Welcome to Istanbul, where the heritage of successive empires meets the energy of a contemporary city spanning Europe and Asia. Upon arrival, meet your local representative and transfer to your hotel.

The remainder of the day is at leisure, giving you time to settle into your surroundings and unwind after your journey. With no scheduled sightseeing today, enjoy a relaxed introduction to the city at your own pace or simply rest ahead of the experiences to come.

Over the next two weeks, your journey will reveal the many different faces of Turkey, from Istanbul’s monumental architecture and lively markets to ancient archaeological sites, coastal towns and the distinctive landscapes of Cappadocia.

Overnight in Istanbul.

Meals: None

Breakfast at your hotel before discovering some of Istanbul’s most significant historic landmarks with your guide.

Begin at Topkapi Palace, the former residence of the Ottoman sultans, where courtyards and palace buildings offer a glimpse into the world of an empire that shaped the region for centuries. Continue to Hagia Sophia, whose monumental architecture reflects Istanbul’s Byzantine and Ottoman heritage.

Visit the Blue Mosque, celebrated for its domes, minarets and richly decorated interior, before exploring the Spice Market. Here, the colours and aromas of spices, teas and local produce introduce another side of the city’s cultural life.

Together, these visits reveal the layers of history that make Istanbul such a compelling starting point for your journey through Turkey. Following sightseeing, return to your hotel and enjoy the evening at leisure.

Overnight in Istanbul.

Meals: Breakfast (B)

Breakfast at your hotel before leaving Istanbul and travelling towards the Gallipoli Peninsula.

Today’s visits offer a moving encounter with a place of particular significance to Australian and New Zealand travellers. Explore ANZAC Cove, The Nek, Chunuk Bair, Lone Pine and the 57th Regiment Memorial, gaining a deeper understanding of the Gallipoli campaign and the experiences of those who served here.

The landscape gives context to the events of 1915, while the memorials provide moments for reflection on the campaign’s enduring legacy. Your guide brings together the historical background and the stories associated with the sites visited.

Following your time on the peninsula, cross the Dardanelles and continue to Canakkale for your overnight stay. Dinner is included this evening.

Overnight in Canakkale.

Meals: Breakfast (B), Dinner (D)

Breakfast at your hotel before travelling to Troy, where ancient history and one of the world’s best-known legends meet.

Explore the archaeological site associated with the Trojan War, discovering the remains of successive settlements that developed here over thousands of years. The visit offers a fascinating perspective on the relationship between epic storytelling and archaeological discovery.

Continue through the Ida Mountains towards Pergamum, once an important centre of the ancient world. Visit its Acropolis, where the elevated setting and surviving ruins evoke the prominence of this historic city.

From these archaeological landscapes, your journey continues south to Kusadasi on the Aegean coast. Arrive at your hotel and enjoy dinner, with two nights here providing a base for exploring Ephesus and the nearby village of Sirince.

Overnight in Kusadasi.

Meals: Breakfast (B), Dinner (D)

Breakfast at your hotel before a short drive to Ephesus, one of Turkey’s most impressive ancient cities.

Explore the remains of this once-flourishing centre, where marble streets and monumental buildings reveal the scale and sophistication of life in antiquity. As you discover the site with your guide, gain a sense of the city’s importance and the daily life that once unfolded within it.

The programme also introduces regional handicrafts, including handmade carpets and leatherwork, offering insight into traditions that continue to form part of local cultural life.

Later, visit Sirince, a village whose intimate streets and traditional buildings provide a contrast to the grandeur of Ephesus. Enjoy time to browse its shops and discover its village atmosphere. Local wines are available to sample at your own expense.

Return to Kusadasi, where dinner is included this evening.

Overnight in Kusadasi.

Meals: Breakfast (B), Dinner (D)

Breakfast at your hotel before leaving the Aegean coast and travelling inland through the Meander plain and its agricultural countryside.

Arrive at Pamukkale, where mineral-rich waters have created the striking white terraces that give the destination its name, meaning “cotton castle”. Take time to appreciate this unusual landscape and the contrast between its pale formations and the surrounding countryside.

Visit neighbouring Hierapolis, an ancient city whose history is closely connected with the area’s thermal waters. Exploring its archaeological remains adds a cultural dimension to the natural setting, revealing how this landscape attracted settlement and visitors long before modern tourism.

Following sightseeing, continue to your hotel in Pamukkale. Dinner is included this evening, with time to relax after a day combining rural landscapes, ancient heritage and one of Turkey’s most distinctive natural sights.

Overnight in Pamukkale.

Meals: Breakfast (B), Dinner (D)

Breakfast at your hotel before travelling towards the lakeside town of Koycegiz.

Today introduces a different pace and setting as you exchange inland archaeological landscapes for the waterways of southwest Turkey. Join a boat excursion to Turtle Beach, enjoying the changing scenery along the route.

The programme also includes a visit to a local mudbath, where you can take part in this distinctive regional experience. Together, the boat trip and mudbath bring a lighter, more relaxed element to the journey before you continue towards the coast.

Travel onwards to Fethiye, your base for the next two nights. After arriving at your hotel, settle in and enjoy dinner. Tomorrow offers the opportunity to discover the former Greek village of Kayakoy and spend time beside the waters of Oludeniz.

Overnight in Fethiye.

Meals: Breakfast (B), Dinner (D)

Breakfast at your hotel before exploring Kayakoy, the former Greek village whose stone buildings spread across the hillside.

Its quiet lanes and abandoned houses offer a poignant encounter with the region’s past. Walking through this distinctive setting reveals a different aspect of Turkey’s cultural heritage, far removed from the monumental archaeological sites visited earlier in the journey.

In the afternoon, continue to Oludeniz, where you have the opportunity to swim and enjoy time by the coast. The change from Kayakoy’s historic atmosphere to the inviting coastal setting makes this a particularly varied day.

Return to your hotel in Fethiye later in the day. This evening, an optional sunset cruise with dinner is available at an additional cost for those wishing to spend more time on the water.

Overnight in Fethiye.

Meals: Breakfast (B)

Breakfast at your hotel before departing Fethiye and continuing to Antalya on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast.

On arrival, enjoy a walk through the Old Town, where historic streets and traditional architecture reveal the city’s character. See Hadrian’s Gate, a surviving reminder of Antalya’s Roman heritage and an important landmark within the historic district.

Later, visit Duden Waterfalls in the Lara area, adding a natural spectacle to the day’s cultural discoveries. The combination of the Old Town and waterfalls introduces the contrasting attractions of this Mediterranean destination.

Following sightseeing, continue to your hotel and settle in for your overnight stay. Dinner is included this evening. Tomorrow, your journey turns inland towards Konya and Cappadocia, bringing another change in landscape and cultural perspective.

Overnight in Antalya.

Meals: Breakfast (B), Dinner (D)

Breakfast at your hotel before an early departure from Antalya.

Visit Aspendos Theatre, an outstanding surviving example of ancient theatrical architecture. Its imposing structure offers an appreciation of the ambition and craftsmanship behind the public buildings of the classical world.

Continue to Konya, where you visit the Mevlana Mausoleum and the associated Whirling Dervishes convent. This important spiritual site introduces the legacy of Mevlana and the traditions of the Mevlevi order.

Your journey then continues towards Cappadocia, with a visit to an ancient caravanserai along the Silk Road. These historic stopping places once provided shelter for merchants and travellers crossing the region, connecting today’s journey with much older routes of trade and exchange.

Arrive in Cappadocia and settle into your hotel for a two-night stay. Dinner is included this evening.

Overnight in Cappadocia.

Meals: Breakfast (B), Dinner (D)

An optional hot air balloon flight is available early this morning at an additional cost, offering the opportunity to view Cappadocia’s distinctive landscape from above.

Breakfast at your hotel before a full day exploring the region’s remarkable combination of natural formations and human ingenuity.

Visit Kaymakli Underground City, where interconnected chambers and passageways reveal how communities created living spaces beneath the surface. Continue to Goreme Open Air Museum, where rock-cut churches offer insight into Cappadocia’s religious and artistic heritage.

The day also includes Uchisar, whose natural rock fortress forms a striking feature of the surrounding landscape. Across these visits, discover how the region’s unusual geology shaped the ways people lived, worshipped and sought protection.

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

Overnight in Cappadocia.

Meals: Breakfast (B)

Breakfast at your hotel before departing Cappadocia and travelling towards Ankara, Turkey’s capital.

Visit the Mausoleum of Ataturk and its museum, dedicated to the founder of the modern Republic of Turkey. The visit provides a different historical perspective from the ancient cities and Ottoman landmarks encountered earlier, introducing the story of the country’s modern identity.

Continue to Safranbolu, a UNESCO World Heritage town celebrated for its preserved Ottoman architecture. Its traditional buildings and historic streets offer an atmospheric setting for the final stages of your journey.

Tonight, stay in an old Ottoman mansion, allowing the town’s architectural character to become part of your accommodation experience. Dinner is included, with time to settle into these distinctive surroundings before exploring the old town tomorrow.

Overnight in Safranbolu.

Meals: Breakfast (B), Dinner (D)

Breakfast at your hotel before exploring Safranbolu’s old town.

Discover the traditional streets and Ottoman buildings that give the town its distinctive character. During your visit, enjoy the opportunity to taste local Turkish delight, adding a flavour of the region to your final morning here.

Depart Safranbolu and travel back to Istanbul, completing the circular journey through Turkey’s coastal regions and interior.

In the afternoon, visit the Grand Bazaar, where covered passageways and shops create a lively setting for your return to the city. Browse the variety of goods on display or simply enjoy the atmosphere of this historic trading centre.

Continue to your hotel for your final overnight stay, with the evening at leisure after a journey that has brought together Turkey’s imperial heritage, ancient cities, coastal scenery and traditional towns.

Overnight in Istanbul.

Meals: Breakfast (B)

Breakfast at your hotel before your journey concludes.

Your included departure transfer operates by scheduled shuttle to Istanbul Airport at 09:00 or 13:00. Take the applicable service for your onward travel arrangements, bringing your exploration of Turkey to a close.

Meals: Breakfast (B)