Wonders of Turkey - Premium Small Group

Arrive in Istanbul, the only major city set across two continents, shaped by the Bosphorus and a skyline of domes and minarets. You’ll transfer to Canopy by Hilton Istanbul, in the Beyoğlu district, and have time to settle in. If time allows, head out for a first look at the city’s waterfront life, watching ferries cross the strait and taking in views towards the historic peninsula. This evening, meet your Travel Director and your small group for dinner in a local restaurant and begin getting to know the travelers you’ll be exploring with.

Follow the shores of the Sea of Marmara towards the Gallipoli Peninsula, a landscape defined by the 1915 campaign and the events commemorated each year on ANZAC Day. Visit ANZAC Cove and Lone Pine Cemetery, learning how the coastline and ridgelines shaped what happened here and how the memorial sites were established. Later, continue to Troy, the archaeological site linked to Homeric legend and later excavations that revealed multiple layers of settlement. See the replica Trojan Horse at Troy beside the excavated mound at Hisarlık, where archaeologists have identified nine main settlement layers dating from the Early Bronze Age to around A.D. 500.

Start the day at Copmadam, a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience where women turn recycled materials into handmade goods. The co-operative supports long-term employment in a part of Turkey where opportunities for women remain limited. Continue to Nif Bağları, a family-owned wine producer in the hills outside Izmir, for a Farm-to-Table vineyard lunch. Later, arrive in Izmir with time to explore the waterfront, visit the Kemeralti Bazaar or stop for a coffee in the Alsancak district before dinner with your Small Group.

Travel to Selçuk for a visit to Ephesus, walking along ancient streets lined with monumental remains from the city’s Roman period. Continue to a local workshop for an introduction to Turkish carpet weaving, learning how wool and silk, natural dyes and regional knotting techniques shape one of Anatolia’s long-standing crafts. Visit the House of the Virgin Mary, a small shrine above Selçuk visited by pilgrims. Later, arrive at a traditional coffee shop, learning the basics of tavla before sitting down for a game over Turkish coffee. Continue to İzmir for the night, where you could join an Optional Experience for dinner on the seafront promenade, sharing seafood and meze with drinks.

Travel inland to Pamukkale, known for its white travertine terraces formed by mineral-rich thermal waters. Visit a leather shop to learn about Turkish leather craft, seeing how different materials, cutting methods and finishing techniques come together in the final designs. Continue to ancient Hierapolis with your Travel Director, visiting the Roman theater and the remains of streets, tombs and bathhouses, and see the pools that still flow across the terraces today. Later, check in to your hotel, the Doğa Thermal Health Spa, which draws its water from the same geothermal sources. You’ll have time to unwind in the thermal pools, try a traditional hammam or explore the wider spa facilities before dinner with your small group.

Travel into central Turkey, following a route once used by traders and travelers on the Silk Road. Stop at the Sultanhani Caravanserai, a fortified roadside inn built in the 13th century to shelter caravans. Later, explore the underground city of Saratlı, where early communities carved out homes, storage areas and passageways beneath the ground. Arrive in Ürgüp in the early evening and settle into your hotel before dinner.

Move on to Göreme, a striking town in the Cappadocia region of Turkey. Rise early to watch the sunrise as hot air balloons lift off and drift above the valleys. Explore Göreme’s rock-hewn churches decorated with ancient wall paintings before moving on to the Paşabağ Valley. Located on the road to Zelve, you’ll find otherworldly earth pillars here, ‘fairy chimneys’ and troglodyte dwellings. Later, join a Cappadocian local who has lived in the city for decades and take a tour of their cave house. You’ll learn more about their unique way of living, local traditions and family life. Complementing the day’s events, this evening you could join an Optional Experience to witness a performance of the Whirling Dervishes. Join your fellow travelers for dinner at a local restaurant.

Begin in Avanos, a town on the Kızılırmak River known for its pottery traditions. Learn about the craft and see how local clay is worked and shaped before firing. Continue on to Ankara, Turkey’s capital and the center of the modern republic. Visit the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations, often referred to as the Hittite Museum, to see key finds from Anatolia’s early cultures. Then visit Anıtkabir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of modern Turkey and the Republic’s first President. The rest of the day is at leisure. Perhaps head up to Ankara Castle for views across the city, explore the lanes of Hamamönü’s restored Ottoman-era quarter, or spend longer in Ulus around the historic center.

Leave Ankara for Istanbul, returning to the city where your journey began. On arrival, join a Bosphorus cruise to see Istanbul from the water, traveling between Europe and Asia as you pass Ottoman palaces, neighborhood mosques and busy quays along both shores. In the evening, explore at your own pace. You might walk through Karaköy and across the Galata Bridge, follow İstiklal Caddesi’s shops and cafes, or head towards the Spice Bazaar and Eminönü’s ferry piers.

Spend your final full day exploring Istanbul’s historic peninsula. Start at the Blue Mosque, known for its six minarets and interior Iznik tiles, then cross the Hippodrome, the former chariot-racing ground of Constantinople. Continue to Hagia Sophia with your choice: select the Hagia Sophia History Digital Experience, outlining its shift from basilica to mosque and museum, or visit Hagia Sophia itself with your Local Specialist. Later, visit Topkapi Palace, once the seat of Ottoman sultans, and walk the covered streets of the Grand Bazaar. In the evening, share a final dinner with your Small Group and Travel Director as your journey through Turkey comes to a close.

Your journey through Turkey comes to an end in Istanbul. After breakfast, take a moment to say goodbye to your Travel Director and Small Group, reflecting on the days spent traveling together, before transferring to the airport for your onward travel.