Itinerary

Day 1

Saturday, 5 December 2009: Flight Istanbul to Cappadocia
Lunch and Dinner Including:
We take a morning flight from Istanbul to Kayseri, then drive for an hour to our comfortable cave hotel in biblical Cappadocia. After settling in, you're free to explore the town on your own, as you wish, shopping in the bazaar, relaxing in a Turkish bath (hamam), or photographing the extraordinary rock formations. We meet in the evening for a get-acquainted dinner, then a restful night in our quiet cave rooms.

Day 2

Sunday, 6 December 2009: Byzantine Cappadocia
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Including:
We explore the lunar landscape of Cappadocia: the beautiful 13th-century painted churches of the Göreme Valley, decorated and used by Byzantine Orthodox monks during the Seljuk Empire and Rumi's lifetime. We climb the stairs up a rock-hewn tunnel to the top of the Uçhisar Rock Castle, the highest point in Cappadocia, for a panoramic view of this incredible "moonscape."” We stop for lunch in Avanos on the Kizilirmak River, a center for the art of terracotta pottery-making for thousands of years. We'll see a demonstration of pottery-making in a local workshop; you can try your hand at making pots! On our way back to our hotel we stop for a look at the Sari Han Seljuk Turkish caravanserai, a beautifully-restored 12th-century caravan way-station. We continue to the labyrinthine Zelve Valley, with its troglodyte ("cave-dweller") houses; and the “fairy chimneys” of Pasabag where the voice of wind mixes with the “songs of the fairies, before returning to our hotel. In the evening, we'll dine together.

Day 3

Monday, 7 December 2009: Medieval Cappadocia
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Including:
In the morning we drive south to hike the Soganli Valleys, filled with medieval churches and monasteries, with dozens of weird dovecotes carved from the rock. Then we drive to the historic Ottoman-Greek village of Mustafapasa for lunch in one of its grand old houses, prepared, served and hosted by a local family. The afternoon is at leisure for walking, shopping, photography or relaxing. a suggestion: go to the Red Valley for a pleasant hike through some of the most beautiful "moonscape" scenery in Cappadocia. In the evening, after our dinner together, we return to our cave rooms for another night's blissful sleep nestled in the rock.

Day 4

Tuesday, 8 December 2009: Kayseri, City of the Seljuks
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Including:
Kayseri was one of the richest and most important cities in the Seljuk Empire of Rum, thriving at the same time as Rumi's city of Konya. We drive to Kayseri for a day-long excursion to see its magnificent Seljuk Turkish buildings, including the Citadel, Hunat Hatun Mosque Complex, Twin Medreses and the bazaar, with lunch in a local restaurant. We return to our cave hotel in Cappadocia for dinner and overnight.

Day 5

Wednesday, 9 December 2009: Natural Cappadocia
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Including:
In the morning we descend into the earth at Kaymakli to get lost in the true labyrinth of this Underground City, the most elaborate of all the 40 such subterranean refuges in Cappadocia. Emerging (thank goodness!) on the surface, we drive into the mountains and stop at the pretty town of Güzelyurt to admire its dramatic situation and old Ottoman buildings (including the Church of St Gregory of Nazianzus, now converted to a mosque), and to have lunch. In the afternoon, we make the short drive to the breathtaking Ihlara Valley for a one-hour, 4-km (3-mile) walk to see the many medieval Byzantine stone chapels sequestered between the dramatic, sheer rock valley walls. Leaving the valley, we drive to the ancient Silk Road for a look at the Seljuk Turkish Agzikarahan caravanserai before returning to our hotel for dinner and the night.

Day 6

Thursday, 10 December 2009: Along the Silk Road to Konya
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Including
After breakfast, we set off with our guide and driver westward along the ancient Silk Road toward Konya, stopping for a look at the huge Sultan Han caravanserai en route. Arriving in Konya, we check in at our hotel, and have lunch. In the afternoon we stroll the streets of Konya, visiting first the Tomb of Rumi in the glittering Mevlana Museum, an important place of pilgrimage for Muslims and indeed all lovers of Rumi. Next door, we visit the Ottoman-era Sultan Selim mosque before having lunch in a traditional Turkish restaurant. We drive along Mevlana Caddesi, Konya's main avenue, to reach the age-old Alaettin Hill (a prehistoric tumulus) to visit the 1000-year-old Alaaddin Mosque, where Rumi often prayed. In its courtyard are the tombs of many of the Seljuk Turkish sultans who ruled during Rumi's lifetime, and who consulted him for spiritual guidance. Walking down the north side of the Alaettin Hill we pass the remains of the Seljuk sultan's palace, then cross the street for a view of the elaborate portal of the medieval Great Karatay Medrese theological college (the interior is currently closed for restoration), after which we return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 7

Friday, 11 December 2009: Konya of the Whirling Dervishes
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Including
Today we visit some of the wonderful Seljuk Turkish monuments that Rumi would have known and visited: we drive to the north side of the Alaettin Hill to visit the Seminary of the Slender Minaret (Ince Minare Medrese, 1264), a 13th-century theological college that's been beautifully restored and now serves as Konya's Museum of Stone and Wooden Inscriptions, with works of art from the 1100s and later. Walking around the Alaettin Hill, we enter a quiet residential neighborhood to look at the Crystalline Medrese (Sirçali Medrese, 1242)with its fine tilework and Kuranic calligraphy in stone. Continuing for a short distance we come to the Sahip Ata Mosque Complex (1283), including a school, a travelers' inn, Turkish bath, and the tomb of its founder, the Seljuk grand vezir who also built the Seminary of the Slender Minaret. Nearby, we visit the Konya's Archeological Museum to see the marble high-relief sarcophagus "The Trials of Hercules" and many items from Konya's ancient past (up to 7000 years ago). Lunch at a local restaurant introduces us to more Konya culinary specialties, including many cooked slowly in a tandir ("tandoori," clay pot buried in hot coals). After lunch we walk to the Mosque and Tomb of Sems-i Tebrizi, Rumi's closest companion, spiritual mentor, and inspiration for many of his poetic works, then continue on foot past many shops to our hotel. In the evening, the climax of our adventure: the spellbinding Mevlevi sema performed in Konya's grand Mevlana Cultural Center in honor of Seb-i Aruz, Rumi's "wedding night with the Divine," witnessed by thousands of devotees and pilgrims.

Day 8

Saturday, 12 December 2009: Free Day in Istanbul
Breakfast and Dinner Including
Our driver takes us to Konya's airport for our morning flight to Istanbul, where we're met by our guide and driver and escorted to our hotel for a day of leisure in the metropolis: revisiting favorite places, visiting new ones, or returning to the Grand Bazaar or the Egyptian Bazaar to pick up last-minute souvenirs. Lunch is on your own. In the evening, we reconvene for a convivial farewell dinner.

Day 9

Sunday, 13 December 2009: Departure
Breakfast Including
We drive to Istanbul's Atatürk Airport for your homeward flight. We hope your tour was a memorable one and we look forward to seeing you in the future on another TravelShop Turkey Tour. Have a safe trip back home and thanks for choosing Murtis Tour.

Extra Information

Inclusions -

Tour Price: Euro €: 1669.00 per person * The prices above are per person in double occupancy. ** Single Supplement: Euro €: 390.00 ** 0-2 Child: Free ** 2-12 Child Reduction: 50 % ** Student Reduction: 10 % Tour Including: 5 nights' accommodation at a comfortable cave hotel in Cappadocia 2 nights' accommodation at a 4-star hotel in Konya 1 night accommodation at a high quality boutique hotel in Istanbul Meals as indicated in the itinerary (B = buffet breakfast; L = lunch; D = dinner), spring water and soft drinks included. Lunch and dinner are à la carte: chose whatever you wish from the menu. Private tours in Cappadocia and Konya as described in the itinerary Private airport-to-hotel and hotel-to-airport transfers in Cappadocia, Konya and Istanbul as described in the itinerary Luxury minibus or midibus with professional driver on tours & transfers Professional licensed tour guide Tickets for Seb-i Aruz Rumi Commemoration Ceremony in Konya All admission fees to museums and sights Flight tickets Istanbul—>Kayseri, and Konya—>Istanbul Taxes What's NOT included in your tour fee: International flight to/from Turkey Meals not specifically mentioned as being included (above) Hot air balloon flight (available on request at additional cost) Tips to guides and drivers (at you discretion) IMPORTANT NOTE: you must reserve your place on the tour by September 2009! Because of the high demand for travel services, all unreserved services (flights, hotel rooms, etc.) must be relinquished at that time. Reserve by September!

Extras -

Rumi is now one of the most widely read poets in America. Everything about Rumi is absolute magic, from the story of his life to his superhuman ability of remaining in constant touch with the flow of intense creative energy for more than two decades. A full guided travel program starting in Istanbul, taking you to Biblical Cappadocia for a stay in a comfortable cave hotel and visits to the Byzantine painted churches and monastic valleys that were thriving during Rumi's lifetime. Then we'll drive along the ancient Silk Road to Konya to visit Rumi's glittering tomb and to explore the actual buildings where Rumi visited, prayed and taught. After the whirling dervish sema in Konya's splendid new Mevlana Cultura Center.

PS: The above tour is 9 Day Rumi Commemoration Tour Turkey. This tour includes everything you pay no extra charges !! Entrance fees make up 30% of this tours cost. If you would like to visit any other Touristic places not mentioned on this itinerary we are happy to make a tailored made tour to suit whatever you wish to do. Just let us know how long you would like to stay and which places you are interested in visitng. If there are less than 4 weeks between your tour Booking date and tour start date, then the tour price is subject to change according to domestic flight prices. 40% deposite needs to be paid after the confirmation and the balance needs to be paid 4 weeks before the tour start date. When you book this tour you will get the TravelShop Turkey garantee that you get what we tell you.

EARLY BIRD DISCOUNTS
Early birds discounts are available on some scheduled guided group tours, if you book more than 5 months in advance. To check on which tours these discounts apply to, check our prices section on the website. Note that we must receive your booking and deposit 5 months prior your departure date.

GROUP BOOKING DISCOUNTS
Please ask for special group discount if you are a group more than 6 people.