Turkey 8 Days of History & Gastronomy

Points of Interest : Istanbul

On arrival at Istanbul airport, you are welcomed by your local representative and transferred to your hotel, ideally located in the heart of the historic district. Once checked in, you can start soaking up the atmosphere of the city at your own pace, wandering through nearby streets, cafés and small shops, or simply resting after your journey.

Travel time: about 55 km, 1 hour by road

• Meals included : Breakfast depending on arrival time
• Accommodation : Arden Hotel or similar, Istanbul

Points of Interest : Istanbul

Today you dive into the history of this legendary city, shaped by three great empires. With your guide, you set off on a walking tour of the main monuments of Sultanahmet.

You visit Hagia Sophia, the Basilica of Divine Wisdom, an iconic church whose remarkable frescoes and mosaics have survived for nearly 1,500 years. Opposite, you admire from the outside the elegant architecture of the Blue Mosque before continuing to the ancient Hippodrome, where you see its obelisks and the German Fountain. At Topkapi Palace, you step into the private world of the Ottoman sultans as you wander through pavilions, kiosks and the harem, learning more about court life and imperial power.

At lunchtime, your guide takes you to a typical restaurant where you can try local specialties at your own expense.

• Meals included : Breakfast
• Accommodation : Arden Hotel or similar, Istanbul

Points of Interest : Istanbul

Today is dedicated to the flavors of Istanbul. In this city, people eat at all hours, but it can be hard as a visitor to know what to try and where. Accompanied by your guide, you embark on a gourmet walk and sample a variety of traditional Turkish dishes throughout the day.

You start at the Spice Market, where the aromas of spices, dried fruits and teas fill the air. You taste local cheeses, olives and other regional specialties while learning about their origins. Later, you board a traditional ferry for a cruise along the Bosphorus. From the water you admire the palaces, mosques and handsome wooden mansions that line both the European and Asian shores.

Back on land, you continue your food tour in the Beyoglu district, the historic Christian quarter of old Istanbul where many foreign embassies settled. Known as the “Paris of the 19th century”, it is now the vibrant heart of modern Istanbul, full of cafés, bakeries and eateries where you can sample street food and snacks eaten on the go.

At the end of the day, you return to your hotel by tramway.

• Meals included : Breakfast and multiple tastings during the gastronomic tour
• Accommodation : Arden Hotel or similar, Istanbul

Points of Interest : Istanbul

You enjoy a full free day to explore Istanbul according to your interests. A great option is to head to the Grand Bazaar to discover its lesser-known side. Beyond the main alleys, you can visit workshops and inner courtyards where artisans still work by hand. This immense covered market is like a city within the city, with 4,000 shops and several thousand employees.

Let yourself be carried along the bustling streets, or venture into quieter lanes where everyday life takes place away from the crowds. Along the way you may come across scenes that capture the essence of Istanbul, such as itinerant craftsmen offering their services or vendors carrying trays of tea through the alleys.

• Meals included : Breakfast
• Accommodation : Arden Hotel or similar, Istanbul

Points of Interest : Cappadocia

In the morning, you are transferred to the airport to catch your flight to Cappadocia. On arrival, the airport shuttle takes you to your charming hotel, set in beautifully restored traditional stone houses that blend into the surrounding rock formations.

In the afternoon, you set off on a hike with a private guide. Over about three hours of walking, you discover some of Cappadocia’s most beautiful valleys, with their lunar landscapes, fairy chimneys and Byzantine cave churches hidden in nature. In Çavusin, you come face to face with an impressive troglodyte cliff riddled with former dwellings and chapels carved into the rock.

Travel time: around 1 hour of flight, then 1 hour by car

• Meals included : Breakfast
• Accommodation : Kirkit Hotel or similar, Avanos (Cappadocia)

Points of Interest : Cappadocia

You begin the day with your guide at the Göreme Open-Air Museum, a monastic complex of rock-cut churches and chapels decorated with remarkably preserved frescoes. This visit helps you better understand the daily life of Byzantine monks who once inhabited these valleys.

You then continue to Pasabag Valley, famous for its fairy chimneys topped with multiple caps. It is one of the best places to grasp the extraordinary geological processes that created Cappadocia’s unique formations and to observe former hermit dwellings carved into the rock. The day goes on with a visit to the Zelve Open-Air Museum, a troglodyte village that was inhabited until the 1950s and later abandoned. You also discover Devrent Valley, where the eroded rock formations resemble animals and fantastical shapes.

In option, you can experience a breathtaking hot-air balloon flight at sunrise over Cappadocia’s lunar landscapes before starting the day. It is also possible to attend a whirling dervish ceremony in a 13th-century caravanserai, or to take a one-hour introductory workshop in Ebru, the Ottoman art of marbled paper.

• Meals included : Breakfast
• Accommodation : Kirkit Hotel or similar, Avanos (Cappadocia)

Points of Interest : Cappadocia, Derinkuyu Underground City

This morning you are welcomed into a village home for a traditional cooking lesson with a local family. Using fresh seasonal produce, you help prepare regional dishes and learn the secrets of Cappadocian cuisine. The class is followed by a convivial lunch where you share the meal you have cooked together.

In the afternoon, your vehicle takes you to the underground city of Derinkuyu, which descends eight levels below the surface. The vast network of stone rooms discovered here could accommodate at least 40,000 people, although it was designed to shelter about 10,000 inhabitants for long periods. As you explore the passages and chambers, you see places of worship, storage rooms, stables, wine and oil presses, kitchens, refectories and a large vaulted hall on the second level, all testifying to the community life that once thrived underground.

• Meals included : Breakfast and traditional lunch during the cooking class
• Accommodation : Kirkit Hotel or similar, Avanos (Cappadocia)

Points of Interest : Cappadocia

Depending on your flight schedule, you have some free time to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of Cappadocia one last time. When the time comes, the shuttle transfer takes you from your hotel to the airport for your onward or return flight.

Travel time: about 80 km, 1 hour by road

• Meals included : Breakfast depending on flight time
• Last day : Transfer by shuttle from the hotel to the airport