Istanbul - the ultimate city of contrasts where east meets west. You can choose to just take a short city break or combine a few days in Istanbul with many of our other holidays.

Our three Istanbul hotels have been chosen firstly for their locations in the historic part of the city allowing our guests to be within walking distance of not only the celebrated Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque and St Sophia and the vibrant Grand Bazaar but also many of its other famous attractions. In addition they are all restored Ottoman houses which ooze the atmosphere and service of the Istanbul of yesteryear whilst still providing modern comforts.

To allow you flexibility they are all offered on a bed & breakfast basis.

Flying to Cappadocia from Britain involves taking a scheduled flight via Istanbul so to use this to your advantage, and for a complete contrast, we can arrange for you to spend part of your time in Istanbul and the remainder in Cappadocia.

This can be done at any time of the year and we would recommend a few days or a week in Istanbul on foot and a few days or a further week in Cappadocia with your own car.

No matter how many images of the awesome landscape of Cappadocia you see nothing can prepare you for the reality. The 'fairy chimneys' and other bizarre rock formations dominate the landscape and give the impression of a barren, dry lunarscape but the soft rock, or tuff, formed by volcanic ash compacted over the millenia actually creates a very fertile soil and agriculture is still the mainstay of the region.

The landscape is not a purely natural phenomenon as the centuries of tunnelling underground dwellings, begun by the incredible socially advanced Hittites around 2000 BC and expanded over the centuries into whole inter-linked underground cities, interacted with the natural erosion to create the unique shape of the landforms.

Today's visitors can spend hours exploring the vast network of underground houses and churches not to mention contemplating the landscape which, in the ever-changing light, evokes all manner of emotions from wonder to uneasiness. Perhaps the most atmospheric way of viewing it is from a hot air balloon as dawn is breaking or walking the amazing red canyon in the Ilhara Valley. If the majesty of the landscape becomes too overwhelming a pleasant day can be spent pottering through the rural villages where local farmers have always enjoyed a traditional but comfortable living.

Our hotels have been selected not just for their special Cappadocian hospitality but to allow guests to experience the atmosphere of buildings cleverly converted from some of the cave houses dating back to Roman times.

Designed by oludeniz beach