A Taste of Turkey - Istanbul to Cappadocia

BM-48137

4.0Based on

9 days

“

From start to finish this trip was excellent. Our tour guide Jusef was excellent, the knowledge he shared, and his friendliness was outstanding. He really helped with recommendations of where to eat, and what to do with our free time. The itinerary was a perfect mix of exploring, food, and some free time. The accommodation was excellent, some beautifully presented hotels, in great areas for exploring. This was my first trip with explore, and I am looking forward to booking the next one.

Rebecca | Traveled in July

5 - Excellent

Carbon neutral

9 daysDuration

Small Group TourUsually 8-12 participants

16 peopleMaximum group size

16 - 99 yearsAge range for participants

EnglishGuide language

Relaxed

Minimal physical effort, perfect for travelers seeking an easy-going experience.

Starts

Ends

Istanbul, Turkey

Kayseri, Turkey

Select Date

Best price guaranteedNo credit card or booking fees.Carbon neutral tours.

3 other people are considering this tour right now.

Highlights

Discover delicious street food - From 'balik ekmek' (grilled mackerel sandwich) to chewy ice cream and gozleme (savoury pastries) Discover Istanbul - Spend four days in the captivating and vibrant Turkish capital, packed with food experiences around every corner Cappadocia - Tour a vineyard and wine cellar in this fairy-tale landscape

Itinerary

Focusing in depth on two of Turkey's most popular destinations, Istanbul and the Cappadocia region, tickle your taste buds with specialties from slow-cooked pottery kebabs to sweet delights and moreish street food. Between visits to a wealth of world famous sites, we'll feast on Turkish mezze and baklava.

day 1Join trip in Istanbul

Our trip begins in Istanbul. As Constantinople, the city was the capital of the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman Empires, so today it is steeped in history and fascinating architecture. Geographically, the city straddles Europe and Asia and because of this, it was an important stop on the old Silk Road and a melting pot of different cultures which is demonstrated in its gastronomy. Turkish food is a hearty mix of Middle Eastern, Asian, Mediterranean and Balkan style dishes that range from barbecued meat kebabs to vine leaf wrapped vegetable and rice parcels. For those arriving on time our tour leader plans to meet you in the hotel reception at 7pm for the welcome meeting and, for those that wish, there is the chance to join an optional orientation walk to the impressive Galata bridge over the Golden Horn. There's an array of street food stalls that the locals head to after work and the restaurants under the bridge serve a variety of dishes including 'Balik Ekmek' (freshly caught fish grilled and served in freshly baked bread). There are no other activities planned today, so you are free to arrive in Istanbul at any time. If you miss the briefing, your tour leader will inform you of any essential information as soon as you catch up. If you'd like an airport transfer, you'll need to arrive at Istanbul Airport (IST) (a 90-minute drive from the centre) or Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (SAW) (a two-hour drive from the centre). If you are arriving into Istanbul Airport (IST) and have an arrival transfer confirmed with us - once you have collected your luggage, please proceed towards the airport exit. Your transfer driver will be waiting for you outside exit gate 13 next to the H&B sign or outside exit gate number 9 next to the NP sign if you land into Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (SAW). Our hotel for the next four nights has a prime location within easy walking distance of the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace and the Grand Bazaar.

Accommodation

Grand Sirkeci Hotel

day 2Discover Istanbul’s street food scene along the fashionable Istiklal Caddesi district of Istanbul and the Kabatas neighbourhood

day 3Discover Istanbul’s street food scene. Walking tour of Sultanahmet, visit the Blue Mosque, the Grand Bazaar and the spice market

day 4Cable car to Pierre Loti for panoramic views. Visit Suleymaniye Mosque followed by a traditional lunch of Kuru Fasulye

day 5Travel by high speed train to Konya. Visit the Mevlana museum and try the famous Konya 'etli ekmek'

day 6Travel to the Cappadocia region. See the rock churches in the Ihlara Valley

day 7Full day in Cappadocia, visit the Goreme Open Air Museum, Uchisar Castle and take a walk in one of the iconic valleys

day 8Visit Kaymakli Underground City followed by a gentle walk in the famous Soganli valley. Wine tasting.

day 9Trip ends in Goreme, Cappadocia

What's Included

Accommodation

Grand Sirkeci Hotel (4 nights)Konya Bera Hotel (1 night)Zemi Hotel (3 nights)

Meals

8 Breakfasts, 6 Lunches, 2 Dinners

Transport

Driver(s)BusBoat

Guide

Local Guide(s)Explore Tour Leader

What's Excluded

Customer Reviews

4.1

based on 10 reviews

Availability

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Monthly Price Comparison

Good to Know

Travel Insurance

Visa

Other Practical Information

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1 week ago

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LauraVerified Traveler

3.0 | Average

Nov 2, 2025

There are positives and negatives to this trip. If it had been a normal exploration trip it would have been good, however, this was a food tour and there was a serious lack of food or food focus included on the tour. Our guide çadas was very informative about Turkish history and gave a great insight into how Turkey came to be. We did have to speak to him early on about things which should be included according to the trip itinerary which were missed and he initially seemed disinterested in the group and more interested in smoking but throughout the trip he seemed to find his feet and became much more involved. He has a good sense of humour and answered all of our many questions. I didn't get the impression he was much of a foodie though which may have impeded him understanding the groups' interest in food. While I feel we got a great flavour of the history of Turkey it would have been interesting to see and learn more about Turkey now and perhaps experience home cooking or a homestay as part of the trip to see the current culture a bit more. We did get to see a lot of Turkey but it would have been interesting to visit olive oil producers etc rather than just hearing that the area is known for the production/growth of various items. Given this was a food tour, and I have been on food tours previously with other companies, I had expected a bit more involved. There seemed to be limited included and suggestions from our guide were at times a little lackluster -although a recommendation for slow cooked lamb in Istanbul was perhaps my favourite meal of the trip. Additionally some things which were on the itinerary were vague enough that they seemed to be included but weren't and seemed like they would be more than they were. For example in Istanbul the tour of the food market Asia side was just one shop for olives and pickles whereas it would have been nice to be able to walk through the market tasting other things and asking questions and trying the coffee in a nice cafe rather than not at all/ waiting until later in the trip. Or the wine tasting in Cappadocia was our guide choosing 4 wines and us getting to taste them, I had expected to go to a vineyard or at least a bar where it would be more formal and we could learn more about the process or the wines themselves. Additionally some restaurants seemed very touristy or were in hotels rather than places where locals would eat and food would be more authentic. Positives food wise were the pide, the gozleme, and the cooking class in selcuik was excllent and, while not included, the recommendation to go to a women's cooperative in capapdocia was great. Improvements could be made on breakfasts on travel days, recommendations from the guide, and more opportunities to try the varied local specialities of the areas visited. Travel, we had 2 drivers on our trip. The first ( Mr ayup) was absolutely lovely and a great driver. We were very sad he had to leave 2 days early. Our second, serca, seemed less experienced, the bus was poorly maintained with leaky window in the rain, the air vents weren't adjustable or were broken, the seats were very narrow and had limited room between them and the bus stunk of smoke as he had a tendency to smoke inside the bus despite no smoking signs

Nov 2, 2025

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