Overview
A great way to discover the best of Turkey and make new friends along the way. This escorted group tour covers important historical sights for the first time visitor to Turkey along with a stop in the Mediterranean city of Antalya. A great combination of culture, history & nature. This group tour starts in Istanbul every Thursday from April to October (selected dates during Jan/Feb/Mar/Nov/Dec).
Tour itinerary
Day 01 - Thursday : Istanbul
Upon arrival you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Welcome briefing will be held.
Day 02 - Friday : Istanbul
Enjoy a full day tour including a visit to Topkapi Palace Museum, residence of the Ottoman Sultans between 1453–1852 (excluding harem). Visit the Hippodrome, which was once the center of life where chariot racing and other public events took place. Tour the Blue Mosque built between 1609 and 1616, famous for its blue ceramic tiles. Next see St. Sophia, a church built in the 6th century Byzantine capital, converted to a mosque by the Ottomans, and now a museum and one of the world’s greatest architectural wonders. Your last stop will be the famous Grand Bazaar, the world’s largest and oldest covered market with over 60 streets. Join an optional dinner with belly dancing entertainment.
meals: breakfast included
Day 03 - Saturday : Gallipoli – Dardanelles – Canakkale
In the morning, depart for Gallipoli, the site of many battles during WWI. Visit Anzac Cove, Lone Pine Cemetery and Chunuk Bair, then cross the Dardanelles to Canakkale for overnight.
meals: breakfast & dinner included
Day 04 - Sunday : Troy – Pergamum – Kusadasi
Visit Troy with its famous wooden horse, best known for being the setting of the Trojan War and many cities built on top of each other. Then enjoy lunch with locals in a traditional village. Continue to Pergamum to visit the ancient Medical Center in Asclepion and continue to Kusadasi for overnight.
meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner included
Day 05 - Monday : Ephesus & Virgin Mary’s House
Tour the famous ruins of Ephesus, an important cultural center of the ancient world, and explore 2,000 year-old marble streets, a theater, the Library of Celsius, a gymnasium and Hadrian’s Temple. Take a short drive to see St. Mary’s stone cottage where it is believed Virgin Mary spent her last years accompanied by St. John. Continue to a regional rug production center to have a firsthand experience of this unique art form. Join an optional afternoon tour of Sirince.
meals: breakfast & dinner included
Day 06 - Tuesday : Kusadasi – Pamukkale
Drive through lush valleys to Pamukkale (Cotton Castle) with lime cascades formed by hot mineral springs. Visit ruins of the Roman health spa of Hierapolis and enjoy a swim in the hotel’s thermal pool.
meals: breakfast & dinner included
Day 07 - Wednesday : Pamukkale – Perge – Antalya
In the morning drive to Antalya, arrive midday and pay a visit to the ancient Greek city of Perge, famous for its Temple of Artemis. Also located there is an acropolis dating back to the Bronze Age. It is also notable for being the home of the renowned, ancient Greek mathematician Apollonius. Enjoy a relaxing afternoon by the Mediterranean Coast.
meals: breakfast & dinner included
Day 08 - Thursday : Antalya
Enjoy a day at leisure to relax or explore around the town & old Kaleici area on your own. Optional tour of Phaselis, an ancient coastal city, or a lazy yacht cruise along the Turquoise Coast of the Mediterranean. Dinner at a special local restaurant.
meals: breakfast & dinner included
Day 09 - Friday : Antalya – Aspendos – Konya
After breakfast depart for Konya, en route visit the ancient city Aspendos, known for having the best-preserved theater of antiquity. On arrival to Konya visit the Mausoleum of Mevlana, a Sufi philosopher, and a dervish lodge of the Mevlevi order, better known as the Whirling Dervishes. Continue to the Karatay Koran School, an 800 year-old building, once a Selcuk Islamic theological seminary, which houses an outstanding collection of ceramics and tiles. Overnight in Konya.
meals: breakfast & dinner included
Day 10 - Saturday : Konya – Cappadocia
Morning drive to Cappadocia, the land of the fairy chimneys. En route, visit a 13th century caravanserai and the underground city of Saratli, one of the many underground settlements built for protection and religious reasons. Dinner at local restaurant. Optional: Whirling Dervishes performance.
meals: breakfast & dinner included
Day 11 - Sunday : Cappadocia
Consider optional early morning hot air balloon ride and experience floating over volcanic valleys & fairy chimneys at sunrise.
After breakfast visit Goreme, a historical region of Turkey, located among the rock formations, which was first settled back in the Roman period. Many rock churches can still be seen today, as Christianity was then the prevailing religion in that region. Continue to the town of Avanos renowned for its high quality earthenware. Also visit Pasabagi, Red Valley and attend a brief regional pottery workshop in a cave.
meals: breakfast & dinner included
Day 12 - Monday : Cappadocia – Ankara
In the morning, depart for the capital city of Ankara through the salt lake area. Enjoy an afternoon tour of the Ataturk Mausoleum and the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, a historic caravanserai holding artifacts from up to 7500 years old including the most extensive and valuable collection of Hittite artifacts in the world.
meals: breakfast & dinner included
Day 13 - Tuesday : Istanbul
After breakfast, depart on a scenic drive to Istanbul. In the afternoon optional half-day Bosphorus cruise along the strait that separates Asia and Europe. Its shores are lined with fine neighborhoods, Ottoman palaces, fortresses, old wooden villas, hotels, parks and gardens, restaurants and cafés. Tonight enjoy a farewell dinner.
meals: breakfast & dinner included
Day 14 - Wednesday : Departure
Check-out and as per your international flight departure time transfer to Istanbul Airport
meals: breakfast included