Grand Tour of Turkey
Explore Turkey’s Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, Hittite and Selcuk heritage
In Brief
| Istanbul - 3 nights. Canakkale - 1 night. Kusadasi - 2 nights. Pamukkale - 1 night. Antalya - 2 nights. Cappadocia - 2 nights. Ankara - 1 night. Bursa - 1 night. Istanbul - 1 night. |
Itinerary 1 (2011)
Day 1 Fly from your chosen airport to Istanbul and transfer to the 4-star Barceló Eresin Topkapi for three nights.
Day 2 Cruise along the Bosphorus. Visit St. Sophia. Enjoy an ‘Ottoman Dinner’.
Day 3 A full-day tour includes the Hippodrome, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and Grand Bazaar. Dinner at a local ‘meat and grill’ specialities restaurant.
Day 4 Travel to Gallipoli (5 hrs) for a visit, before crossing the Dardanelles by boat. Overnight at the 4-star Kolin Hotel, Canakkale.
Day 5 Visit the ruins of legendary Troy. Travel to Pergamon (3 hrs) to visit the ancient acropolis. Continue via Izmir to Kusadasi (3 hrs) for two nights at the 4-star Hotel Kismet.
Day 6 A morning excursion to the site at Ephesus. Later, visit the Ephesus museum and House of Virgin Mary.
Day 7 Drive through the valley of the River Meander, visit Aphrodisias and continue to Pamukkale, renowned for its travertine terraces and calcified waterfalls. Visit the ancient Roman city of Hierapolis. Overnight at the 4-star Pan-Thermal Hotel in Pamukkale.
Day 8 A demonstration of the art of handicraft carpets en route to Antalya for a tour and two nights at the 4-star Dedeman Hotel.
Day 9 Visit Perge, Aspendos and the Archaeological Museum at Antalya. After dinner, enjoy a short walk through the old harbour.
Day 10 Travel through Anatolia to the former Seljuk capital of Konya (5 hrs). Visit the Museum of Mevlana, founder of the ‘Whirling Dervish’ sect. Continue to Cappadocia (4 hrs) and stay two nights at the 4-star Hotel Perissia.
Day 11 Visit the Valley of Goreme with its early Christian church paintings, underground city of Kaymakh and castle of Uchisar.
Day 12 Travel via the ‘Salt-Lake’ to Ankara (4 hrs) for overnight at the 4-star Barceló Ankara Altinel Hotel. A tour of the ancient citadel and modern capital includes the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations.
Day 13 Visit the Mausoleum of Atatürk and continue on to Gordion to view the tomb of King Midas. Travel to Bursa for overnight at the 4-star Hotel Kervansaray-Thermal.
Day 14 Visit the Green Mosque and Tomb of Sultan Murat II, the Great Mosque of Ulu Cami, the Muradiye Mosque and tombs of the Ottoman Sultan and Princes and the silk bazaar. Travel to Istanbul, including a ferry across the Bay of Nicomedia, for overnight at the 4-star Barceló Eresin Topkapi. Enjoy a traditional dinner with music.
Day 15 Return flight.
