Take a spiritual journey to Konya for the travelers who are keen on learning more about Rumi’s philosophy and history
Day 1 Istanbul / Konya Tour
Mevlana (Rumi) Shrine and Museum, Şems Shrine , Thin Minaret, Karatay Medresa Following breakfast at your hotel, you will be transferred to Istanbul Airport by Move representative with your private vehicle. We depart for Konya at 07:20 with Istanbul- Konya scheduled flight. The flight from Istanbul to Konya is 1 hour 15 minutes. Our tour guide will meet our guests at Konya Airport at 8:45 and we start our program after we place your luggage in our private vehicle. Our first site to visit is the Mosque of Alaeddin on Alaeddin Hill, built by Alaeddin Keykubat I. After the bus tour around this mosque, we will visit Karatay Medresa Porcelain Tile Museum, famous during Seljuk era where Rumi and Şems-i Tebrizi have taught. Our tour will continue with visiting the Thin minaret medresa (Museum of Rock and Wooden Arts) built during the rule of Izzettin Keykavus II, a Seljuk Sultan by vezier Sahip Ata Fahreddin Ali to teach the holy Quran. We have lunch at an authentic restaurant. Next we will visit Üçler Shrine and 16 part Green Dome (Kubbe-i Harda), Selimiye Mosqye, Rumi’s Shrine where Rumi and his father Sultan-ül Ulema Bahaddin Veled rest, mevlevi clothes, musical instruments, table layout, mevlevi lodge, Nisan Tası, handwritten artifacts and dervish lodges. Following this, we will visit the shrine of Şems-i Tebrizi, the man who made Rumi who he is. This will be followed by a visit to Koyunoğlu Ethnography Gallery. We will then settle at our hotel and have dinner. After dinner, our vehicle will take us to the hall to watch Mevlevi Celebrations which take place on the anniversary of Rumi’s death. Following the magical Sema, we return to our hotel. Overnight stay is in our Konya Hotel
Day 2 / Hagia Elena Church – Meram – Archeological Museum – Aziziye Mosque
After breakfast we set of to Sille, one of the most interesting places in Konya. Sille will remind you of Cappadocia. Its volcanic rock structure and caves overlooking the slope will make you think you are in Cappadocia. During our Sille visit, we will visit Hagia Elena Church. After a tea break at Sille Mansion, we will set off to Meram Vineyards with its beautiful scenery and the mosque and shrine of Sheik Tavus Mehmet-el Hindi (Tavus Baba), wise man and psychologist of Alaeddin Keykubat I era, also visited regularly by Rumi. We will have lunch in Konya, maybe with the famous meaty bread dish. The first site to visit after lunch is Konya Archeological Museum. Taç Gate right by the museum is also a must-see. The museum has siderama tombs, native to this area. We will visit Aziziye mosque next, followed by free time at the bazaar surrounding the mosque. We will then transfer to the airport for our 16:05 THY flight to Istanbul Airport. Upon arrival at Istanbul Airport at 17:45, we say farewell to meet again for other tours.
