Daily Tour Information
Bosphorus Cruise + Dolmabahçe Palace & Two Continents
Eyüp Sultan Mosque & Tomb + Pierre Loti Coffee House + Miniatürk
Cancellation Policy - Daily Tour:
Cancellations of daily tours should be received in writing by the ICLP 2013 Registration Secretariat (DEKON) by fax at +90 212 347 63 63, or via e-mail to registration@iclp2013.org. An administrative fee of €10 will be applied for any cancellations before or on August 14, 2013.
Absolutely no refund will be processed for cancellations on or after August 15, 2013.
Please note that tour refunds will be processed within 30 days after the end of ICLP 2013, bank charges will be deducted from the refund.
Pre-Post Tour Information
Cappadocia with Balloon Tour (Standard)
Cancellation Policy - Pre-Post Tour:
Cancellations of pre-post tours should be received in writing by the ICLP 2013 Registration Secretariat (DEKON) by fax at +90 212 347 63 63, or via e-mail to registration@iclp2013.org. An administrative fee of € 50 will be applied for any cancellations before or on July 30, 2013.
Cancellations received between or on July 31 - August 14, 2013: Eligible for 50% refund.
Absolutely no refund will be processed for cancellations on or after August 15, 2013.
Please note that tour refunds will be processed within 30 days after the end of ICLP 2013, bank charges will be deducted from the refund.
Tour of "Sultan Ahmet Center", the heart of the "Old City" from where the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires were ruled.
Hagia Sophia, one of the greatest marvels of architecture, constructed as a basilica in the 6th century by Emperor Justinian.
Blue Mosque, facing Hagia Sophia, famous with its blue İznik tiles and unique with 6 minarets, built in the name of Sultan Ahmet.
Hippodrome, center of sportive events (chariot races, athletics) and political activities of theold city. Serpentine Column, Obelisk of Theodosius and German Fountain of Wilhelm II are the monuments decorating the Hippodrome.
Grand Covered Bazaar, most attractive shopping center and the biggest "souk" in the world with nearly 4000 shops selling antiques, jewellery, gold, carpets, leatherware and souvenir.
(Art demonstration of handmade Turkish carpets)
Lunch at a Turkish Restaurant.
Topkapı Palace, residence of Ottoman Sultans exhibiting imperial treasury, sacred Islamic relics of Prophet Mohammed, kitchen, Chinese porcelain, weapons, calligraphy section etc. Live guide commentary is not allowed in special sections. (Harem is not included in the program)
Rüstem Paşa Mosque, designed by the court architect Sinan for the Grand Vizier of Süleyman The Magnificent. A typical sample of Islamic architecture amidst the rows of shops near the Spice Bazaar, famed with its exquisite and colorful tiles set in floral and geometric designs.
also visioned during the tour
GALATA BRIDGE • GOLDEN HORN • LEANDER'S TOWER
Cost: € 80.- (V.A.T. included) / pax
Note: The tour can be operated with minimum of 10 people.
Above rate include roundtrip transfers from/to the hotel with deluxe vehicle, English speaking professional guide, entrance fees, lunch and VAT; exclude drinks.
Golden Horn (from the bus), the arm of the Bosphorus and a natural harbour of the historical peninsula separating the old and the new parts of İstanbul where the first colonies settled during the Byzantines. The residential area for Byzantine Jews, Italian traders and other non-muslim minorities. Drive along the traces of history at Balat viewing Fener Orthodox Patriarchate, Metal Church of St. Stephen the Bulgarian, Ahrida Synagogue, Eyüp Sultan Mosque, named after the flagbearer of Prophet Mohammed, a place to worship and pilgrimage for the faithful and religious visitors, 22 kms. long Byzantine City Walls, the strongest fortification of the middle age.
Spice Bazaar (Egyptian Bazaar), mystical smells of different aromas of various spices. Shops selling fruits, vegetables, fish, flowers etc.
Bosphorus Cruise, through the waterway separating the two continents, Europe and Asia, with a possibility to take photographs of marble palaces, ancient wooden villas of Ottoman architecture besides modern residentials and luxurious apartments.
Rumeli Fortress (from the boat - no interior visit), historical armament built by the Conqueror to control and protect the Bosphorus. A unique example of military architecture.
In the afternoon Spice Bazaar maybe substitued with Zindan Han, built during the Byzantine Empire and was used as the first Women Prison in the world by the Ottomans. Restored back to the original style, today it is the Jewellery Center by Storks exhibiting the unique collections of famed products.
HALF DAY MORNING TOURS TERMINATE
AT SULTANAHMET CENTER IN FRONT OF HAGIA SOPHIA
IMPORTANT NOTICE
Bosphorus Tours are practiced with regular boat if minimum number of attendants is not provided for the private boat
Cost: € 50.- (V.A.T. included) / pax
Note: The tour can be operated with minimum of 10 people.
Above rate include roundtrip transfers from/to the hotel with deluxe vehicle, English speaking professional guide, Bosphorus cruise fee and VAT.
Dinner at a first class restaurant with limited local drinks included, watching spectacular floorshow of famous belly dancers and typical Anatolian Folk Dances. Turkish singer and groups featuring popular musical instruments.
Cost: € 85.- (V.A.T. included) / pax
Note: The tour can be operated with minimum of 10 people.
Above rate include roundtrip transfers from/to the hotel with deluxe vehicle, English speaking professional guide, Bosphorus cruise fee and VAT.
Dinner with a rich variety of specialities from the Turkish and international cuisine including unlimited local drinks on board of a Bosphorus yacht.
Belly dancers Folklore show
Cruise through the Bosphorus waterway almost touching the two continents Europe and Asia, viewing the architectural masterpieces from different times of history; marble palaces, ancient wooden villas of Ottoman style besides modern residentials.
Cost: € 75.- (V.A.T. included) / pax
Note: The tour can be operated with minimum of 10 people.
Above rate include roundtrip transfers from/to the hotel with deluxe vehicle, Dinner with unlimited local drinks and VAT.
Golden Horn (from the bus), the arm of the Bosphorus and a natural harbour of the historical peninsula separating the old and the new parts of İstanbul where the first colonies settled during the Byzantines. The residential area for Byzantine Jews, Italian traders and other non-muslim minorities. Drive along the traces of history at Balat viewing Fener Orthodox Patriarchate, Metal Church of St. Stephen the Bulgarian, Ahrida Synagogue, Eyüp Sultan Mosque, named after the flagbearer of Prophet Mohammed, a place to worship and pilgrimage for the faithful and religious visitors, 22 kms. long City Walls, the strongest fortification of the middle age.
Spice Bazaar (Egyptian Bazaar), mystical smells of different aromas of various spices. Shops selling fruits, vegetables, fish, flowers etc.
Bosphorus Cruise, through the waterway separating the two continents, Europe and Asia, with a possibility to take photographs of marble palaces, ancient wooden villas of Ottoman architecture besides modern residentials and luxurious apartments.
Rumeli Fortress (from the boat - no interior visit), historical armament built by the Conqueror to control and protect the Bosphorus. A unique example of military architecture.
Lunch at a Turkish Restaurant.
Dolmabahçe Palace, recent residence for Ottoman Sultans built by two Ottoman architects; Karabet and Nikogos Balyan on a 110.000 m2 area ans served as the main administrative center of Ottoman Empire. Famous with great collection of European antiquity, furniture and 4.5 tons chandelier, the palace has 285 rooms and 46 halls.
Study and restingroom of ATATÜRK, founder of the Turkish Republic is also here.
Bosphorus Bridge, unique chance to step from one continent (Europe) to another (Asia) in 2 minutes.
Çamlıca Hill or Yeditepe, exposing a panoramic view of İstanbul and Bosphorus from the best point of view.
also visioned during the tour
IMPERIAL GARDENS OF ROYAL YILDIZ PALACE • ÇIRAĞAN PALACE HOTEL KEMPINSKI İSTANBUL
BOSPHORUS BRIDGE connecting EUROPE & ASIA continents • BEYLERBEYİ PALACE from the boat
IMPORTANT NOTICE
Bosphorus Tours are practiced with regular boat if minimum number of attendants is not provided for the private boat
Cost: € 85.- (V.A.T. included) / pax
Note:The tour can be operated with minimum of 10 people.
Above rate include roundtrip transfers from/to the hotel with deluxe vehicle, English speaking professional guide, entrance fees, Bosphorus cruise fee, lunch and VAT; exclude drinks.
Back into the history...
Natural naval harbour of the Byzantines named as Golden Horn because of its hornlike shape and golden reflection of the glittering waves under sunshine when viewed from the hill tops.
Visit the Patriarchate at Fener which is the seat of Orthodox Christianity since Constantine The Great's declaration of Christianity as the religion of Roman Empire.
Church of Panagia of Blachernae, the best known and most celebrated shrine of the Holy Virgin famed with the "Hagiasma” (holy water) and the "Hagion Lousma” (sacred bath).
St. Savior in Chora (Kariye Museum) originally a Byzantine monastery with fantastic mosaics and frescoes portraying scenes from a bible, the life and miracles of Jesus.
Anemas Dungeons were part of the Blachernae Palace, unique in the world with its historical and architectural structure. It consists of 14 separate dungeons, each having 2 basements below sea-level with cells for the prisoners and two towers. It was used as a prison for high ranked statesmen.
Tekfur Palace(from outside) built in the 12th century adjacent to the city walls. The only surviving pavillion of the Blachernae Palace.
Byzantine City Walls surrounded the acropolis of Byzantium with 22 kms. long fortification with 96 towers and 9 main gates dating back to the 5th century.
HALF DAY MORNING TOURS TERMINATE
AT SULTANAHMET CENTER IN FRONT OF HAGIA SOPHIA
Cost: € 40.- (V.A.T. included) / pax
Note:The tour can be operated with minimum of 10 people.
Above rate include roundtrip transfers from/to the hotel with deluxe vehicle, English speaking professional guide, entrance fees and VAT.
"To embrace sharp harmony and historic curiosities in the most sacred site of İstanbul”
Eyüp Sultan Mosque and his Tomb are the most sacred sites in İstanbul after Mecca and Jerusalem where thousands of faithful pilgrims visit everday.
Eyüp-El-Ensari was the flagbearer of Prophet Mohammed and died here during the Arabic siege of the city in the 7th century. The old trees, pigeons, praying believers and the visiting crowd create a mystical and colorful atmosphere around the mosque.
Pierre Loti Coffee House among the green, is located on a hill with beautiful trees where you can enjoy the wonderful panorama of the Golden Horn.
Bird's eye view of the Golden Horn with the teleferique (cable car) while climbing to the café, 550 beeline meters in 115 seconds. The coffee house takes its name from Pierre Loti, the French author and poet who was very fond of İstanbul and wrote as he sat in this coffee house while enjoying the view.
Miniatürk, "a story land", the most influencing open field miniature park exhibiting scaled models of the most known masterpieces which create a fairy tale environment of İstanbul, Anatolia and the former Ottoman territories. It reflects the revival of Turkish culture and history in all its magnificence. Countless human figure models situated throughout the park such as a railroad worker, Muslims in a mosque courtyard, Jews praying in a synagogue, flower seller etc., portray lifestyle of the society through ages.
You will mostly enjoy the colorful shopping center where you may find the best souvenirs from İstanbul.
Cost: € 45.- (V.A.T. included) / pax
Note:The tour can be operated with minimum of 10 people.
Above rate include roundtrip transfers from/to the hotel with deluxe vehicle, English speaking professional guide, entrance fees and VAT
Early morning drive to the ancient city of Troy, famous with the legendary Trojan Horse from the times of Beautiful Helen, the Queen of Sparta and Paris, the Trojan Prince.
Ferry across Dardanelles and lunch at Çanakkale. Visit to Gallipoli, famous battlefield, Anzac Cove, War Cemeteries (Beach Cemetery, Quinn' s Post, The Nek) and the Anzac Memorials (Lone Pine - Australian Memorial, Conk Bayırı - New Zealand Memorial, Hellespont - English Memorial) of the naval battle (18 March 1915) during World War I.
Dinner on the way and late evening return to İstanbul.
TROY, LIKE MANY OTHER HISTORICAL TREASURES, IS IN TÜRKİYE
Cost: € 225.- (V.A.T. included) / pax
Note: The tour can be operated with minimum of 5 people.
Above tour rates include round trip transfers from/to central hotels, private A/C transportation, English speaking professional private guide, museum entrance fees, parking fees, highway tolls, ferry tickets, lunch, dinner and V.A.T.; exclude drinks.
Day 1: Early morning drive to the ancient city of Troy, famous with the legendary Trojan Horse from the times of Beautiful Helen, the Queen of Sparta and Paris, the Trojan Prince.
Ferry across Dardanelles and lunch at Çanakkale. Dinner and accommodation.
Day 2: Visit to Gallipoli, famous battlefield, Anzac Cove, War Cemeteries (Beach Cemetery, Quinn' s Post, The Nek) and the Anzac Memorials (Lone Pine - Australian Memorial, Conk Bayırı - New Zealand Memorial, Hellespont - English Memorial) of the naval battle (18 March 1915) during World War I.
Dinner on the way and late evening return to İstanbul.
TROY, LIKE MANY OTHER HISTORICAL TREASURES, IS IN TÜRKİYE
Cost: € 425.- (V.A.T. included) / in double per person, € 75.- (V.A.T. included) single supplement
Note: The tour can be operated with minimum of 5 people.
Above tour rates include round trip transfers from/to central hotels, private A/C transportation, English speaking professional private guide, museum entrance fees, parking fees, highway tolls, ferry tickets, lunch, dinner and V.A.T.; exclude drinks.
2 Days Tour (1 Day Gallipoli - 1 Day Troy) prices also include half-board accommodation at a 4* hotel (breakfast & dinner).
The Cappadocian region is a place where nature and history come together with the most beautiful scenery in the world.
While geographic events formed peribacaları (fairy chimneys) during the historical period, humans used the signs of thousand-years-old civilizations by carving houses and churches within these earth pillars and decorating them with friezes.
Traditional Cappadocian houses and dovecotes carved into the stone show the uniqueness of the region. These houses are constructed at the foot of the mountain using rocks or cut stone.
Rock, which is the only construction material of the region, as it is very soft after quarrying due to the structure can be easily processed but after contact with air it hardens and turns into a very strong construction material.
Due to being plentiful and easy to process, regional unique masonry is developed and turned into an architectural tradition. Materials of neither courtyard nor house door are wood. Upper parts of the doors built with arches are decorated with stylized ivy or rosette motifs.
Dovecotes within the region are small structures constructed within 18th century and end of 19th century. Some of the dovecotes, which are important in showing Islamic art, are constructed on monasteries or churches. Surfaces of dovecotes are decorated with rich inscriptions and adornments by regional artists.
Early morning flight to Kayseri.
Day 1 | Walk through the "Fairy Chimneys” in Devrent Valley, Paşabağ (Monks') Valley, practice pottery production with the ancient technique in Avanos. Visit to Göreme, the "open-air museum" holding the earliest churches and chapels carved in fairy chimneys presenting finest examples of frescoes, Pigeon Valley, petrified valley of Uçhisar, the highest point in the region. Dinner at hotel and overnight. |
Day 2 | Visit to the Hospital Monastery. Walk into the "wonderland” at Kızılçukur (Red Valley) and the village of Çavuşin with rock-cut dwellings. Underground City of Kaymaklı, rock-cut city beneath the earth up to 8-9 levels where early Christians used to hide from Roman and Byzantine persecution. Explore the rock formations in Çatalkaya. A fantastic overview of the fairy chimneys from Esentepe. Dinner at hotel and overnight. |
Day 3 | Derinkuyu Underground City, walk through the amazing Ihlara Valley. Lunch at Belisırma. Visit to the monasteries at Yaprakhisar and Selime. Dinner at hotel and overnight. Evening flight from Kayseri to İstanbul. |
Cost: € 675.- (V.A.T. included) / in double per person, € 125.- (V.A.T. included) single supplement
Note: The tour can be operated with minimum of 5 people.
Above tour rates include round trip plane or bus tickets, round trip transfers from/to central hotels, English speaking professional guide, half-board accommodation at a 4* or boutique cave hotel (breakfast & dinner), lunch during tours ("lunch only” in daily tour), museum entrance fees and V.A.T.; exclude drinks. For arranging flight tickets, an advanced reservation is required.
STANDARD BALLOON TOUR (1 hour/capacity of the balloon is max. 20 people): € 160 / pax
DELUXE BALLOON TOUR (1,5 hours/capacity of the balloon is max. 10 people): € 220 / pax
Day 1 |
Flight to Izmir and depart for Ephesus which was one of the largest and most interesting ancient cities of Asia Minor. It is considered to be the most fantastic Greco-Roman site in Turkey. You may imagine the Ephesians shouting at the silversmith Demetrius, " Great is Artemis of the Ephesians" in reaction to the preaching of St. Paul against man-made idols. A visit to the house where the Virgin Mary spent her last days, and the Temple of Artemis, which was one of the Seven Wonders of the World. See spectacularly restored monuments such as the great Library of Celsus, the Agora, Hadrian's Gate, Odeon, Trajan Fountain, Domitianus Temple, Theater and Roman Latrines. Visit St John's Basilica and the House of Virgin Mary, where she is said to have spent her final years. Lunch during the visits Dinner and overnight in Izmir or Kusadasi. |
Day 2 | After breakfast, depart to Pamukkale which is one of the most interesting places in the world, justly famous not only for the entrancing beauty of its unique geological formations but also for its historical remains. Pamukkale has always been a very popular settlement where the hot springs were believed to have healing powers, so the city became the center of a pagan cult in antiquity and a spa resort today. It represents a shimmering white cascade, formed by limestone-laden hot springs, which have formed stalactites, potholes and magical fairy-tables. The water is reputed to be beneficial to the eyes and skin and to alleviate the ills of rheumatism, asthma and dermatitis. Lunch will be taken at a typical village restaurant. Then relax in one of the famous natural spa pools formed by cascades of purified calcium-enriched water. Return to Istanbul via Denizli or Izmir airport |
Cost: € 675.- (V.A.T. included) / in double per person, € 125.- (V.A.T. included) single supplement
Note: The tour can be operated with minimum of 5 people.
Above "net" tour rates include round trip plane or bus tickets, round trip transfers from/to central hotels, half-board accommodation at a 4* hotel (breakfast & dinner) in Kuşadası, lunch during tours, English speaking professional guide, museum entrance fees and V.A.T.; exclude drinks.For arranging flight tickets, an advanced reservation is required.
GENERAL CONDITIONS
CLOSED
Hagia Sophia on Monday
replaced with Underground Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnıcı),
Topkapı Palace on Tuesday
Dolmabahçe Palace on Monday & Thursday
both replaced with Eyüp + Pierre Loti Coffee House + Miniatürk,
Grand Covered Bazaar on Sunday
Spice (Egyptian) Bazaar on Sunday
both replaced with authentic shops,
St. Savior in Chora (Kariye Museum) on Wednesday