Urgup Tourism Travel Agency

Explore Türkiye through the centuries, the early Christians in Cappadocia, Seljuk Konya and Greco-Roman Ephesus, Pamukkale, Hierapolis, Laodicea

Day 1 - Cappadocia (lunch)
We will pick you up from Kayseri – Nevsehir airport or from your hotel in Cappadocia. We start our full day tour of Cappadocia with a visit to Devrent Valley and the strange rock formations some of which look like animals. From here we drive to Pasabag’s  "fairy chimneys" where you can walk abong the mushroom shaped rocks typical of the region. Lunch is at Avanos, a pretty little town on the river, famous for cenuturies for the art of pottery and terracotta art. After lunch we visit the famous Goreme Open Air Museum to see the best examples of Byzantine art in Cappadocia. We finish the tour with a visit to the Uchisar Rock-Castle, the highest point in Cappadocia, where you have a panoramic view of the valleys of Cappadocia . Overnight in Cappadocia in a comfortable cave hotel.

Day 2 - Cappadocia (breakfast, Lunch)
Breakfast at your hotel then depart from your hotel to visit Red Valley and explore the famous rock-hewn churches and hike 5 km through the Gulludere valley. Then visit Cavusin village. Old Cavusin, with its rock-cut dwellings and stone houses, had several hermitages. After lunch we drive to the Pigeon valley. In the afternoon we visit Kaymakli Underground City, where early Christian communities took shelter when threatened by  marauders. The underground city was originally carved out as eight floors ; however four floors are available to visit. It is estimated about 5000 people could take refuge here. The tunnelled caves were used as storage areas, stables and cellars. On the way back we will visit the natural rock fortress at Ortahisar. Overnight in Cappadocia in a comfortable cave hotel.

Day 3 - Konya, Pamukkale (breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Breakfast at your hotel in Cappadocia then drive along the Silk Road to Konya which was the capital city of Seljuks for over 200 years. We will visit the Mevlana Mausoleum, the tomb of Mevlana Celaleddin-i Rumi, known as Rumi, the great mystical poet and Sufi spiritual leader who inspired the organisation of the whirling dervishes order. We also visit the 13th century Selcuk caravanserai Sultanhan in Konya. Late in the afternoon we will drive to Pamukkale which will take about about four hours, watching the beautiful landscape of central Anatolia from your comfortable tour bus, arrive in Pamukkale and overnight in Pamukkale.

Day 4 - Pamukkale - Hierapolis - Leodicia (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
After a leisurely breakfast at your hotel, we pick you up around 10am for a tour of Pamukkale. The famous bright white travertine terraces are created by mineral-rich thermal waters that flow down hill and create what is called in Turkish a "cotton castle".  After lunch we will visit Hierapolis, including the magnificently preserved necropolis, the main street and gates, the thermal baths, the theatre and then onto Laodicea ancient site and one of the 7 churches of Asia mentionned in Revelations.  Overnight stay in Kusadasi.

Day 5 - Ephesus (breakfast, lunch)
Breakfast at your hotel then we set of for another full day tour starting with Isa Bey Mosque, one of the oldest and most impressive works of architectural art remaining from the Anatolian Beyliks. Then we drive to the ancient city of Ephesus, one of the 12 cities of the Ionian League during the classical Greek period and which contains the largest collection of Roman ruins in the eastern Mediterranean. Your tour guide will show youu the magnificent Celsus Library, the Temple Of Hadrian and the Trajan Fountain. Our last part of the morning will be in the footsteps of St Paul along the Marble Street to the Great Theatre where he used to preach. We have lunch in a local Turkish restaurant. In the afternoon will visit the carpet cooperative weaving center to see how the Turkish carpets are made by hand. At the end, fashion show will be demonstrated at leather outlet center. We carry on to see the House of the Virgin Mary where it is believed where she spent her last years. Our last visit is to the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of ancient World. End of our tour and transfer to the hotel or airport.