Anıtkabir (literally, "memorial tomb") is the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the leader of the Turkish War of Independence and the founder and first President of the Republic of Turkey. It is located in Ankara and was designed by architects Professor Emin Onat and Assistant Professor Ahmet Orhan Arda, whose proposal beat 48 other entries from several countries in a competition held by the Turkish Government in 1941 for a "monumental tomb" for Atatürk. The site is also the final resting place of İsmet İnönü, the second President of Turkey, who was interred there after he died in 1973. His tomb faces the Atatürk Mausoleum, on the opposite side of the Ceremonial Ground. The mausoleum was depicted on various Turkish banknotes during 1966–1987 and 1997–2009 and was included in the Turkish Chamber of Civil Engineers list of the fifty civil engineering feats in Turkey, a list of remarkable engineering projects realised in the first 50 years of the chamber.

The Anatolian Civilizations Museum is in two Ottoman buildings located near Ankara Castle, in the historical Atpazarı district of Ankara. One of the buildings is Mahmut Paşa Bedesteni and the other is Kurşunlu Han (inn, caravanserai). The Mahmut Paşa Bedesteni was built by Mahmut Pasha, one of the ministers (viziers) of Mehmed II the Conqueror during 1464-1471. The building does not have any inscriptions. In some sources, it is recorded that pure Angora garments were distributed here. The design of the building is of the classical type. There are 10 domes covering a rectangle designed to enclose the location, and there are 102 shops facing each other.

The lake, occupying a tectonic depression in the central plateau of Turkey, is fed by two major streams, groundwater, and surface water, but has no outlet. Brackish marshes have formed where channels and streams enter the lake. Arable fields surround the lake, except in the south and southwest where extensive seasonally flooded salt-steppe occurs. For most of the year, it is very shallow (approx.0.4 m (1 ft)). During winter part of the salt is dissolved in the fresh water that is introduced to the lake by precipitation and surface runoff (to 324‰ salinity). During the summer the lake dries up exposing an average of 30 cm thick salt layer in August. This mechanism is used as a basis for the process of the salt mines in the lake. The three mines operating in the lake produce 63% of the salt consumed in Turkey. The salt mining generates industrial activity in the region, mainly related to salt processing and refining

The canyon was formed in prehistoric times by the Melendiz Çayı. It lies between the villages of Ihlara in the southeast and Selime in the northwest. At the north end of the village of Ihlara, there is a stairway with almost 400 steps, which descends over 100 m down into the canyon. From the 7th century AD, the valley was settled by Byzantine monks who dug their houses and churches out of the tuff stone, which had been deposited by the eruptions of Mount Hasan. The earlier Greek name, Peristrema (Περιστρημα; winding round) of the village of Belisarma which is located about halfway along the valley from Ihlara to Selime, gave its name to the valley as well.

The Derinkuyu underground city (Cappadocian Greek: Μαλακοπή Malakopi) is an ancient multi-level underground city in the Derinkuyu district in Nevşehir Province, Turkey, extending to a depth of approximately 60 metres (200 ft). It is large enough to have sheltered as many as 20,000 people together with their livestock and food stores. It is the largest excavated underground city in Turkey and is one of several underground complexes found throughout Cappadocia.

A settlement was founded on the slopes of Mount Kahveci in the valley of Kızılırmak (the ancient Halys) by the Hittites. The town along with the region came under the rule of the Assyrian Empire around the 8th century BC; it was subsequently ruled by the Medes and then by the Persians in the reign of emperor Cyrus the Great in 546 BC. In 333 BC, Alexander the Great defeated the Persians. After his death, Cappadocia came under the rule of the dynasty of Ariarathes with Mazaka (present-day Kayseri) as capital. The Cappadocian kingdom became part -as province- of the Roman empire in the reign of Emperor Tiberius. It was a probable seat of the bishopric of Nyssa (Cappadocia), but that may rather be Harmandalı, Ortaköy.

*Optional* Your day of wonders will begin early, even before breakfast. You will be picked up from the hotel to watch the sun rise over this magnificent land, from a hot air balloon. You will have a unique, fairy tale-like experience, dipping down to pick fresh from the tree tops, or soaring above the landscape, picking out landmarks never before noticed.

The natural rock citadel of Uchisar Castle offers a panoramic view over the surrounding landscape of valleys, mountains, and towns. The tallest fairy chimney in Cappadocia is carved with numerous rooms, tunnels, stairs, rock tombs, and a large water cistern.

Carved into the soft volcanic tuff. Since ancient times Pigeons have been used in the Cappadocia region for food and fertiliser for the infertile soil. While pigeons no longer play such an important role in the area, their rocky homes have still been maintained by locals and can be found atop rock pillars and inside excavated cave houses and churches throughout the region, however, they are particularly numerous in this valley. A great way to see Pigeon Valley is from above via a hot air balloon tour. Tours leave every morning just before sunrise so you will already be floating above the stunning landscape as the sun comes up.

In the 2nd century AD there were ascetic monks who had adopted seclusion alone in the Cappadocia region, especially around Göreme. Although they were independent of monasteries and churches, they were an important social community. What made Cappadocia the centre of religious thought and life in the 3rd century was the presence of clergy with powerful character. In the following century, the region was known as the hometown of the three great clergy. These were the Bishop of Kaisareia, Basileios, his brother Gregorios of Nyssagia and Gregorios of Nazianus. Basileios, known as the ‘Great’, returned to his hometown, Kaisareia, the headquarters of the Cappadocia region, to devote himself to the monastic life. He was also effective in spreading the monastery life collectively.

The Zelve Open-Air Museum, which once housed one of the largest communities in the region is an amazing cave town, honeycombed with dwellings, religious and secular chambers. Zelve is situated about 10 km out from Goreme on the Avanos road. Here, the Christians and Muslims lived together in perfect harmony, until 1924. Then Christians had to leave the Valley because of the exchange of minorities between Greece and Turkey, and the Muslims were forced to evacuate the Valley in the 50's when life became dangerous due to risk of erosion. They left the site to set up a modern village, a little further on, to which they gave the name Yeni Zelve (New Zelve).

Pasabag in Cappadocia is located on the road to Zelve, coming from Goreme or Avanos. Highly remarkable earth pillars can be seen here, in the middle of a vineyard, hence the name of the place which means: the Pacha's vineyard. Pacha means "General", the military rank, in Turkish and it is a very common nick name. This site is also called Monks Valley. The name was derived from some cones carved in tuff stones which stand apart. Currently, there is a vineyard and a number of tuff cones standing right next to the road. Some of these cones split into smaller cones in their upper sections, in which stylites and hermits once hid. The hermitage of Simeon monks was also here. A chapel dedicated to St. Simeon (Simon), and a hermit's shelter is built into one of the fairy chimneys with three heads. The entrance of the cell is decorated with antithetical crosses. Saint Simeon was living in seclusion near Aleppo in the 5th century, when rumours that he made miracles started to spread.

The old city of Avanos, whose name in ancient times was Venessa, overlooks the longest river of Turkey, the Kızılırmak (Red River), which also separates Avanos from the rest of Cappadocia.

Soğanlı Valley is located in Yeşilhisar district, Kayseri Province, Turkey, in the southeastern part of the region of Cappadocia. The valley contains several rock-cut churches and other rock-cut buildings, carved from the soft tuff stone of the Cappadocian landscape. The village of Aşağı Soğanlı ('Lower Soğanlı') is located at the southeastern end of the valley. The valley splits into northern and southern sections at the village of Yukarı Soğanlı ('Upper Soğanlı'). The valley was inhabited by Byzantine monks from the 9th to the 13th centuries AD. They are responsible for around a hundred churches that have been found in the valley and connected rock-cut houses and cloisters, most of which are now buried, ruined, or used as stables. There are also notable dovecotes carved into the cliffs, with entry holes marked out on the cliff using white paint.

Sobesos Ancient City in Sahinefendi Village is located quite remote to the main sights in Cappadocia en route to Soganli Valley. The ancient city was discovered by some treasure-hunters working in the fields in 2002. Today, you can see the only Roman Ancient City in Cappadocia with the help of researches and excavations. The archeologists have uncovered the Roman Bath Section, Agora, The Basilica and The Bouleterion buildings. There is still a lot to be excavated in this city, but as the government is not funding enough, the archeologists are only able to excavate every 2 years for around 3 months. The Roman Bath section has a proper hypocaust (in-floor heating system) central heating system, which still can be seen. The Agora is located right next to the bath and is a basic shopping mall of ancient times.

The monastery was built in volcanic tuff stone and used in the Byzantine era until the end of the Ottoman Empire in the 1920s. Hollowed out in the 13th century, Keşlik monastery, also known as the Monastery of Archangels, has retained two churches and its refectory. The Black Church has two parallel naves, both of which end in an apse. Unfortunately the frescoes in this church have been blackened with smoke over the centuries and are difficult to make out. Next to it is the refectory, a huge room which could house 100 people and which is divided in two spaces by arcades. Dug out from the rock in the 9th century, the Church of St Stephen is situated 50 m from the monastery. The most beautiful frescoes, painted in shades of bright yellow and orange, can be seen in this church. Due to many robbers and military conflicts in the region, the monks also had a safe room and when they were in danger, they could close the door by a big and heavy millstone and escape through a tunnel.

Sarihan Caravanserai was the last of a series of ‘rest stops’ built along the Silk Road in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. Caravanserais (literally ‘caravan palaces’) are large, walled buildings that provided everything a travelling trader could want: food and water for his beasts, a safe place to eat and rest, and most importantly, a place to pray. In this last respect the Sarihan Caravanserai is unique - its prayer room is located above the main gate rather than in the central courtyard as usual. The Sarihan Caravanserai is more than just an architectural artefact, it’s now a cultural center where visitors can learn about a variety of Turkish traditions, ranging from pottery to shadow puppets.

You will leave the hotel after breakfast, and proceed to Istanbul by land.