Day 1: Friday – Istanbul

Welcome to Istanbul, where centuries of history provide the setting for the beginning of your Turkish journey. On arrival, you will be met by a local representative and transferred to your hotel.

The remainder of the day is at leisure, allowing you to settle into your accommodation and adjust to the rhythm of the city at your own pace. With no scheduled sightseeing today, there is time to rest after your flight and prepare for tomorrow’s introduction to Istanbul’s celebrated monuments.

Your two-night stay provides a comfortable beginning to a journey that will take you from the city’s imperial heritage through central Anatolia and onwards to the Turquoise Coast.

Overnight in Istanbul.

Meals: None

Breakfast at your hotel before a full day of guided sightseeing through Istanbul’s remarkable history.

Visit Topkapi Palace, once the residence of the Ottoman sultans, where courtyards and historic buildings offer an introduction to the empire that shaped the city for centuries. Continue to Hagia Sophia, known as St Sophia in the supplier’s programme, whose monumental architecture reflects Istanbul’s Byzantine and Ottoman past.

Nearby, the Blue Mosque brings another perspective on the city’s architectural heritage, with its distinctive domes and minarets. Your sightseeing also includes the Grand Bazaar, where passages lined with shops create a colourful setting for discovering Turkish craftsmanship and the traditions of trade.

Together, these landmarks reveal the layers of history that make Istanbul such a compelling beginning to your journey.

Overnight in Istanbul.

Meals: Breakfast (B)

Breakfast at your hotel before leaving Istanbul and travelling inland towards Ankara, the capital of modern Turkey.

Visit the Mausoleum of Ataturk and its museum, dedicated to Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic. This important national monument introduces a different chapter of the country’s history from the imperial sites explored in Istanbul, offering insight into the establishment of modern Turkey.

Continue onwards to Cappadocia, where the journey brings you into one of Anatolia’s most distinctive regions. Here, landscapes shaped by unusual rock formations provide the setting for the next two nights.

Settle into your cave hotel accommodation, an atmospheric complement to the region you will explore tomorrow. Dinner is included this evening.

Overnight in Cappadocia.

Meals: Breakfast (B), Dinner (D)

Breakfast at your hotel before a full day exploring Cappadocia’s landscapes and cultural heritage. Those wishing to experience the region from above may arrange an optional early-morning hot air balloon flight at an additional cost.

Your included sightseeing takes you into an underground city, where chambers and passageways reveal how communities once sought shelter beneath the surface. At Goreme Open Air Museum, discover rock-cut churches that reflect the region’s early Christian history, before visiting the natural rock fortress of Uchisar.

Lunch is included at a local restaurant. The day also offers opportunities to learn about traditional handicrafts, including handmade carpets, Turkish tiles, onyx and pottery, connecting the region’s historic heritage with its continuing craft traditions.

This evening, an optional Turkish show with dinner is available at an additional cost.

Overnight in Cappadocia.

Meals: Breakfast (B), Lunch (L)

Breakfast at your hotel before an early departure towards Pamukkale.

Along the way, visit Sultanhan Caravanserai, a 13th-century example of Seljuk architecture. Built to accommodate travellers and trading caravans, this historic stopping place offers a glimpse into the journeys that once connected communities across Anatolia.

Its imposing stone entrance and enclosed spaces provide a memorable contrast to Cappadocia’s rock-cut sites, introducing another aspect of Turkey’s architectural and commercial heritage.

Following your visit, continue to Pamukkale for an overnight stay. Settle into your hotel after the day’s journey, with dinner included this evening. Tomorrow, your itinerary continues towards Fethiye and the coast, where the pace becomes more relaxed.

Overnight in Pamukkale.

Meals: Breakfast (B), Dinner (D)

Breakfast at your hotel before travelling from Pamukkale to Fethiye on Turkey’s Turquoise Coast.

After the cultural discoveries and inland journeys of the past few days, your arrival in Fethiye marks a change of pace. This coastal town becomes your base for three nights, combining an included day on the water with time to enjoy your surroundings independently.

Following your transfer to the hotel, the remainder of the day is at leisure. Take time to settle into your accommodation and enjoy the relaxed rhythm of this part of the journey.

Dinner is included this evening, with tomorrow’s island boat cruise offering another perspective on the coast.

Overnight in Fethiye.

Meals: Breakfast (B), Dinner (D)

Breakfast at your hotel before transferring to Fethiye Harbour for a full-day boat cruise among the islands and bays.

Board your motor-sailing boat and settle in as you leave the harbour behind. The day combines coastal views with stops at selected locations for swimming, offering time to enjoy the water or simply relax on board.

Some islands are viewed from the boat, while others form part of the day’s stops. As the journey unfolds, the changing outlook across the bay provides a refreshing contrast to the cities and inland landscapes visited earlier in the tour.

Lunch is included on board, allowing you to make the most of your day at sea. After the cruise, return to the harbour and transfer back to your hotel. Dinner is also included this evening.

Overnight in Fethiye.

Meals: Breakfast (B), Lunch (L), Dinner (D)

Breakfast at your hotel before a full day at leisure in Fethiye.

With no scheduled touring or transfers today, enjoy the freedom to set your own pace. Following yesterday’s boat cruise, this is an opportunity to relax and make the most of the coastal setting before your onward journey.

Your three-night stay allows time to pause after the more active sightseeing programme in Istanbul and Cappadocia. Spend the day as you wish, enjoying your accommodation and the flexibility of an unstructured day.

Dinner is included this evening, bringing your final night in Fethiye to a relaxed close.

Overnight in Fethiye.

Meals: Breakfast (B), Dinner (D)

Breakfast at your hotel before your included transfer to either Fethiye Port or Marmaris Port, according to your onward arrangements.

Your Turkish journey concludes at the port, bringing together Istanbul’s imperial landmarks, Ankara’s national heritage, Cappadocia’s extraordinary setting and time along the Turquoise Coast.

For travellers wishing to continue to the Greek Islands, Prestige can arrange a separate extension to complement the tour. Ferry tickets and onward arrangements are additional to this programme.

Meals: Breakfast (B)