Magic Explorer West to East Turkey Tour 13 Days

The 12-day West and East Turkey combined tour starts when you arrive at Istanbul Airport.  Transfer to your hotel. You’ll be free for the rest of the day. Explore the hotel’s vicinity and try Turkish coffee at a local cafeteria.
Accommodation in Istanbul

After breakfast, we’ll start our Istanbul tour at 08:45 am. First, we will visit the great Hagia Sofia (Saint Sophia Cathedral), built by the emperor Justinian in the 6th century AD as a church and later converted into a mosque. Next, we will visit the Topkapı Palace, a giant walled complex where Ottoman sultans ruled their great empire for over 420 years. Afterwards, we will visit the Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Mosque), a 17th-century Ottoman mosque famous for its six minarets and magnificent interior with blue tiles.

Then, we’ll explore Hippodrome Square, which was used as a meeting place for chariot races during the Byzantine period. Here, we will see the Serpent Column from Delphi, the Egyptian Obelisk, and the German Fountain of Wilhelm. In the afternoon, you can get a half-day optional Bosphorus Cruise tour.
Accommodation in Istanbul. (Breakfast)

Today, we will depart early for Çanakkale. Pick-up will be between 6:15 am and 6:45 am from your hotel. We will drive to the Gallipoli Peninsula for about 4 hours to visit one of the most important sites of World War I.
Gallipoli is home to the remains of 500,000 soldiers and is one of Turkey's most important war memorials. We will visit the site of the Battle of Gallipoli, including the Lone Pine Australian Memorial, Chunuk Bair Atatürk Monument, Anzac Cove, and Johnston's Jolly Cemetery.  We see The original trenches and tunnels where the bloodiest and most dramatic scenes of the Dardanelles wars took place, and the bayonet wars were fought hand in hand.  At the end of the tour, we’ll drive to Çanakkale.
Dinner and overnight stay in Çanakkale. (Breakfast - Dinner)  

After breakfast, we’ll head to ancient Troy, the real-life location of the legendary Trojan War described in Homer's Iliad.  Troy is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. As you walk among the archaeological remains of the ancient city, discover the layers of civilisation built over thousands of years and see an iconic replica of the Trojan Horse. Visit the award-winning Troy Museum to understand Troy's mythological and historical significance better.
Behramkale is a village built on the site of the ancient settlement of Assos. Its stone architecture, narrow cobblestone streets, traditional lifestyle, tranquil atmosphere, and magnificent views are noteworthy. The village's most important landmark is the Temple of Athena, famous for its location overlooking the Aegean Sea. Enjoy a cup of tea or coffee at the village coffeehouse.  Afterwards, we set off towards Kuşadası.
Accommodation in Kuşadası. (Breakfast - Dinner)

Today, we’ll immerse ourselves in the history of ancient Ephesus.
Ephesus has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2015.  The ancient capital of Asia Minor is one of the best-preserved ancient Greek and Roman cities in the world. It is home to the Temple of Hadrian, the marvellous Celsus Library, the Temple of Trajan, the Grand Theatre (25.000 seats), the Agora, the Gymnasium, and the Terrace House (entrance extra).
The Temple of Artemis is regarded as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.  It was destroyed by strong earthquakes and remained underground. 
At the end of the tour, we will take a short break for souvenir shopping. We will also learn about the art of hand-woven carpet weaving, which has a traditional history spanning thousands of years in Turkey.  We will learn about the preparation stage of wool and silk cocoons, how they are woven, and the factors that determine their value.
Accommodation in Kuşadası. (Breakfast - Dinner)

After breakfast, we will first enjoy a display of locally handcrafted leather goods. Then, drive to Pamukkale (220 km).
Pamukkale, a World Heritage site, is one of Turkey's best-known tourist destinations, known for its white travertine terraces.
We’ll have a lunch break.
Hierapolis, where we will see the Gate of Domitian, the Arcadian Street, the ancient 2^nd-century Roman Theatre, the Nymphaion, the Temple of Apollo, the Plutonium, and the Necropolis. We will pass through the Roman Gate, admire the ancient Pamukkale Theatre, and walk around the grave monuments built to honour heroes. Afterwards, we will have a relaxing walk on the Pamukkale travertine terraces and have a chance to swim in the Ancient Cleopatra Pools (at extra cost).
Accommodation in a thermal hotel in Pamukkale. (Breakfast - Dinner)

After breakfast, we will drive to Cappadocia via the ancient Silk Road route. On the way, we’ll take a break in Konya. Have a lunch break and visit 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, also known as Rumi, and the Alaeddin Mosque, built on Alaeddin Hill during the Seljuk period. Along the ancient Silk Road, we will also visit the Sultanhanı Caravanserai in Aksaray.
Dinner and accommodation in Cappadocia.  (Breakfast - Dinner)  

*Optional events in Cappadocia
-Turkish Folklore Night features traditional folklore and belly dancing shows in a cave music hall. (extra cost)
- Cappadocia Balloon Tour

Today, we will start our tour with a visit to the Underground City and the Göreme Open Air Museum, home to a large monastery complex with dozens of monasteries, each with its own church, offering some of the best examples of Byzantine art. The churches carved into the rock feature paintings and frescoes from the tenth to the thirteenth century, whose colours retain freshness. Next, we will visit Paşabağı Valley, located in a vineyard. Some of the mushroom-shaped rock formations here are several meters high. Fairy chimneys, shaped by erosion over many years, were used as homes by various religious groups. Therefore, it is also known as the Monks Valley. Afterwards, we will visit the Devrent Valley, which offers views of a reddish moon, looks like a movie set, and is famous for its rock formations resembling various animal figures.
Accommodation in Cappadocia.  (Breakfast - Dinner)

*Optional events in Cappadocia
-Turkish Folklore Night features traditional folklore and belly dancing in a cave music hall. (extra cost)
- Cappadocia Balloon Tour extra cost.

Early departure from Cappadocia through Mt. Nemrut via Maraş, approximately 7 hr drive. Short visit to the Seljuk Karatay Caravanserai. Built in 1240 by the Seljuk, it is one of the most beautiful caravanserais on the Silk Road.
Lunch break on the way with local dishes.
After a challenging climb, we will reach the house of the gods at the summit of the magnificent Mount Nemrut. We will see the statues of Zeus, Apollo, Heracles, Antiochus, Commagene, the Eagle, and the Lion on the summit of Mt. Nemrut, and the tumulus of King Antiochus I of Commagene is located there. Enjoy the enchanting sunset landscape among the giant statues of the Gods. 
We drive to Adıyaman for an overnight stay.
Accommodation in Adıyaman (Breakfast - Dinner) 

Continue Sanliurfa from Adıyaman (250 Km). First visit to Harran.
Harran is an ancient settlement located south of Sanliurfa, famous for its traditional conical-domed Harran houses and for hosting the first university in the Islamic world. Located on the historic Silk Road, this ancient city played a pivotal role in the history of astronomy and science.
We arrive in Sanliurfa and have lunch at a local restaurant. 
Visit Mevlid-i Halil Mosque, the Prophet Abraham Cave, and the Pools of the Holy Carp surrounding it, Ayn-el Zeliha Lake (the pit where the Prophet Abraham was thrown into the fire), then wander around the oriental covered bazaar.
Overnight stay in Şanlıurfa  (Breakfast - Dinner)

Today, visit Göbeklitepe and the Museums.  
Göbeklitepe is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. This sacred site is the oldest known religious structure, dating back to the Pre-Pottery Neolithic period between 11,000 and 13,000 years ago, predating significant human developments such as Stonehenge and even the Pyramids. Recognised as the world's oldest temple complex, Göbeklitepe is an important discovery that fundamentally changes the course of human history and the nature of religion. It was built 12,000 years ago by hunter-gatherer communities. The giant T-shaped pillars found at Göbeklitepe, the reliefs on them, the figures of predatory animals, the abstract symbols, and the human and animal sculptures remain a mystery regarding the tools used to carve them.
We arrive in Sanliurfa and have a lunch break at a local restaurant. The 
Şanlıurfa Archaeology Museum and Haleplibahçe Mosaic Museum are two of the largest museum complexes in Turkey. Historical artefacts belonging to civilisations that lived in Mesopotamia, as well as artefacts unearthed from important archaeological sites such as Göbeklitepe and Nevali Çori, are also exhibited here. Then wander around the oriental covered bazaar.
Accommodation in Şanlıurfa (Breakfast - Dinner)

After breakfast in Şanlıurfa, drive to Gaziantep. (200 Km)
Gaziantep is the largest and most modern industrial and agricultural city in Turkey's Southeastern region. First stop at the Halfeti dam, on the way.
Halfeti has a rich history dating back to 855 BC. It was once ruled by the Assyrians, Byzantines, Romans, Armenians, and Ottomans. One of its unique features is that it's the only place in the world where black roses grow. We take a boat trip to visit the old city of Halfeti, now submerged beneath the Euphrates River due to the construction of the Birecik Dam. Along the way, you'll see Rumkale, the former centre of the Armenian Bishopric, the half-submerged village of Savaşan, and the sunken minaret, all offering exciting and beautiful views.
Arrive in Gaziantep and have a lunch break at a local restaurant. Gain experience with the renowned Gaziantep gastronomy, including the famous, delicious baklava. Afterwards, visit the fantastic Zeugma Mosaic Museum.
Zeugma Mosaic Museum is the largest Mosaic Museum in the world. The famous 'Gypsy Girl' mosaic is exhibited in this museum. It also showcases hundreds of magnificent floor and wall mosaics discovered in the Roman settlement of Belkıs-Zeugma before the Birecik Dam flooded most of the site.  Fly to Istanbul from Gaziantep Airport. Then transfer to the Istanbul hotel.
Accommodation in Istanbul ( Breakfast ) 

After breakfast, you will be transferred to Istanbul Airport for your onward flight. Hope to see you on another Turkey holiday. (Breakfast)