotel accommodation. Free dinner. Overnight at the hotel.
DAY 8: Breakfast at the hotel. Free time until departure. Transfer to Izmir airport and departure for the destination.
Note: ITALIAN SPEAKING LOCAL GUIDE WILL LEAD INCASE THERE WILL BE AT LEAST 8 PARTICIPANTS.
FOR 2 PARTICIPANTS (ITALIAN / ENGLISH OR ITALIAN / SPANISH) THE EXPLANATIONS WIL BE BILINGUAL. IT IS NOTIFIED THAT IN THE SAME VEHICLE THERE MAY BE PASSENGERS OF DIFFERENT NATIONALITIES WITH THEIR OWN GUIDES (EX: SPANISH TOURISTS, SPANISH SPEAKING GUIDE ETC)
– THE NAMES OF CONFIRMED HOTELS CAN BECOME DEFINITE JUST 10 DAYS BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF THE CUSTOMERS.
The names of prospective 4 star hotels:
Istanbul : Golden Age Taksim or Ramada Grand Bazaar o similar
Cappadocia : Perissia or similar
Pamukkale : Hierapark Deluxe or similar
Izmir : Anemon Fuar or Kaya Prestige or similar
Note:Entrance fees are appraised on 15 July 2019 by the Turkish Ministry of Tourism for the period from 16 July 2019 to indefinite time. It is possible thet the prices of the entrance may change during the year; in this case you will be immediately informed about the difference in prices.
Harem, in Topkapi Palace, is not included in the program due to timing. Anyone interested should get in the queue, buy the ticket and enter quickly.
THE DAYS ON WHICH THE MUSEUMS AND IMPORTANT MONUMENTS IN ISTANBUL WILL BE CLOSED IN 2021 ARE AS FOLLOWS:
CLOSED TUESDAY: TOPKAPI PALACE (ALSO CLOSE ON 01 JANUARY AND 01 MAY 2021.)
CLOSED FRIDAY: HAGIA SOPHIA MOSQUE AND SULTANAHMET MOSQUE ARE CLOSED FROM 08:30 TO
DURING FESTIVALS:
GRAND BAZAAR and SPICE BAZAAR WILL BE CLOSED EVEN DURING THE ENTIRE PERIOD OF RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS AS FOLLOWS:
RAMADAN FEAST (13-16 MAY 2021)
FEAST OF DEMOCRACY (15 JULY 2021)
FEAST OF SACRIFICE (20-23 JULY 2021)
REPUBLIC DAY 29/10/2021.
1 * DAY OF RELIGIOUS FEASTS:
ALL MUSEUMS WILL BE CLOSED ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS FROM 9:00 AM TO 1:00 PM.
RAMADAN FEAST (13 MAY 2021)
FEAST OF SACRIFICE (20 JULY 2021)
IN ADDITION, TOPKAPI PALACE WILL BE CLOSE DURING THE WHOLE DAY BOTH ON 13 MAY AND 20 JULY 2021.
THEREFORE IT IS POSSIBLE TO SKIP SOME VISITS IN THE PROGRAM IN ORDER NOT TO CHANGE THE PROCESS OF THE PROGRAM.
Due to partial restorations;
In Istanbul:
In Topkapi Palace Museum; The Salloons of Treasury and the Clothes of Sultans will be closed during 2020. Otherwise, all the other sections of the Palace are open for visit.
In Blue Mosque; the dome and the altar of the mosque will be closed during 2020. Otherwise, all the other parts are open for visit.
In the Chora Museum (Kariye Museum); some parts of the inner chapel (the narthex) will be closed during 2020. Otherwise, all the other sections of the Church are open for visits.
THE PROCEDURE OF CANCELLATION AND PENALTIES
There will be no penalty if the cancellation request is received 30 days before arrival.
30% will be charged for the cancellations notified in less than 30 days.
50% will be charged for the cancellations notified in less than 15 days.
75% will be charged for the cancellations notified in less than 7 days.
A refund is not possible for the cancellations notified in less than 6 days from the date of arrival.
COMPLAINTS AND ADJUSTMENTS
Passengers must immediately contact to Fiorino Tour or their guide for the problems so that they can intervene to solve the problem. If passengers do not inform our offices or the tour guide in time, Fiorino Tour cannot be responsible for complaints it receives late. Any requests for refunds must be made at latest 7 days after the end of our services. Complaints must be sent accompanied by all the details and documentation (receipts, vouchers, hotel documents, etc.). Fiorino Tour responds all complaints, refunds, changes after receipt. The response time is 14-21 working days
A unique heritage of nature and humanity
Cappadocia offers visitors an extraordinary and lavish banquet of natural wonders that exceed their wildest imaginations. These wonders are elegantly graced with works created by the hand of man. With its unique natural features displaying a harmonious combination of natural and cultural landscape elements, Cappadocia is an enchanting open-air museum and an unparalleled example of the common cultural heritage of humanity.
Cappadocia incorporates the provinces of Aksaray, Nevşehir, Niğde, Kayseri and Kırşehir. For most people, the name Cappadocia suggests the towns of Uçhisar, Göreme, Avanos, Ürgüp, Derinkuyu, Kaymaklı and Ihlara, where the land has been shaped into fantastic forms over the course of millions of years. Fairy chimneys that seem mysterious and cities and houses of worship that extend many meters deep into the earth are all enveloped in an atmosphere that is ethereal and unworldly.
Sanctuary of Christians
In the early years of the first millennium, groups of Christians fleeing Roman persecution began moving into the inaccessible wilds of Cappadocia seeking refuge. One group which arrived from Jerusalem via Antioch (Antakya) and Caesarea (Kayseri) in the second century settled down in the area now known as Derinkuyu. Finding the soft volcanic tuff easy to carve, they began to expand the natural caves and link them together, creating dwellings, chapels, churches and monasteries through which these people found the peace and security they had so desperately sought.
The city of Ankara
Due to its location in the centre of the country, the region has been a historical junction of major trade routes and a crossroads of migratory streams. The Hittite Empire, one of the superpowers in antiquity, emerged here in Central Anatolia. The Hittites distinguished themselves not only through the civilisations they created, but also through the state structure they evolved and their tolerance and respect for human rights.
Throughout history, Ankara has witnessed battles between powerful armies in quest of domination. The city was an important cultural, trading and arts centre in Roman times and a major trading centre on the caravan route to the east in Ottoman times. However, it had lost importance by the 19th century. When Mustafa Kemal Atatürk chose Ankara as the base from which to direct the War of Independence, it once again became an important centre. By consequence of its role in the war and its strategic position, it was declared the capital of the new Republic of Turkey on October 13, 1923. Ankara, known until that time for its rabbits, cats and goats, became the geographic, political and administrative centre of Turkey, with all the government offices and foreign embassies transferred from İstanbul. This dramatic change profoundly affected the appearance of the city; what was in effect an ancient Anatolian town had to acquire a new personality quickly, a change which was made very successfully. It was no longer the modest Ankara of artisans and small tradesmen, but a city hosting politicians, government officials and foreign diplomats. The first buildings to alter the skyline of Ankara were the Museums of Ethnography and of Painting and Sculpture. They no longer stand alone and today Ankara counts a number of skyscrapers, large shopping centres, five-star hotels and bank headquarters.
Crossroad of Civilizations
The Cappadocian region has been inhabited since prehistoric times, with the best examples of it having been unearthed at Köşk Höyük in Niğde, Aşıklı Höyük in Aksaray as well as the Civelek Cave in Nevşehir. During the Middle Bronze Age Cappadocia came under the influence of Assyrian civilization due to extensive trade. During this period writing was introduced, too. Researchers have found hoards of “Cappadocian tablets” – clay tablets inscribed with cuneiform writing – whose texts speak of tax regulation, interest rates, marriage contracts, trade disputes and much else besides. The Hattis, Hittites, Phrygians, Persians, Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks and Ottomans were all enchanted by the allure of Cappadocia and left the imprints of their presence here.
Due to its location Cappadocia has been a critical and strategic region throughout the years. Important trade routes, including the illustrious Silk Road, traversed it both east and west and north and south. As a result of this heavy traffic, the region has been a complex web of historical and cultural influences, a region where different faiths and philosophies have met and influenced one another. Cappadocia’s trade and resources were tempting and so the region was frequently invaded, raided and looted.
To protect themselves from such incursions, the locals took to living in the region’s caves and grottos whose entrances could be concealed so as not to be noticed by trouble-making outsiders. Since it might be necessary to lie low for extended periods of time, these troglodytic dwellings eventually became subterranean cities that included sources of water, places to store food and had wineries and even temples. Some of these subterranean cities date back to pre-Christian era.
House of the Virgin Mary
Ephesus is particularly important for faith tourism as it contains the House of the Virgin Mary. It is believed that the Virgin Mary was taken to this stone house by St John, where she lived until her death at the age of 101. The Church of the Virgin Mary, close to the original harbour of Ephesus, was the setting for the Third Ecumenical Council in 431. Two other religious sites worth visiting are the Basilica of St John, built in the sixth century, and İsa Bey Mosque, which is a sample of Seljuk architecture. Ephesus is not just a touristic site. It is home to the International İzmir Festival utilizing its grand amphitheatre, Celsus Library and the House of the Virgin Mary.
As one of the most important centres of the ancient era that is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2015, Ephesus had been inhabited approximately for 9000 years throughout the Hellenistic Era, Roman Period, Byzantine Era, the Period of Principalities and the Ottoman Era. It was a very important port city and centre of culture and commerce. The whole site comprises Çukuriçi Mound, Ayasuluk Hill (Selçuk Fortress, the Basilica of St. John, İsa Bey Bath, İsa Bey Mosque, Temple of Artemis), the House of the Virgin Mary, and of course the ancient city of Ephesus.