Istanbul City, known as a magnificent city to those who have travelled to this place and experienced the beauty it holds.
PICTURE this: It is dawn. The first appearance of light is making a splash across the horizon of Cappadocia, a region in central Türkiye.
A stunning backdrop for the hundreds of hot air balloons floating serenely over a vast landscape of chimney-shaped rock formations caused by volcanic eruptions since 60 million years ago.
Apart from the breathtaking scenery above, Cappadocia has a lot to offer.
This includes the Goreme Open Air Museum with a display of cave churches and their well-preserved wall paintings, cave hotels, as well as underground cities built to protect its citizens from invaders.
Among the largest underground cities in Cappadocia is the Underground City of Kaymakli which consists of a maze of tunnels and endless rooms carved out across eight levels deep into the earth.
Istanbul
Make your way to Istanbul, a melting pot of traditions, culture, cuisine and products from different civilisations – known as a magnificent city to those who have travelled to this place and experienced the beauty it holds.
The iconic Hagia Sophia is a must-visit as it will sweep you off your feet with the grandeur of its artistic and architectural infrastructure.
Amasya, a picturesque fairytale town with an open-air museum of old Ottoman houses as well as tombs of kings carved into the cliffs.
Get lost in a sea of colourful bags, crockeries, lamps and many more across thousands of stalls and shops in what is known to be the world’s oldest market – the Grand Bazaar.
Topping off the list of Istanbul landmarks are the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Basilica Cistern, and Taksim Square to name a few.
Complete your stay in this city with a private cruise on the glorious Bosphorus Strait between Europe and Asia, and make your own history as you sail past three enormous bridges connecting the two continents.
Pamukkale
Known as “cotton castle” in Turkish, Pamukkale is an ancient city of Hierapolis that was once the centre of Roman baths during its heyday.
Its striking landscape of white travertine terraces are what people come here for – natural basins of crystal-clear hot springs rich in minerals said to have healing effects. Take the opportunity to soak your feet in this pure white castle.
Black Sea region
A gorgeous setting where rolling hills and lakes surround quaint, quiet towns along the Black Sea coast in Türkiye that will surely ooze the wow out of you.
One of the places to visit in the region is Trabzon, a popular resort for locals during the summer.
Just over an hour’s drive from Trabzon city centre is the internationally-famed Uzungöl Lake where you can take a stroll along calm waters, take in its beauty, and eat at the lakeside cafes.
About 70km away is a town called Rize famous for tea production; visitors can learn about the process of growing, harvesting, fermenting and grading tea at the farms.
Another spot to visit in the region is Amasya, a picturesque fairytale town with an open-air museum of old Ottoman houses as well as tombs of kings carved into the cliffs.
Apple Vacations packages
There are many more destinations in Türkiye that must be explored and experienced, and you can do so with specially-curated packages by Apple Vacations.
The travel agency is offering three packages with direct flights by Turkish Airlines:
> 10D8N Wonder Türkiye (all in from RM6,999): You will visit Bolu, Cappadocia, Pamukkale, Kusadasi, Bursa and Istanbul (travel period between June and December 2023).
Take advantage of this package if the wanderlust is strong as Apple Vacations is offering a limited promotion whereby the second person will enjoy 20% off this package, as long as the travel date is either July 9 or 16, 2023. Terms and conditions apply.
> 10D8N Mesmerising Türkiye (from RM7,899): This premium package covers Izmir, Kusadasi, Pamukkale, Konya, Cappadocia and Istanbul.
You stay at five-star hotels throughout the journey, as well as two nights at a first-rate cave hotel.
The package comes with two domestic flights, thereby saving you 15 hours of coach travel.
> 12D9N Türkiye and Black Sea Region (from RM10,199): If you are more of the off-the-beaten path explorer, this package has a list of places rich and diverse in culture and cuisine.
On top of Cappadocia, Istanbul and Pamukkale, you will make your way to Trabzon, Samsun, and Antalya, with departure dates on either June 1 or 25, and coming soon in 2024.
While the idea of a 10-hour flight to Türkiye may be daunting, what will greet you there is sure to be worth the trip.
For more information, go to applevacations.my
