Cappadocia – Hattusas – Ankara 4 Days

Day 1 – Istanbul – Cappadocia
Take the morning flight from Istanbul to Cappadocia. Arrival and meeting just outside the arrival's gate with a sign bearing your name.
Start the day with Pigeon Valley. Then tour to Özkonak or Kaymaklı Underground City, one of the most interesting underground settlements in Cappadocia. Visit to Mustafapaşa (Sinasos), an old Greek town with its spectacular old houses; very fine examples of late Greek settlements and architecture. After lunch visit Ürgüp fairy chimneys. Then continue to Ortahisar see the castle then have a Turkish Coffee break. Finish the day with panorama of the Red Valley, with its fabulous volcanic rock formations, is in the heart of Cappadocia but away from the tourist crowd. Overnight Cappadocia.

Day 2 – Cappadocia (B)
*Optional Hot air ballooning: Pick up from hotel around 04:00-05:00 (according to the season) and drive to balloon take off place. Take the balloon flight and after the flight you will have your certificate and return to hotel around 07:00-08:00 (according to the season). Refresh and relax a little and ready for your day tour.
Meeting at the hotel reception at 10:00am
After breakfast, first meeting with the lunar landscape of Cappadocia: rock formations beyond belief in Devrent valley; walking in Pasabag near Zelve ; "fairy chimneys" where the voice of wind mixes with the "songs of fairies". Lunch in Avanos, centre of terra cotta work of art since 3000 BC. and a demonstration in a traditional pottery workshop. Afternoon, visit the famous Goreme Open Air Museum and see the best examples of Byzantine art in Cappadocia in rock-cut churches with frescoes and paintings (10th to 13th century). Continue to Uchisar to have a panoramic view of the valleys of Cappadocia.
Transfer to airport to take the evening flight to Istanbul and leave Cappadocia.

Day 3 – Cappadocia – Hattusas – Ankara (B)
Meeting at the hotel reception at 08:30am
Drive to Hattusas (3 hours), capital of the Hittite empire in the 2nd millennium BC. The ancient city is on the outskirts of present-day Bogazkale, just over 125 miles east of Ankara. The Hittites were the first true empire in the Anatolian area, and is mentioned in texts from other empires outside the area and in The Bible. Lunch and visit the temples and the castles. Drive to Ankara (2,5 hours) for overnight.

Day 4 – Ankara – Istanbul (B)
Meeting at the hotel reception at 09:30am
Start the tour with Ankara Castle. Then visit to Museum of Anatolian Civilizations of Ankara, received European Museum of the year award in 1997 With its unique collection including Paleolithic, Neolithic, Hattie, Hittite, Phrygian, Urartian and Roman works and Lydian treasures. After lunch continue to the Ataturk’s Mosaleum.
Transfer to the airport and take the evening flight to Istanbul.

Abbreviations

B = Breakfast L= Lunch D = Dinner (Lunch excluded on private tours)

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