Iznik – The Capital of Turkish Tiles
Iznik is a city located by the lake Iznik. It is only 2 hours away from Istanbul. The city is underrated despite her rich history. The city was called Nicaea in ancient times. Iznik is derived from her ancient name. The ancient Nicaea was surrounded by five kilometers long city wall, which reached ten meters. More than a hundred towers on the wall were used to secure the city from siege attempts from the East. The city is located on the East of Lake Iznik, making her inaccessible for any West danger. Today, Iznik city is well known in Turkey thanks to the tiles produced to embellish most Ottoman Mosques and palaces. However, the city deserves much more important because of the two Ecumenical Councils held in the city.
The first Council of Nicaea was conducted in 325 AD. 21 Councils have been conducted in history until the twentieth century. The first council convened in Nicaea is very important in the history of Christianity. The most important part for me is Nicholas of Myra’s attendance at the council. Today, we know him as Santa Claus. He was an Anatolian Saint who lived in the ancient Myra town. The Mediterranean Sea locates Myra in the South West of the Republic of Turkey. The Second Council of Nicaea met in 787 AD. It is the last council of the first seven ecumenical councils by the Eastern Orthodox and the Catholic Church. The Hagia Sophia of Nicaea hosted the Second Council of Nicaea, which is the first place to see when you visit Iznik.
In 1331, the second Sultan of the Ottomans conquered Iznik. The city became the capital of the Ottomans for a while until the same Sultan, Orhan, conquered Bursa city. The Hagia Sophia of Iznik was converted to a mosque by the Ottomans. A madrasa and a Turkish bath were added nearby. Iznik city hosted more than twenty thousand people. The majority of them worked in the cultivation of walnuts and chestnuts. However, after the occupation of the Ottomans, the city’s population shrank to a few thousand. That is mainly because of the migration of the Christians after the 14th century. Turkomans were following the Ottoman armies expanding to the west. The city’s population didn’t grow during the peak of tile production in the 16th and 17th centuries.
An earthquake in 1065 AD devasted Iznik city. The biggest demolish took place during the Greco-Turkish War, which took place from 1919 to 1921. The new Turkish Government relocated the Turks coming from the Balkans to the city. Local authorities are doing their best to bring back the earlier prosperity of Iznik. The Iznik Marathon, restorations of the world-famous city walls, and the recent discovery of a submerged lake in the lake prove these efforts.
As the city is only 2 hours away from Istanbul, one can easily discover the highlights of Iznik city only with an overnight. A day trip on the way to Bursa is possible as well. But we recommend at least one night to see the city walls, Hagia Sophia of Nicaea and Nilufer Hatun Soup Kitchen, which houses beautiful examples of world-famous Iznik tiles. 480 years old Iznik tile was sold for four million Turkish Liras in London in May 2019. Don’t you worry, prices are way below four million Turkish Liras for a beautiful handmade Iznik tile? During a coffee break by the lake, you won’t regret the pennies spent in Iznik city.
Would you like us to tailor you a private itinerary, including Iznik? Benefit from our expertise. We offer tailor-made tours to Turkey for all interests and desires, from romantic honeymoons and scenic self-drive road trips to photo tours with experienced photographers and cultural tours in major destinations. We arrange everything for your Turkey Tours, including hotel bookings, airport transfers, guided tours, and top-notch experiences. We want you to have a great time in Turkey and make sure your trip is a memorable one as we have escorted so many tours in Turkey personally. Imagine dealing with only one person for all your travel details, receiving customized itineraries and recommendations which will suit exactly your travel interests. Contact Turkey Tour Organizer to get a personalized day by day itinerary for your trip to Turkey
Serdar Akarca
Since 2008, Serdar Akarca, a highly accomplished Senior Software Engineer, has significantly contributed to a number of projects. He inevitably ran across his friend Erkan because of his unwavering desire for traveling to new places and immersing himself in other cultures. Together, they established Turkey Tour Organizer Co., where Serdar is in charge of running the business's website and social media pages.
Beyond his technical abilities, Serdar has a genuine curiosity to experience various cultures and a strong interest in travel. His dedication to exhibiting Turkey's beauty and giving tourists an amazing experience across the nation's great destinations is motivated by this passion.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can reach us by; E-Mail: info@turkeytourorganizer.com We respond to your mails within 12 hours Office Phone: +90 384 3414740 09:00 AM - 06:00 PM, Mon - Sat, GMT + 3:00
We accept payment by credit card and electronic bank transfer. Our deposit requirements and payment terms depends on the tour program you will have and arrival date
We do! Turkey Tour Organizer offers discounts for children for most tourist services published on our website. The discount depends on the age of the child and on the type of service you will require.
Absolutely! The travel consultant who is responsible from your trip from the beginning to the end, will share his/her phone number in the pre-departure document you will receive before your trip.We are giving 24 hours assistance service and our cell phones will always be available for you
Purchase all your needs Turkey Tour Organizer can handle every aspect of your trip from airline tickets, accommodation, guided tours, car hire, activities such as hot air balloon flight & whirling dervish ceremony, local experiences and many more 24 Hours Accessibility If you have a problem during your trip, you can easily contact us from our cell phones which are 24 hours available and we will be happy to sort out the situations for you.Builds Personalized Itineraries We are experts in helping our guests where they need to go and in helping to create possibilities most people never would have dreamed were possible.Time Saver Don’t be confused by calling or sending mails to each of the hotels or suppliers you would need during your trip in Turkey. Let us handle all these work and meanwhile you save lots of time since we will be the only people responsible for your package. Options Tours in Turkey can be arranged in many ways. We offer you an array of options and price quotes from a variety of travel suppliers, giving you an upper hand while making your travel planning. Less Stress Planning a trip can be stressful. There are so many options and details to worry about. Turkey Tour Organizer do the work, resulting in less stress for you. Updated Information Turkey Tour Organizer is constantly communicating with the travel community, thus giving you the most up to date info on airlines, hotels, car rental agencies, and other travel services to consider as you plan your trip. Personal Touch It is always easy to give what a traveler wants. However; we, as Turkey Tour Organizer also do our personal recommendations and touches to make your trip more enjoyable. Where to Go With Kids We are always happy to help our guests to find great locations that are kid- friendly. Trip Cancellation Something has come up and you need to cancel your trip? The only thing you need to do is to call us and we will do the transaction by considering the Cancellation Policy of your trip
When we receive your enquiry, we start designing your dream Turkish holiday itinerary. Building on our excellent network of local and national vendors, we select the very best for your specific style of travel and interests. Being freelance also gives us the opportunity to work with a variety of travel suppliers and select only the best for your customized program.Whether your travel style is 'see everything and pack each day full', 'relax and enjoy more time in fewer places' or anything in-between, we can arrange just about any program that you can imagine. We offer unique travel opportunities, home visits, and off-the-beaten-path adventures to give you a taste of the real Turkey. If you have any special interests, hobbies or passions - just let us know and we can design your itinerary to let you experience what you're interested in seeing and doing here. From hiking, culinary adventures, history, photography, sports, architecture, etc - Turkey offers something for every traveler. We are constantly researching new opportunities for our guests and always eager to hear feedback from past guests - this allows us to know who to recommend in the future and what people truly enjoy doing here. To further guarantee the quality, we only make suggestions based on companies and vendors that we have already established a successful relationship with. We are driven by the knowledge that my guests enjoy Turkey as much as we enjoy sharing my insight, history, traditions and the real Turkey. In Turkey, the tourism industry is set up to give small kick-backs to travel consultants - this doesn't mean that you're overcharged - in fact, you'll often receive a better rate as we are able to establish a discount due to frequent visits to the vendors who supply various services. If unable to secure the best rate for you, we will advise you if a better deal is more achievable by booking directly on line. Usually better rates are available to guides & agencies but if you're interested in self-booking your entire itinerary, we can also help you with the details via email/Skype/IM, etc for a small consulting fee. So, let's get started! Click on the 'contact us' text bubble at the top right and away we go. We look forward to creating the best Turkish holiday just for you.Please kindly be advised that all those services in www.turkeytourorganizer.com are operated by AND Travel Consulting CO.
