Best of Turkey

Your 11-day adventure starts off with your arrival in Istanbul. One of the most fascinating and grand cities in the world, Istanbul is rich with culture and history.Uniquely located at the junction of Europe and Asia, it is filled with winding streets, friendly people, and many architectural marvels. You are transferred to your hotel, and have the rest of the day to yourself.

We start the day exploring the historical part of Istanbul known as the Old City. You visit some of the most iconic landmarks, including the world-famous Blue Mosque, the beautiful Hagia Sophia, the intriguing Topkapi Palace and the historic Hippodrome.You'll spend the night in Istanbul.

After breakfast, cruise between two continents on the stretch of water that separates Europe from Asia in the afternoon with a 1 hour Bosphorus cruise by public ferry where your guide will explain the historical sites along the way.This afternoon there is a flight to Cappadocia, upon arrival you will be transfrred to your hotel. The remainder of the day is free time to explore.

A day filled with fascinating cultural experiences awaits us. We visit the Goreme Open Air Musuem, one of the most unique places to visit in Turkey. It is comprised of a series of monasteries and churches hewn into the rock formations, many still retaining beautiful colour paintings and frescoes.We also see the fairy chimneys at Pasabag and the grand Uchisar Castle. In the evening, there is an optional folklore evening featuring belly dancers, a memorable way to end off the day.

Today we visit the mazes and tunnels of Kaymakli Underground City. We then travel along the famous ancient Silk Road towards Konya. We stop at the Sultan Hani Caravansary.In ancient times, a caravansary was a roadside inn where travellers were able to stop to rest and recover from their journeys. The Sultani Hani Caranvansary is one of the biggest in the world and stopping here will give you a sense of what travellers back then might have experienced.When we reach Konya, we visit the Mevlana Museum, the mausoleum of the world-renowned poet and philosopher Jalaluddin Rumi. We also make a trip to the 12th-century Aladdin Mosque.

Today we head towards the famous travertines and hot springs of Pamukkale. This magical natural site is a bucket-list destination and is visited by around 2 million people each year. The white limestone cascades and bright blue pools contrast beautifully, and are aptly known as a cotton castle. We'll also see the ruins of Hierapolis, known as the “Sacred City” due to its temples and religious sites. The theatre here is well-preserved and is wonderful to see.The enormous Necropolis, or cemetery, is also accessible. We also visit the ruins of the Temple of Apollo, an ancient site dedicated to the famous Greek God of healing, medicine, music, and poetry. We also get to see and browse through local handcrafted leather goods.

Today, we will explore Laodicea ancient city which was the chief city of the Lycus River Valley region. The full name of the city was Laodicea ad Lyceum (Laodicea on the Lycus). The city was originally known as Diospolis ("the City of Zeus"). The Greek deity considered to be the greatest of the Olympian gods. This afternoon we will enjoy a display of locally handcrafted leather goods.

Absorb yourself in history today with a guided tour of Ephesus a once a bustling trade hub and religious center, Ephesus today whispers of ancient marvels, from site of the Temple of Artemis to the Library of Celsus's grand facade and the grand amphitheatre.Carpet weaving has long traditions in Turkey and at the carpet village we learn how the carpets are made by hand and what determines their value.We continue on to the former Greek village of Sirince, famous for its fruit wines. Here we will visit a local vineyard and learn about local production techniques. You will taste 3 local wines from the region at the garden of the vineyard before returning to our hotel.

We enjoy a scenic drive today heading north up the Mediterranean coast before we visit the magnificent acropolis of Pergamum. The impressive temples and library here made this a renowned cultural and political centre in its time. Our next stop is the ancient site of Troy, famous for Helen of Troy and the wooden Trojan Horse. We spend the night at a hotel overlooking the Dardanelles Strait near Cannakale.

After crossing the Dardanelles Strait by ferry, we make a tour of the important World War 1 battlefield sites on the Gallipoli Peninsula, including ANZAC Cove, The Nek, Johnston’s Jolly, original tunnels and trenches and the Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair Memorials. We’ll then drive back to Istanbul to finish the tour.

Our 11-day adventure in Turkey ends today. We enjoy breakfast in Istanbul, after which your time is free until we pick you up to transfer to the airport for your onward journey home.