Turkey – Culinary Tours & Wine Tasting

ITINERARY

• DAY 1
  Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge in lights in Istanbul.

  Welcome to Istanbul!

  Arrive at Istanbul Ataturk airport. Meet your private driver and transfer to your hotel.
  
  Dinner in a traditional Ottoman house with great choices of the world-famous Turkish Cuisine accompanied by local wine and deserts as final.

  What's included?

  • Dinner
  • Accommodation
  • Transfer
• DAY 2
  Turkish breakfast at Bosphorus in Istanbul

  Istanbul - Visit the highlights of this fantastic city

  Visit the Highlights of Istanbul: The Hagia Sophia Church, built in the 6th century AD by Justinian and became the largest church in the world for many centuries until its conversion into a mosque by the Ottoman Sultan, where you can admire beautiful mosaics of Byzantine art. The Byzantine Hippodrome, where horses and chariots raced once upon a time and ten thousand people cheered for them. The Blue Mosque, famous for its tiles and interior decorations, is the most important in the city. Topkapi Palace was the residence of the Ottoman Sultans for about 400 years. Lunch will be in the Palace, with a unique view over the Bosphorus and delicious Doner Kebab. The Grand Bazaar is for a leisure afternoon with more than 4,000 shops. Dinner in Kumkapi district, famous for its fresh seafood and tens of restaurants full of local people enjoying their fish with mezes.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
• DAY 3
  Okuzgozu Wines are made with a blend of two grape varieties in East Turkey.

  Istanbul - Doluca Winery & Tasting

  Doluca Winery produces a wide selection of white and red wines such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Moscato, etc. After breakfast, drive to Mürefte (2.5 hours from Istanbul) to visit the Doluca Winery and taste different brands of wines produced at this facility. Return to the hotel late in the afternoon. Dinner along the shores of the Bosphorus Strait, viewing this great place at nighttime.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
  • Transfer
• DAY 4
  Drinking wine in a vineyard in Turkey

  Ankara - Visit the best-known Kavaklidere Winery and Anatolian Civilizations Museum

  After breakfast, a private transfer to the airport to take a short flight to Ankara. On arrival, visit the best-known Kavaklidere Winery, close to the airport. Following a briefing on their products, taste the famous Turkish wine Kalecik Karasi.
  
  In the afternoon, visit the Anatolian Civilizations Museum in the Old Citadel, one of the best Archaeological museums in Turkey.
  
  Lunch in a traditional Ottoman house overlooking the city and taste some local food from the Central Anatolian region. Also, see the Mausoleum of Ataturk, where the founder of the Turkish Republic rests in peace. It houses an extensive display of ancient settlers in Asia Minor starting from the Stone Age and especially dating back to the Neolithic and Bronze Ages, such as Catalhoyuk and the Hittites. Overnight in Ankara.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
  • Transfer
• DAY 5
  Hattusa was the capital of the Hittite Empire in the late Bronze Age.

  Tokat - Discover the Hattusas (Bogazkoy), the former capital of the great Hittite civilization

  Early departure for Tokat. En route, stop at Hattusas (Bogazkoy), the former capital of the great Hittite civilization. Here you’ll visit Alacahoyuk and Yazilikaya to view the daily and religious life of the Hittites and admire these great people of faith and war. After lunch, proceeds to Tokat and overnight and dine in the hotel.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
  • Transfer
• DAY 6
  Cappadocia is a place to partake of the fruit of the vine.

  Cappadocia - Visit the Diren Winery in the area

  Following breakfast in the hotel, visit the Diren Winery and taste their locally produced wines. On the way to Cappadocia, lunch en route. After a scenic drive, arrive at Nevsehir and check in to your hotel. Dinner and overnight.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
  • Transfer
• DAY 7
  Balloons flying in Cappadocia, Turkey

  Cappadocia - Explore this unique region

  After breakfast, you’ll explore and enjoy this unique region. Visit Kaymakli or Derinkuyu underground city carved like a maze by early Christians escaping from Roman persecutions. The Goreme Valley is famous for its rock churches with incredible Byzantine frescoes. During lunch, you’ll have great examples of food in this area, specially prepared with lamb, beef, and potatoes. The Pasabag Valley, reminding a lunar surface with its panorama and typical formations of “fairy chimneys.” Uchisar, a natural citadel in the region, is an excellent opportunity of picturing these unusual formations. Avanos, which has the longest river in Turkey, passes from it and thus making this small town an attraction for its pottery and other handicrafts. At the end of your journey, return to your hotel for dinner and overnight.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
  • Transfer
• DAY 8
  The Pink Lake is the second largest lake in Turkey.

  Izmir - Scenic view of Salt Lake

  After breakfast, visit the Turasan Winery, where they produce and store their wines under the ground to get the perfect temperature for the production phase. They’ve also won several national and international awards for their wines. You’ll be briefed and offered to taste Turasan wines. Then visit the Agzikarahan Caravanserai, a sort of motel of our days, built in the 13th century to accommodate caravans traveling along the Silk Route. En route to Ankara, lunch in the restaurant with Salt Lake view, the second largest lake in Turkey and a significant salt resource for the country. Arrive at Ankara airport to catch a short flight to Izmir. On arrival, a private transfer to your hotel for dinner and overnight.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
  • Transfer
• DAY 9
  Celsus Library in Ephesus, Turkey

  Izmir - Visit antique city of Ephesus Ruins

  Following breakfast, a short drive (45 min.) to Selcuk town to visit the antique city of Ephesus Ruins, the ancient capital of Asia Minor with its magnificent theater, library, agoras, temples, and baths. The Temple of Artemis nearby was one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world, dedicated to the goddess Artemis, known as Diana in Rome. The town was the largest port-city in Asia Minor and today is one of the most attractive archaeological sites in Turkey.
  
  After lunch, visit the House of Virgin Mary, a place of pilgrimage for Christians where there is a small church. It’s believed that Mary spent the last years of her life recognized as a shrine by the Vatican. Then visit the old Greek village of Sirince in a lovely setting in the mountains where you can taste the local production of their cherry, apple, strawberry, and peach wines made by the villagers. A short drive back to Izmir and dinner and overnight.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
  • Transfer
• DAY 10
  The ruins of ancient Pergamon, Turkey

  Istanbul - Visit a great civilization the 4th century B.C, Pergamon

  After breakfast, drive to Pergamon to visit a great civilization dating back to the 4th century B.C. The Acropolis has a great view over the valleys, and the temple of Trajan is the most impressive building on top of a very steep theater. The Aesclepion was an important healing center/hospital dedicated to Aesclepius, the god of medicine. Especially mentally ill people tried to get a cure here while it became the second most famous hospital after the one on the island of Cos.
  
  After lunch, drive back to Izmir airport for a short flight (1 hour) back to Istanbul. Arrive in Istanbul and transfer to your hotel. Dinner and overnight.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
  • Transfer
• DAY 11

  Istanbul - Departure

  As we come our last day, after breakfast, privately transfer to the Istanbul Airport for your home flight.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Transfer