Turkey Highlights
Turkey
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This journey packs a mighty punch in just eight days. Start in Istanbul and marvel at the Blue Mosque before navigating the warrens of the Grand Bazaar. Then, discover Gallipoli on a guided tour that will teach you about the significant events that took place in this area. Travel to the Aegean Sea to soak up sun, salt and history in Kusadasi with a visit to the ancient city of Ephesus. Catch the overnight train to Central Anatolia and the fairytale landscape of Cappadocia, where hot air balloons dot the skyline and dwellings are cut into the cliffs, then finish back in Istanbul, the long-lived metropolis where East meets West.
Availability
From 05/04/2025 to 04/01/2028
Departure dates & prices
Dates
Availability
Price
What's included
This short but sweet trip packs a punch with visits to Istanbul, Canakkale, Cappadocia and Ephesus while still leaving plenty of time to relax.
Discover the incredible ancient and modern history of Turkey as you explore thousands of years of history hidden within the remarkable ruins of Ephesus and discover Gallipoli on a guided tour that will teach you about the significant events that took place in this area.
Taste local fruit wines in one of the best-preserved Greek Ottoman villages in the country.
Get to know the friendly locals with a home-made lunch at a local family in Cappadocia.
Travel and stay a little differently – and come home with memories to last a lifetime – from taking local buses and trains, to staying in one of the cave hotels that Cappadocia is famed for.
Discover the back streets and vibrant local markets of Istanbul with your expert guide, find hidden hotspots and local hangouts that you won’t find in the guidebooks.
Breakfasts Included: 6.
Lunches Included: 1.
Dinners Included: 1.
Hotel (6 nights),Overnight Train (1 night).
Private Bus,Public Bus,Overnight Train,Plane.
Age: min 15.
Group Size: 1 - 12.
Istanbul - Old City Walking Tour (Half Day).
Gallipoli - Fully guided Gallipoli tour & visit to the Commonwealth graveyards.
Sirince - Village visit and fruit wine tasting.
Troy - Archaeological site visit.
Selcuk - Leader-led orientation walk.
Ephesus - Archaeological site visit.
Selcuk - Artemis Temple Visit.
Selcuk - Gozleme making demonstration and lunch.
Cappadocia - Kaymakli Underground City.
Konya - Mevlana Museum.
Cappadocia - Valley walk.
Cappadocia - Dinner at Local Family Home.
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Itinerary
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1 - Istanbul Welcome to Istanbul, the continent-straddling metropolis that the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, and Ottomans have all once called home. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 1 pm, followed by a guided tour of the Old City with your expert leader. Visit the scene of many a chariot race in the ancient hippodrome, check out the Blue Mosque, take a walk past the wares of the Grand Bazaar and marvel at the architectural masterpiece that is Suleymaniye Cami. If you're not too exhausted after all the exploring, join your new friends for dinner and bask in the beauty of a real Turkish kebab. While you might be familiar with the shaved meats and pita bread sensation that you may have come across at 2 am, nothing beats the kind they wrap up in Istanbul.
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2 - Canakkale After breakfast this morning, hit the road enroute to Canakkale - a port city on the southern shore of the Dardanelles. You'll stop along the way to explore Gallipoli on a guided tour that will teach you about the significant events and history embedded in this area. Your guide will take you to ANZAC Cove and major memorial sites like Brighton Beach and ANZAC commemorative Site. You'll also take in the views across the Dardanelles Strait and the Gallipoli Peninsula. This evening, we'll spend the night in Canakkale with free time to grab dinner and get ready for tomorrow's adventures.
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3 - Troy - Sirince - Selcuk This morning, we'll drive to Selcuk with a stop in Troy - where history and mythology sit side-by-side - along the way. You'll wander the ancient city walls with your group leader and even get a chance to enjoy a photo op with a replica Trojan Horse. You'll learn more about how this place has confounded historians and archaeologists alike before continuing on to Selcuk. After arrival in the town, on the slopes of Ayasoluk Hill lie several historical buildings - you'll follow your leader on an orientation walk, passing Isa Bey Mosque and the imposing Byzantine citadel of the Grand Fortress.Then drive out to the nearby picturesque village of Sirince and taste some locally produced fruit wines. This authentic Greek Ottoman village seems to have been overlooked by modern development and the unique local architecture nestled in the hills make for a photographer's dream. Return to Selcuk and the evening is yours.
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4 - Ephesus This morning, take a private minivan to visit the ruins of the ancient city of Ephesus - one of the best-preserved Greco-Roman classical cities in the world. Once the capital city of Roman Asia Minor, the city has a fascinating history, which really comes alive with a local guide to enhance your experience. Considering their age, the ruins are in incredible shape, and it's not difficult to imagine them in their full glory over 2000 years ago, equipped with running water, public toilets, a medical institute, and Roman baths. The theatre is well preserved and regularly hosts concerts, but it's perhaps the magnificent library that is the most striking. Then enjoy a lunch after the tour and don't miss out the chance of peeking into their kitchen where the local ladies make the delicious gozleme. You'll some free time later before being transferred to Izmir in the early evening - an overnight train, will be waiting to transport you through the night to the central Anatolian city of Konya.
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5 - Konya Wake up in Konya, a traditional Turkish city that's closely linked with the whirling dervish sect of Islam developed in the 13th century by Celaleddin Rumi, considered one of Islam's greatest Sufi mystics. Visit the Mevlana Museum and stretch your legs in town before hitting the road to Cappadocia. Keep an eye out for the fairy chimneys, the hallmarks of Cappadocia's otherworldly landscape, as you drive across the Anatolian plains. Stop enroute at one of the underground cities that once provided a safe haven in times of war or persecution. Arrive in the Cappadocian town of Ugrup in the late afternoon and take a sunset valley walk before settling in for the evening. This evening, you'll be treated to a stay in a local cave hotel that Cappadocia is famous for here.
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6 - Cappadocia This morning you have the option to take a hot air balloon flight, a once-in-a-lifetime experience during which the sun illuminates a skyline dotted with balloons. Later this morning, enjoy a guided walk through one of the nearby valleys, possibly the Valley of Love, which features fairy chimneys, deserted rock-cut homes and churches. Your leader will know a number of fantastic scenic routes, and a good walk is by far the best way to experience this unique environment. In your free time today, maybe visit the UNESCO-listed Goreme Open Air Museum, a monastic complex composed of churches, rectories and dwellings cut into the soft cliff face, or check out the Dark Church. This evening you'll be warmly welcomed into a local home where the family will prepare a special home-cooked dinner for you and your group. Sit down to a feast made with passion, enjoy a friendly chat with your affable host and perhaps top off the night with some Turkish delight.
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7 - Cappadocia to Istanbul Wave goodbye to Cappadocia and transfer to the airport for a flight back to Istanbul (expect to arrive between 1 pm and 4 pm), and get transferred to your hotel. Meet up with your travel buds in the evening and take a stroll to one of the city's trendiest neighbourhoods, a place of contradictions where tool-selling tradesman share space with chic cafes and galleries - this is the place to be seen. Perhaps, try a local favourite, balik ekmek (fish sandwich), for dinner, then cleanse the palate with a baklava. Maybe check out a few of the bars, or simply enjoy a farewell cay (Turkish tea) overlooking the Bosphorus.
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8 - Istanbul Your Turkey adventure comes to an end after breakfast today, and there are no activities planned. However, if you'd like to spend more time in Istanbul, we're happy to organise additional accommodation (subject to availability).
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