We will meet at the loby of the hotel at 08:50 a.m. and start the day with a short walk to the Basilica Cistern. The next visit will be to  the Turkish Islamic Art Museum. After lunch visit Aya Sophia, and Topkapi Palace.
The visit to the Turkish Islamic Art Museum, especially the ethnographic section, makes a perfect introduction to what we will see in the countryside.The visit to Aya Sophia will be shocking to see how this 1500 year old edifice still stands up so proudly with nothing less in beauty and perfection from the days when it was built by the order of Theodora and Justinyen, the Byzantine emperor and his wife.
Dinner will be at a seafood restaurant much favored by the locals, at Kumkapi.
We can cater to different food requirements. If you have allergies or dietery restrictions please let us know. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.

DAY 3 ISTANBUL Monday
We will leave the hotel at 09:00 a.m. Our first visit will be to the Grand Bazaar.We like to be at the Grand Bazaar early in the morning before the bus loads of cruise clients fill up the oldest working shopping mall of the world. The Grand Bazaar is not necessarily a place to shop, but it certainly a wonderful place to see.
We will visit the Chora Church to see the exquisite Byzantine mosaics from the 12th century. If you are interested in early Christian art and Christian dogma, you will be overwhelmed by this museum. After lunch visit Suleymaniye Mosque .
Lunch will be at a small side walk restaurant which is famous for home made food. We will walk the back streets of the old city and stop at the Spice Market, the terminating point of the silk road.On the way to the Spice market we will have time to have a short stop at Rustem Pasa mosque to admire the excellent mosaics of this little jewel like place. We will end the day with a cruise on the Bosporus aboard our own private boat. The views of the city at dusk with its 600 mosques are unforgettable. Overnight in Istanbul.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.

DAY 4 FLY TO  ANKARA - CAPPADOCIA Tuesday 
We will have an early start at 05:30 a.m. this morning to catch the flight from Istanbul at 8:00a.m. and arrive on to Ankara at 9:05a.m.
In Ankara, we will visit the most beautiful museum of Turkey, the Anatolian Civilization Museum. All of what is being displayed in this museum had been excavated from Anatolia, another term we use for Turkey.This is a one of a kind museum, displaying 26 different civilizations. It was given the "Best Museum of Europe " award. The museum will give us a better understanding of the cultural and historic layers of  Turkey.

After lunch, we will visit the Mausoleum of Ataturk, the father of the Turks, then take a bus to Cappadocia over a beautiful country road
for a taste of lovely Turkish landscapes and farms. Overnight at Lale Saray Hotel at the heart of Cappadocia. Waking up in the morning to the magnificent sights is one of the unique aspects of this fabulous hotel. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.

DAY 5 CAPPADOCIA Wednesday
Optional Hot Air Balloon ride at the sun rise with a Champaign breakfast over viewing a wonderful view.Those who have experienced Balloon ride around the world, all agree that Cappadocia is very unique. If you would like to experience the "once in a life time" experience, we need to make a reservation since there are limited number of ballons allowed to fly. You can directly pay to the balloon co, with a credit card, Euro 170.- per person. If you decide not to do the hot air balloon ride, we can cancell 24 hrs before the flight.

We would like to give time to those who take the balloon ride. They will return from the marvelous experience at around 08:15. They will have enough time for breakfast and showers before we leave the hotel at 10:00 a.m.

Cappadocia is a land where nature and man have competed with each other to create the most unusual and the most beautiful. We will hike to 10th and 11th century churches, monasteries, and houses carved in the rocks, We will visit a family living in one of these rock dwellings.  The moon-like terrain of Cappadocia with its endless artwork is a photographer's delight. We will visit many artists to have hands on experience with many Turkish crafts:marbeling, pottery,carpet and kilim weaving, oya making. If you choose not to have the hands on experience, you can enjoy the interraction with the local artists as part of your cultural experience .
We will be in Zelve, Derbent, Goreme, Urgup, Ortahisar, Uchisar, Avanos as we visit the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Cappadocia.
Overnight in Cappadocia. Breakfast Lunch Dinner included.

DAY 6 CAPPADOCIA Thursday
People have been making pottery here since the time of the Hittites (3rd century BC). We will visit a local potter who is keeping this art alive. We will also learn about kilims. After visiting the underground city of the early Christians, we will drive to Ayvali village to have lunch in a village house. Since Cappadocia is the carpet center of Turkey, we will schedule a demonstration at a weaving cooperative where the art of carpet weaving and natural dies are being kept alive. For those of you who are interested in seeing a Sufi performance, we can arrange your reservation for the best sufi performance of Turkey Overnight at Cappadocia Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included.

DAY 7 KONYA Friday
After breakfast we will give some time for you to inhale the beauty of Cappaodica before we take off for another experience. The view from our hotel will make you use up quite few shots.

We then depart for Konya, stopping en route at a 12th century Caravanserai. Konya is the first capital of the Selcuks, the oldest Turkish Empire in Anatolia. It is also known for being the homeland of Rumi, a 13th century poet-philosopher and one of the earliest humanists. The ambiance of the city has not changed much for the past 800 years. Overnight at a Rumi hotel in the center of Konya.
Breakfast  Lunch Dinner included

Day 08 ANTALYA  Saturday

We will leave the hotel on foot at 08:30 a.m. We choose to be in the silent atmosphere of a wonderful 400 year old mosque walking distance from our hote. Rumi and his philosophy will be the topic of our morning lecture. We'll then visit the Mevlana Museum, which is actually the burial place of rumi and his decendents.. Next comes the most scenic drive of our trip -- five hours to Antalya. You will be able to see how the flora changes as we drive over the grand Taurus Mountains. Poised between these jagged mountains and the shimmering sea, Antalya is the principal city on Turkey's central Mediterranean coast. In this beautiful city we will stay at a 200-year-old stone house that has been renovated as an art hotel. You'll be "on your own" for dinner. Breakfast and Lunch are included  . Dinner is not included.

We are being served tea at the mosque while we talk about Celaleddin Rum'i

Day 09 ANTALYA Sunday
We will leave the hotel at 09:00 a,m, Weather permitting, we will take a five-hour cruise on the Mediterranean to the ancient site of Phaselis, located on a peninsula with ancient harbors on both sides. This will be our first Roman site. The ancient stones are scattered among the red pine trees, which grow right out from the sea in an incomparably romantic setting. Tonight you'll have the option of going to a Turkish bath (included in the trip cost). We'll overnight in Antalya, with dinner on your own.
Breakfast Lunch included  . Dinner not included.


DAY 10 PAMUKKALE Monday
The departure today is at 08:30 a.m. Via a wonderful lake drive to Pamukkale .Today we visit Pamukkale (ancient Hierapolis), the most unusual natural phenomenon of Turkey. The Turkish name  literally "cotton castle" - refers to the extraordinary surface of the snow-white cliffs, shaped over millennia by the accumulation of calcium deposited by mineral springs. Visit the hot springs and swim in a spa amid Roman columns.  We will have dinner and overnight in Pamukkale Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner are included.


DAY 11 KUSADASI / Kusadasi Tuesday
Today we will leave at 08:30 a.m. Drive through the valley of Meander Valley . Visit the temple of Appollo ,the oracle center and visit Miletus, the last stop of St Paul in his home land. . Overnight at Kusadasi Brekfast Lunch and Dinner are included


DAY 12 KUSADASI / Selcuk Wednesday
Selcuk (Ephesus) This will be our big day in Ephesus, the best-preserved classical city on the eastern Mediterranean and among the best places in the world to get a feel for what life was like in Roman times. Certainly, the climax of the trip will be at the city of Ephesus, sitting in the theater visualizing 35,000 Ephesians following the silversmith Demetrius shouting "...great is Artemis of Ephesians..." in reaction to St. Paul's preaching "there should be no man-made gods." We would like to have the honor of having you at our family farm for lunch. Mom and our Aunt do the cooking.by the end of the tour we hope like you too will feel like you are part of the Melitour family. If you like you can even learn how to cook Turkish food. Overnight in Kusadasi
Lunch at Meli's farm Brekfast Lunch Dinner are included.

DAY 13 END OF THE TOUR Thursday
The trip ends after breakfast, and transfer to Izmir Air port is included.
But if you want to extend your stay, please contact MELITOUR for wonderful options. Have a safe Journey back home!!

If you want Melitour to buy you a plane ticket to fly to Istanbul from Izmir,
please contact us. We can get your plane ticket for you.

The tour price:

• US$ 3,300.00 per person in double accupancy
• Single Room Supplement US$ 420.-
  

The tour price includes:

*Private transfer from Istanbul Ataturk Airport to Istanbul Hotel
*Excellent Tour Guide for the entire Tour
*12 nights hotel, double occupancy
*Private boat in Istanbul for Bosporus Cruise
* Boat ride in Antalya
*All entrance fees to the sites mentioned in the above itinerary
*Flight from Istanbul to Ankara
* All the meals except 2 dinners in Antalya ( please check the meal list below)
*Tips at the hotels and the restaurants
*Transportation with private bus with AC
*Water with the meals
*Water available in the van
*Domestic flight Istanbul to Ankara
*Private transfer from your Hotel In Kusadasi to Izmir Airport.

The tour price does not include:

*Flights to and from Turkey
*Domestic Flight from Izmir to Istanbul (Melitour can buy your ticket)
*Beverages and drinks with meals (Water is included with meals)
*Cancellation insurance
*2 Dinners in Antalya
*Hot Air Balloon Ride in Cappadocia ( Euro 170.- per person)
*Sufi Show in Cappadocia (Euro 25.- per person)
* Tip for the driver

MEAL LIST

Day/City	12 Breakfasts	11 Lunchs	10 Dinners
Day 01 Istanbul	Not included	Not included	Included
Day 02 Istanbul	Included	Included	Included
Day 03 Istanbul	Included	Included	Included
Day 04 Ankara/Cappadocia	Included	Included	Included
Day 05 Cappadocia	Included	Included	Included
Day 06 Cappadocia	Included	Included	Included
Day 07 Konya	Included	Included	Included
Day 08 Antalya	Included	Included	Not Included
Day 09 Antalya	Included	Included	Not Included
Day 10 Pamukkale	Included	Included	Included
Day 11 Kusadasi	Included	Included	Included
Day 12 Kusadasi	Included	Included	Included
Day 13 Departure	Included	Not included	Not included

 

CANCELLATION POLICY  & PAYMENT SCHEDULE
**WE RECOMMEND YOU TO  BUY A TRIP CANCELLATION INSURANCE**
Please ask MELITOUR for payment info

Payment Chart For May 2014 Tour

Deposit  on Sign Up	US$ 250 Per Person	None refundable
1st  Payment 9, Jan 2014	US$ 850.- Per Person	If cancelled 60% of this payment is refundable
2nd  Payment 9, March 2014	US$ 850.- Per Person	If cancelled 50% of your payment is refundable
3rd  Payment 9,April 2014	REST OF YOUR PAYMENT	If cancelled after this payment no refund will be given

Payment Chart For September 2014 tour

Deposit  on Sign Up	US$ 250 Per Person	None refundable
1st  Payment 9 May, 2014	US$ 850.- Per Person	If cancelled 60% of this payment is refundable
2nd  Payment 9 June, 2014	US$ 850.- Per Person	If cancelled 50% of your payment is refundable
3rd  Payment 9 July, 2014	REST OF YOUR PAYMENT	If cancelled after this payment no refund will be given