Classics of Turkey and Cairo (with Troy)

Guaranteed Departures: Friday and Saturday

Minimum 2 people

Day 1 – Istanbul

Arrival and welcome by our representative at Istanbul Airport. Transfer to the hotel.

OPTIONAL: Bosphorus Cruise by Night: Includes dinner, 2 local alcoholic drinks, a folklore show, and a DJ.

Day 2 – Istanbul – Ankara (B, L, D)

Breakfast at the hotel. Meet your guide in the hotel lobby to begin the tour, Istanbul between Asia and Europe. Start the day with a visit to the colorful and aromatic Spice Bazaar, also known as the Egyptian Bazaar. It specializes in typical products such as sweets, nuts, and spices. Then, at the Eminönü port, you will board the boat for a cruise through the Bosphorus, the strait that separates the two continents, Asia and Europe. From the sea, you will enjoy panoramic views of both continental shores. The beautiful Ottoman villas, the palaces of Dolmabahce, Ciragan, and Beylerbeyi, the Rumeli Hisari fortress, the Maiden's Tower, etc. Arrival in Ankara and transfer to the hotel.

Day 3 – Ankara – Cappadocia (B, L, D)

Breakfast at the hotel. Tour of Ankara, the capital of modern Turkey. Visit to the Mausoleum of Atatürk, founder of the Turkish Republic. Completed in 1953, it is an impressive fusion of ancient and modern architectural styles. Visit to the Independence Museum, which houses a wax statue of Atatürk, his writings, letters, and personal belongings, as well as a photographic exhibition and recordings about important moments in his life and the establishment of the new Turkish Republic. Stop for lunch and continue to Cappadocia. We will make a photo stop at Lake Tuz (Salt Lake), a natural formation en route to Cappadocia. Upon arrival in Cappadocia, we will visit a pottery workshop. Arrival at the hotel. Dinner and overnight stay.

Day 4 – Cappadocia (B, L, D)

OPTIONAL: At dawn, you will have the opportunity to participate in an optional hot air balloon excursion.

After breakfast, visit this fantastic region with its fascinating and unique landscape formed by lava ejected from the Erciyes and Hasan volcanoes 3 million years ago. We will stop in Esentepe to photograph the beautiful Göreme Valley. We continue to the valleys of Amor, Devrent, Avcilar, and Guvercinlik, which boast a spectacular landscape of "Fairy Chimneys." Stop for lunch. Afterward, we will visit one of the onyx and turquoise jewelry workshops. Visit a troglodyte town, either Uchisar or Cavusin. Stop in Avanos, famous for its clay work, which has been the town's livelihood. We conclude at one of the traditional carpet workshops to learn about the manufacture of this centuries-old Turkish tradition. Dinner at the hotel. OPTIONAL: Possibility of attending a folk dance show, the famous "Turkish Night" in a typical cave with unlimited regional drinks.

Day 5 – Cappadocia – Pamukkale (B, L, D)

Breakfast. Early departure via Konya. Stop at an ancient 13th-century caravanserai that was part of the ancient Silk Road. After lunch, we continue to Pamukkale, a spectacular and unique place in the world for its dazzling white waterfalls and natural pools. Its name translates from Turkish as "cotton castle." Nearby is Ancient Hierapolis with one of the largest necropolises of antiquity. Dinner and overnight stay.

Day 6 – Pamukkale – Ephesus – Izmir (B, L, D)

OPTIONAL: Opportunity to take a hot air balloon flight over Pamukkale.

Breakfast. Departure for Ephesus, an ancient Greco-Roman city and one of the best preserved today, where we will visit the Temple of Hadrian, Temple of Trajan, the Theater, the fabulous Library of Celsus, etc. Lunch. Continue to the House of the Virgin Mary, where she spent the last years of her life. Opportunity to visit a typical leather factory. Arrival in Izmir. Dinner and overnight stay.

Day 7 – Izmir – Bursa – Istanbul (B, L)

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for Bursa, the first capital of the Ottoman Empire. Visit to the Silk Bazaar or Koza Han, built in 1491 as a center for the city's silk industry. We will also visit the Great Mosque of Bursa, which, with its 20 domes, was the largest mosque in Turkey for over 500 years. Continue to Istanbul. Arrival and transfer to the hotel.

Day 8 – Istanbul (B)

Breakfast at the hotel. Free day for personal activities.

OPTIONAL: Ottoman and Byzantine Tour: Visiting the old city where the most outstanding Ottoman and Byzantine monuments are concentrated. We will begin with a visit to the ancient Roman Hippodrome, where highlights include the Obelisk of Theodosius, the Egyptian Obelisk, the Serpent Column, and the German Fountain. Next, we will visit the famous Blue Mosque, the most important mosque in Istanbul and, until 2016, the only one in the world with six minarets. We will continue with a panoramic tour to take photos of the world-famous Hagia Sophia, a symbol of Istanbul and one of the masterpieces of Byzantine art. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985 (you will have the opportunity to enter it on your own later). We will also visit Topkapi Palace, the famous and gigantic complex from which the Ottoman Empire was ruled for almost 400 years. Finally, your guide will take you to the Grand Bazaar. Free time for shopping.

Day 9 – Istanbul – Cairo (B)

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport for your flight (not included). Arrival at Cairo International Airport. Meet and greet by a Spanish-speaking assistant and transfer to your hotel. Overnight stay.

Day 10 – Cairo – Pyramids – Memphis and Saqqara (B, L)

Breakfast at the hotel. This morning, we will take a panoramic tour of the Three Pyramids of Giza: Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure, the architectural complex considered the most important of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. We will admire the Great Sphinx with a human head, attributed to King Khafre, and a lion's body, and visit the Temple of Khafre. Lunch at a traditional restaurant. In the afternoon, visit Memphis (an open-air museum where we can admire several colossal statues of Ramses II, a great sphinx, and other archaeological remains). We will continue our visits today with a visit to the Saqqara Necropolis (an important center of worship where a large number of animal mummies were produced) and the Step Pyramid, the first large-scale pyramid designed by Imnotep, the first known architect in the world, who designed this pyramid for Pharaoh Djoser and revolutionized the architecture of the time. Transfer to the hotel and overnight stay.

Day 11 – Cairo – City Tour (B, L)

Breakfast at the hotel. This morning, we will take a cultural tour of the city, visiting the Citadel of Saladin, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which includes the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, also known as the "Alabaster Mosque," and the Grand Museum (GEM), the world's largest museum. During the tour, we will see the museum courtyard, featuring the colossal statue of King Ramses II, the Grand Staircase, and the 13 newly opened galleries where we can view the treasures of Tutankhamun. We will continue our tour with a visit to the Coptic Quarter and the Church of St. Sergius, where the Holy Family sought refuge. We will have lunch at a traditional restaurant and free time for shopping in the famous Khan El Khalili market. Transfer to the hotel and overnight stay.

Day 12 – Cairo – Return (B)

Breakfast at the hotel. Check out and transfer to Cairo International Airport.

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