Central Anatolia, beyond imagination

Itinerary

• DAY 1

  Arrival Ankara

  Meet at the Ankara airport with Demavend Travels representative and drive to our overnight accommodation located in the cities old section, known as Ulus. Ankara as capital of Turkey is the country's second largest city after Istanbul. It is the centre of the Turkish government and houses all foreign embassies. Centrally located in Anatolia, the city is an important commercial and industrial city as well.

  Transfer time: 30 - 40 min.; transfer distance: 30 km; (Ankara airport to the hotel in the city centre)

  ON: in Ankara at the hotel

  Meals:   - / - / D

• DAY 2

  Sightseeing Ankara citadel; museum of Anatolian civilizations & mausoleum Anitkabir

  After breakfast we take time to explore the old city (known as Ankara citadel) before visiting the renowned Anatolian civilisations museum. The old city (Ankara citadel); is a fortification from ancient or medieval era; the exact date of its construction is unknown. The castle was completed by the romans; the Byzantines and Seljuk’s further made restorations and additions. The area around and inside the citadel, being the oldest part of Ankara, contains many fine examples of traditional architecture. There are recreational areas to relax; many restored traditional Turkish houses inside the citadel have found new life as restaurants, serving local cuisine. After walking through old city we visit the museum of Anatolian civilizations; situated at the entrance of the citadel. The museum building is an old ‘bedesten’ (covered bazaar) that has been beautifully restored. The museum houses a unique collection; start with the Palaeolithic era and continue chronologically through Neolithic, early bronze, Assyrian trading colonies, Hittite, Phrygian, Urartian, Hellenistic, roman, byzantine, Seljuk and ottoman period works as well as a major section dedicated to Lydian treasures. The museums coin collections, with examples ranging from the first minted money to modern times, represent the museum's rare cultural treasures. In the late afternoon we visit Anitkabir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, leader of the Turkish war of independence and founder and first president of the republic of turkey. Completed in 1953, the mausoleum is an impressive fusion of ancient and modern architectural styles. An adjacent museum houses a wax statue of Ataturk, his writings, letters and personal items, as well as an exhibition of photographs recording important moments in his life and during the establishment of the republic. We spend the night in Ankara at the hotel.

  ON: in Ankara at the hotel

  Meals:   B / L / D

• DAY 3

  Ankara to Konya, capital of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum & Mevlana museum

  We leave Ankara after breakfast and drive to Konya, capital of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum from 1097 to 1243. Konya reached the height of its wealth and influence in the second half of the 12^th century when Sultan Kayqubad I. fortified the town and built a palace on top of the citadel. In Konya we visit Mevlana museum; the mausoleum of Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi, a Sufi mystic also known as Mevlana or Rumi. It was also the dervish lodge of the Mevlevi order, better known as the whirling dervishes, who had a prolific impact throughout the Ottoman Empire in classical poetry, calligraphy, visual arts and music. In the late afternoon we walk to Aladdin tepesi (hill) where we visit Aladdin mosque, the largest and oldest mosque in Konya, served as the "mosque of the throne" for the Seljuk sultans of rum. The mosque has some interesting architectural features, such as columns of different sizes and decorations incorporated from different periods. The interior includes a tomb chamber with the sarcophagi of a dozen Seljuk sultans. We spend the night in Konya at the hotel.             

  Transfer time: 3 - 4 h; transfer distance: 260 km; (Ankara to Konya)                                               

  ON: in Konya at the hotel

  Meals:   B / L / D

• DAY 4

  Konya to caravanserai of Sultan Hani, Ihlara/Selime & Guzelyurt

  Today we drive to Selime and Ihlara region, on our way we take a stop at the caravanserai of Sultan Hani, the largest caravanserai of the country and a hostel for caravans during 13^th Century. Sultan Hani is one of the most magnificent Seljuk caravanserais and was built by Sultan Aladdin Keykubat. In the afternoon we arrive in Ihlara, where we first visit Guzelyurt village, formerly Gelveri, an area of great natural beauty and an important place in the history of Christianity. The village is home to several churches converted to mosques. Most prominent among local monuments is the great church mosque (Büyük Kilise Camii), built as the church of St Gregory of Nazianzus. After visiting Guzelyurt we drive to the small village of Selime where we spend the night.                   

  Transfer time: 3 h; transfer distance: 210 km; (Konya – Ihlara/Selime via Guzelyurt)                                

  ON: in Ihlara/Selime at the hotel/pension

  Meals:   B / L / D

• DAY 5

  Ihlara valley & Selime monastery, Derinkuyu underground city & world heritage Cappadocia

  Today we walk through the fascinating Ihlara valley, a 14 km long canyon with hundreds of rock cut rooms and churches. This valley proved to be an ideal place for Monks to worship in seclusion, as well as provide a safe hideaway and place of defense for people during times of invasion. There are numerous dwellings, some of which are connected by tunnels and corridors. The decorations in the churches date from the 6th to the 13th centuries.

  After having lunch in Belisirma village we continue our walk to Selime where we visit Selime monastery, a visit to this complex of buildings on a steep mountain slope is a must in the region. In the afternoon we continue to Cappadocia, on route take time to visit incredible underground city of Derinkuyu, opened to visitors in 1965. The city is approximately 85m deep, but only 10 % can be visited, and contains all of the usual rooms found in an underground city, stables, cellars, storage rooms, refectories, churches and wineries. Apart from these, a large room with a barrel vaulted ceiling on the second floor served as a missionary school, the rooms to the left used as study rooms. In the late afternoon we will arrive in Cappadocia where we spend the next two nights to explore the history and landscape of this wonder of nature. Cappadocia is undeniably a nature fantasy and it almost feels like another planet with its exceptional geological formations. Wind, rain and frost have sculpted this superb scenery in the volcanic rock during millions of years and eroded into hundreds of spectacular pillars and forms. In this creation of nature, the curiosity of the landscapes is added to the historical richness.

  Walking time: 2 h; walking distance: 6 km (Ihlara to Belisirma)

  Transfer time: 1 h; transfer distance: 95 km (Ihlara to Cappadocia via Derinkuyu)

  ON: in Cappadocia at the hotel

  Meals:   B / L / D

• DAY 6

  World heritage Cappadocia; Uchisar citadel, Goreme open air museum & red valley

  Optional activity: hot air balloon ride

  In the early morning before sunrise it is optional possible to go on a hot air balloon flight. Cappadocia is awarded as one of the world's best balloon flight areas and it is one of the best ways to discover the unique landscapes of this impressive wonder of nature.

  Culture & sightseeing: Uchisar citadel, Goreme open air museum & red valley

  After having breakfast we drive Uchisar village where we visit the high viewpoint known as “the fortress”. Many rooms hollowed out into the Rock, are connected to each other with stairs, tunnels and passages. The top of the Citadel provides a magnificent panorama of the surrounding area. Afterwards we drive to Goreme open air museum; one of the most beautiful valleys in Cappadocia. The Christian people at the heart of the Cappadocia realized that the soft rocks could be easily carved out to form houses, churches and monasteries. These Christian sanctuaries contain many examples of Byzantine art from the post iconoclastic period. The frescoes inside the Goreme open air museum are a unique artistic achievement from this period. Our last visit takes us to red valley area, another beautiful valley in Cappadocia with spectacular formations and colours, full with old cave houses, complexes and hidden churches from the old Christian civilization. Although it is not definite, the common believe is that most of the churches and complexes carved out of the cliff face date back to the 8^th and 9^th centuries and its decorative reliefs and frescoes added in the 10^th and 11^th centuries.

  Optional activity: Turkish bath (Hamam)

  In the afternoon it is possible to visit a traditional Turkish bath, better known as Hamam, combines the functionality and the structural elements of its predecessors in Anatolia, the Roman thermal and eastern Roman baths. In Turkish culture it stands for far more than getting a leisurely bath, it is a special place of relaxation designed to regenerate body and mind.

  ON: in Cappadocia at the hotel

  Meals:   B / L / D

• DAY 7

  World heritage Cappadocia; Pasabaglari (monk) valley & Zelve monastery - Kayseri and its old city centre

  In the morning we drive to Cavusin village, one of the oldest settlements in Cappadocia area, a small village made up of rock cut dwellings and elegantly carved stone houses. Afterwards we visit nearby Pasabaglari (monk) valley. Here the fairy chimneys are unique and feature bizarre large toadstool like caps which protect the rest of the chimney from erosion. The area was formerly a monastic retreat and used to be known as monk’s valley and features a rock cut church dedicated to St Simeon. Close to Pasabaglari we also visit Zelve monastery valley, where once Christians moved during the Persian and Arab invasions and the region, though recently uninhabited, became an important settlement and religious area. Spreading out over three valleys, of which two are connected by a tunnel, the amazing cave town is famous for its honeycombed dwellings, religious and secular chambers. The monastery is rich in its own beauty; main decorations are high relief crosses representative of the iconoclastic doctrine.

  In the afternoon we drive to Kayseri, one of the most important cities in the country with a strong economy and located at the foot of the extinct volcano mount Erciyes that towers 3.916m over the city. Kayseri is rich in historical monuments from the days of Seljuk’s and ottomans and is also the home town of the most accomplished architect mimar Sinan. In the afternoon after arrival we take time to walk through Kayseri’s old city centre, where we will see the remains of the old citadel and its walls. The citadels inner side is home to a nearby 800 year’s old covered bazaar. In the city centre it is also possible to see some of the most impressive mosques of central Anatolia, the Kursunlu mosque, the Hunat mosque and the Burunguz mosque are masterpieces from the Seljuk period. We spend the night in Kayseri at the hotel.                                                                                                                          

  Transfer time: 1 h; transfer distance: 80 km; (Cappadocia - Kayseri)             

  ON: in Kayseri at the hotel

  Meals:   B / L / D

• DAY 8

  Trip concludes at Kayseri airport

  After breakfast; transfer to Kayseri airport where the trip concludes.           

  Transfer time: 1 h; transfer distance: 80 km; (Cappadocia - Kayseri)

  Meals:   B / - / -