Pamphylia - Phrygia - Cappadocia

Day 1 - Arrival in Antalya

Meeting at the airport, hotel accommodation, free time, dinner.

Overnight in Antalya

Day 2 - Antalya - Pamukkale

After breakfast, check out from the hotel and drive to Pamukkale.

Upon arrival, excursion with a visit to:

The ancient city of Hierapolis

Hierapolis was an important center during the Roman and Byzantine Empires. Became the Center of Christianity from the 4th century AD, due to the murder of one of the disciples of Jesus, St. Philip in 80 AD. You will see the fortress walls of the city, the central streets, a well-preserved theater from the time of the Roman Empire, the gates of Emperor Domitian and the Roman baths, which now houses the archaeological museum. There is also a martyrium and the church of St. Philip (one of the 12 Apostles).

Travertine Pamukkale

It is a miracle of nature, which was formed thanks to the thermal springs, rich in calcium and leaving a precipitate during evaporation, in the form of white cascades. This is a visual feast created by nature itself. The terraces of Pamukkale have served as healing hot springs for thousands of years. The thermal springs in Pamukkale attract a lot of people from all over the world who come to take advantage of the magical effect of the minerals found in the warm waters of Pamukkale.

Ancient Hierapolis and the terraces of Pamukkale are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List both as a historical site and as a unique natural formation.

Swimming in the ancient thermal pool (extra charge).

Part of the film "Odyssey" by Konchalovsky was filmed here.

Accommodation at the hotel, dinner, free time.

Overnight in Pamukkale.

Day 3 - Pamukkale - Konya

After breakfast check out from the hotel and departure to the city of Konya.

Konya was the capital of the state, where it was full of thinkers, scientists, people of culture and art, and the city itself was a repository of works of art. It was the heyday of the Selchuk dynasty and Alyaeddin Keykubat sat on the throne.

Visit to the museum "Mevlana" (dervishes). Mevlana Jalaleddin Rumi is a philosopher, poet, founder of the order of Sufi dervishes.

Here is his mausoleum.

Accommodation at the hotel, dinner, free time.

Overnight in Konya.

Day 4 - Konya - Cappadocia

After breakfast, check-out from the hotel and departure to Cappadocia.

On the way, visit the Caravanserai "Sultan Khan".

The Seljuks adorned the whole of Anatolia with built mosques, madrasas, mausoleums and inns - caravanserais. Monuments of the Seljuk culture of the 11th-13th centuries are works of art.

Arrival in Cappadocia.

This land is the most interesting and unusual place in the world. The first settlers of Cappadocia lived in caves carved into the rocks. With the advent of Christianity here, chapels, churches, monasteries began to appear in the rocks. In the areas of Derinkuyu, Mazy, Kaymakli, Ozkonak, entire cities were built in the rocks and underground, in order to protect against enemy attacks.

Visits:

The underground city of Kaymakli, where during the Roman Empire from the 1st to the 4th century AD. followers of Jesus Christ secretly preached the Christian religion. We will go down deep into the earth and see the ingenious arrangement of the city, which could provide temporary residence during the persecution of more than 5,000 people.

The fortress "Uch hisar" is a one-of-a-kind rock settlement, absolutely original in its appearance, with towers and spiers of white tuff, fully perforated windows and doors of cave dwellings, and grouped around the central peak on which the fortress rises.

Stop at the panoramic platform - "Valley of Pigeons", which is one of the most unusual places. Its history is rooted in the distant past. An acute shortage of fertile soils led to the creation of numerous dovecotes. After all, it was from pigeons that they received the best fertilizer necessary for the successful growth of vineyards. The valley served as a home for birds. In its rocks you can see numerous tunnels and windows in which pigeons nested.

Photo break in the valley - "Three Beauties". These bizarre rock sculptures - three amazing giant mushrooms, seem to have grown out of the ground. Their shape is so interesting and peculiar that it is impossible to pass or pass by without stopping near them. There are many legends about this extraordinary composition created by nature. Someone says that the Greek goddesses Aphrodite, Hera and Athena are forever frozen in these stones. Another legend speaks of the love of a poor man and a rich girl who had a child, but the girl's angry father longed for reprisals against the young man. The girl began to ask for help from higher powers, so that they would help them stay together forever. And then all three turned to stone. "Three Beauties" are considered a symbol of Cappadocia. Their photos can be seen in every corner of Turkey.

Workshop of red and white clay in Avanos - a real city of potters.

Accommodation at the hotel, dinner.

A trip to the evening program "Turkish Night" (for an additional fee).

This festive folk extravaganza will give you a sea of ​​joyful emotions and leave the most colorful impressions in your memory for a lifetime! From the very beginning of this festive performance, you will be in a great mood for the whole evening. A joyful atmosphere of general fun will be created by incendiary performances of professional artists and masters of oriental dance.

Return and overnight at the hotel in Cappadocia.

Day 5 - Cappadocia - "Land of beautiful horses"

You can enjoy Cappadocia - the "Land of Beautiful Horses" - not only from the ground, but also rising high into the sky. The incredible beauty that opens before your eyes will not leave you indifferent.в

Balloons Cappadocia

You can make such a trip in a hot air balloon! The amazing scenery, dozens of hot air balloons rising into the sky in the rays of the rising sun and the amazing picture of the awakening of Cappadocia will undoubtedly leave the most vivid impression. An hour-long flight will allow you to enjoy the fabulous valleys and see places that are inaccessible to walking.

Breakfast, departure for the excursion.

Visits:

Goreme

In the very center of Cappadocia is Göreme and its valley, the most famous and most studied. The national park-museum, which is under the protection of UNESCO, is an ensemble of churches, amazing landscapes and ancient wall paintings that have been preserved over the centuries. St. Paul found Goreme the most suitable place for the education of preachers. Dwellings were knocked out right in the rocks, and when the first Christians appeared here, churches and monasteries began to be built in the rocks. From the 6th to the end of the 9th century, Goreme was one of the largest Christian centers, and there were more than 400 churches in its vicinity.

Devrent Valley

Devrent Valley is known as Imagination Valley and is one of the must see places in Cappadocia. Located on the way to Avanos, about 15 minutes from Goreme.

There are no churches, no fortresses, no Roman burials in the valley, and no one lived there. Of interest are unusual rock formations, many of which resemble animals. The most famous and easily recognizable are the camel, lizard, dolphin and fur seal. You can also see the Virgin Mary, Napoleon's hat and much more, you just need to give free rein to your imagination.

Next, we will admire the beautiful views of the "Valley of Love".

It is located in the heart of Cappadocia, between the cities of Goreme and Uchisar. The length of this valley is about four kilometers. Its name "Valley of Love" was due to the phallic shape of stone formations resembling reproductive organs.

A trip to the evening program (for an additional fee).

The Ceremonial Dervish Dance is a magical atmosphere, traditional Turkish music and costumes, where you completely forget about time and lose your sense of space.

Dervishes are Muslim monks with an extremely interesting life story and rituals. The dance of whirling dervishes is called “Sema” or “Mevleviian joys”. This dance has been practiced for years. The dance of the dervishes is not just a dance, here each movement has a special secret meaning within the framework of Sufism and consists of three rounds that tell about the creation of the world. The first tour will tell the audience about the sun and stars, the second is dedicated to plants, and the third, the key one, will bring us the truth about all living beings that have a soul.

Return to the hotel, dinner, free time.

Overnight in Cappadocia.​

Day 6 - Cappadocia - Antalya

Breakfast, check out from the hotel and departure to Antalya.

Break in the Tepesi Delik Khan caravanserai built in the 13th century. The building has been restored and gives us the opportunity to feel the atmosphere of that period, as well as relax after moving with a cup of Turkish coffee.

On the way to visit:

Lake "Obruk Khan" with karst formations. With a diameter of 228 meters and a depth of 171 meters, the pothole is 145 meters filled with water. The area has a height of 1020 meters above sea level. The lake is located in limestone blocks, on the Obruk plateau, where there are many potholes.

Catalgoyuk is the largest and best preserved Neolithic settlement. The earliest found cultural layers date back to 7400 BC. e. The settlement existed until 5600 BC. e. The inhabitants left the settlement before the Bronze Age.

Arrival at the hotel, check-in, dinner, free time.

Overnight in Antalya.

Day 7 - Antalya

Breakfast, departure for the excursion "PERGE ASPENDOS SIDE".

Visits:

Perge is a beautifully preserved ancient city where, according to legend, the Apostle Paul founded one of the first Christian communities in Anatolia. The city has well-preserved Amphitheater, Stadium, Agora and Roman baths.

Aspendos - the main attraction of which is a well-preserved theater with a capacity of 20,000 spectators, dating from the 2nd century AD. e. Functioning today with excellent acoustics.

Side is an ancient Turkish city located on a picturesque green peninsula. On the shore of Side are the remains of the ancient Temple of Apollo. In the city of Side there is an ancient theater of the 2nd century AD. It can accommodate up to 15 thousand spectators. Nearby is the Side Antiquities Museum. It was built in the well-preserved cellars of the Roman baths built in the 5th century. Not far from the museum is another architectural and historical monument of the ancient period - the ruins of the Agora market. It was here that all the trade of the region took place in those days. All these monuments give us an idea of ​​the magnitude of the ancient culture in the Pamphylia region.

Lunch (included).

Waterfall "Manavgat".

Manavgat Waterfall is one of the most beautiful and unusual waterfalls in Turkey. Manavgat is not a natural waterfall, but the threshold of the river of the same name, which appeared when a reservoir was built here. Its feature is only 2 meters high and as much as 40 meters wide. The Manavgat waterfall is located in the city of the same name.

Boat trip on the Manavgat River (1.5 hours). The Manavgat River, formerly known as Melas, originates in the Taurus Mountains and flows from Antalya to the Mediterranean Sea. The Manavgat River is about 93 kilometers long. And even in the midst of the heat, the water remains cold and refreshing.

On the shore of Side are the remains of the ancient Temple of Apollo. In the city of Side there is an ancient theater of the 2nd century AD. It can accommodate up to 15 thousand spectators. Nearby is the Side Antiquities Museum. It was built in the well-preserved cellars of the Roman baths built in the 5th century. Not far from the museum is another architectural and historical monument of the ancient period - the ruins of the Agora market. It was here that all the trade of the region took place in those days.

Return to the hotel, dinner, free time.

Overnight in Antalya.

Day 8 - Final

This is our last morning in Antalya...

After breakfast, we will start packing, preparing for departure and making wishes... After all, good dreams made in magical places tend to come true... And Antalya is without a doubt one of such places...

By the appointed hour, a comfortable transfer will pick you up from the hotel and bring you to the airport.

As they say in Turkey "Gerushmek Yuzere"!

Or until we meet again!

Important information

What is included in the price?

• Transfer by comfortable transport from the airport / hotel / airport only for our group

• Transport cards and all transport along the route on a comfortable air-conditioned bus - only for our group.

• All excursions and entrance tickets according to the program.

• Assistance in the selection of air tickets

• Professional guide in Russian

• Accommodation in boutique hotels and 4 * / 5 * hotels, with breakfast and dinner.

***Price per person in a double room. For single occupancy, there will be a difference of EUR 150 per stay.

The price does not include:

• Flights from your city to Antalya and back

• Meals outside the program

• All drinks

• Medical insurance - highly recommended

• Additional Excursions

• Personal expenses

*** Tips for guides and drivers (5 people and less 10 €/person/day; 6-9 people 8 €/person/day; 10 people and more 5 €/person/day)

Additional services

Tours on request:

• Hot air balloon flight - 190 - 250 euros (per person)

• Jeep safari - 55 euros (per person)

• Dervish dance - Sema - 25 euros (per person)

• Turkish night and belly dance - 45 euros (per person)

• Quad bike safari - 50 euros (per person)

• Horse riding - 40 euros (per person)

*** When the price changes, the announcement during the trip takes precedence.