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Wonders of Turkey
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4.7Based on
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Anonymous
Great, simple, no fuss process
1 day ago
11 daysDuration
Group TourJoin a group of travelers
48 peopleMaximum group size
5 - 99 yearsAge range for participants
EnglishGuide language
Easy
Light physical activity suitable for most people with average fitness levels.
Starts
Ends
Istanbul, Turkey
Istanbul, Turkey
Highlights
Gallipoli: Visit ANZAC Cove on the Gallipoli Peninsula, the landing site for Australian and New Zealand forces on 25 April 1915. The site remains the focus of ANZAC Day commemorations, including the dawn service held here each year.
Troy: Visit this ancient sight fabled to have been destroyed over love and view the huge reconstructed Trojan Horse.
Ephesus: Visit the Archaeological museum housing many of the artefacts from Ephesus.
Ephesus: Walk through Ephesus with a Local Expert, following the Arcadian Way into the heart of the Roman city. You’ll stand before the Library of Celsus, take in the scale of the amphitheatre and visit the House of the Virgin Mary, set in the hills above the ruins.
Pamukkale: Walk along the travertine pools at Pamukkale, where thermal waters have created white limestone terraces across the hillside. You’ll see how the calcium-rich water continues to shape the formations, leaving new deposits as it flows.
Konya: Step inside the Sultanhani Caravanserai, built in 1229 to support traders and travellers crossing the Anatolian plain. See how the space was designed for overnight shelter, with stables, storerooms and a central courtyard still intact.
Saratli: Explore the underground city of Saratlı, where tunnels, rooms and passageways were carved out to provide shelter and storage. You’ll walk through the lower levels and see how early communities built out daily life below ground.
Göreme: Explore the rock-cut churches of Göreme, carved into the soft volcanic rock of Cappadocia. Inside, you’ll see early Christian frescoes that have survived for centuries, offering a close look at how communities once lived and worshipped here.
Avanos: Visit a pottery studio in Avanos, a town on the Kızılırmak River with a clay-working tradition that dates back to Hittite times. Watch how red river clay is prepared and shaped at the wheel, and follow the stages as each piece is formed, dried and decorated.
Ankara: Visit Anıtkabir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of modern Turkey and the Republic’s first President. You’ll walk through the ceremonial complex and enter the Hall of Honour, observing how the architecture and setting underline his role in the country’s modern history.
Istanbul: Cruise along the Bosphorus, the strait that links the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara. You’ll watch ferries, fishing boats and cargo ships share the waterway and see how Istanbul’s districts line both banks, built around this route between Europe and Asia.
Istanbul: Explore Istanbul’s historic peninsula with your Local Expert. You’ll move between the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome and the former palace complex of Topkapi, tracing how the city shifted from Byzantine Constantinople to the Ottoman capital while life continues in the surrounding streets and markets.
Konya: Step inside the Sultanhani Caravanserai, built in 1229 to support traders and travellers crossing the Anatolian plain. See how the space was designed for overnight shelter, with stables, storerooms and a central courtyard still intact.
Saratli: Explore the underground city of Saratlı, where tunnels, rooms and passageways were carved out to provide shelter and storage. You’ll walk through the lower levels and see how early communities built out daily life below ground.
Göreme: Explore the rock-cut churches of Göreme, carved into the soft volcanic rock of Cappadocia. Inside, you’ll see early Christian frescoes that have survived for centuries, offering a close look at how communities once lived and worshipped here.
Avanos: Visit a pottery studio in Avanos, a town on the Kızılırmak River with a clay-working tradition that dates back to Hittite times. Watch how red river clay is prepared and shaped at the wheel, and follow the stages as each piece is formed, dried and decorated.
Ankara: Visit Anıtkabir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of modern Turkey and the Republic’s first President. You’ll walk through the ceremonial complex and enter the Hall of Honour, observing how the architecture and setting underline his role in the country’s modern history.
Istanbul: Cruise along the Bosphorus, the strait that links the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara. You’ll watch ferries, fishing boats and cargo ships share the waterway and see how Istanbul’s districts line both banks, built around this route between Europe and Asia.
Istanbul: Explore Istanbul’s historic peninsula with your Local Expert. You’ll move between the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome and the former palace complex of Topkapi, tracing how the city shifted from Byzantine Constantinople to the Ottoman capital while life continues in the surrounding streets and markets.
What's Included
Accommodation
Canopy by Hilton Istanbul HotelKolin, Çanakkale HotelSwissotel Büyük Efes, Izmir HotelDoğa Thermal Health & Spa, Pamukkale HotelDoubleTree by Hilton Avanos, Cappadocia HotelAnkara HiltonSA HotelHotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport.
Meals
Dinner (x7)Breakfast (x10)LunchIstanbul: Begin your travels savouring traditional flavours over dinner at a local restaurant.Izmir: Share a Farm-to-table lunch at Nif Bağları, a family-owned wine producer in the foothills near Izmir. Walk through the vines and learn how the land is used, then sit down to seasonal dishes made with produce grown on the property, served in the vineyard setting.Istanbul: Toast the culmination of your travels during dinner at a local restaurant.
Transport
Enjoy the comfort of Insight's luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom. Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.
Guide
From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.
Others
Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.Cappadocia: Experience a Sema ceremony performed by the whirling dervishes, part of the Mevlevi Sufi tradition. You’ll watch the ritual unfold through music, movement and costume, in a form of worship still practised across Turkey today.Ayvalik: Visit the Copmadam workshop, where one-of-a-kind items are made from recycled packaging, creating employment opportunities for local women. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5: Gender Equality.Cappadocia: Step inside a traditional cave house and meet a local Cappadocian who has lived there for decades. Hear how the home was shaped, how it has changed over time and what it means to remain rooted in this landscape.Istanbul: An immersive digital experience through the iconic structure's rich past, showcasing its transformation from a Byzantine cathedral to an Ottoman mosque and now a museum, with captivating exhibits and architectural wonders.Istanbul: Visit Hagia Sophia with your Local Expert. You’ll step beneath the central dome and see how elements from its time as a Byzantine basilica and as an Ottoman mosque share the same interior, reflecting the building’s long and layered history.Choose between two carefully selected activitiesIstanbul: An immersive digital experience through the iconic structure's rich past, showcasing its transformation from a Byzantine cathedral to an Ottoman mosque and now a museum, with captivating exhibits and architectural wonders.Istanbul: Visit Hagia Sophia with your Local Expert. You’ll step beneath the central dome and see how elements from its time as a Byzantine basilica and as an Ottoman mosque share the same interior, reflecting the building’s long and layered history.
Experience the allure of Turkey on this immersive 11-day guided trip, designed for seniors and seasoned travelers seeking both comfort and cultural discovery. From the birthplace of civilizations in Troy and Ephesus to the dazzling mosaics of Istanbul, every stop is steeped in history. Marvel at Pamukkale’s turquoise travertine terraces, visit the cave dwellings of Cappadocia, and dine in view of swirling Whirling Dervishes.
Unique moments abound: walk an organic farm in the Maeander River Valley, soak in a hotel’s Turkish baths, and barter for treasures in Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar. The journey also includes a visit to Atatürk’s Mausoleum in Ankara, connecting you to the nation’s modern story.
What sets this tour apart is the rich blend of ancient wonders, local encounters, and authentic gastronomy—delivered at a relaxed, accessible pace for maximum enjoyment.
day 1Welcome to Istanbul
Arrive in Istanbul, the only major city set across two continents, shaped by the Bosphorus and a skyline of domes and minarets. Youll transfer to Canopy by Hilton Istanbul, in the Beyolu district, and have time to settle in. If time allows, head out for a first look at the citys waterfront life, watching ferries cross the strait and taking in views towards the historic peninsula. This evening, meet your Travel Director and your small group for dinner in a local restaurant and begin getting to know the travellers youll be exploring with.
Meals
Dinner
Location Visited
Istanbul
Accommodation
Canopy by Hilton Istanbul
day 2Gallipoli, Anzac Cove and Troy
day 3Izmir
day 4Ancient Ephesus
day 5The Pools of Pamukkale
day 6The Underground City and Cappadocia
day 7The Cappadocia Experience
day 8Ankara
day 9To Istanbul
day 10Istanbul and the Ottoman Empire
day 11Farewell Istanbul
Good to Know
Cancellation
Payment
Travel Insurance
Visa
Other Practical Information
A
AnonymousVerified Traveler
5.0 | Excellent
It was a good look around Turkey. We traveled many miles, hence early starts, but that's to be expected.
Did not like the Whirling Derb..... ! Could not understand a thing. Very boring.
B
Barry M.Verified Traveler
5.0 | Excellent
The itinerary is designed to absorb you into the history and culture of Turkey.
It makes you think.
A
AnonymousVerified Traveler
5.0 | Excellent
It was great but would of liiked longer at each place.
There were .too many stops at retail outlets of rugs, leather, ceramics where we felt pressured to buy.
A
AnonymousVerified Traveler
5.0 | Excellent
It was well organized. The tour director and driver were excellent. The meals and restaurants included in the package were good. However, the rest stop meal options and taste were ordinary.
G
Gary A.Verified Traveler
5.0 | Excellent
Lunch stops could be varied a bit seemed to be fast food areas which is understandable but food was not that great in variety
