Tour overview

5 Day Turkish Cooking Tour Istanbul & Cappadocia is a great opportunity not only for visiting two of the highlights of Turkey, fascinating Istanbul and unique land Cappadocia but also for learning how to cook Turkish food and sampling local tastes.

Highlights

• Gourmet
• Turkish Cuisine
• Cooking Lessons
• Istanbul Old City
• Topkapi Palace
• Blue Mosque
• Underground City
• Cappadocia Fairy Chimneys and Underground City
• Shopping

Itinerary

 Day 1: Istanbul – Arrival Day – Welcome Dinner

(Welcome Dinner included)

Welcome to Turkey. The TSG Meet team will greet you and assist you to the hotel. You’ll enjoy the welcome dinner tonight, get to know our friendly staff and other travelers, eat delicious authentic Turkish food, and take in Istanbul’s ethereal atmosphere. Overnight in Istanbul.

VISITED PLACES

 Day 2: Cooking Lesson – Istanbul City Tour

(Breakfast and Lunch included)

After breakfast, you will have an orientation and participate in your first Turkish cooking lesson. Our professional daily cooking tours expose you to the very best professional cooking classes Turkey can offer. The menu will be typical, but vegetarian menus are available upon request. We have lunch with the dishes we prepare to get some energy before the old city tour. 

After the cooking class, the tour will depart for a gorgeous Istanbul City Tour. The first stop is the Topkapi Palace; the great palace of the Ottoman Sultans from the 15th to the 19th centuries. At the same time, it houses an exquisite collection of crystal, silver, and Chinese porcelain, robes worn by the sultans and their families, the famous jewels of the imperial treasury, miniatures, and the holy mantle, enshrining relics of the Prophet Mohammed.

The second stop of the tour is Sultanahmet Square, where the Sultanahmet Imperial Mosque salutes the Hagia Sophia. The Sultanahmet Imperial Mosque, which was built in the 16th century by the architect Mehmet, is also known as the Blue Mosque because of its magnificent interior decoration of blue Iznik tiles. Next, the tour will explore the Hippodrome; the site of ancient chariot races, and the home of three ancient monuments; the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column, and the Column of Constantine. When you reach the other end of the Hippodrome, the Hagia Sophia Mosque will meet you with all its grandeur.  Overnight in Istanbul.

Please note: Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays, the Bascilica Cistern can be an alternative. For the night, our guests can experience an optional Bosphorus Dinner Cruise as well. Please contact your consultant for both attractions’ details. Remember to bring a headscarf when visiting religious sites such as the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia Mosque.

VISITED PLACES

 Day 3: Istanbul – Cappadocia Cooking Lesson

(Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included)

After breakfast, we depart for Istanbul Airport for our domestic flight to Cappadocia. After check-in and some time to relax, we will start our cooking lesson. During the class, we will prepare and eat local foods from the Cappadocia region, as well as taste the food we prepared. Dinner and overnight at Cappadocia’s Cave Hotel.

TSG advises a hot air balloon tour in Cappadocia, which has long been one of the most popular and unique attractions in the region for decades. 

Please Note: Our guests who are wishing to experience the Hot Air Balloon Tour will be picked up from the hotel at about 05:30 by sunrise. On the Hot Air Balloon, the sunrise over splendid fairy chimneys and valleys can be watched. The flight will last about an hour and end with a champagne celebration on the ground. 

VISITED PLACES

 Day 4: Cappadocia Tour with Underground City and Goreme Open Air Museum

(Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included)

After breakfast, we will start our Cappadocia tour with Ozkonak Underground City, which is a unique example of its kind. Then we go to the Goreme Open Air Museum, which is located in the heart of Cappadocia. The Goreme Open Air Museum is home to famous frescoes from the 10th century that depict the lives of Jesus Christ and monks. Next stop is Cavusin, which is an abandoned village with old cave Greek houses. Visit a pottery workshop to see how to make pottery. Then you go to Esentepe, one of the most fascinating panorama places in the region. After the tour, drop back to your hotel. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia

 Day 5: Cappadocia to Istanbul – End of Tour

(Breakfast included)

After breakfast, we will depart for Nevsehir/Kayseri airport for our domestic flight to Istanbul for your flight home. One of TSG’s adventures comes to an end. However, you can sign up to take advantage of TSG credits, and this is the best way to snag credits and use them for your next trips as a discount, as well as to hear about the hot deals according to your interests.

Included

 Accommodation

 Guide

 Meals

 Transport

 Other included

 Hygiene protocol

Excluded

 Flights

 Insurance

 Other not included