Welcome to Europamundo! Upon arriving at the airport, we will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel. Check the information boards in the hotel reception area for details of the welcome meeting with your guide and fellow travelers.

A sightseeing tour of the city. We find ourselves in a city built in two continents. On our tour, we will enter the Mosque of Suleyman the Magnificent (the largest in Istanbul). We will see the walls, the Golden Horn, the fishing district, and we will admire the exterior of Hagia Sofia. After the visit, we will offer tickets and a visit to the Top Kapi Palace, which was the administrative center of the Ottoman Empire, with its magnificent courtyards and its pavilions.

At the end of the afternoon we will provide a transfer to the Taksim neighborhood, the most commercialized and lively area of the city. There will be time to dine in one of its many restaurants, and you can also take the old tram that crosses the area or go to see the nearby Galata Tower.

Early in the morning we include the admission to the Topkapi Palace, which was the administrative center of the Ottoman Empire with its magnificent courtyards and pavilions.
After that we will take a boat ride along the Bosphorus for about two hours. We will do it on a private boat only for Europamundo travelers. The Bosphorus is a strait that connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara, separating Istanbul into two parts: the European and the Asian. We will enjoy watching the animation of the strait with all its ships, we will pass under the two bridges that connect Europe and Asia and we will admire the palaces of the sultans, the typical wooden houses, the Ottoman villas.
We will disembark on the Asian side and have time to walk through the Uskudar neighborhood, with its large mosques, where Yemi Valide, the Maiden´s Tower, and its quiet streets stand out. Time for lunch.
In the afternoon we continue our route towards the Anatolian peninsula. Arrival in ANKARA, dinner included and accommodation.

After breakfast we include a city tour of Ankara, the cosmopolitan capital of Turkey, with more than 5 million inhabitants and a lot of cultural life with its performing arts center, which houses the State Ballet and Opera, the Presidential Symphony Orchestra and many national theater companies. We will visit the impressive Mausoleum of Ataturk, the powerful castle of Ankara, whose first construction was 8 centuries before Christ. We also include the entrance to the Museum of Anatolian civilizations that allows us to understand the different cultures that left their mark on Turkey. At the end of the morning, we will stop at a large shopping mall, with different choices of food in its food court.

After lunch we continue to the region of Cappadocia, on route we will stop next to the SALT LAKE, with its incredible landscapes and visit HACIBEKTAS, with the utmost respect to the pilgrims (appropriate clothing and silence suggested during the visit). This sanctuary houses the tomb of Hacibecktas, a Sufi mystic of the thirteenth century. Continuation to NEVSHEIR -dinner included-.

Full day in the fantastic region of CAPPADOCIA, with its lunar landscapes, its churches and troglodyte villages. We will discover the GOREME Valley with its open air museum and its churches carved into the rocks, entry tickets included. We will visit UCHISAR, a natural fortress. In KAIMACLI we will visit the underground city that could house 30,000 people. Returning to Avanos we stop at PASABAG, the valley of the fairies, we will walk in this spectacular natural area. Free time and dinner included.

We have a fantastic day in the interior of Anatolia traveling to the north of the country, where the landscapes turn green. SAFRANBOLU, arrival in the afternoon to get to know this wonderful small city declared a World Heritage Site that used to be an important point of the caravan routes. In the courtyard of a magnificent old Caravanserai we will include a traditional Turkish tea. Dinner included.

Today we will follow the Black Sea and its green landscapes. In GOKGOL MAGARASI we include the entrance to this magnificent cave with its underground river and its multiple colors. In EREGLI, next to the Black Sea, we have time for lunch, we also include the visit to its impressive caves and tombs of Cehennemagzi full of mythology. Arrival in ISTANBUL at the end of the day.

Tras  el desayuno (horario variable en función de vuelos) traslado al aeropuerto. Incluimos  vuelo de TURQUIA A ISRAEL. Llegada al aeropuerto de TEL AVIV, tramites de  frontera y traslado al hotel. Tiempo libre.

Breakfast. Departure from the city of Tel Aviv bordering the Mediterranean Sea until reaching Yaffo, old port of Israel, today an artists´ quarter. Visit of the Church of Saint Peter. Continue along the coast to CAESAREA, ancient Roman capital, where we will visit its Theater, the Fortress’ Wall of the Crusaders and the Roman Aqueduct. We will continue our journey to the city of HAIFA, we will go up Mount Carmel, where the Grotto of the Prophet Elijah is located and observe the Bahai Temple and its Persian Gardens, and there we will have a panoramic view of the city and the port. Continue to SAINT JOHN OF ACRE (Akko), capital of the Crusaders, visiting the medieval fortresses. Arrival in NAZARETH. Dinner included. Accommodation.

Breakfast. We will begin the day with a boat trip on the Sea of Galilee. We will continue to visit MAGDALA, where we will see remains of the town and its Synagogue, and we will visit the modern Church. Later, we will visit the MOUNT OF THE BEATITUDES, where "The Sermon on the Mount" took place. Arrival at TABGHA, place of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. Visit of CAPERNAUM where the House of Saint Peter and the ruins of the old Synagogue are located. Return to Nazareth. Dinner included and accommodation.

NOTE: The boat trip on the Sea of Galilee may be the next day.

Breakfast. In the morning visit of the city of Nazareth we will visit the Church of the Annunciation, the Carpentry of Saint Joseph, and the Fountain of the Virgin. Continuation to the MOUNT OF THE PRECIPICE, from where we can admire a beautiful panoramic view of Nazareth and its surroundings. We will continue the day with the visit of CANA OF GALILEE, where the first Miracle of Jesus took place. In the afternoon departure to Jerusalem through the Jordan River Valley, bordering the oasis of Jericho, where we will enjoy a panoramic view of the Mount of Temptation and the Dead Sea. Ascent through the Judean desert and entrance to Jerusalem, a messenger city of peace, cradle of the three great Cosmopolitan religions. Accommodation.

Breakfast. Excursion to visit the New City of Jerusalem, seeing the Shrine of the Book in the Museum of Israel, where the Dead Sea Scrolls are displayed, and the model that represents the city of Jerusalem at the time of Jesus. We will go through the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, then going toward Ein Karen, a picturesque neighborhood on the outskirts of the city to visit the Shrine of Saint John the Baptist. We will also see Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum and Memorial. In the afternoon, we will travel to BETHLEHEM, located behind the wall built in recent years to separate the two communities. We will take a Palestinian guide to visit the Church of the Nativity, the Grotto of the Manger and the Shepherds’ Field. Return to Jerusalem and accommodation.

We include a visit to the old city of Jerusalem. Excursion by Mount Scopus toward the Mount of Olives. There is an extraordinary view of the walled Holy City from the top. We then continue to Gethsemane, the Basilica of the Agony. Departure toward the Old City. Visit to the Western Wall (Wailing Wall). We will continue along the Via Dolorosa to arrive at Calvary, the place where Christ was crucified, and to see the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. We then go onward to Mount Zion to visit the Tomb of King David, the Cenacle (Hall of the Last Supper) and the Abbey of the Dormition. Accommodation in Jerusalem.

Breakfast. Early departure to border of Israel and Jordan. Arrival at Sheik Hussein Bridge to complete border and visa procedures. Welcome to Jordan! We explore the FORTRESS OF AJLUN, an imposing castle dating back to the 12th century. In this area, Muslims and Orthodox Christians have always lived together. We visit the historic CHURCH OF SAINT SERGIUS. Shall we all pray for peace? Lunch included. We continue to JERASH to visit its impressive Roman archaeological site. We then travel to AMMAN. Arrival and accommodation.

NOTE: The Sheik Hussein border must be crossed on a special bus for this purpose. This costs around $3 per person, which must be paid directly by the passengers themselves.

IMPORTANT NOTE: There are customs regulations upon arrival in JORDAN that prohibit the entry of religious objects. These objects can be withdrawn from the passenger without prior notice and without any compensation. Europamundo is not responsible if this happens.

FEES: Each country requires an entry/exit fee that passengers must pay directly at their destination. For guidance purposes, these are the fees/visa fees that may apply (prices subject to change without notice): Israel: $32 (Departure Fee to Jordan); Jordan: 40 dinars/$60 (Sheik Hussein Border visa).

We will depart towards the CASTLES OF THE DESERT, built between the 7th and 8th centuries. We will visit QASR KHARANA, with its imposing structure of thick walls and the QUSAYR AMRA World Heritage Site, notable for its remarkable frescoes. Then, we travel to MADABA, lunch is included. We will visit the Madaba Archaeological Park, which we cross via an ancient Roman road, and the Church of St. George, with its fantastic 6th Century mosaic representing the oldest known map of the Holy Land. We continue to MOUNT NEBO, where Moses stopped to look over the Promised Land. Return to Amman. Arrival and free time.

We leave for BETHANY on the banks of the River Jordan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; this is where John the Baptist baptised Jesus. Then we visit the DEAD SEA MUSEUM, which an impressive Panorama Complex. Lunch is included. Arriving at our hotel at the DEAD SEA, do not forget to take a dip in the saltiest sea and lowest altitude on earth. Dinner and accommodation included.

Exciting section in the heart of Jordan. We ascend to the historic King´s Road, which tells us about the Moab Kingdom of the Bible. At the top of a hill we will be surprised by the castle of KARAK (entrance included), an impressive example of military architecture of the twelfth century. It soon became one of the most important fortresses between Jerusalem and Aqaba. Arrival at DANA, a small picturesque town of stone houses on a huge cliff. Lunch is included. We continue along the King´s Route to SHOBAK, where we take photographs (outside only) of the great Crusader Castle. We continue to WADI MUSA (the site around Petra). We will explore the MOSES SPRING, where Moses is said to have tapped the rock with his rod and the water gushed out, and the Petra Museum, an excellent exhibition that enables us to learn about the history of the Nabateans and to see magnificent pieces found in the area. Dinner and accommodation. Any travelers who wish can go to an old Turkish bath or see a light and sound show in Petra.

Today we have the most exciting day of the trip: First, we visit the impressive archaeological site of PETRA, which is accessed through a narrow canyon, and discover the temples and tombs excavated on the cliffs in this city that was founded 300 years before Christ. After lunch (included) we leave for the impressive desert of WADI RUM. At the Visitor Centre we board 4x4 vehicles to visit some of the most impressive landscapes. We stop in the town of RUM to visit the ruins of the Nabatean temple. We include a 45-minute camel ride through the desert. We will also visit the Khazali Canyon. In this spectacular place, we will see the engravings that reveal the origins of the Arabic language. Dinner and accommodation included in a desert camp.

After breakfast we will leave for AQABA, Jordan’s second city. We will visit Jordan’s second city, a modern, commercial port city. Afternoon free to enjoy the hotel-resort and the warm waters of the Red Sea!

After breakfast we will depart via “the desert road” to the AMMAN. Arrival at Amman airport and end of our services. Please, check the time of your flight in case you might need an additional night.

Note: Depending on the number of travellers, the trip from Aqaba to Amman may be made by regular VIP coach.