Troia, Efes, Pamukkale, Cappadocia, Istanbul Coach Tour

Distance: ~550 km

• Departure: Early morning (6:00 - 7:00 AM).
• Coffee break: Ruse (approx. 60 km, 1h from București).
• Lunch break: Lapseki (approx. 490 km, 8h, at one of the seaside taverns).
• Crossing the Canakkale 1915 Bridge, the longest suspension bridge in the world, inaugurated in 2022, an engineering and construction milestone that has been the subject of numerous TV documentaries and travel articles.
• Evening: Arrival in Canakkale, walking tour of the city center and promenade, visiting the traditional Aynali Carsi market and tasting the famous Peynir Tatlisi cheese pastries. Accommodation.

Distance: ~390 km

• Morning: Visit to the Troia Museum the site of the dramatic confrontations between Greeks and Troians that became the subject of the Iliad and Odyssey epics. Together, we will discover at this UNESCO site what the Troian horse really looked like and what secrets lie among the ruins of this amazing citadel.
• Lunch break: Ayvalik (seafood and traditional atmosphere).
• Departure for the House of the Virgin Mary in Selçuk (approx. 140 km)
• Visit to the House of the Virgin Mary, an important Christian pilgrimage site, the final home of the Virgin Mary after she was entrusted to the Apostle John. We will stop here to visit the House itself, the Healing Water Spring, the Wishing Wall, where pilgrims leave notes with prayers and hopes, the outdoor altar for open-air services and liturgies, and the Garden of the Virgin Mary.
• Evening: Accommodation in Kusadasi.
• Departure: After breakfast towards Efes.

Distance: ~185 km

• Visit to Efes, the most complete model of a Roman port city in Anatolia; of early Christian importance (UNESCO World Heritage site) where we will see the Library of Celsus, the Great Theatre, Curetes Street, the Temple of Hadrian, and the terrace houses (separate ticket).
• Arrival: in Pamukkale, visit the travertine sites and Hierapolis – a UNESCO World Heritage site. Here you can walk in the footsteps of Cleopatra, bathing in thermal waters with therapeutic virtues, and contemplate the perfect harmony between nature, history, and legend — a journey that nourishes both body and soul.
• Evening: Hotel accommodation in Pamukkale – relaxation.

Distance: ~392 km

• Departure: after breakfast, we depart for Lake Salda, a natural wonder of Turcia, then continue our journey to Sagalassos, the most beautiful ancient city of southern Anatolia, known for its strategic importance which made it a target for Alexander the Great's military campaigns. We continue to Isparta, the land of roses, where we will stop for shopping dedicated to products made from rose and lavender essential oils. We then set off for Konya, where we will visit the Mevlana Museum, the resting place for 800 years of the Sufi poet and sage Rumi.
• Evening: hotel accommodation in Konya

Distance: ~244 km

• Morning: departure from Konya towards the center of the Cappadocia region. The first stop will be at the Caravanserai, a marketplace for goods and commodities traveling the Silk Road, perfectly preserved since the 13th century. We will then continue towards the heart of Cappadocia through the Ihlara Valley, visit the UNESCO-listed underground city of Kaymakli, and then head to Urgup through Pigeon Valley.
• Evening: Accommodation at Urgup

Distance: ~302 km

• Morning: Hot air balloon ride (Optional)
• Break: Breakfast at the hotel after the ride.
• Visit to the Goreme National Open-Air Museum, a UNESCO World Heritage site, where we will see the 12 churches built in the Cappadocia caves, whose paintings have been preserved since the first millennium of Christianity. We continue our journey through Avanos where we will visit a traditional pottery workshop that has been operating continuously for 200 years, then we will visit the Zelve valley and the Pasabagi park, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
• Travel to Ankara with a stop at the saltwater lake Tuz Golu for photos and shopping
• Evening: Accommodation in Ankara.

Distance: ~440 km

• Departure: In the morning we depart from Ankara, but not before visiting the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in this city as well as the Ataturk Mausoleum.
• Lunch: break in Bursa for lunch and visiting the city center.
• Evening: Arrival in Istanbul, accommodation.

Distance: ~40 km (local)

• Morning: Panoramic tour by coach (Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia). Istanbul is the city with the most impressive biography: capital of two empires (the Byzantine Empire, with a history of nearly 1,500 years, and the Ottoman Empire, with a history of nearly 500 years), a strategic commercial point connecting two continents – Europe and Asia – and a religious center for Christians and Muslims alike. The city's historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
• Free time: Shopping (Grand Bazaar or Kadikoy).
• Evening: Dinner on the Bosphorus with a cruise.
• Accommodation: Istanbul.

Distance: ~640 km

• Departure: Morning towards Edirne (230 km).
• Visit break: Selimiye Mosque and a short tour of the city.
• Lunch: In Edirne, at a local tavern.

Departure: Towards București (410 km, with gas station breaks in Bulgaria).