Dream Tour of Turkey for New Year's Eve

Departure from Milan Malpensa and arrival at Izmir airport, followed by transfer to the hotel in the Antalya area. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Culture

50%

History

60%

Adventure

30%

Breakfast and departure for Aspendos, a city founded, according to tradition, by colonists from Argos, located near the Eurymedon River. Here we will visit its grand theater, one of the most beautiful and best-preserved of antiquity. Built around 162 AD, it offers exceptional acoustics. It was restored by the Seljuks in the 13th century and used as a caravanserai. With 41 rows, it could host up to 12,000 spectators. We then continue to Perge, one of the most important cities in Christian history, where Saint Paul of Tarsus began his first journey through Anatolia in 46 AD. We will explore the archaeological site of Perge, where the stadium stands out, the largest in Asia Minor and one of the best-preserved in the ancient world. The Roman baths, among the finest in Anatolia, featured all the typical spaces of such leisure complexes. After lunch, on the way back to Antalya, we’ll stop to admire the Düden Waterfalls, a spectacular group of cascades along the river of the same name, which flow directly into the sea. Upon arrival in Antalya, one of Anatolia’s most important tourist centers, we’ll visit its extraordinary Archaeological Museum, one of the most significant in Turkey. Its 14 halls display artifacts ranging from the Paleolithic era (Karain Cave), through the Bronze Age (3rd millennium BC), and on to the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman periods. We’ll then explore the historic center of Kaleici, one of the most beautiful in the country, with its well-preserved Ottoman character, stone and wooden houses, narrow, steep streets converging toward the old harbor. Of special interest is Hadrian’s Gate, a monumental marble arch dedicated to the emperor who visited the city in 130 AD. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

Culture

50%

History

40%

Adventure

30%

Breakfast at the hotel and departure for Konya, located in the heart of the Anatolian steppe. Arrival and visit to the mausoleum of Mevlana Çelaleddin Rumi (1207-1273), founder of the mystical order of the Whirling Dervishes. Afterwards, departure for the Cappadocia region, where the indescribable harmony of a kaleidoscope of colors transforms reds and browns into grays, greens, and yellows. Arrival at the hotel, dinner and overnight stay. In the evening, there is the optional opportunity to attend a Whirling Dervishes ceremony (sema).

Culture

60%

History

50%

Adventure

40%

You may take part in a breathtaking hot air balloon ride at sunrise (optional, with supplement, subject to availability and reconfirmation. This activity may be canceled even a few hours before departure due to unfavorable weather conditions)

Breakfast and full-day tour of the Cappadocia region, a truly unique area in the world where nature’s wonders meet cultural richness. We begin with a walk through the enchanting Devrent Valley, known as the “Valley of the Fairy Chimneys,” where wind and water erosion on volcanic terrain has created a surreal landscape of peaks, cones, and spires. We then visit the underground city of Ozkonak (or a similar site), built by early Christian communities as a refuge from Arab invasions. A stop will follow at a traditional carpet and kilim workshop. Next, we explore the Göreme Open-Air Museum, home to an extraordinary collection of churches, chapels, and monasteries carved into the rock and decorated with 11th-century frescoes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lunch included. In the afternoon, we visit the spectacular volcanic formations of Avcilar (Valley of the Hunters) and Güvercinlik (Pigeon Valley), and enjoy a panoramic view of Uçhisar Castle, perched on a volcanic rock formation pierced by tunnels and windows. We'll also stop at a local artisan workshop for handcrafted jewelry and decorations before returning to the hotel. Dinner and overnight stay. In the evening, an optional traditional Turkish folk dance show will be available.

Breakfast and transfer to Kayseri airport at the scheduled time for the flight to Istanbul. Arrival and transfer to the selected hotel. Overnight stay.

Culture

40%

History

60%

Relax

20%

Breakfast. In the morning, we will begin with a half-day "Byzantine tour": our first stop will be the Süleymaniye Mosque, considered the most beautiful of Istanbul’s imperial mosques, built between 1550 and 1557 by Sinan, the chief architect of the Ottoman golden age. We will then head to the ancient Walls of Constantinople, currently known as Mevlana Gate, originally built in 413 AD by Emperor Theodosius II. These formidable walls, several stories high and between three and six meters thick, protected the city from Gothic, Bulgarian, Russian, Arab, and Turkish invasions. They were breached only twice, by the Crusaders in 1204 and by Mehmet the Conqueror in 1453. Next, we will visit the Monastery of the Virgin of the Spring. According to historians Procopius and Cedrenus, the church was originally built by Emperor Justinian during the final years of his reign, near a spring once known as the "Fountain of Miracles". The site is located just outside the Theodosian walls, near today’s Silivri Gate. The tour ends in Eminönü, once the main access point to the city and now a bustling district, home to the "Egyptian Market", also known as the Spice Bazaar. Afternoon free to explore the city on your own, or you may join the optional "Bosphorus Cruise" offered by our guide. Overnight stay.

Culture

60%

History

50%

Relax

20%

Breakfast and departure for a half-day tour of the "Golden Horn": we will head to the picturesque and colorful neighborhoods of Fener and Balat, UNESCO-protected and considered among the first settlements of ancient Constantinople. We will then follow the shoreline of the Golden Horn to visit the Iron Church of St. Stephen, a Bulgarian Orthodox church in a Turkish city, linked to the struggle for ecclesiastical independence in the 1830s, 40s. It is the only Orthodox iron church in the world. Next, we’ll visit the Grand Bazaar, one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with over 4,000 shops spread across alleys and historic courtyards. A true maze of colors, scents, and tradition, offering jewelry, spices, ceramics, and much more. End of the tour. Free afternoon to explore the city at your leisure, or join the optional "Classical" tour offered by our guide. Overnight stay.

Breakfast. At the scheduled time, transfer to the airport to take the return flight to Bergamo. End of our services.

PLEASE NOTE: The location and details of the New Year’s Eve dinner will be announced on November 28. Where it says "The visit ends" or "The excursion ends", guests are expected to return independently or may join optional excursions offered on-site. As this is a regular program, the division of buses and assignment of guides may vary daily. The itinerary may change due to weather conditions, technical reasons, site management, monument closures for holidays/events, or local authorities’ requirements.