13 Day Classic Turkey tour. You will begin your tour in the Fethiye harbour town, you can visit some of the popular destinations or take a daily excursion. Travel on to Pamukkale where you will take in the stepped white rock formations filled with warm spring water, nearby id the ancient tone of Hierapolis. Continuing on to Ephesus you will tour one of the best-preserved cities, a Library if Celsus offers to look into the how popular this ancient city was by the beauty of the buildings.
Enjoy time in the Cappadocia taking the North and South tours that make their way through the natural valleys, taking in the carved cliff buildings and visiting the small towns. As you travel towards Istanbul you will take the time to tour the Gallipoli Peninsula where you will visit the memorial sites for the ANZAC and Turkish troops who both fought for what they believed in. Istanbul is the final destination where you will take tours that show the highlights of history and culture together.
Duration
13 Days 12 Nights
Available Languages
EN, ES
Welcome to Turkey
Transfer service direct from Fethiye Harbour, Dalaman airport or Fethiye bus station to the hotel for check-in.
Overnight Fethiye.
Free Day
Today you get your first day in Turkey to explore the region of Fethiye. There are so many optional activities you might be interested in booking. Jeep Safari, Paragliding, Mud baths or you may want to jump on a local bus & go out to see the Ghost town of Kayakoy. Be sure to catch the infamous local fish market for dinner in the evening, or pick from the array of local restaurants in the centre of town or along the marina.
Overnight Fethiye.
You are collected from your accommodation early and depart for Pamukkale, which in Turkish translates to "cotton castle".
6:30: Fethiye hotel pick-up and drive to the local bus station.
7:00: Bus departs for Pamukkale, stops at Denizli along the way.
11:00: Arrive in Pamukkale and meet your tour guide and private bus who will accompany you around the historic sights for the rest of the day.
Pamukkale Tour
On arrival, you have lunch before taking in the magnificent views of the “cotton castle” travertines. You get a guided tour of the white cliffs of Pamukkale and of the ancient, historical ruins of Hierapolis. You then continue your journey onto Ephesus.
Overnight in Ephesus region. (Selcuk or Kusadasi)
Ephesus Full Day Tour
Today you get to start to explore the wonders of Ephesus. You are picked up from your accommodation and get taken out to see some of the best-preserved marble ruins in the modern world – Ephesus. Ephesus was one of the Ancient Capitals of Roman Asia - the second largest ancient city of the world! A city where over 200,000 people lived over 3,000 years ago. You also get to visit the House of the Virgin Mary. An important place for the Christian faith, as it is believed it is where Mary spent the last years of her life. You will also visit one of the seven wonders of the ancient world – The Temple of Artemis.
Overnight in Ephesus region. (Selcuk or Kusadasi)
Free Day
Today you have a free day to continue exploring Ephesus & the surrounding area. You can catch a local bus out to the seaside town of Kusadasi for a spot of “genuine fake” shopping. Or go visit the little wine village of Sirince – an old Greek town with fruity wines to taste and local crafts to be bought. Or if you want a day in the water, there are 2 big water parks on the way to Kusadasi with plenty of waterslides and water fun to be had.
Tonight you will board an overnight bus bound for Goreme, Cappadocia.
This morning you arrive at the unusual and breathtaking scenery of Goreme, Cappadocia. One of our crew will help you to find your way to your accommodation, you can relax for the day or catch up on some sleep.
OPTIONAL TOUR: ATV (QUAD) BIKE SAFARI.
If you love adventure and want to see Cappadocia from a different perspective then our fully guided Quad Safari is suited to you. Ride on a sturdy ATV (quad) bike and experience this landscape in a completely different way. Our Safari starts at approximately17:00 pm a great opportunity to see an amazing view of this ancient valley.
- Evening -
OPTIONAL TOUR: TURKISH NIGHT SHOW & DINNER.
Tonight is a special evening. You will be collected from your accommodation for a night of entertainment, food and good fun! You get the experience of a “Turkish night” of traditional Turkish dancing, from the Whirling Dervishes to belly dancing to seeing a Turkish wedding. The night is fully catered for and good fun not to be missed.
Overnight Cappadocia.
Full-Day South Cappadocia Tour
Today you will be picked up from your accommodation after breakfast, to start exploring parts of the South Cappadocia region. The highlights of the day will include, the Underground City, Uchisar Castle Panorama and a beautiful stroll through the Meskendir Valley to name a few. The day is full of some of the most beautiful sites to see in Cappadocia.
Overnight in the Cappadocia region.
- Early Morning -
OPTIONAL TOUR: CAPPADOCIA HOT AIR BALLOON FLIGHT
This morning you have the opportunity to enjoy an early morning sunset from the comfortable location of a hot air balloon high in the sky. This is one of the most famous activities in Cappadocia so it would be great to give it a go. This is an early morning tour and will cost extra.
Full-Day North Cappadocia Tour
You have one more day in this spectacular region to soak up the rest of the sites to see. Today you will be picked up from your accommodation and get to visit some of the oldest settlements in the North Cappadocia region. You will visit some small villages, take in some local handicrafts and also get to soak up the natural wonders and visit the Monks Valley and Devrent Valleys.
Tonight you will board an overnight bus bound for Goreme, Istanbul.
Free Day
This morning you arrive in Istanbul. Once you have found your way to your accommodation you can relax for the day or catch up on some sleep.
Rest of today you get a free day to wander around the city. You may want to get a sneak peek at some of the sites you will start to visit the following day, take in a spot of shopping or go further afield & explore some hidden corners of this enormous City.
Overnight Istanbul.
Today, you are picked up early from your accommodation and we will travel to Gallipoli for a day.
There you will have lunch before starting a fully guided tour of the Gallipoli peninsula. You visit the many cemeteries of Australians, New Zealanders and Turkish soldiers and also visit the war memorials and see some of the original old trenches on the Gallipoli battlefields. You get time at the museum where you can see some old war artefacts that are still being discovered in the area. It will be time to ponder the heroism and tragedy of past times and understand the friendships that were born between the nations fighting for this piece of the peninsula. Afterwards, you will return back to Istanbul.
Overnight in Istanbul.
Today you get your first look at the mysterious City of Istanbul. You will be picked up from your accommodation, heading off to see some of the major attractions of this historical, mystical City. You will visit the Blue Mosque, the breathtaking Aya Sofya and then go into the old Sultans Palace of Topkapito see some of the Sultans many ancient treasures and visit the Palace rooms and gardens. You also get a look at some of the best shopping in Istanbul. The tour will walk through the many lanes of the Grand Bazaar – one of the largest covered markets in the world and also visit the Spice Bazaar to take in the scents and aromas of the spices, Turkish delight & Turkish tea & coffee.
Our recommendation:
After the day's tour ends and you have your own free time, we recommend also visiting the Spice Bazaar to enjoy the sights and smells of Turkish tea, spices, and candies. You will be on your own here as its not part of your tour package, but you will have plenty of time and can make your own way back to your hotel.
Important Notes:
Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays
Blue Mosque due to prayers on Fridays we are unable to enter
Hagia Sophia is closed on Mondays
Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays
We provide pickups from hotels in central areas in the following vicinities:
Sultanahmet, Sirkeci, Laleli, Aksaray, Taksim area. Pickup from anywhere outside these areas may incur an extra charge. Please speak to our crew if you have any questions.
Overnight Istanbul.
Today will see you sailing down the Bosphorus Straights and along to the Golden Horn then heading to one of the best viewpoints over the whole city
Before your cruise, you will tour inside the Dolmabahce Palace, built between 1842 and 1853. The last 6 Sultans of the Ottoman Empire lived here. In 1923 Mustafa Kemal Ataturk resided here in the summers until his death in 1938. This palace is built the Neoclassical and Baroque Rococo styles. After leaving we will embark on our cruise that leads from the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara one of the first famous sites you will see from the boat is the Maidens Tower. This tower has served as a lighthouse, a radio tower, a hospital, and now it serves as a restaurant and museum. Sailing up the Bosphorus, You will also enjoy a panoramic view of the Old Constantinople Walls, which were built to protect Topkapi Palace from invaders. In its 1600 year history, these walls were only breached twice, saving the city from invasion on many other occasions.
At the Kucuksu Palace, built by Sultan Abdülmecid, we will stop for one hour, Kucuksu translates to “small water”, although small it is grand in design. You will return to the boat and pass by the Ciragan Palace, the magnificent Sultans palace turned hotel. The main building burnt down in 1910, however, the exterior structure stayed intact and was rebuilt in the early 1990s. You will sail past the Ortakoy Mosque, with its distinctive pink mosaics, on your way to cruising under the mighty Bosphorus Bridge where you will get the best views of the Beylerbeyi Palace, the summer home of the Sultans. Then it's on to the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, where, from the boat, you will see the mighty Rumeli Castle, built by Mehmed in 1452.
At the end of the cruise, we will change transport for a bus tour as we head back to the old city, the bus tour begins in the Sultanahmet district with our trusted guide it's then on over to the famous Pierre Loti Hill named after a French novelist, who had a great passion for Istanbul, this is one of the most romantic spots in the city. Here you will take a cable car to the top of this viewpoint overlooking Istanbul and the Golden Horn. Try Turkish coffee at one of the cafes, the ride back down has even more spectacular views of the city. The bus will take you around the Old City Walls before returning to your hotel around 17:00-18:00.
Important Note:
Dolmabahce Palace is closed on Mondays, therefore on this day, only the tour will begin 2 hours later (11:30 am departure) on Mondays.
Dolmabahce Palace, Kucuksu Palace, and Pierre Loti Hill are the only sights you will tour by foot. The other sights will be seen from the boat or bus.
Overnight in Istanbul.
Today your tour officially ends. If you require any assistance with onward travel within Turkey, accommodation bookings, queries, please let us know & we will be happy to assist.