Departure in Germany and arrival at the Turkish Riviera. Transfer to hotel and check in for overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today, we will take a panoramic tour of the city. Next, we will visit the Zeugma Museum in Gaziantep, which stands out among the leading museums in the world with its unique mosaics and historical artifacts from the city of Zeugma. Transfer to the hotel.

After breakfast, we will depart for Halfeti, renowned for its black roses discovered beneath the waters of the Birecik Dam. We will embark on a fascinating boat trip on the Euphrates, reaching Rumkale, where Saint John is believed to have written a copy of the Bible. Later, we’ll head to Urfa, an ancient city in Mesopotamia, known as ‘the City of Prophets,’ and the birthplace of Prophet Abraham. Enjoy a panoramic tour of Urfa, including Abraham’s Cave and the Holy Lake.

Following this, we’ll drive approximately 15 km towards Göbekli Tepe, an ancient sanctuary situated on the highest point of an extensive mountain range. Currently under investigation by Turkish and German archaeologists, it appears to date back to the 10th millennium BCE, predating the advent of settled life. Mysteriously, it was deliberately buried around 8,000 BCE and left deserted for 500 years. Alongside Nevali Çori, this site has revolutionized our understanding of the Eurasian Neolithic era.

Subsequently, we’ll proceed to our hotel in Mardin.

Today, we will explore the traditional village of Dara, known for its necropolis and Roman cisterns. We’ll visit the Syrian monastery of Deyrul Zafaran, one of the world’s oldest and still a place of worship for Assyrians worldwide. The monastery served as the residence of the Assyrian Orthodox Patriarch for 640 years until 1932. Its name, Saffron Church, is attributed to the saffron cultivated in the region.

Returning to Mardin, a city of Christian Syriac tradition, you can listen to the liturgy in Aramaic. In Mardin’s old town, we will visit the Aramaic Church of Kirklar, dating back to 569 (the Church of the 40 Martyrs), built in memory of Benham and Saro, executed by their own father for converting to Christianity. We’ll also explore the traditional market and the Zinciriye Madrasa. Its minarets rise above a labyrinth of alleyways, and its golden stone houses clinging to the hillside distinguish the place from the hot Mesopotamian plains.

After breakfast, we head to the southeast of Turkey to explore the ruins of the Roman fortress Zerzevan (Samachi Castle), a significant former military outpost in the province of Diyarbakır. Archaeological studies have revealed underground structures, including a temple of Mithraism, a religion venerating Mithra, the sun god. Little is known about Mithraism, its rituals, and sacrifices. It was declared illegal by Theodosius in 391 AD. The castle served as a civilian settlement between the 1890s and 1960s.

We then travel to the ancient Amida, now Diyarbakır. Annexed by Rome in 297 AD, it played a crucial role in the defense line between the Roman and Sassanian Parthian Persian empires. Diyarbakır has been fortified by a wall since the reign of Constantine, considered the most significant wall in the world after the Great Wall of China. Its nearly six-kilometer black basalt wall, 82 watchtowers, and four entrance gates are practically intact today.

We explore the historic center of Diyarbakır by walking through its narrow and bustling streets. A tea break awaits us at the Hasan Pasha Inn, a caravanserai, before visiting the Grand Mosque, the most significant among the 22 mosques in the city and the oldest in Anatolia, originally built as the Christian cathedral named ‘Saint Thomas.’ We also witness the Minaret of Four Legs. According to tradition, passing through its columns seven times brings good luck.

We journey to the spectacular Mount Nemrut, situated at an altitude of approximately 2,000 meters, making it one of the most extraordinary locations. This site preserves some impressive statues created in 38 BC by order of King Antiochus to surround his tomb. In 1987, UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site. At the summit of Mount Nemrut, we encounter the tomb of King Antiochus, constructed from small stones and conically shaped, standing at a height of about 50 meters.

Following our time at the summit, we depart for Malatya, known for being the land where the famous apricot is cultivated.

We will depart early by bus for Cappadocia. Our tour kicks off with a stroll through the captivating Dervent Valley, famously known as the ‘Valley of Fairy Chimneys,’ where rock formations eroded by wind and water on volcanic terrain have created a spectacular landscape of peaks, cones, and obelisks. We then continue to explore the open-air museum of Göreme, preserving an impressive array of churches, chapels, and monasteries carved with frescoes into the rock.

In the afternoon, we enjoy a panoramic visit to the town of Uchisar and the stunning volcanic landscapes of Avcilar (the Hunter) and Güvercinlik (the Pigeon Valley). In the evening, you have the option to attend a show featuring traditional Turkish folk dances.

Breakfast at the hotel. Optionally, you can embark on a spectacular hot air balloon ride at sunrise. We then set out to explore the famous ‘Three Beauties of Ürgüp.’ Next, we visit the small and charming town of Ortahisar, distinguished by its castle atop a high geological formation. Our journey continues to the Cavusin Valley, where houses carved into the hillside display intricately adorned facades, showcasing a beauty that has withstood the test of time. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Transfer to the airport for your return journey to your home airport.