Cox & Kings Europe 2013 Brochure - Travel Club Elite

turkey tour
DisCovErY tour
TREASURES OF
EASTERN TURKEY
Escorted Group tour or Private Journey • 7 Days / 6 Nights from £1,295
TURKEY
Trabzon
Erzurum
Van
Kars
THE COX & KINGS DIFFERENCE
Comfortable hotels situated in city centre locations
Visits of sumela Monastery & the ruined city of Ani
Tour the urartian Palace of Cavustepe
over thousands of years, many civilisations
have settled in eastern turkey, including
romans, Persians and Armenians, each
leaving their imprint. Explore the legacy of
these civilisations on this tour, which starts
at Lake van and travels into the eastern
Anatolian heartlands, a little known part of
turkey. Explore some of the region’s greatest
monuments, including the magnificent
ottoman palace of ishak Pasha and the
medieval ruined city of Ani.
THE JOURNEY
Day 1 – to istanbul: Fly from London
Heathrow to Istanbul with Turkish Airlines. Stay
at Alkoclar Keban Hotel for 1 night. (N)
Day 2 – to van: Morning transfer to the airport
and fly to Van with Turkish Airlines. Afternoon
visits to Van Castle, Van Evi, the archaeology
and ethnography museum, and the ruined
Urartian fortress of Cavustepe. Stay 1 night at
the Merit Sahmaran. (B, D)
Day 3 – to Dogubeyazit: Morning visit to
Akdamar, located on an island in Lake Van.
Visit the 10th-century Armenian church,
which has ornate carvings depicting biblical
stories on its exterior walls. Drive to
Dogubeyazit, stopping en route to view the
Muradiye waterfall. Stay overnight at the
Simer Hotel. (B, D)
Day 4 – to Kars: Morning visit to Ishak Pasha
Palace. Built on the side of a mountain with
views of Mount Ararat, it offers a glimpse into
the lifestyle of an Ottoman governor. Drive
from Dogubeyazit to Kars with a visit en route
to Ani. Once a rival of Constantinople and
Cairo, with a population of more than 100,000
inhabitants, Ani is now a ruined and desolate
city. See the cathedral, the Church of the Holy
Redeemer and the city walls. Stay at the Simer
Hotel for 1 night. (B, D)
Day 5 – to Erzurum: Morning tour of Kars
Castle, the Church of the Holy Apostles
and the archaeological museum. Drive to
Erzurum through the region’s tea plantations.
Afternoon tour of Erzurum to view the Twin
Minarets Madrasa, the Three Tombs burial site,
Yakutiye Madrasa and the Grand Mosque. Stay
overnight at the Dedeman Hotel. (B, D)
Day 6 – to trabzon: Drive to Trabzon, stopping
at the Sumela monastery complex en route
to see its frescoes. The monastery is situated
on a mountain plateau and offers panoramic
views of the nearby pine forests and valleys.
Afternoon visits to St Sophia Church and the
summerhouse of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the
founder of the Turkish Republic in Trabzon. Stay
at the Zorlu Grand Hotel for 1 night. (B)
Day 7 – to London: Early morning transfer to
the airport for a flight to London Heathrow,
via Istanbul, with Turkish Airlines. (B)
EXTENSIONS
tour + istanbul
9 Days / 8 Nights from £1,605
spend additional nights in istanbul to explore
this magnificent city in more depth, staying in
a converted ottoman-style mansion in the
historical centre, sultanahmet.
Day 7 – istanbul: Stay an extra 2 nights at the
Ayasofya Mansions Hotel. (B)
Day 8 – istanbul: Day at leisure or optional
excursions. (B)
Day 9 – to London: Morning at leisure. Early
afternoon transfer to the airport. Fly to
London Heathrow with Turkish Airlines. (B)
tour + Cappadocia
10 Days / 9 Nights from £1,890
Alternatively, extend your visit with a stay in
Cappadocia. Please refer to pages 48 & 49 for
details.
Ishak Pasha Palace, Dogubeyazit
52 COX & KINGS Escorted Group Tours • Private Journeys • Tailor-Made Travel