Itinerary
- Day 1
Istanbul
You'll arrive in Istanbul and get transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to spend however you like, whether that's wandering around nearby neighborhoods, grabbing a bite, or just settling into your accommodation. It's a good time to get oriented and shake off any travel fatigue.
- Day 2
Istanbul
After breakfast, a guide takes you through Istanbul's major historical sites. You'll see the Blue Mosque with its intricate tilework, walk through St Sophia Museum, and then head to Topkapi Palace to check out the Hagia Irene and the Harem sections. The Hippodrome comes next before lunch. Later in the afternoon, there's an optional Bosphorus cruise if you want to float between Europe and Asia while seeing the skyline from the water.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Istanbul
- Visit Blue Mosque
- Visit St Sophia Museum
- Visit Topkapi Palace
- Visit Hagia Irene
- Visit the Harem
- Visit the Hippodrome
Optional Activities
- Half day Bosphorus cruise
Landmarks/POIs Blue Mosque St Sophia Museum Topkapi Palace Hagia Irene Hippodrome - Day 3
Istanbul to Çanakkale
Today you travel to Gallipoli's WWI battlefields, which is a significant and emotional experience. You'll visit Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair Memorials, walk through ANZAC Cove, see The Nek, and stop at Johnston's Jolly. Part of the visit includes exploring original trenches and tunnels that remain from the war. The historical weight of these sites makes this one of the more moving days of the trip.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit WWI Battlefields of Gallipoli
- Visit Lone Pine Memorial
- Visit Chunuk Bair Memorial
- Visit ANZAC Cove
- Visit The Nek
- Visit Johnston's Jolly
- Explore original trenches and tunnels
Landmarks/POIs Lone Pine Memorial Chunuk Bair Memorial ANZAC Cove The Nek Johnston's Jolly - Day 4
Çanakkale - Troy - Behramkale - Kuşadası
You'll leave Canakkale and head to Troy, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where you can walk through the ancient ruins and visit the Troy Museum, which has won awards for its collection and presentation. From there, continue to Behramkale, a village with traditional stone houses and narrow lanes worth wandering through. Stop for Turkish tea or coffee here, then drive south to Kusadasi for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Explore Troy ancient city
- Visit Troy Museum
- Explore Behramkale village
Landmarks/POIs Troy Troy Museum Behramkale - Day 5
Kuşadası
A guide leads you through Ephesus's ancient streets and theater, showing you where thousands of people once gathered. You'll also visit the Temple of Artemis site and the Ephesus Archaeology Museum to see regional artifacts up close. Later, head to a local carpet village to learn how traditional hand-woven carpets are made and understand what makes them valuable. You'll see the process firsthand and maybe pick up a piece if something catches your eye.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Ephesus
- Visit Temple of Artemis site
- Explore ancient city and theatre
- Visit Ephesus Archaeology Museum
- Visit carpet village
Landmarks/POIs Ephesus Temple of Artemis Ephesus Archaeology Museum - Day 6
Kuşadası to Pamukkale
Start your morning with a local leather goods workshop where craftspeople show their work. Then drive to Pamukkale to see the white mineral-rich terraces cascading down the hillside. Tour the ancient city of Hierapolis above the terraces, and if you're up for it, soak in the hot springs that flow among Roman columns. These thermal waters have been considered therapeutic for centuries.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- View locally handcrafted leather goods display
- Visit Pamukkale white calcium terraces
- Tour Hierapolis ancient city
- Swim in hot springs with ancient columns
Landmarks/POIs Pamukkale Hierapolis - Day 7
Pamukkale to Cappadocia
Today you travel the historic Silk Road route, stopping at Sultanhani Caravansary to see where merchants once rested with their goods, then visit the Mevlana museum in Konya. You'll reach Cappadocia by evening. There's an optional traditional Turkish folklore performance in the evening if you want to experience local culture and music after your long travel day.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Sultanhani Caravansary
- Visit Mevlana museum
Optional Activities
- Traditional Turkish Folklore Evening
Landmarks/POIs Sultanhani Caravansary Mevlana museum - Day 8
Cappadocia
Cappadocia's landscape is almost otherworldly with its rock formations and fairy chimneys rising from the ground. You'll spend time in Goreme Valley Open Air Museum to see churches carved into the rocks. Later, descend into an underground city to walk through the carved passages and chambers that protected residents during ancient times. The combination of above and below-ground sites really shows how this region's inhabitants adapted to their surroundings.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Goreme Valley Open Air Museum
- View fairy chimneys
- Explore underground city
Landmarks/POIs Goreme Valley Open Air Museum - Day 9
Cappadocia to Istanbul
You'll explore Mustafapasa, a former Greek village where Orthodox architecture is still visible throughout the town. Head to Gomeda Valley next to see rock-carved churches, shelters built into the cliffs, and vineyards. Stop at Sobeses ancient city to check out the distinctive geometric mosaic floors before heading to the airport for your flight back to Istanbul.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Explore Mustafapasa
- Visit Gomeda Valley
- Visit Sobeses ancient city
Landmarks/POIs Mustafapasa Gomeda Valley Sobeses - Day 10
Istanbul
After breakfast, your tour wraps up. You'll say goodbye to the group and get transferred to the airport for your onward flight. By this point, you'll have covered a lot of ground across Turkey's most historic regions and cultural sites.
- Meals
- Breakfast
