Antalya & Central Anatolian Civilizations Tour - 8 Days/7 Nights

Upon arrival at the Antalya Airport, our representatives will meet you after the customs and baggage claim to hold a sign with “Your Group Name” on it. Transfer and check in to your hotel in Antalya.
Dinner and overnight stay in Antalya hotel. (Dinner)

Today, we’ll start our Antalya tour after breakfast. The city of Perge and Aspendos in the Pamphylia region is considered among the richest and most beautiful cities of Anatolia in antiquity.
First, we’ll visit the archeological site of Perge Ancient City ruins, Perge Theatre, Agora, Roman baths, gymnasium, and the necropolis. Saint Paul, also known as Paul the Apostle and his companion St. Barnabas visited  Perge twice during their missionary journeys. We’ll visit one of the best-preserved theaters of antiquity, the magnificent Aspendos Theater, where concerts and art events are still held today. 
We’ll have lunch at a local restaurant. Afterward, we’ll make a trip to Antalya’s Old Town and the ancient Antalya Harbor, where you can see antique Hadrian’s Gate, Antalya Clock Tower, and the Fluted Minaret. You will enjoy the narrow streets of the old city and go shopping in the old town (Kaleiçi). 
End of the tour. We’ll return to our hotel. Overnight  in Antalya. (Breakfast - Dinner)

Day 3 - After breakfast, we’ll leave early in the morning for Cappadocia (550 km – 8 hrs). We’ll pass through the Taurus Mountains enjoying the great views of the Anatolian steppe. We’ll make a stop in Konya to visit the Tomb of Rumi in the spiritual and mystical atmosphere of the Mevlana Museum, which houses the tomb of the great 13th-century Persian poet and founder of the Order of the Whirling Dervishes, Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Balkhi. Popularly known as Rumi in Western countries, Muslims like to call him “Mevlana”, meaning “our master” or Mevlana Celâleddîn-i Rumi. 
We highly recommended that you watch the fascinating performance of Whirling Dervishes at the first opportunity. We’ll have lunch at a local restaurant and continue on our way to Cappadocia. 
We’ll arrive at Cappadocia at the end of a beautiful journey and settle in our hotel.

Dinner and overnight  in Cappadocia hotel. (Breakfast - Dinner )

Cappadocia optional Events :
Hot Air Balloon Tour: Per Person 150 - 350 USD
* Prices are not fixed, they may vary according to the season. (4:30 am to 9:00 am.)
Turkish Night Per Person 65 USD  
*Upon your request, we can make reservations in the evening for an amazing Turkish Night in a great music hall in a cave with traditional dance shows.
Whirling Dervishes Show :Per Person  30 USD

Day 4 - After breakfast, we’ll start our Cappadocia tour. First, we’ll see the Uçhisar Castle and the town built on the highest hill of Cappadocia. Later, we’ll visit Kaymaklı Underground City, built and carved by Christians in the underground to be used for protection against attacks, so that they could continue their daily lives. Later, we’ll visit Göreme Open Air Museum, which is home to a large monastery carved into the rocks and dozens of churches and chapels such as the Dark Church, Apple Church, Serpentine Church, and Saint Barbara Church. Each Church has its own living spaces and beautiful frescoes on its walls. Then, we have lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, we’ll go to a pottery shop to observe how beautiful ceramics are made in a style typical of the region, then we visit a carpet workshop to learn this traditional Turkish art and its origins from the silk route. 
Our next stop Paşabağı Valley is located on a vineyard on Zelve road. Some of the mushroom-shaped rock formations here are several meters high. Fairy chimneys shaped by erosion for many years were used as houses by various religious groups, therefore it is also known as the Monks Valley. 
Devrent Valley, which offers a reddish moon view and looks like a movie set, is famous for its rock formations resembling different animal figures. Most of these formations have distinctive shapes such as large camels, seals, and dolphins. There is even a boulder that resembles the Virgin Mary holding the baby Jesus. Let your imagination roam free and try to liken the formations to other creatures. 
Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia hotel. (Breakfast - Dinner)

 After breakfast, early departure from Cappadocia to Hattusa (290 km). Our first stop is in the Sarıkaya district of Yozgat which is home to the great Roman Basilica Therma, an ancient public bathroom from the Roman period. The historic Roman bath looks magnificent with its arched stone structure and architecture. 
We’ll take a short break in Sarıkaya, which is a typical Anatolian town, and have a chance to observe the local life closely.   We’ll arrive at the ancient Hattusa (Boğazkale), which was the capital of the Hittite civilization 3,700 years ago. There are many ruins from the Hatti, Assyrian, Hittite, Phrygian, Galatian, Roman, and Byzantine periods in the district of Boğazkale. 
Later, we’ll have lunch in a local restaurant to try some traditional Hittite-style dishes. 
After lunch, we’ll head to Yazılıkaya, a sacred place of worship and the open-air temple built by the Hittite. In the secluded rocky area, we’ll see beautiful rock carvings of the Hittite Gods and Goddesses. During the Hattusa trip we’ll see the Great Temple, and the city ruins including Lions Gate, King’s Gate, The Tunnel, Summer Palace, and Hattusa City Walls.
In the Hattusa Museum, we’ll see many historical artifacts belonging to the Hattians and Hittite civilizations. Afterward, we visit  Alacahöyük Ancient City (35 km) and Alacahöyük Museum. In Alacahöyük, which occupies an important place in the Hittite history and contains the ruins of the first dam in Anatolia, 14 settlement layers dating from four different cultural phases were identified. The most important findings in Alacahöyük, which provides important information about Hittite architecture and art, are 13 royal tombs belonging to the ancient Bronze Age and jewelry and items made of gold, silver, bronze, and precious stones. 
Later, we’ll continue towards Yozgat city (approx. 110 km). Arrival and overnight in Yozgat. (Breakfast - Dinner)

Day 6 - Early departure from Yozgat to Ankara at 08:00 am. (250 km - 4 hrs)
Arrival in Ankara, the capital of Turkey. First, we’ll visit the Mausoleum of Atatürk, founder of modern Turkey. After our visit, we will have lunch at a restaurant.  
Then, visit the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, an incredible museum that offers many interesting artifacts from the ancient past of Anatolia.
Afterward, we’ll view the whole city from Ankara Castle, which has been the symbol of Ankara for centuries. Then, we’ll experience the old Ankara in its old trade streets Kurşunlu Han, Mahmutpaşa Bedesten, and Sulu Han which you can visit easily as they are all within walking distance to each other. Later, we will visit the Hacibayram Mosque and the Temple of Augustus, which was built by the Phrygians in the 11th century BC. Then, we will head to the Hamamönü neighborhood to observe its old Ottoman architecture and visit its authentic bazaar. Here, you can shop in many gift shops and enjoy a cup of Turkish coffee or tea in the cafes.
Finally, we’ll make a sightseeing tour in Çankaya and Kavaklıdere districts where foreign embassies, consulates, Prime Ministry, and parliament buildings are located. We complete our tour with a cup of coffee at the Panora Shopping Mall.
Dinner and overnight in Ankara.  ( Breakfast - Dinner )

Day 7 - After breakfast, we’ll leave early for our trip to Antalya (550 km - 8 hrs).
We’ll take a lunch break in Eğirdir town, which is famous for its natural beauties on the shore of Lake Eğirdir. Eğirdir was founded in 2000 BC by the Arwaza Kingdom. Later, it came under the rule of the Luwians, Phrygians, Lydians, Persians, Romans, and finally the Seljuks. 
We will visit the ancient city Sagalassos, which has survived to the present day. The city was founded in the district of Ağlasun in the province of Burdur at an altitude of 1750 meters from the sea in 3000 B.C. It had its most glorious period in 161 AD during the reign of the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. The Antonin Fountain was built by Emperor Markus Aurelius here in the name of his beloved wife. Today it is on the UNESCO tentative list. In the city of Sagalassos, we will see the Agora, the Ancient Theater, Roman baths, Antonin Fountain, Heroon, and other admirable structures. 
Afterward, we will continue on our way to Antalya. We pass through the Taurus Mountains enjoying the great views of the Anatolian steppe and arrive in Antalya at the end of a beautiful journey and settle in our hotel.
Dinner and overnight in Antalya hotel. ( Breakfast - Dinner )

 You are free until your transfer to the airport. Our tour concludes with your airport transfer. We hope to see you on another tour. ( Breakfast )

Customized Tours
We can create a tour program on your request and offer an itinerary that suits your personal, educational, cultural, and budgetary requirements. Please contact us with your requests.

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Prices Include
-  Transfers Antalya Airport – Hotel – Antalya Airport / 2 ways
-  7-night hotel accommodation with breakfast
-  7 dinners
-  Entrance fees, as per the itinerary
-  Experienced and professional Tour Guide
-  Nonsmoking vehicle with air conditioner and experienced driver
-  All parking, highway, bridge fees
-  All tours in the program
-  VAT and city tax

Prices Exclude
- Personal expenses
- Beverages at lunch and dinners
- Travel Insurance (highly recommended)
- Meals other than specified
- Hotel minibar and other expenses
- Optional tours
- Tips for the guide and driver