The land of Anatolia has more 12.000 years of history and has been the crossroads of many important routes since centuries, a bridge between the ages, nations and the home to 14 distinct civilizations. Here, history and a unique geography live side by side, harmoniously. The gifts of nature stand all over the country, carrying signs from the earliest ages of humanity.

ANTALYA: Paleolithic times dating back approximately 400.000 years ago from the lives of oldest human exist, discoveries bringing this age to light at Beldibi and Belbasi near Antalya. Recently this region is well known with its clearest sandy beaches and crystal clear blue waters.

KONYA-Çatalhöyük: Neolithic age-the period 8000 – 5000 BC when the first settlements with the first communities occurred and the oldest known human settlement was found in Çatalhöyük(7500BC). The more sophisticated characteristics of this period are easily observed from the findings at this settlement in Hacilar.

ANKARA-Hattuşaş: Bronze Age, between 2500 – 2000 BC during which the Hatti culture developed and the Hittites followed from 1800 to 1200 BC. At Yazilikaya near Ankara hieroglyphic tablets from this period have been found.

AEGEAN COAST: Carian, Lycian, Lydian,Urartian, Persian, Phrygian and Greek Colonies were established and left the cultural signs from the age about 900 to 600 BC. Between 334 – 323 BC, the Greek (Hellenistic) Empire spread over the land, from which period city walls, gymnasiums, theatres and stadiums remain. The city Troy where the Trojan war took place, and two of the “seven wonders of the world” Artemis temple in Ephesus and Mausoleum in Halicarnassus are the marvelous samples of this period. By 230 BC, Romans were crossing the Aegean towards Anatolia and from this period onwards, the Anatolian lifestyle influenced the Romans.

NEVSEHİR-The CAPPADOCIA (Ürgüp-Göreme -Avanos triangle) region still bearing the imprint of Rome to this day. The House of Virgin Mary is in Seljuk/Kusadasi and The Seven Churches of Revelation are all in Turkey.

After the advent of Christianity, the Roman Empire was divided into 2 in AD 395; The western Empire eventually collapsed and the Eastern evolved into the Byzantine Empire. Constantinople-ISTANBUL was the first capital, which was conquered by the Latin incursion in AD 1204

By this time, Islam was brought to Anatolia with the invasions of Arab AD654. They passed their religion onto the Seljuk Turks who occupied most of the land and designated KONYA as their capital.

After AD 1243, Mongols involved Anatolia, while soon after, the OTTOMAN Turks advanced and founded the Ottoman Empire in 1299. With the conquest of Constantinople in 1453, the Ottoman Empire enlarged its borders in Europe, Africa, Asia and Middle East until its official end in1918. After the First World War, Mustafa Kemal ATATURK the national hero of Turkey founded Republican Turkey in 1923. Turkey has been a modern democratic, secular and social state country governed by the rule of law and a republican regime since then.

Day-1ISTANBUL On arrival in Istanbul you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Day at leisure.Dinner free and overnight .

Day-2ISTANBUL Breakfast followed by a full day tour of Istanbul. Visit the Hippodrome, Sultan Ahmet (Blue) Mosque, St.Sophia (Hagia Sophia), lunch at Topkapi Konyali Rest. After lunch visit Topkapi Palace and the Grand Bazaar. In the evening you will be picked up from your hotel and taken to a first class restaurant for dinner. Here you will have a chance to watch the spectacular floor show with famous belly dancers, Anatolian folklore group etc.

Day-3ISTANBUL-ANKARA Morning Bosphorus cruise by boat, with the afternoon at your leisure to explore the city. Late in the afternoon transfer to airport domestic terminal for flight to Ankara (capital of Turkey).Once in Ankara, check-in to your hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day-4ANKARA-CAPPADOCIA Morning sightseeing in Ankara including the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations,the Citadel and lunch at a popular restaurant in the city. Afternoon departure for the panoramic landscapes of Cappadocia. Dinner and overnight.

Day-5CAPPADOCIA After breakfast full day sightseeing in Cappadocia, including The Göreme Valley and its churches with colorful frescoes, the natural Citadel of Uchisar, Zelve Valley, Urgüp etc. Lunch en route. Late in the afternoon return to hotel. Dinner and spend the night there.

Day-6CAPPADOCIA-KONYA Departure after breakfast for Konya, the city of Whirling Dervishes. En route to Konya visit the underground city of Derinkuyu and the Sultan Han Caravanserai. Lunch on the way to Konya. Afternoon panoramic city tour, visit formerly Islamic theological school Medrese and Mevlana Tekkesi before checking in to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day-7KONYA-ANTALYA After breakfast drive to Antalya /Turkish Riviera. Through cotton and orange plants to the ancient sites of Perge and Aspendos. Then onto Side with the ruins of the Greek, Roman and Byzantine eras.

Day-8ANTALYA-ISTANBUL (Dep) After breakfast day free at leisure and late in the afternoon transfer to the airport for the flight back to Istanbul.

Day-1ISTANBUL On arrival in Istanbul you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Day at leisure. Dinner free and overnight.

Day-2ISTANBUL Breakfast followed by a full day tour of Istanbul. Visit the Hippodrome, Sultan Ahmet (Blue) Mosque, St.Sophia (Hagia Sophia), lunch at Topkapi Konyali Rest. After lunch visit Topkapi Palace and the Grand Bazaar. In the evening you will be picked up from your hotel and taken to a first class restaurant for dinner. Here you will have chance to watch the spectacular floor show with famous belly dancers, Anatolian folklore group etc. Then after return to hotel and overnight.

Day-3ISTANBUL-IZMIR Morning Bosphorus cruise by boat, with the afternoon at your leisure to explore the city. Late in the afternoon transfer to airport domestic terminal for flight to Izmir. On arrival, meeting and assistance at the airport and taken to the city centre. Dinner and overnight in Izmir.

Day-4IZMIR (Ephesus) Full day excursion to ancient Ephesus. Visit the last home of the Virgin Mary and the ruins of Ephesus. Following lunch in the pretty town of Seljuk continue the tour with a visit to St.John’s basilica, Temple of Artemis and the Seljuk Museum where the finds from Ephesus and other Anatolian civilizations are exhibited. You will be returned to your hotel in Izmir for a relaxing night. Dinner and overnight at hotel in Izmir.

Day-5IZMIR-PAMUKKALE After breakfast, drive to Pamukkale. En route visit the Museum and the temple of Aphrodite at Aphrodisias. Then, visit the ruins of Hierapolis, see the naturally created thermal springs, the Necropolis and the church. Then after a lunch break at a local restaurant, relax and enjoy the hot spring waters of the calcerous pools. Dinner and overnight in Pamukkale.

Day-6PAMUKKALE-BODRUM Laodiceia one of the seven churches of revelation and an unexcavated sight. After lunch en route continue to Bodrum for dinner and spend the night there.

Day-7BODRUM One of the most attractive Aegean resorts. With its white-washed houses and colorful bougainvilleas which sweep down the hillsides towards twin bays dominated by a castle dating back to Crusades and constructed by the knights of Rhodes in the 15th century. Day free at leisure. Dinner and overnight at your hotel.

Day-8BODRUM-ISTANBUL (Departure) After breakfast day free at leisure and late in the afternoon transfer to the airport for the flight back to Istanbul.