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: 4* hotel / Transport: air-conditioned vehicle.

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

❖ Meals included: Breakfast / Accommodation: 4* Hotel / Transport: Air-conditioned vehicle.

Discovering the metropolis :

• 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.
• See the remains of the Place de l’Hippodromean arena dating from the^2nd century, used in particular for chariot races and in use until the ^12th century.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast / Accommodation: 4* Hotel / Transport: Air-conditioned vehicle.

• Visit the Topkapi PalaceTopkapi Palace, a sumptuous Ottoman-era palace that for centuries served as the principal residence of the various sultans who ruled the empire. Erected on the Golden Cord, it overlooks the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmara. The palace is surrounded by 5 kilometers of ramparts and, in its heyday, could house imperial suites of up to 4,000 people.
• Visit the Dolmabahçe Palacebuilt in the ^mid-19th century in the European style in vogue at the time, which served as the imperial residence and administrative center of the empire during the last decades before its fall. Erected in an exceptional seaside setting, Turkey’s largest palace showcases the vast wealth that once belonged to this vast empire.
• Cruise on the Bosphorus (duration: one and a half hours). Pass under the suspension bridge linking Europe and Asia, and see the city skyline with its typical wooden houses, numerous mosques and opulent palaces lining its banks.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast / Accommodation: 4* Hotel / Transport: Air-conditioned vehicle.

Discover Pera(now Beyoglu), a lively historic district and the vibrant heart of Istanbul’s arts and entertainment scene, and a New Year’s Eve party:

• L’Ahe IstiklalIstiklal, the pedestrian street linking Taksim Square to Galata Tower, is an artery brimming with historic buildings, restaurants, boutiques, bookshops and cinemas. It’s also renowned for its nostalgic red tramway and lively nightlife.
• The Taksim Square is the major crossroads of the city center, with its many hotels and restaurants, where the metro, the nostalgic tramway and the funicular, known as the tunnel , lead to the district below. It’s one of the city’s symbols, and often the scene of public celebrations and events.
• The Galata Tower (Galata district), at the end of Istiklal Avenue, is a 63-metre cylindrical structure dating from medieval times, offering a panoramic view of the city. The tower, now open to visitors (scheduled tour), was originally a geographical landmark for the 1st Genoese colony, then a watchtower to signal fires, from the beginning of the Ottoman Empire.
• New Year’s Eve dinner at SULTANA’S, a Thousand and One Nights-themed dinner and show featuring a traditional 4-course Turkish meal and live music with professional dancers performing belly dancing and other folk dances.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast and dinner / Accommodation: 5* hotel / Transport: Air-conditioned vehicle and plane.

• AM : Free time to enjoy the capital.
• PM: Transfer to Istanbul airport for flight to Pamukkale. Arrival, transfer to hotel and free time until dinner.

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

• AM: Free access to Pamukkale hot springsPamukkale is a unique place in the world, with waterfalls forming immaculately white basins of natural limestone. Pamukkale is an exceptional geological area and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Journey to Hierapolis to discover the ancient city and its magnificently preserved Roman theater, which in its heyday could seat up to 10,000 spectators.

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

Departure for Konya, cradle of Sufism:

• Visit tour of KonyaKonya, a city with a strong religious culture, was the first Seljuk capital in the 13th century.
• Visit the Mausoleum and the Museum in memory of the mystic poet Mevlânâ Celaleddin-i Rumifounder of Sufism. The site was originally a whirling dervish lodge.

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

Day of discovery of the country :

• Journey to Cappadociaa region famous for its lunar landscapes and rock formations known as “fairy chimneys”.

• Arrive in the Cappadocia region and visit an underground underground city and discover ancient survival techniques.

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

• Photo stop in the Avcilar valleywith panoramic views of the village of Göreme.
• Discover the village of Ortahisar one of the oldest troglodytic dwellings in Cappadocia.
• Visit to the village of UçhisarUçhisar, a village famous for its rock, visible for miles around, which towers over the entire Cappadocia region (1,300 m). The village is home to 20 storeys of underground galleries, once a refuge for early Christians persecuted by the Romans, then for Byzantines threatened by the Turks. Some troglodytic dwellings are still occupied.
• Stop in the vallée des Pigeonniersfamous for its dovecotes carved out of the rock. Take a short break to discover local crafts: semi-precious stone jewelry.

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

• Visit the Valley of the Lovers where you’ll find the world’s largest basalt-capped fairy chimneys.
• Take a hot-air balloon or paraglider flight (optional) to discover the Cappadocian landscape in a different way, by taking part in an exceptional activity seen from the sky.
• Visit to the village of Avanosfamous for its pottery and red river.

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

Departure for the Lake Abant National Park region:

• Lake Abant Located at 1350 meters above sea level, this lake is surrounded by dense forests and mountains. It lies at the heart of a huge national park, 40 km from the town of Bolu and halfway between the capital and the metropolis. Its location and the beauty of its natural setting make it an accessible and popular place to relax, enjoy pleasant hikes and take magnificent photos of the Anatolian landscape. Arrive at the Lake Abant hotel and the rest of the day is free to relax and enjoy.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast / Accommodation: 4* Hotel / Transport: Air-conditioned vehicle.

• Drive to Istanbul. Arrival at the hotel and check-in.
• Rest of the day free to enjoy the city at your own pace.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast / Accommodation: 4* Hotel / Transport: Air-conditioned vehicle.

• Last day free to enjoy the city at your own pace.

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

• Transfer to Istanbul airport and departure for Montreal.

• Istanbul: Hotel OCCIDENTAL TAKSIM 4* (or equivalent)
• Pamukkale: Hotel PAMUKKALE RICHMOND THERMAL 5* (or equivalent)
• Konya: Hotel KONYA BERA 4* (or equivalent)
• Cappadocia: Hotel ALERIA 5* (or equivalent)
• Lake Abant : BÛYÛK ABANT HOTEL 5* (or equivalent)

• Round-trip international flights Istanbul-Montreal
• 1 internal flight Istanbul-Pamukkale
• Airport shuttles
• Transportation in air-conditioned vehicle with professional driver
• All accommodations (4 and 5 stars)
• 2 meals a day (except in Istanbul, where breakfast is included)
• All activities and admissions to sites shown in red on the program and accompanied by a local guide
• Certified French-speaking local guide present with the group at all times
• Cruise on the Bosphorus
• New Year’s Eve Dinner and Show
• 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.