Turkey Cultural Discovery Private Adventure

Start the day by discovering the highlights of the ancient Hippodrome, including the Egyptian Obelisk and the Serpentine Column. Visit the spectacular Hagia Sophia, a former mosque that today houses a museum. After lunch at a local restaurant, walk through the vibrant streets of the old town to catch a public boat along the Bosphorus for a 1.5-hour scenic cruise. Back on land, wander through the 17th-century Spice Bazaar and its colorful stalls filled with spices, herbal teas, and saffron. Return to the hotel on foot or by public tram.

Today visit the 17th-century Blue Mosque, famed for the beautiful blue tiles decorating its interior walls and for its six minarets. Continue with the Topkapi Palace, former residence of the Ottoman sultans for about 400 years. See the Harem section, a palace inside the Topkapi, to hear about the history of eunuchs and concubines. After lunch at a nearby restaurant, explore the buzzy streets of the Grand Bazaar, a 15th-century covered market with 90 alleyways. Roam around for unique souvenirs and walk back to the hotel. Enjoy dinner on your own.

Take a morning flight to Kayseri in Cappadocia and take the 1-hour transfer to one of the world's most spectacular and surreal areas. Explore this moon-like landscape with bizarre natural formations, such as pyramid-shaped rocks. Check into the hotel, have a traditional lunch, and then head out to visit one of the underground cities carved from volcanic tufa to a depth of eight to ten stories. Drive to a clutch of valleys for panoramic views, have a brief walk in the Love Valley and - at an additional cost - a hot air balloon ride.

Start the day by visiting the majestic Goreme Valley and its open-air museum that features rock-hewn sanctuaries with remarkably preserved frescoes. Stop by one of the clay pottery workshops to see how pottery is produced using ancient methods. After lunch at a local restaurant, walk up to Uchisar Castle with its dazzling panoramic view of the Cappadocia region, and walk around the incredible area of pointed rock formations known as the Fairy Chimneys. This evening, enjoy dinner on your own.

Take a morning drive to Konya, with a stop on the way at the 13th-century Seljuk Caravanserai - once the largest rest stop in Anatolia for the Silk Road caravans. In the holy city of Konya, have lunch at a local restaurant and then visit the Shrine of Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi, famous poet, and the Karatay Madrasa Museum with its magnificent collection of brilliantly colored glazed tiles. Tonight, attend a private ceremonial performance of whirling dervishes, a spiritual dance that has been practiced since the 13th century.

Start the morning with a short walk through the city and visit the Konya Ethnography Museum with its collection of handicrafts from Konya and its surroundings. Tour the Archaeological Museum, which houses a variety of finds like Chalcolithic terracotta jars, Hittite hieroglyphs, and a grape-shaped Assyrian oil lamp. Walk through the bazaar, have lunch, and then transfer to Konya airport in the early afternoon to fly back to Istanbul. Meet an MTS representative upon arrival, and transfer to the hotel for the last overnight in Istanbul.

This morning after breakfast, take the transfer from the hotel to Istanbul airport for your homebound flight.