DAY 1 - ARRIVE IN ISTANBUL
Upon arrival in Istanbul, you will be met by a driver, who will then take you to the 5-star Eresin Topkapi Hotel to check-in. You will have the rest of the day to rest and, in the evening, there will be a welcome dinner at a local Turkish restaurant.

DAY 2 – ISTANBUL
Istanbul, once called Byzantium in the 7th century B.C., was named Constantinople in 326 A.D. by Constantine the Great when he moved the capital of the Roman Empire to what is now Istanbul. Istanbul received its current name from Mehmet II in 1453 and is the only city in the world that spans two continents. In Istanbul, we will visit several of Turkey's most famous museums and mosques. Topkapi Palace was first built by Mehmet the Conqueror in 1453 and was the home of the sultan until the 19th century. St. Sophia was built by Roman Emperor Justinian and was completed in 537 A.D. It was the greatest Christian church in the world for more than 1000 years. The Blue Mosque was commissioned by Sultan Ahmet in 1603 and was constructed with the deliberate intention of rivaling the St. Sophia. In addition, we will visit the Hippodrome. We will have dinner served with wine and lots of live music and entertainment by a gypsy orchestra before returning to the Eresin Topkapi hotel.

DAY 3 – ISTANBUL
Today, you will continue your tour of Istanbul with your guide. We will visit the archaeological museum or take a Bosphorus city ferry cruise . We will also visit the Spice Market, the Rustem Pasha Mosque with its exceptional tiles, the Grand Bazaar and the Military Museum to enjoy a concert performed in traditional costumes by the world’s first established military marching ensemble.

 In the evening, you will dine at a quality Turkish restaurant, the Develi, which was established in 1912. It is one of the oldest and best kebab restaurants in Turkey. At the end of the evening, you will be taken back to your hotel, the Eresin Topkapi.

DAY 4, 5, 6 - CAPPADOCIA
After breakfast, we will take a morning flight from Istanbul to the Kayseri Airport. A short drive will take you to your destination. Our stay will be at the spectacular Cappadocia Cave Suites, the newest and most “luxurious cave living” in Cappadocia. This hotel’s eighteen spacious units all have windows with views to the outside, most feature a Jacuzzi, several rooms have fireplaces and five units include two bedrooms. Some units have beautiful 200-year-old wooden ceilings and one unit is decorated in original 8th century painted frescoes showing the Maltese cross. The views are spectacular with the Fairy Chimneys in sight (www.cappadociacavesuites.com). Dinner will be at the Cave Suites restaurant. Breakfast will also be served to you at the Cave House.

hile in Cappadocia we will enjoy the unique landscapes of wind and rain eroded volcanic rock formations and see the amazing underground churches and cities carved into the rocks by early Christians. We will also visit ancient handicraft shops, the village of Soganli where the world famous Cappadocia dolls are made and a caravan-saray, an ancient caravan motel. Discovering the unknown Cappadocia, we will take wonderful strolls and go off the "tourist track", visiting small villages. In addition, we will also enjoy excellent lecture-demonstrations on Turkish kilims and carpets. On one of the nights, we will enjoy a folk dance show and a whirling dervish ceremony.

DAY 7, 8, 9 - IZMIR (Sardis/Ephesus)
Today we will fly from Kayseri to Izmir (please note that because this flight does not depart daily, the Izmir dates may be subject to change), which is the third largest city in Turkey and a major shipping port. Arriving in Izmir, the guide will pick us up and take us to the 5-star Deluxe Korumar Hotel to check-in. In the afternoon, we will visit Sardis where money was first minted. We will see one of the world's oldest synagogues in Sardis as well as see the excavations, the gymnasium and the Artemis Temple. Afterwards, we will return to Izmir. Dinner will be at the hotel.

Izmir was built in the 4th century B.C. by the orders of Alexander the Great. It is also home to one of the seven churches of Asia that was mentioned in the Book of Revelations.

The next day we will drive to the incredible city of Ephesus and its colossal Greek Theater, which is still used for performances today. The Marble Road, the Celsus Library, and the Temple of Diana are just a few of the things that we will be seeing here. We will also visit the house where the Virgin Mary lived her final days. After the crucifixion of Jesus, St. John brought her to Ephesus.

OPTIONAL – If time permits, we can take a day trip to Pamukkale and Aphrodisias.

DAY 10 – IZMIR / IST / USA
This morning we will drive to the Izmir airport for your return flight to Istanbul. Upon arrival in Istanbul, you will take your connecting flight back to the U.S..

Please Note: The order of events may vary and if time permits we will do much more.