- Greet dawn while gliding over sublime hills and valleys on a hot air balloon.
- Embark on a culinary adventure in one of Istanbul’s most fashionable districts.
- Tour the legendary Golden Horn with a private guide.
- Explore labyrinthine, subterranean cities in Cappadocia.
- Featuring a handpicked selection of premium accommodations.
- Please note: USD per person, double occupancy. Custom designed personal tour. Prices subject to change.
Upon arrival in Istanbul, you will be greeted by an English-speaking guide waiting for you in front of the Gloria Jeans Cafe. Your representative will help you coordinate meeting with your private driver and accompany you to your accommodation.
Enjoy a half a day tour in Istanbul with your own English speaking guide and private car. The tour includes visits to the Hagia Sophia, the pride and glory of the Byzantine architecture; the Blue Mosque, famous for its architecture as for its blue tiles; the Byzantine Hippodrome, where chariot races were held.
Experience Istanbul’s lively bazaars and explore one of the most celebrated mosques in the city on a privately guided tour. Start your day with a visit to the Grand Bazaar, one of the oldest covered markets in the world. Accompanied by your private guide, stroll through the vibrant lanes dotted with countless shops and expose your senses to this melting pot of colors, sounds, and scents. Watch the skillful local artisans and craftsmen work on their masterpieces and try out your bargaining skills. Continue to the Süleymaniye Mosque and enjoy a guided tour of this unmissable and majestic structure that has shaped the landscape of Istanbul for centuries. Walk through the vast, airy interiors and keep an eye out for some of the finest examples of calligraphy in the city. Head to the adjacent gardens for a chance to appreciate stunning vistas of the Golden Horn and Bosphorus. Next, make your way to the Spice Bazaar, also known as the Egyptian Market. Wander through this captivating marketplace with your guide and take in the myriad of sights, flavors, and aromas. Stop by numerous stalls selling fragrant herbs and decadent treats, or perhaps grab a cup of hot Çay and simply watch the local life go by.
See Istanbul’s iconic landmarks from aboard a private boat cruise, accompanied by your knowledgeable guide. Journey between two continents as you make your way down the Bosphorus straight. Pass by old wooden mansions and posh marble palaces dotting Istanbul’s shoreline and look out for the majestic mosques of the Golden Horn with their ubiquitous minarets reaching up into the sky. Take in the views of the old Ottoman fortresses and sail past the city’s charming neighborhoods. A cruise down the Bosphorus allows you to experience this magnificent metropolis in a whole new way.
A private transfer will be provided from your hotel in Istanbul to the airport. Board a flight in Istanbul with service to Cappadocia. The flight duration is approximately one hour. A private vehicle with driver and guide will provide a transfer between the airport and your hotel. Get a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn the secrets of Turkish cuisine in a cooking class hosted at an authentic Cappadocian household. The class takes place at the home of the Duran family in the small village of Ayvali. Learn cooking techniques from ‘Mother Havva’ and prepare the recipes with your own hands with the help of her son, Mr. Tolga. In addition to learning how to prepare local dishes, you will also be making desserts and pastries. Once the food is ready, enjoy the meal you have just prepared in the quaint surrounds of the Duran family home. As a gift, your hosts will provide you with written recipes for all the dishes that you have made.
There is simply no better way to experience Cappadocia and its extraordinary landscapes than from aboard a hot air balloon. Early this morning, meet your private driver for a transfer to the launch site where you'll join fellow adventure seekers and get an opportunity to appreciate one of the most poetic sunrises of your lifetime. Energize on a light complimentary breakfast while your crew completes the necessary preparations before take-off. Once everyone is on board, your aircraft raises slowly into the morning sky and the magnificent vistas of Cappadocia immediately unfold in front of your eyes. Watch dozens of balloons harmoniously lift up above the horizon in preparation for one of Nature’s greatest shows. As the sun beings its slow ascent, the warm rays light up your serene surroundings. Glide over the sublime hills and valleys of Cappadocia and get a true sense of the region’s fairy tale terrain. After about an hour in the air, your pilot beings the gentle descent and lands the balloon. Enjoy a glass of nonalcoholic champagne as keepsake certificates are distributed to all guests. Afterward, return to your hotel by private driver.
Spend your day getting to know the history and exploring the spectacular landscapes of Cappadocia, accompanied by your private driver and guide. Start by making your way to Ortahisar, a natural citadel carved in rocks. Be amazed at the town’s charming stone houses that line its narrow streets and visit the natural fortress that has become an important landmark of the region. Take in the splendid views of the famous fairy chimneys and the majestic Mount Erciyes in the background. Continue your day with a visit to one of Cappadocia’s subterranean cities, Kaymakli or Derinkuyu. Descend into the underground labyrinth and learn the fascinating story of 7th century Christians who established these dwellings in an attempt to flee persecution. Next, transfer to Cavusin Valley for an opportunity to see the peculiar troglodyte settlements that stayed inhabited until the mid-20th century. Break for lunch before being driven to the Red Valley. Feel as if you have been transported to another planet as you marvel at the otherworldly terrain around you. Finish off the day with a visit to the Wine House and get a better understanding why Cappadocia is famous for its fertile vineyards. Upon the conclusion of the tour, you will be dropped off back at your hotel.
A private vehicle with driver and guide will provide a transfer between the airport and your hotel. Board a flight in Cappadocia with service to Istanbul. The flight duration is approximately one hour.
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