Flavours of Turkey and Greece -II-

After breakfast, stroll through Sogukcesme Street with typical wooden house which are now landmark buildings of ottoman architecture. Arrive to Topkapi Palace, the largest and oldest of the remaining palaces where Ottoman Sultans used to live; admire the gardens, kitchens, the treasury section as well as  terraces overlooking the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn.  Photo stop at the Fountain of Sultan Ahmet the 3rd  and explore Saint Sophia, the masterpiece of Byzantine architecture dating back to the VIth century. After lunch, visit the Blue Mosque covered by more than 20.000 Iznik tiles and continue with the Roman Hippodrome where the char races used to take place. Discover the handcrafts of Anatolia and shop in the labyrinth tunnels of the Grand Bazaar. 

Meals: Breakfast - Lunch  Overnight. : Istanbul

Walk along the Golden Horn, the estuary that divides the European part of Istanbul. Free time in the Egyptian Bazaar, a lively market full of aromas and bustle, whose streets give off all the flavor of the East. Then boat trip along the Bosphorus, which connects the Black Sea with the Marmara Sea. During the crossing you will be able to admire the beautiful European and Asian shores of Istanbul with its palaces, fortresses, beautiful wooden residences.

(**This excursion finishes in Taksim Square and Sultanahmet Square; no transfer back to hotels**)

In the afternoon, you will be transferred to the airport for a flight (included) to Cappadocia. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel and overnight.

Meals: Breakfast 

Entire day to enjoy the natural beauty and the cultural depth of this unique region : explore the frescoed interiors of Goreme's cave churches, which date from the 8th century, take a walk in Avcilar, Pasabagi and the red valley of Dervent where you will admire the chimney like volcanic formations and a brief photo stop at Uchisar. Dinner and overnight.

(Optional early morning Hotair Balloon Tour : flight to admire the breathtaking moonlike landscape of Cappadocia over the Fairy Chimneys, orchards and vineyards)

Transfer to airport for your onward flight (included) to Izmir. Upon arrival, continue to Kusadasi and overnight . Overnight: Kuşadası Meals: Breakfast 

Explore the antique city by wandering along its 2,000 year old marble streets to such famous sites as the theatre and the Celsus Library. In the afternoon, visit the home of the Virgin Mary and a photo stop nearby the Temple of Artemis where only a column remains to indicate where one of the Seven Wonders of the World was. Dinner and overnight. 

After breakfast free time at leisure until your flight to Athens. Upon arrival to Athens transfer to your hotel. 

Overnight: Athens Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast we will meet you at your hotel or close by, in order to start the morning Half Day Athens Sightseeing Tour. This tour gives you an opportunity to observe the striking contrasts that make Athens such a fascinating city. Our expert guides will take you to see the Panathenaic Stadium, home to the first Olympic Games of the modern era, where we will make a short stop. As we continue our trip, we will pass by the Prime Minister's residence (ex Royal Palace), guarded by the Evzones in their colorful uniform, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, Hadrian's Arch, the Parliament and memorial to the Unknown Soldier, the Academy of Athens, the University, the National Library and the Constitution Square (Syntagma). One cannot take a tour of Athens without visiting the Acropolis, one of the world's most prominent sites and a symbol for democracy in the Western world! It is there that you will explore architectural masterpieces of the Golden Age of Pericles. From the Propylaea, to the Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechtheion and of course the Parthenon, a place where 'there is harmony between material and spirit', a the monument that 'restores order in the mind', as ancient Greeks used to say. Your last stop will be the modern Acropolis Museum, with nearly 4,000 exhibits of Hellenism housed inside.

Departure approximately at 08:45 - Return approximately at 13:30

Overnight. Athens Meals: Breakfast

You will be met by our assistant at your hotel and transferred to the airport by our minibus or taxi driver for your departure flight. 

Overnight: - Meals: Breakfast

Possibility to add Greek Islands extension or Mainland Tour Extension. Please consut us during your booking.