The Wonders of Turkey

Fly to Turkey, arrive in Istanbul and be met by your English speaking guide. Transfer to your 5* hotel.

After breakfast, departure for the historical heart of Istanbul. You will visit the Basilica of Saint Sophia, a masterpiece of Byzantine art with its mosaics, the Blue Mosque with its six minarets built in the 17th century, famous for its 21,403 blue tiles and the Byzantine Hippodrome with its obelisks. After lunch you will have free time in the Grand Bazaar. Dinner in a Istanbul restaurant and overnight at your 5* hotel.

Departure from the hotel to Ankara (450 km), the capital and second largest city of Turkey. Visit of the mausoleum of Atatürk, father of modern Turkey. Lunch and continuation to Cappadocia (320 km) through a plain where the salt lake shimmers. Dinner and overnight at your 5* hotel in Cappadocia.

A full day to discover Cappadocia, a unique natural site in the world and the cradle of Christianity. You will also explore one of the many Byzantine underground cities, a refuge for the natives between the 7th and 10th centuries. On one of the two mornings, you can take a hot air balloon ride to see the fairy chimneys and the unreal landscapes of this region. You will also stop at a local jewellery shop and carpet centre where you will be amazed by the creativity and patience of Anatolian women.

After breakfast, departure for Konya (240 km), you will travel along the famous Silk Road, with its many caravanserai remains. Arrival in Konya, former capital of the Seljuk Turks, where you will visit the former convent of the Whirling Dervishes, now transformed into a museum, built by Mevlana, one of the fathers of Sufism. Visit the natural site of Pamukkale, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will visit the famous “Cotton Castles” of a dazzling whiteness where the runoff of hot springs, saturated in limestone salts, has covered the cliff. Dinner and overnight at your 5* hotel.

After breakfast, departure for Ephesus (180 km). The city of Artemis, the most famous ancient site in Turkey, the street of the Couretes, the famous library of Celsius, the temple of Hadrian, the fountain of Trajan, the splendid theatre with 24,000 spectators and the remains of the temple of Artemis which is one of the seven wonders of the world. Lunch in Selcuk. During the day, you will have the privilege to attend a leather fashion show where you will appreciate the quality of the articles. Dinner and overnight at your 5* hotel in Izmir or Kusadasi.

Depending on the flight schedule, transfer to the airport. Assistance with check-in formalities and flight to France.