Turkey: From Trabzon to Van
Cultural Treasures between the Black Sea Coast and Lake VanThis journey takes you to the centuries-old cultural treasures of Northeast Turkey: Byzantine monasteries and Ottoman palaces, Georgian churches and Seljuk madrasas. You will visit the Sumela Monastery spectacularly clinging to a rock face, the vast ruins of Ani, the Ishak Pasha Palace majestically overlooking a wide plateau, and the idyllic monastic island of Akdamar in the turquoise-blue Lake Van. In Erzurum and Kars, you will admire historic buildings and traditional bazaars. In a tea garden by the Black Sea you will be introduced to the secrets of Turkish çay, enjoy a picnic in the Pontic Mountains, and taste tangy regional specialties in a small cheese museum.
You will stay in carefully selected hotels: on the shores of the Black Sea and Lake Van, in the Pontic Mountains, and near the historic old towns of Kars and Erzurum.
Travel itinerary
- Flight Luxembourg–Istanbul (Turkish Airlines, 10:25–14:50)
- Connecting flight Istanbul–Trabzon (Turkish Airlines, 17:45–19:35)
- Welcome and transfer to the hotel
- Dinner with local specialties in a restaurant
- Overnight at Hotel Novotel Trabzon****(*) in Trabzon
- Visit to Sumela Monastery in the Altindere Valley
- Stroll through Trabzon’s Old Town
- Visit to Hagia Sophia and the ruins of ancient Trapezunt
- Dinner at the hotel restaurant
- Overnight at Hotel Novotel Trabzon****(*)
- Drive to the tea-growing region of Rize
- Visit of a tea plantation with tasting
- Continue into the Kaçkar Mountains (by minibus) to medieval Zilkale Castle
- Walk through the Firtina Valley to the Palovit waterfall
- Local specialties at the hotel restaurant
- Overnight at Boutique Hotel Dudi Konağı*** in Çamlıhemşin
- Drive through the Pontic Mountains and the “Georgian Athos”
- Exterior view of the Church of Ishan
- Picnic with fresh regional products
- Overnight at Hotel Ramada**** in Erzurum
- City tour of Erzurum
- Visit to Çifte Minareli Medrese
- Stroll through the bazaar
- Continue to Kars
- Overnight at Boutique Hotel Celtikov***(*) in Kars
- City tour of Kars
- Visit to the ruins of Ani (UNESCO World Heritage)
- Cheese tasting in the village of Bogatepe
- Overnight at Boutique Hotel Celtikov***(*)
- Drive to Van
- En route panoramic view of Mount Ararat (weather permitting)
- Visit to Ishak Pasha Palace
- Visit to Tuspa Fortress
- Dinner at the hotel
- Overnight at Hotel Ramada by Wyndham**** in Van
- Visit to a carpet workshop (influences of various cultures in local weaving)
- Boat trip on Lake Van
- Visit to the former Monastery of Akhtamar
- Seljuk cemetery of Gevaş
- Dinner at the hotel
- Overnight at Hotel Ramada by Wyndham**** in Van
- Transfer to Van Airport
- Flight Van–Istanbul (Turkish Airlines, 10:55–13:25)
- Connecting flight Istanbul–Luxembourg (Turkish Airlines, 15:00–17:55)
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Lunchbox / Picnic
- Tasting
- Night
Prices (per person)*
Minimum participants: 12 / Maximum participants: 20.
Included Services
Not included: seat reservations, optional activities and excursions, meals not mentioned, drinks, tips, personal expenses.
Authentic and sustainable
- Picnic with local specialities in the Kackar Mountains
- Cheese museum including tasting
- Spices and herbs (women’s project) in the village of Bogatepe
- Lunch breaks (lunch not included) in family-run and owner-managed restaurants
- Two dinners with regional specialities
- Overnight stays in owner-run boutique hotels and hotels certified according to (GSTC-recognised) ‘Turkiye Sustainable Tourism’ criteria
- 100% CO2 compensation via Atmosfair (=1,620 tonnes, of which 1,367 tonnes = 84.38% are from flights)
Important information
For entry into Turkey, Luxembourg nationals require a passport valid for at least six months beyond the return date (as of 08/2025). The passport must be in good condition and have at least two blank pages. For direct entry from Luxembourg, no mandatory vaccinations are required (as of 08/2025). It is generally recommended to keep standard vaccinations up to date and consult a doctor before long-haul travel. Further information will be provided with your booking confirmation/invoice.
Prices are generally based on special and operator fares of the selected airline. Seat availability is limited; surcharges may apply for bookings within three months of departure.
Most accommodations offer Wi-Fi, though coverage is not always reliable. Hotels are non-smoking. If a booked hotel is unexpectedly unavailable, a comparable alternative will be provided.
Further details about the trip and the destination will be provided with your travel documents.
Travel insurance is not included. We strongly recommend purchasing both cancellation insurance (including Covid-19) and travel health insurance covering Covid-19 treatments (including quarantine). Currently, no Covid-19 restrictions apply (as of 08/2025), but this may change.
This trip is not suitable for guests with limited mobility or back problems. Please inform us before booking if this applies, so we can check whether your needs can be met.
Planet B is a brand of Bollig Tours. Therefore, Bollig Tours Sàrl is listed as the tour operator.
Related document(s)
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