Best of Turkey Tour Package: 15 Days with Gulet Cruise & Flights

We collect you at Istanbul airport and drive you to your hotel.

Nothing is planned for today. Your guide will meet you the next morning at 09:30 AM.

Your guide collects you from the hotel at 09:30 AM for a full day on foot through the heart of the city's Ottoman and Byzantine past.

• 09:30 AM – Hotel pick-up: meet your guide and set off for a full day in the old city.
• 10:00 AM – Topkapi Palace (optional): the home of the Ottoman sultans, known for its history and its striking buildings.
• 11:30 AM – Blue Mosque: the city's famous mosque, with its delicate blue tiles and powerful structure.
• 12:30 PM – Lunch break (not included): time to eat at a local restaurant.
• 1:30 PM – Hippodrome: the former chariot-racing track, with the Egyptian Obelisk, the Serpent Column and the German Fountain.
• 2:30 PM – Hagia Sophia (optional): step inside this UNESCO World Heritage Site and see its Byzantine architecture and grand interior.
• 3:30 PM – Grand Bazaar: the world's oldest covered market, busy with traders selling souvenirs, spices and textiles.
• 5:00 PM – Hotel drop-off: you are taken back to your Istanbul hotel for the night, with breakfast included.

• 6:30 AM: check out of your Istanbul hotel and transfer to the airport.
• 9:00 AM: morning flight from Istanbul to Izmir.
• 10:15 AM: land in Izmir and meet your guide.
• 10:45 AM: set off on the 1.5-hour drive to Kuşadası.
• 12:15 PM: reach Kuşadası, check in to your hotel and settle in.
• 1:00 PM: leave Kuşadası for Ephesus, a drive of about 20-30 minutes.
• 1:30 PM: begin your guided tour of the archaeological site, including the Library of Celsus, the Terrace Houses (optional) and other important sights.
• 6:00 PM: leave Ephesus and drive back to Kuşadası (about 20-30 minutes).
• 6:30 PM: arrive at your hotel.

The evening is free. Walk the busy streets, follow the seafront or try the local food in this lively coastal town.

• 07:00 AM – Hotel pick-up: an early start for Pamukkale and the ancient city of Hierapolis.
• 10:00 AM – Hierapolis: see the Necropolis, the Theatre and the famous Cleopatra Pool (swimming in the pool costs an extra admission fee).
• 11:30 AM – Pamukkale Travertines: white terraces filled with mineral-rich pools. Walk on the soft, cotton-like surface and enjoy the views.
• 01:00 PM – Lunch (not included): eat at a local restaurant.
• 02:30 PM – Pamukkale Naturel Lake and Park: a scenic lake and green park to round off the visit.
• 04:30 PM – Transfer to hotel: back to your hotel for the night, with breakfast included.

You check out of your hotel at about 07:00 and head for your gulet in Fethiye. This part of the day takes approximately 4 hours and 30 minutes.

At 12:00 you check in at our Fethiye Harbour office. Here you meet your fellow travellers, who come in all ages, and your guide gives a warm welcome and a short briefing. At 12:30 everyone boards the gulet and the cruise begins.

The first stop is Butterfly Valley, where there is something for everyone. Some people swim in the cool Mediterranean, while others take an easy walk to a nearby waterfall, enjoying the plants and wildlife on the way. Watch for the colourful moths and butterflies that live in the valley.

Back on board, lunch is served, with dishes to suit different tastes and diets.

The gulet then sails to Oludeniz (Blue Lagoon). For the adventurous, paragliding from Babadag Mountain is an option: you fly 2,000 metres above Oludeniz Beach and the bright blue lagoon. If you prefer to take it easy, simply relax on deck and enjoy the scenery.

Late in the day we anchor near St. Nicholas Island, where nature and history meet. Explore the ruins, hear about the island's past and take photos. Everyone gets to see the sunset, a lovely moment for young and old.

Accommodation: Turkish Gulet
Meals: Lunch, Five o'clock tea, Dinner

At first light the crew steers the gulet along the coast past Patara to Hidayet Bay, where breakfast is served. After a swim in the calm water, we sail into Kas, a pretty fishing town known for its craft shops and ancient theatre. You have free time to browse the busy markets for handmade crafts and souvenirs.

Most guests have lunch in Kas before returning to the boat for an afternoon Cooking Class. You learn to make traditional Turkish cheese rolls and pancakes, then sit down to a brunch of the dishes you have cooked. Later in the afternoon we sail to a calm bay between Kas and Kekova and anchor there for the night.

Accommodation: Turkish Gulet
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Cooking Class, Five o'clock tea, Dinner

Today begins at the Sunken City of Kekova, a group of ancient ruins that sank beneath the sea in an earthquake in the 2nd century AD. The site is on the UNESCO World Heritage list, and we cruise slowly along its edges. Swimming and snorkelling are not allowed, but the view from the gulet is fascinating.

In the afternoon we anchor near Kekova Island so you can visit the historic Simena Castle. Climb to the top for wide views over the bay and the land around it, and try the well-known homemade ice cream that local sellers offer at the castle, a welcome reward after the climb. We spend the night at anchor in Gokkaya Bay under the stars.

Accommodation: Turkish Gulet
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Five o'clock tea, Dinner

Your final morning on board starts with a special breakfast at Turtle Beach, where you may swim with the gentle sea turtles of the Mediterranean in their natural home.

The gulet then continues to Demre Harbour, arriving at around 09:30 am. After breakfast you are transferred to your accommodation in Antalya.

• 09:00 AM – Perge: walk through this ancient city, with its large theater, its colonnaded road and many well-kept ruins.
• 11:00 AM – Aspendos Theater: one of the best-preserved ancient theaters in Turkey, famous for its design and its acoustics.
• 12:30 PM – Lunch break (not included): try regional dishes at a local restaurant.
• 2:00 PM – Side: explore the ancient city of Side, including its amphitheater, the Temple of Apollo and its old streets.
• 4:00 PM – Manavgat Waterfall: a green, scenic spot to relax and enjoy the views.
• 6:00 PM – Return to hotel in Antalya: transfer to your accommodation in central Antalya to rest after a full day.

Overnight in Antalya.

Early morning: You are collected from your hotel and taken to the airport for your 08:00 AM flight to Cappadocia.

Morning: In Cappadocia our guide meets you and drives you to Goreme, where your stay begins.

Approximately 11:00 AM: Your first day of touring starts, focused on the Fairy Chimneys and Rock Churches that make this region so distinctive.

Highlights of the day:

Göreme Esentepe panoramic viewpoint: The day opens at Esentepe, a lookout between Uçhisar and Göreme. Fairy chimneys spread out below you, together with the small town of Esentepe.

Zelve Open-Air Museum: This valley was once a centre of monastic life and Christian learning. You walk among old monasteries, churches and chapels whose frescoes have survived in good condition.

Paşabağ (Monks Valley): Famous for its three-headed fairy chimneys, Paşabağ is also called "Pasha's Vineyard". Some of the most striking rock shapes in Cappadocia stand here.

Devrent Valley: A short drive away, Devrent looks almost like the surface of the moon. Its small, pointed fairy chimneys invite you to spot shapes, and some really do look like animals or mythical creatures.

Avanos Pottery Workshop: Potters have worked in Avanos since 3000 BC, shaping clay taken from the Red River. At a traditional workshop you watch the craft up close.

Love Valley: The last stop. Millions of years of erosion have carved rock pillars here up to 40 metres tall, along with cones, pinnacles and fairy chimneys. Few places in Cappadocia are as strange, or as photogenic.

Afterwards you return to your cave hotel for the night, with breakfast included.

• 05:00 AM – Hot Air Balloon Ride (optional): rise at sunrise above the rock formations and fairy chimneys of Cappadocia.
• 07:00 AM – Champagne toast & return to hotel: a glass of champagne after landing, then a transfer back to your hotel.

The day's touring usually begins at about 09:00 and is over by 16:00 at the latest.

Highlights of the day:

Rose Valley: Tucked away behind Ürgüp, this quiet valley is known for its rock formations and the churches cut into its stone. Footpaths cross it, linking small villages through vineyards and gardens, and local people sometimes offer walkers fresh grapes, apples or apricots.

Red Valley: Next door to Rose Valley, it has similar rock formations and old cave churches. Its trails twist and branch like a spider's web, connecting remote villages and farmland. It is a good place to see both the nature and the history of Cappadocia.

Çavuşin Village: One of the oldest settlements in the region, Çavuşin is a maze of cave houses carved into the rock. It is also home to the 5th-century Church of John the Baptist, the largest cave church in Cappadocia.

Underground City: Early Christians dug 36 underground cities in Cappadocia to hide from persecution. You visit the largest and best known of them. It goes down eight levels, and you can walk through parts of it, including old wineries, kitchens and living rooms.

Pigeon Valley: On the edge of Göreme, the cliffs are dotted with pigeon houses carved over the centuries. Farmers once collected the droppings to fertilise their fields. Today the valley is a fine viewpoint and a favourite with photographers.

Uçhisar Castle panorama: The final stop is Uçhisar, the highest point in Cappadocia. Its tall rock castle once served as a fortress, and from the top you can see across the whole region to Erciyes Mountain on the horizon.

After a day of walking and sightseeing, you return to your hotel for the night at around 16:00.

The day's touring usually begins at about 09:00 and is over by 16:00 at the latest.

Highlights of the day:

Ihlara Valley Tour: This tour centres on Ihlara Valley, known for its scenery and its cave churches and rock homes. The Melendiz River runs along the valley floor, which it carved over time. The day also includes ancient settlements, an underground city, a monastery and several viewpoints.

Goreme Panorama: The first stop is a lookout over Göreme Village and the volcanic landscape around it.

Underground City: Next comes one of the region's underground cities, once a hiding place for ancient peoples.

Ihlara Valley: Then on to Ihlara Valley itself, one of the best-known valleys in the area, with dwellings and cave churches cut into the soft volcanic rock.

Nar Lake & Pigeon Valley: A viewpoint looks over Nar Lake and Pigeon Valley, where old pigeon houses are carved into the cliffs.

Onyx Workshop: The day ends at an onyx workshop, where you see how this attractive stone is worked by hand.

• Departure from Kayseri: an afternoon flight takes you from Kayseri to Trabzon.
• Arrival in Trabzon: your guide meets you and the tour gets under way.
• Hotel check-in in Trabzon: settle into your hotel and enjoy a relaxed evening.

This morning you check out of your hotel and set off to explore the Trabzon region.

Uzungöl Lake: A scenic drive brings you to Uzungöl, a lake surrounded by thick forest and high mountains. Take an easy walk along the shore and enjoy the calm.

Sümela Monastery: Visit this remarkable monastery built into the cliffs, rich in history and with superb views.

After the Trabzon tour you drive for about 1.5 hours to Rize, where you visit:

Tea Plantations: See the famous tea fields of the region and learn how tea shapes life and tradition in Rize.

Çamlıhemşin: A pretty town ringed by green mountains, offering a glimpse of local life in a beautiful natural setting.

When the Rize tour ends, you go to the airport for your flight back to Istanbul.

After breakfast you check out of the hotel. Our representative helps with your transfer to the airport, and this is where our services end.

If you would like more time in Istanbul, extra nights can be added to your trip.

Optional extras

• Cappadocia Balloon (GOREME): $310
• +1 Night Istanbul Hotel (Post or Pre): $65
• Private Tour Upgrade: $750