10-Day Turkey Tour: Istanbul, Gallipoli, Ephesus & Cappadocia

On arrival at Istanbul airport, you are met and driven to your hotel. There are no activities planned today. Your guide will meet you at 09:30 AM the next morning.

At 09:30 AM your guide meets you at the hotel for a full-day walking tour of the historic heart of Ottoman and Byzantine Istanbul.

Highlights of the day:

• Topkapi Palace (optional): the former home of the Ottoman sultans, full of history and fine architecture.
• Blue Mosque: one of the best-known landmarks in the city, admired for its grand scale and blue tilework.
• Hippodrome: the ancient chariot-racing track, where the Egyptian Obelisk, the Serpent Column and the German Fountain still stand.
• Hagia Sophia (optional): a UNESCO World Heritage Site with superb Byzantine architecture and a vast, impressive interior.
• Grand Bazaar: the oldest covered market in the world and a lively place to shop for souvenirs, spices and textiles.

After the tour, you return to your Istanbul hotel for the night, with breakfast included.

An early start takes you towards Canakkale, a city with a long history and a rich culture.

On arrival, the Gallipoli tour begins. The peninsula is known around the world for the famous World War I battle fought here.

You visit key sites including ANZAC Cove, Lone Pine Cemetery and Chunuk Bair, among others. It is a moving and informative day that honours soldiers from many countries who gave their lives.

After the tour, you transfer to your hotel for the night.

Today you go back in time at two ancient sites, Troy and Pergamon.

Troy is the legendary city at the centre of the mythical Trojan War, a story that people have retold through the ages. Here you learn about the long history of this famous place.

From Troy you continue to the historic city of Pergamon, where impressive archaeological remains show the legacy of a once-great civilisation. Among the ruins is the remarkable theater built into the hillside, a fine example of the skill and culture of its time.

Overnight in Kusadasi.

Today's Ephesus tour takes you deep into the past.

Ephesus is one of the best-preserved ancient cities in the world, and walking among its ruins is a remarkable experience.

Highlights of the day:

• Library of Celsus: the tall, richly carved facade of this ancient library is the best-known image of Ephesus.
• Temple of Hadrian: a fine temple honouring the Roman emperor, with columns and carved reliefs still in good shape.
• Terrace Houses (optional): the lavish homes where the wealthiest families of Ephesus once lived.
• Hercules Gate: a monumental gateway decorated with carvings of the legendary hero.
• Grand Theatre: it held up to 25,000 spectators and is still used for performances today.
• The Snake Cult of Asklepios: hear about the ancient cult of Asklepios, the god of healing, and see what is left of his temple.
• Herm (Marker) of Hermes: ancient marker stones that once guided people through the city and marked its boundaries.
• Artemission: the site of the Temple of Artemis, counted among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
• Stone-carving of the goddess Nike: a finely worked relief of Nike, the winged goddess of victory.
• Fountain of Trajan: the well-kept remains of a grand fountain built in honour of Emperor Trajan.
• House of Virgin Mary (optional): the tour can finish at the house many believe to be the Virgin Mary's final resting place.

After the tour, you are taken back to your hotel in Kusadasi for the night, with breakfast included.

Pamukkale shows nature at its most artistic. Its bright white travertine terraces step down the hillside like frozen waterfalls.

Thermal water rich in minerals has shaped these formations over thousands of years, and the result is a truly striking sight.

Highlights of the tour include:

• Hierapolis: see the Necropolis, the Theatre and the Cleopatra Pool (there is an admission charge if you want to swim in the pool).
• Pamukkale: the main event is the famous travertines, terraces of bright white pools rich in minerals. Enjoy the views and walk on the soft, cotton-like rock.
• Pamukkale Naturel Lake: there is also time to visit the lake and park, which add to the beauty of the area.

The day starts with a pick-up from your hotel for an early-morning direct flight to Antalya. There, your guide leads you through a series of remarkable sights.

Highlights of the day:

• Perge: walk among the large ruins of this ancient city, including its theater, colonnaded road and other historic buildings.
• Aspendos Theater: one of the best-preserved ancient theaters in Turkey, admired for its architecture.
• Side: stroll through the ancient streets of this historic town and see its amphitheater and the Temple of Apollo.
• Manavgat Waterfall: a scenic spot to relax and enjoy the views.

At the end of a full day, return to your hotel in the centre of Antalya for a restful night before the next part of the trip.

The scenic drive to Cappadocia shows off Turkey's varied scenery, from rolling hills to pretty valleys.

The first stop is Konya, a city rich in culture and history, best known for the Mevlana Museum, which is dedicated to the famous poet Rumi.

In Konya there is time to look around the lively markets, taste the local food and learn about the city's old traditions.

Later, the journey continues to Cappadocia, where you spend the night among fairy chimneys and cave dwellings.

Overnight in Cappadocia.

The day can begin with an optional hot air balloon flight at sunrise. From the air, you look down on the rock formations, fairy chimneys and valleys of Cappadocia, a rare view of this historic region.

The tour usually runs from around 09:00 until 16:00 at the latest.

Highlights of the day:

• Göreme Esentepe panorama: the day opens at the Esentepe viewpoint between Uçhisar and Göreme, with wide views of fairy chimneys, the Cappadocian valleys and the small town of Esentepe.
• Zelve Open-Air Museum: once home to a monastic community and a centre of Christian learning, Zelve is full of old monasteries, churches and chapels with frescoes that have survived in good condition.
• Paşabağ (Monks Valley): famous for fairy chimneys topped with three heads, this valley, also called “Pasha's Vineyard”, has some of the strangest rock shapes in Cappadocia.
• Devrent Valley: a short drive away, small pointed chimneys create a scene that looks like the surface of the moon, and many rocks resemble animals or mythical creatures.
• Avanos pottery workshop: potters have worked in Avanos since 3000 BC, using clay from the Red River. In a traditional workshop you watch local artisans at work.
• Love Valley: the last stop, where millions of years of erosion have carved cones, pinnacles and fairy chimneys as tall as 40 meters. It is one of the most unusual places for photos in the region.

Overnight in Istanbul.

After breakfast, check out of the hotel. Our representative helps with your transfer to the airport, which marks the end of our services.

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

Optional extras

• Hot air balloon flight in Cappadocia (Göreme): $310
• One extra night at an Istanbul hotel, before or after the tour: $65
• Private tour upgrade: $500