Country(ies): Turkey
Tour type: Small Group
Group size: Min: 2 | Max: 20
Accommodation:4-star & boutique style hotels
Meals: Breakfasts - 7, Lunches - 0, Dinners - 5
Transport: AC minibus/coach & domestic flight
Highlights:Spice bazaars, Blue Mosque & Hippodrome in Istanbul, Greek & Roman ruins at Ephesus, coastal Kusadasi, calcium travertines at Pamukkale, Hieropolis ruins, Cappadocia fairy chimneys, Goreme Valley, underground cities, Ankara
This 8-day Turkey tour takes you from bustling Istanbul to the Mediterranean at Kusadasi and then inland to the beautiful scenery of Cappadocia. The itinerary is designed to combine some of Turkey's classic highlights in a week's visit, balancing bustling cities, beautiful scenery, ancient ruins and modern Turkey. You'll stay in a mix of 4-star and boutique style properties along the way.
Starting in Istanbul, the beating heart of Turkey and historically a vitally important connecting point between the continents of Europe and Asia, we visit the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia, Spice Bazaar, Hippodrome and take a cruise on the Bosphorus before flying south to the Mediterranean coast at Kusadasi. We have two nights here, and a tour to the nearby ruins at Ephesus. One of the best preserved ancient Greek & Roman sites in the whole of the Mediterranean region, this is a spectacular site with a fascinating history. We'll also visit a village famous for producing local fruit wines, and learn about the importance of carpet making in Turkey. Our next stop is at the stepped calcium travertines and hot pools at Pamukkale, before we continue into the centre of Turkey along the ancient Spice Route, passing old caravanserais and visiting the Mervlana museum at Konya on the way. This brings us to picturesque landscape of Cappadocia where we visit the strange rock formations, cave chuches and 'fairy chimneys' in the Goreme valley and venture down into one of the labarynthine underground cities built by Christians centuries ago to hide from persecution. The tour then finishes with a drive (or optional flight) via Ankara back to Istanbul where extra nights are available to spend more time exploring the city.
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Upon arrival our staff will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel in the centre of Istanbul for the start of your trip. An optional (paid locally) afternoon tour is then available (starting at 1pm) to the Egyptian Spice Bazaar, followed by a boat tour covering both the European and Asian banks of the Bosphorous. Additional nights in the hotel in Istanbul are available before the tour starts if you your preferred flights arrive in the afternoon or evening.
OVERNIGHT:
Istanbul boutique hotel
MEALS:
None
EXTRAS:
Extra day in Istanbul - pre-tour
Single room supplement (TUSGDT)
Our trip begins this morning with a fully guided tour of Istanbul. Lying across two continents this historically important city played an integral role in the development of both the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires. We visit the 17th century Blue Mosque, the Aya Sofya museum, Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum and the Hippodrome. In the afternoon we transfer to the airport for a flight to Izmir, from where we transfer to the coastal Mediterranean town of Kusadasi, our base for the next two nights.
OVERNIGHT:
Kusadasi hotel
MEALS:
Breakfast, Dinner
EXTRAS:
None
After breakfast we drive to the Roman site of Ephesus. The city at one time housed 250,000 people and is regarded as one of the best preserved ancient cities in the Mediterranean. We visit the Temple of Artemis, and explore the ancient marble streets of this ruined Greek & Roman city. This afternoon we visit the fruit wine growing village of Sirince and learn about the history of carpet weaving in Turkey.
OVERNIGHT:
Kusadasi hotel
MEALS:
Breakfast, Dinner
EXTRAS:
None
We travel east this morning to Pamukkale, site of the well known white calcium terraces known as Travertines. Pamukkale translates as ‘cotton castles’ and the naturally occuring geology here has created cloud like formations unlike anywhere else. We then head to the ancient city of Hierapolis to enjoy a dip in the hot thermal pools lodged amongst ancient columns left by the Romans who used the pools for their therapeutic powers.
OVERNIGHT:
Pamukkale hotel
MEALS:
Breakfast, Dinner
EXTRAS:
None
Travel back in time today as we follow the ancient Silk Road towards Konya. We learn more about the history of this important trade route with a stop at the Sultanhani Caravanserai before arrivingin Konya where we include a visit to the Mevlana museum - the former home of the original Mevlevi Whirling Dervishes. A fun and entertaining Turkish Folklore evening is available tonight (paid locally).
OVERNIGHT:
Cappadocia hotel
MEALS:
Breakfast, Dinner
EXTRAS:
None
Today we set out to explore the beautiful and surreal landscape of Cappadocia. Unlike anywhere else on earth, this bizarre setting creates a fairytale view full of improbable rock formations and underground villages. Often described as the jewel of Turkey we have a full tour here to explore the Goreme Valley Open Air Museum, the fairy chimneys, and we'll also explore an underground city full of subterranean churches, living areas, schools and shops used by Christians to avoid persecution over a thousand years ago. Options are available locally to enjoy a hot air balloon flight or a Turkish bath.
OVERNIGHT:
Cappadocia hotel
MEALS:
Breakfast, Dinner
EXTRAS:
None
We leave early this morning for the drive to Ankara, Turkey's modern day capital city. We visit Anitkabir - mausoleum of the famed Mustafa Kemal Ataturk before returning to Istanbul by road. This is a long day's drive, and we can arrange an upgrade to an internal flight from Kayseri in Cappadocia if you prefer (please ask for current times & prices).
OVERNIGHT:
Istanbul boutique hotel
MEALS:
Breakfast
EXTRAS:
Kayseri to Istanbul Flight Upgrade (inc. transfers)
Your time is free today for some last minute sightseeing and shopping in Istanbul before we transfer you to the airport for your flight home. Optional tours are available locally to see more of Istanbul, and we can also add extra nights in the Istanbul hotel if you'd like to spend more time exploring the city.
OVERNIGHT:
N/A
MEALS:
Breakfast
EXTRAS:
Extra day in Istanbul - post-tour
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As part of our Safer Encounters scheme, during the Coronavirus pandemic, maximum group sizes are reduced to 8 people.
Similar tours:
The following tours also either run alongside this tour or follow a similar or extended itinerary:
This tour is also available for booking privately for travel anytime through the year, and we can also customise the itinerary to fit your personal requirements. Please contact us for details and prices.
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The hotels and accommodations listed below are the ones we most often use on this tour. From time to time we may exchange these for similar properties at the same level. In general, specific hotels cannot be guaranteed on our group tours, but you may select your preferred options if you are booking a tailor-made trip.
Our tours are designed to include all that you need to enjoy a really special time
in the destination you're visiting. However, we do also offer some extra options to complement the tour and
add some additional sightseeing or activities, or some extra time at either end of the tour.
All accommodation based options (e.g. Single supplements, extra nights, cruise
upgrades) should be booked and paid for in advance so that we can make the appropriate arrangements. Other
options may either be booked and paid for in advance or while you are on the tour, though we recommend
booking in advance to ensure there are no issues with availability.
Many options are priced the same throughout the year, but some may incur single or
high season supplements - full details are given on the tour reservation form or on request.
The detailed Tour Notes below have been written to give you some more detailed information about how the tour runs, what to expect, and how to prepare for your holiday. We recommend downloading an up to date copy of these shortly before you travel in case of any changes.
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