Turkey is a land of contrasts, with a vibrant modern culture following a long history showing the marks of several different civilisations which have left a wealth of incredible ancient sites to explore. The scenery also varies hugely, from the dramatic Bosphorous strait in Istanbul, to the beautiful Mediterranean coastline, forested hills and mountains further inland and special highlights like the surreal landscapes of Pamukkale and Cappadocia.
This comprehensive 19 day tour takes all this in and more. Starting and finishing in Istanbul, the tour learns about modern history at the war memorials and ANZAC cemeteries at Gallipoli before developing deeper into the past with tours of some of the region's most important historic sites at Troy, Ephesus, Hieropolis, Aphrodisias, Aspendos and Side. There are plenty of stops to relax and enjoy the seaside at the coastal towns of Kusadasi and Fethiye and Antalya, with a 12-island boat cruise also included in the Gulf of Fethiye.
The tour then heads inland, following the ancient Silk Road trading route to see the Sultanhani Caravansary at Konya before heading south east to see Lake Van, Biblical Mount Ararat, Kars and the ruins of ancient Ani.
There are a wealth of opportunities to taste traditional and modern Turkish cuisine and to pick up souvenirs and learn more about this fascinating country along the way. Accommodation is in a mix of 4-5 star and boutique style properties, either on a breakfast only or half-board basis depending on the location and other options available nearby.
The “second day” the flight is SUPER early and you have to leave the hotel at 4 am.
That was not communicated anywhere and we didn’t arrive at the hotel u til after 11 pm the night before. It made the morning very difficult!
Also, it would be helpful if there was a place by the day noting if women needed to cover shoulders/knees or men knees. When I was packing and googling, it said that at Kom Ombo (and most of the temples) it was recommended to have shoulder and knees covered, but when we got there I was told we didn’t need it. I had a lot more pants packed then I needed and that would have been helpful to know when I actually needed to wear more conservative clothing or having my hair covered.
Overall the itinerary was good. We saw a lot and had a great guide!
We were on the Steinberger cruise ship - I would not recommend that one again. Very limited. We were on Thai ship with another group from Trafalgar that paid less for the tour and we had no extras. We allowed one drink at dinner and one bottle of water.. anything more we had to pay for. They didn’t have coffee/tea available throughout the day for free. It seemed like they were nickel and diming the guests. I have been on other River cruises and unlimited water, beverages at dinner, and feee coffee/tea throughout the day in the lounge was accessible.
The places we went to were wonderful and provided a great balance of activities. Stelios and Christina facilitated the activities in such a way that things moved seamlessly.
CHRISTMAS TOUR: There’s no stuffing birds or entertaining aunts! Enjoy snowflakes on fairy chimneys, legendary sites at Ephesus, Troy and Aspendos, thermal springs at Pamukkale and Christmas Eve at St Nic’s on this 12 day tour of Turkey.
This itinerary was perfect for me and my husband. It would be great if three nights would have been allotted to Lisbon by adding a day and making the tour 10 days instead of 9. Our tour director Sabrina was great!
