A great trip. A lot of ground covered. Tour notes had explained clearly that early starts were common and how much travel time was involved. Our modern, generously sized, coach and regular stops made it very comfortable. Our guide, Alcan Sisli, and driver, Attila, were of the high quality I expect from Explore! trips. Alcan was passionate about his country and extremely knowledgeable about all our points of interest. He took great care to include everyones wishes and needs when making plans and quickly knew us as individuals. He was unfailingly cheerful and looked after us all very competently, even when we perhaps did our own thing! We all got our turn to sit near the front of the coach to ask all those odd questions you might hesitate to ask in the whole group, though as usual the group, 12 in all, was such an interesting mix of backgrounds and personalities that it very soon felt as if we were just one big family. I miss them all now I'm home again! The accommodation was an eclectic mix of small city rooms to surprisingly luxurious bigger ones. All clean and with amazing buffet breakfasts. Food was varied - if sometimes a little solidly based on traditional Turkish meals. Fabulous fresh fish. Interesting 'greasy spoon' cafes with amazing dishes and the chance to try great local specialities. The attractions were as described - but even more spectacular in reality. The Mosques, Cotton Castle terraces, Rock formations and cave dwellings, Greco Romano remains etc were all fantastic and the final visit to Gallipoli was powerfully atmospheric. Our only disappointment was the unusually cold and wet weather during our particular trip dates but it didn't dampen our spirits and the only thing we couldn't do was the optional balloon flight. Another year perhaps. Now just got to sort out the 100s of photos and eat the Turkish Delight.
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Resort
Age Range
16-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Istanbul, Pamukkale, Selçuk, Eph
Istanbul, Pamukkale, Selçuk, Ephesus, Canakkale, Ankara, Goreme, Cappadocia, Antalya, Kas, Xanthos, Iztuzu Beach
Explore the best of Turkey and enjoy the Mediterranean on this private 8-day guided tour. See the best of Istanbul, the fairy chimneys at Cappadocia, the open-air museum at Göreme, and the incredible city of Antalya.
This incredible tour package takes you through Istanbul for a full two days, Cappadocia for two full days, Antalya for two full days, and Pamukkale for one full day! This is the perfect trip for those who want to explore Turkey at a leisurely pace, and it includes a full free day in Antalya for your explorations.
The package includes accommodation, flights, expert guides to each destination, meals, transport, and more. As this is a private tour, it is possible to customize it to your requirements.
We had a spectacular trip. We did a self-guided trip in Piemonte and Tuscany/Umbria. The hotels were much nicer than we expected. Very comfortable and the owners/proprietors were so helpful. The transfer of luggage each day was seamless!
The routes were generally well marked and the app was very good. We didn't need anything more than the app. Only got lost twice which I'd say is pretty good. The routes were a bit more challenging than we expected. We choose two hikes which were marked as 'Introductory - Moderate' which were tougher than we expected. So just pay attention to this. At home, we would consider ourselves quite capable of moderate+ trails, but the classification in Italy is a bit more demanding.
Glad we wore hiking pants as we went through a lot of grasses so never had a concern about tics. Also were very happy we had hiking sticks with us. Invaluable on many of the trails.
I would definitely recommend them to anyone considering a hiking trip. And absolutely no problem doing the self-guided version.
Thank you!!
Griffy and Marg
Explore the beautifully rugged landscapes of Iceland’s western peninsulas with coastal cliffs, centuries-old volcanic glaciers and huge waterfalls on a nine-day Premium adventure. Take a boat cruise between icebergs at Glacier Lagoon, trek around vast waterside craters, visit local artisans in Grundarfjordur and explore small fishing villages. Sample fresh produce at your Feature Stay, take a carbon-neutral boat trip to spot whales and dip your toes in the Arctic Ocean. See the highlights of Iceland with expert local knowledge and time to explore – you’ll get a true taste of this Northern European outpost!
City sightseeing
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
15-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Reykjavik, Snaefellsnes Peninsul
Reykjavik, Snaefellsnes Peninsula, Skagafjordur, Akureyri, Egilsstadir, Skaftafell National Park, Flúðir
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Recommend this tour. Mini van with a driver and tour guide. The guide was so informative, a really lovely lady. Driver was on the ball - it was a couple of days into the trip he revealed he could understand english.
It was good to be "off the beaten track" -- away from crowds, in smaller places. The places we stayed were terrific, and the meals -- the reason we came here -- wonderful.
For people in their mid/late 60's like us, a trip such as the French Food Lover's Le Puy Camino was the best outcome. There were many aspects of the trip that were excellent. An example; having a guided tour through a particular historic town/city with a knowlegeable guide other "tourists" walked past us with a look of envy because we were part of a structured tour group.
Food toursWalking tours
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Hut
Age Range
18-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
The Way of St. James, Southern F
The Way of St. James, Southern France, Le Puy-en-Velay, Pau , Saugues, Laguiole, Conques, Figeac, Cahors, Moissac, Montréal-du-Gers, St Jean Pied De Port
