Turkey

Departure from Montreal airport (P.E. Trudeau) on an international flight to Istanbul.

Note: Arrival at the airport at least 3 hours before departure.

❖ Accommodation: 5* Hotel / Transport: Air-conditioned vehicle.

• Arrival at Istanbul airport. Welcome and transfer to hotel for check-in.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast / Accommodation: 5* Hotel / Transport: Air-conditioned vehicle.

Let’s set out for a day of exploring the city:

• Visit the Blue MosqueThe Blue Mosque is a sumptuous Muslim place of worship, famous for the predominantly blue ceramics that adorn its interior walls.
• Exploration of Basilica of St. SophiaSt. Sophia’s Basilica, the former seat of the Eastern Christian Church in Byzantine times (^4th to ^15th centuries), was converted into a mosque under the Ottoman Empire and now houses a museum.
• Discovering the ruins of the Place de l’Hippodrome, an arena dating from^{the 2nd century} that was used primarily for chariot races and remained in use until the^12th century.
• Tour of Topkapi Palace, a sumptuous palace from the Ottoman era that served as the primary residence of the various sultans who ruled the empire for centuries. Built on the Golden Horn, it overlooks the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmara. The palace is surrounded by 5 kilometers of ramparts and, in its heyday, could accommodate imperial retinues of up to 4,000 people.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast / Accommodation: 5-star hotel / Transportation: Air-conditioned vehicle and boat.

• Tour of Dolmabahçe Palace, built in the^mid-19th century in the European style popular at the time, which served as the imperial residence and administrative center of the empire during the final decades before its fall. Set in an exceptional seaside location, this palace—the largest in Turkey—showcases the immense wealth that once belonged to this vast empire.
• A visit to Istanbul’s must-see spice market, which for centuries upon centuries served as a hub for the spice trade from the East. Even today, there are still many spice merchants there, but the range of products on offer has expanded to include other food items and handicrafts.
• Bosphorus cruise (duration: one and a half hours). Pass under the suspension bridge connecting Europe and Asia and enjoy views of the city’s skyline, with its traditional wooden houses, numerous mosques, and opulent palaces lining the riverbanks.
• Back to Istanbul.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast / Accommodation: 5* Hotel / Transport: Air-conditioned vehicle.

Explore the city’s bustling center: the former Pera district (now Beyoglu), a historic neighborhood and the vibrant heart of Istanbul’s arts and entertainment scene, and the Galata district.

• Istiklal Avenue, a pedestrian street connecting Taksim Square to the Galata Tower, a thoroughfare lined with historic buildings, restaurants, shops, bookstores, and movie theaters. It is also known for its nostalgic red tram and lively nightlife.
• Taksim Square is the main hub of downtown Istanbul, home to numerous hotels and restaurants, where the metro, the vintage tram, and the funicular—known as the Tunnel—meet, leading to the neighborhood below. The square is one of the city’s landmarks and often the site of celebrations and public gatherings.
• The Galata Tower, located at the end of Istiklal Avenue, is a 63-meter-tall cylindrical structure dating back to medieval times, offering a panoramic view of the city. This tower, now open to visitors (scheduled visit), was originally a geographical landmark for the first Genoese colony, and later served as a watchtower to signal fires, beginning with the early Ottoman Empire.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast and dinner / Lodging: 5* Hotel / Transportation: Air-conditioned vehicle.

Departure for Bursa, former capital of the Ottoman Empire with a flamboyant past:

• Tour of the Great Mosque of Bursa, a masterpiece of Seljuk architecture renowned for its magnificent wall calligraphy, twenty domes, and two minarets.
• Take a stroll through the city’s historic district and explore the Silk Market. It is a caravanserai that has been converted into a shopping arcade, where you’ll find a wide selection of silk items. It’s worth noting that caravanserais were once places where merchants could stop with their caravans of goods to rest and eat along the trade routes of the Middle East.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast and dinner / Lodging: 4* hotel / Transportation: Air-conditioned vehicle.

Departure for a day of discovery:

• Visit to Sirince, a picturesque village founded by the Greek community, famous for its charming traditional wooden houses and excellent local wines. Wine tasting.
• Continuation to Kusadasi. Arrival and check-in at hotel.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast and dinner / Lodging: 4* hotel / Transportation: Air-conditioned vehicle.

A day dedicated to visitingEphesus, an important city of Ancient Greece whose ruins are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site:

• Tour of the Grand Théâtre, a venue for entertainment events that, in ancient times, could seat up to 24,000 spectators. Even today, some concerts are held there. Elton John, Sting, and Diana Ross, among others, have performed there.
• Discover the ruins of the Library of Celsus, a notable public library from antiquity.
• Tour of the Temple of Artemis, which, at the time of its construction in the 6th century B.C., was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World due to its impressive size and exceptional beauty. The temple served both cultural and religious purposes, functioning as both a marketplace and a place of worship for the goddess Artemis, goddess of fertility, the earth, the moon, and animals.
• A visit to the House of the Virgin Mary, a place of pilgrimage for both Christians and Muslims. An Assyrian-Jacobite tradition holds that Mary was brought to this place by John the Evangelist after Christ’s crucifixion, as she fled persecution in Jerusalem.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast and dinner / Lodging: 5* Hotel / Transportation: Air-conditioned vehicle.

• Visit Pamukkale, a place unlike any other in the world, featuring cascades of pristine white natural limestone terraces—a magnificent geological area of natural hot springs. Pamukkale is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Explore the ancient city of Hierapolis and its exceptionally well-preserved Roman theater, which in its heyday could seat up to 10,000 spectators.
• Arrival and check-in at hotel.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast / Accommodation: 5-star hotel / Transportation: Air-conditioned vehicle and 4×4 Jeep.

Set off on a real adventure:

• Drive to Saklikent National Park, home to one of the world’s largest canyons. Travel through the park in a 4×4 jeep to admire its magnificent 300-meter-high cliffs and the rushing, cool waters that carve through the canyon’s various hills. A beautiful day in nature with extraordinary views!
• Onward to Fethiye.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast / Accommodation: 5-star hotel / Transportation: Air-conditioned vehicle and boat.

Departure for the port of Ölüdeniz:

• Set sail on a cruise to idyllic spots nestled in the famous turquoise-blue lagoon of the Gulf of Fethiye. Sail through the islands and take in the view of the surrounding mountains plunging into the sea. A true seaside atmosphere!
• Relax and swim at Butterfly Valley Beach and explore St. Nicholas Island. Lunch on the boat with grilled dishes served on board. Continue on to two other swimming spots: the Blue Grotto and the Cold Spring.
• Back to Fethiye.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast and dinner / Lodging: 4* hotel / Transportation: Air-conditioned vehicle.

Let’s set out for a day of exploring Antalya, the tourist capital of Turkey’s Mediterranean coast:

• AM: Drive to Antalya.
• Guided tour of Antalya withphoto stops at the Kaleiçi harbor and in the old town, with its fascinating labyrinth of streets dating back to the Ottoman Empire.
• Free time to explore Antalya’s Old Town.
• Check-in at the hotel in Antalya.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast and dinner / Lodging: 4* hotel / Transportation: Air-conditioned vehicle.

Let’s set out to explore the area:

• Drive to Aspendos, home to a Roman theater built during the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius in the 2nd century. This Roman theater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the best-preserved in the world. It boasts remarkable acoustics and still hosts the Aspendos International Opera and Ballet Festival today. Other points of interest include the ruins of an aqueduct and an acropolis.
• We continue on to Pergé, one of the best-preserved Greco-Roman cities in Turkey. It was built on the banks of the Kestros River, 17 km from the sea, to ward off potential pirate attacks. The site features significant ruins, including a theater, a stadium, public baths, an agora, and more.
• Visit the beautiful Düden Waterfalls(Lower Düden), a refreshing stop located near the city of Antalya. These waterfalls, fed by the river of the same name, plunge 40 meters into the Mediterranean Sea, offering an extraordinary panoramic view.
• Back to Antalya.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast and dinner / Accommodation: 4-star hotel / Transportation: Air-conditioned vehicle and boat.

• A free day to relax in the beautifulMediterranean seaside resortofAntalya.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast and dinner / Lodging: 5* Hotel / Transportation: Air-conditioned vehicle.

Off we go for another day of exploration:

• Drive to the Manavgat Waterfalls, located at the mouth of the river of the same name, which originates in the Taurus Mountains. These waterfalls, nearly 40 meters wide, offer the refreshing sight of a magnificent curtain of surging water cascading into the Mediterranean Sea.
• Onward to the city of Konya.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast and dinner / Lodging: 4* hotel / Transportation: Air-conditioned vehicle.

Departure for another day of discovery:

• Guided city tour of Konya, a city with a rich religious heritage that served as the first Seljuk capital in the 13th century.
• Tour of the Mausoleum and Museum dedicated to the memory of the mystical poet Mevlânâ Celaleddin-i Rumi, the founderof Sufism. The site was originally a lodge for whirling dervishes.
• Free time to explore the city at your own pace. Examples: traditional shops and stalls, or the Alaaddin Mosque and the Sultans’ Tombs, which are a perfect example of Turkish religious architecture, etc.
• A drive through the magical, otherworldly landscape of Cappadocia’s fairy chimneys. Check-in at the hotel.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast and dinner / Lodging: 4* hotel / Transportation: Air-conditioned vehicle.

Exploring the Cappadocia region:

• A tour of an underground city carved directly into the region’s volcanic tuff and stretching for several kilometers, followed by an exploration of the history and survival strategies of its former inhabitants.
• Photo stop in the Avcilar Valley, with a panoramic view of the village of Göreme and its rocky spires, known as “fairy chimneys.”
• ExploreOrtahisar, home to the oldest cave dwellings in Cappadocia.
• A visit toUçhisar, a village whose rock formation towers over the region and houses twenty levels of underground galleries.
• Free time in the Valley of the Pigeon Houses to explore local crafts (specialty: jewelry made from semiprecious stones).

❖ Meals included: Breakfast and dinner / Lodging: 4* hotel / Transportation: Air-conditioned vehicle.

• A visit to the Valley of Lovers, home to the largest fairy chimneys with basalt caps.
• You can take a hot-air balloon or paragliding trip (optional) and enjoy a breathtaking aerial view of the Cappadocian landscape.
• A visit toAvanos, a villagefamous for its pottery and its red river.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast / Accommodation: 5-star hotel / Transportation: Air-conditioned vehicle and internal flights.

• AM: Transfer to Kayseri Airport (Cappadocia) for an internal flight to Istanbul.
• PM: Arrival in Istanbul and check-in at the hotel.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast / Transport: Air-conditioned vehicle and plane.

• Transfer to Istanbul Airport and international flight to Montreal.

• Istanbul: 5-star LIONEL Hotel (or equivalent)
• Bursa: 5-star GOLD MAJESTY Hotel (or equivalent)
• Kusadasi: 4-star PROXIMA Hotel ( or equivalent)
• Pamukkale: 5-star RICHMOND THERMAL Hotel (or equivalent)
• Fethiye: 5-star MIA SUITES Hotel (or equivalent)
• Antalya: 4-star RING DOWNTOWN Hotel (or equivalent)
• Konya: 5-star ANEMON Hotel ( or equivalent)
• Cappadocia: 4-star ZEMI Hotel ( or equivalent)

• International flights (including baggage allowance of 23 kg per person, maximum)
• 1 internal flight from Cappadocia to Istanbul
• Airport shuttles
• Transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle with a professional driver
• All accommodations (4- and 5-star)
• 2 meals a day (except in Istanbul and Fethiye, where only breakfast is included)
• 2 cruises (the Bosporus and the Aegean Sea)
• 1 dinner on a cruise ship
• A day at the beach on the Mediterranean coast
• Jeep 4×4 Tour Through Saklikent National Park
• Tour of archaeological sites: Ephesus, Hierapolis, Perge, and Aspendos
• All activities and site admissions listed in bold on the itinerary and conducted in the company of a local guide
• Certified French-speaking local guide present with the group at all times
• All taxes
• 24/7 Support
• Organization from A to Z

• Some meals
• Beverages
• Tips
• Personal Expenses
• Optional activities

• Please note that the itinerary may change at any time for logistical reasons, but that the list of activities and visits on the program is always respected.
• Please also note that the version of the program appearing on our site prevails over any printed version.