Come with us to tour the heartland of Anatolia, meet Turkey's real people, see how they live, share meals with them, and go beyond what the average tour promises. We'll meet artisans and learn their crafts, hike through striking landscapes, and explore the deep history, art, culture and society of biblical Cappadocia, the treasures of Istanbul , Ephesus and more. Daily Departures. Year Round.

DAY 1 - WELCOME TO ISTANBUL! Choose your own date . Daily arrival - Private Touring all the way
We meet your flight at Istanbul's Atatürk International Airport and escort you to your hotel located in the heart of the city's historic district.

DAY 2 - Aaaah ISTANBUL! Thursday (BLD)
We meet your after breakfast we visit the spectacular Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, followed by lunch and a walking tour of the Grand Bazaar . Evening folk show and dinner.

DAY 3 - ISTANBUL'S TOP SIGHTS Friday (BLD)
Today we explore Istanbul's top sights, including the imperial palace of Topkapi, with its sumptuous 500-room Harem, ruled by the second most powerful person in the vast Ottoman Empire: the Valide Sultan (Queen Mother). A short walk takes us to the Byzantine Hippodrome and, beneath it, the eerie Sunken Palace cistern. Finally, we dive into the Grand Bazaar, the world's oldest "shopping mall," to look for treasures in its 4000 shops. Complimentary entrance tickets to the Harem's Quarter in Topkape Palace in Istanbul, when you book your tour/cruise with us

DAY 4- ISTANBUL: BOSPHORUS CRUISE Saturday (BLD)
In the morning we board a traditional Istanbul ferryboat for a cruise-tour up the Bosphorus, the broad waterway which joins the Black and Marmara seas while dividing Europe from Asia. We cruise north past a half-dozen Ottoman imperial palaces, traditional yalis (waterside villas) and shore villages. Later, as we drive south, we stop to visit the castle of Rumeli Hisar and the sumptuous imperial palace of Dolmabahçe. Returning to the mouth of the Golden Horn, we delve into the colorful sights, vibrant sounds and intriguing scents of the Egyptian Market (Spice Bazaar) , on to Süleymaniye Mosque before returning to our hotel.

DAY 5- ISTANBUL: Sunday (B)
The city is yours. Just relax, or re visit the bazaar, or join one of our optional tours.

DAY 6- ISTANBUL to CAPPADOCIA Monday (BD)
A morning flight takes us across Anatolia ("Great Mother" in Turkish) to Kayseri, from which we drive into the eerie volcanic landscape of biblical Cappadocia. We settle in at the Ottoman House Hotel and enjoy a typical Turkish dinner.

DAY 7- EXPLORING CAPPADOCIA Tuesday (BLD)
Today we explore the foremost sights in this historic, visually striking region. Our first stop is the Göreme Open Air Museum, with its dozens of ancient cave-churches carved from the soft volcanic stone. Many still contain their beautiful colored fresco decoration. Next we explore the monastic valley of Zelve, where whole monasteries were carved into the rock. In the Pasabag and Dervent valleys we view the "fairy chimneys," pinnacles of volcanic rock formed by wind and water erosion over millennia. We stroll through the typical Cappadocian towns of Ürgüp and Ortahisar to experience daily life in this rich farming region, and perhaps to do some shopping. Just before lunch we enjoy a panorama of the Red and Rose Valleys. In the afternoon we make the short drive to Avanos, a traditional pottery-making town, to visit its innovative "cave cultural center" . The staff and students welcome us to enjoy Turkish tea and sweet cakes. We return to Ottoman House for dinner and a good night's rest.

DAY 8- CANYONS & LABYRINTHS Wednesday (BLD) We drive across the rolling steppe of Central Anatolia to the dramatic canyon of Ihlara, filled with historic churches. A leisurely walk takes us through this dramatic scenery and past a dozen churches to the villages of Belisirma and Selime. Following our canyon walk, we drive to the town of Derinkuyu and descend into an underground labyrinth carved thousands of years ago. Hundreds of cave-rooms and passageways descend eight levels into the earth. Store-rooms, kitchens, larders, and churches show that this "underground city" was capable of housing thousands of people when danger threatened. On our way back to Ottoman House, we stop at the striking Agzikarahan Caravansaray, built by the Seljuk Turks in the 11th century as a way-station for the rich camel caravans plying the Silk Route between Europe and Asia. In the evening we visit an underground restaurant for a traditional Turkish folklore show, with dances and costumes from several regions rich in folklore, including Gaziantep, the Mediterranean, and the Black Sea. The mysterious and alluring art of belly-dancing, round out this enjoyable evening of traditional Turkish dance.

DAY 9 - MONASTERIES & MARKETS Thursday (BD)
Today we visit some of the most interesting sights in Cappadocia: the striking scenery and cave churches of the Pancarlik Valley, the Keklik Monastery complex in Soganli Valley, and the Ottoman village of Mustafapasa, filled with graceful old Greek and Turkish houses. Then we visit the colorful and bustling markets. Afternoon at leisure. In the evening The Ottoman House's chef briefs us on some of the dishes served to the sultans and sultanas, including a variety of traditional meze (Turkish hors d'oeuvres) made with eggplant, garlic, spiced yoghurts, salad greens, and goat cheese; oven baked lamb or skewered meats; and plump figs, apricots and nuts. Enjoy your dinner at the hotel

DAY 10 - Kayseri/ IZMIR. Friday (BLD) We fly to Izmir via Istanbul, we ascend Kadifekale, Izmir's hill crowned by a fortress built by Alexander the Great, drive to Kusadasi .Lunch at the hotel , Afternoon at leisure. Dinner at a local restaurant.

DAY 11 - EPHESUS & KUSADASI. Saturday .(BLD)
In the morning light. Then it's off to biblical Ephesus to see the Basilica of St. John the Evangelist, who came here with the Virgin Mary. Passing the ruins of the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, we reach Ephesus, the most impressive ancient city on the Mediterranean. Lunch at a local restaurant. After our tour, we continue to the fine Ephesus Museum and the hilltop House of the Virgin Mary, said to be her last home on earth. We spend the night again in the Aegean resort of Kusadasi .Dinner at the hotel .

DAY 12 - APHRODISIAS & PAMUKKALE - Sunday (BLD) Driving east along fertile river valleys crowded with fields and fruit orchards, we reach Aphrodisias, the City of Aphrodite, goddess of love. After our visit, we continue to Pamukkale, the "Cotton Fortress," where cascades of gleaming white calcium cover a hillside. The warm mineral-laden waters attracted the Romans, who built the spa-city of Hierapolis here. We tour its ruins, and enjoy the swimming pool at our hotel here in the evening.

DAY 13 - PRINE,MILETUS & DIDYMA / Istanbul -Monday (BLD)
A short drive brings us to the well-preserved ruins of Priene, a very ancient city perched above the aptly-named Meander River. We next tour Miletus, where the philosopher Thales was born. Finally, we tour the gigantic oracular temple at Didyma, which challenged the primacy of Delphi, before returning to Istanbul by plane. We fly back to Istanbul, and your hotel . Dinner is included at the hotel

DAY 14 - RETURN HOME Tuesday (B)
We escort you to the airport for your onward or homeward flight. Bon Voyage

RATES (per person) in USD