Day 1 – Istanbul

Join your tour group at the hotel.

Day 2 – Istanbul

A full-day city tour introduces us to the sights and sounds of Istanbul. We’ll travel back thousands of years as we visit Sultanahmet Meydanı, once the sporting and social heart of Constantinople and admire the vast Blue Mosque. Next is the Sunken Cistern, an atmospheric underground reservoir built in the 6th century and held up by more than 300 columns. We’ll finish off our day in the colourful Grand Bazaar. With almost 4,000 shops hawking antiques, carpets, jewellery and more, it’s the biggest souk and the oldest covered market in the world.

Day 3 – Istanbul

This morning, we’ll pay a visit to Süleymaniye Mosque, considered to be the most beautiful imperial mosque in the city. One of the mosque’s outbuildings is home to a display of 14th and 15th-century books, manuscripts and orders of the sultans. Although it’s not open to the public, we’ll have private access to view the collection. Next, we’ll make our way to Misir Carsisi, the Egyptian Spice Bazaar, where spices, herbs and all sorts of dried teas have been sold since the 17th century, and where many locals still shop today. We’ll have time to wander through the warren of stalls, perhaps picking up some fragrant cardamom or saffron to take home. Later, we’ll tour the UNESCO-listed Topkapı Palace Museum. Once home to Ottoman sultans, it’s now filled with treasures including fine art, jewel-encrusted swords, Chinese porcelain, scrolls of delicate calligraphy, and the exquisite Spoonmaker’s Diamond. The complex is as much an attraction as the exhibits though, with peaceful gardens, opulent décor and tales of courtiers and concubines. The afternoon is free for you to explore Istanbul at your own pace. If you like, join our relaxing optional Bosphorus cruise.

Day 4 – Gallipoli – Canakkale

A five-hour drive alongside the Sea of Marmara will bring us to the Gallipoli peninsula. This area is steeped in history, so our guide will talk us through the importance of the Dardanelles strait and the part it played during the First World War as we go. Arriving at Gallipoli, we’ll tour the battlefields, scene of the aborted Allied invasion of 1915, visiting Cape Helles, Suvla Bay and Anzac Cove. We’ll then cross the strait to Canakkale.

Days 5-6 – Troy – Pergamon – Kusadasi

It’s a long but rewarding drive of around six hours today. It takes us to the World Heritage Site of Troy to uncover 4,000 years of history as you stroll around this ancient archaeological site, immortalised in Homer’s epic, ‘The Iliad’. For lunch, we’ll head to the nearby village of Bergama. Splitting into smaller groups, we’ll visit local houses, chatting with our hosts as we enjoy a delicious home-cooked meal. We’ll continue to the Greco-Roman city of Pergamon, admiring its acropolis, temples and 10,000-seat theatre. From here, we drive south to Kusadasi, where the following day is free to relax after a busy day.

Day 7 – Ephesus – Pamukkale

The highlight today is Ephesus. The remains of this ancient Greek city are remarkably well preserved and protected by UNESCO. We’ll see the famous façade of the Celsus Library, mosaicked pedestrian walkways and roads scored with ruts from chariot wheels. We’ll also stop at the House of the Virgin Mary, just outside Ephesus, where Mary was believed to have spent her final years. Lunch will be a picnic in the sunny gardens of a cooperative in nearby Selcuk. Get involved with the cooking if you like, or simply sit back and enjoy your surroundings. While we’re here, you’ll have the chance to see how traditional carpets are hand-woven. After lunch we’ll continue to Pamukkale, known for its white terraced pools filled with mineral rich water.

Day 8 – Pamukkale – Konya

After a short stop in Pamukkale to view the travertine terraces, our journey (of around six hours) will take us to Konya, one of the oldest urban centres in the world. We’ll stop en route to learn about the celebrated 13th-century poet and mystic Celaleddin Rumi at the Mevlana Museum.

Day 9 – Konya – Cappadocia

Today we turn east and head out across the plains and steppes of Central Anatolia. Just as travellers did in ancient times, we’ll stop at a Turkish caravanserai. These huge stone hostels, usually based around an arcaded courtyard, date from around the 13th century when travellers used them to rest, eat and take shelter with their animals and cargo. Sultanhan Caravanserai was built in 1229 and was one of the largest Seljuk caravanserai along the famous Silk Road. After stretching our legs we continue to Cappadocia and round off the day with a breathtaking introduction to the area at Pasabag Valley to see one of the region’s most famous sights, the amazing fairy chimneys.

Day 10 – Cappadocia

The classic way to witness the cliffs, colours and fairy chimneys of Cappadocia is from the basket of a hot air balloon, and this morning’s optional excursion allows you to do just that. You’ll leave before sunrise, giving plenty of time to soar high above the extraordinary landscape and watch as the sun slowly appears. It’s a magical sight as brightly coloured hot air balloons float silently over the rippling, whimsical features below. After about an hour in the air you’ll touch down in time for pre-breakfast champagne, cakes and a personalised flight certificate – a fitting way to mark such a special event. Then it’s back to the hotel for a full breakfast after which – having had the chance to explore Cappadocia both underground and from the air – we immerse ourselves in its rich history and landscapes on the ground. Göreme Valley has the highest concentration of rock cut chapels and monasteries in Cappadocia, many UNESCO-listed and preserved in the Göreme Open Air Museum. From here we continue to Kaymakli Underground City. Early Christians carved this subterranean maze of homes, churches, storage rooms and stables to hide from invaders from the 6th-9th-centuries. The whole place is a marvel of ancient engineering and a walk through its cool chambers and winding tunnels is one of Cappadocia’s must-do experiences. We’ll finish our day with a pottery talk and workshop in a local artist’s cave studio.

Day 11 – Cappadocia

Say goodbye to your tour group for your onward travel.