Home / Europe, Turkey Tours / Culture & Historical
12 day(s)
Private
1-30 people
easy
Embark on an
unforgettable journey through Turkey’s diverse tapestry of history, culture,
and natural wonders on our comprehensive tour that spans from the ancient heart
of Istanbul to the mystical landscapes of Cappadocia and beyond. This tour
begins in Istanbul, where you’ll explore the storied Old City with its iconic
Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and Hippodrome Square. From there,
trace the footsteps of history along the Gallipoli Battlefields in Çanakkale,
wander through the legendary ruins of Troy, Pergamon, and the Acropolis near
Kuşadası, and delve into the ancient wonders of Ephesus and the sacred House of
the Virgin Mary in Şirince Village.
Your journey continues to the surreal terraces of Pamukkale and the ancient city of Hierapolis, followed by a cultural immersion in Konya with visits to the Mevlana Museum and the historic Sultanhani Caravanserai. In Cappadocia, marvel at the unique landscapes of Göreme, explore hidden passages in an Underground City, and wander through the enchanting Monks Valley. Ascend to the heights of Mount Nemrut to witness monumental statues near the Karatay Caravanserai, and journey further to uncover the mysteries of Göbeklitepe, Sanlıurfa, and Harran. The tour culminates in Gaziantep, where the exquisite artistry of the Zeugma Mosaic Museum awaits, before you fly back to Istanbul with memories that span millennia
Duration
12 day(s)
Max Group Size
1-30 people
Tour Code
12DWTMEDTAL
Departure Type
scheduled
Tour Category
Culture & Historical
Guiding Method
Fully guided
Operated In
Age Requirement
11 - 99

İstanbul
İstanbul
Arrive at Istanbul Airport and transfer to your hotel. You’ll be free for the rest of the day. Explore the hotel’s vicinity and try Turkish coffee at a local cafe. Accommodation in Istanbul
(Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included)
After
breakfast, we’ll start our Istanbul tour at 08:45 am. First, we will visit the
great Hagia Sofia (Saint So, built by the emperor Justinian in the 6th century
AD as a church and was later converted into a mosque. Next, we will visit the
Topkapı Palace, a giant walled complex from where Ottoman sultans ruled their
great empire for more than 420 years. Afterward, we will visit the Blue Mosque
(Sultanahmet Mosque) 17th-century
Ottoman mosque famous for its six minarets and magnificent interior with blue
tiles.
Then,
we’ll explore the Hippodrome Square which was used as a meeting place and for
chariot races during the Byzantine period. Here, we will see the Serpent Column
brought from Delphi, the Egyptian Obelisk, and the German Fountain of Wilhelm
In the afternoon you can get an optional half-day Bosphorus Cruise tour.
Accommodation in Istanbul.
(Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included)
Today,
we will depart early for Çanakkale. Pick-up will be between 6:15 am - 6:45 am
from your hotel. We will drive to the Gallipoli Peninsula for about 4 hours to
visit one of the most important sites of World War I.
Gallipoli
is home to the remains of 500,000 soldiers and is one of Turkey's most
important war memorials. We will visit the site of the Battle of Gallipoli,
including the Lone Pine Australian Memorial, Chunuk Bair Atatürk Monument,
Anzac Cove, and Johnston's Jolly Cemetery.
We see The original trenches and tunnels where the bloodiest and most
dramatic scenes of the Dardanelles wars took place and the bayonet wars were
fought hand in hand.
At the end of the tour, we’ll drive to Çanakkale. Overnight stay in Çanakkale
(Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included)
After
breakfast, we’ll head to the ancient city of Troia or Troy, the real-life
location of the legendary Trojan War described in Homer's Iliad. Next, we will
visit the legendary Pergamon, the capital of the Kingdom of Pergamon Kings in
282-133 BC. We will visit the Acropolis, the administrative center of the city,
the Temple of Zeus, Dionysus, Athena, Demeter, and the famous Pergamon Library
of 200,000 rolls. The Altar of Zeus, excavated during the Pergamon (Bergama)
excavations, is now on display at the Pergamonmuseum in Berlin. The Great
Theatre of Pergamon here is the world's steepest theater and could entertain up
to 10,000 spectators in ancient times.
we’ll
drive to Kuşadası. Dinner and accommodation in Kuşadası.
(Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included)
Today,
we’ll immerse ourselves in the history of ancient Ephesus.
Ephesus
is a World Heritage site and the most beautiful ancient city of the Ionia
region. After seeing the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the
Ancient World, we will visit the ancient city of Ephesus. You will feel the
fascinating atmosphere of Ephesus as you walk on Curetes Street and see the
ruins of the 25,000-capacity Grand Theater, the State Agora, the magnificent
Celsus Library, the Odeon, Temesos, Prytaneion, Magnesia Gate, Grotto of the
Seven Sleepers, and the Harbour of Ephesus. Our next stop will be the House of
the Virgin Mary, a Christian pilgrimage site where the Virgin Mary spent her
last years.
Finally, we will visit the former Greek and Ottoman Sirince village, famous for its fruit wines. Carpet weaving has long traditions in Turkey and in this carpet village, we’ll learn how the carpets are made by hand and what determines their value. End of the tour.Accommodation in Kuşadası
(Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included)
After
breakfast firstly we will enjoy a display of locally handcrafted leather goods.
Then drive to Pamukkale (220 km).
We’ll have a lunch break. Visit Hierapolis ruins, where we will see the Gate of Domitian, the Arcadian Street, the ancient 2nd-century Roman Theater, the Nymphaion, the Temple of Apollo, the Plutonium, and the Necropolis. We will pass through the Roman Gate, admire the ancient Pamukkale Theater, and walk around the grave monuments built to honor heroes. Afterward, we will have a relaxing walk on the travertine terraces and have a chance to swim in the Ancient Cleopatra Pools (at extra cost). End of the tour. Overnight stay in a thermal hotel in Pamukkale
(Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included)
After
breakfast, we will drive to Cappadocia via the ancient Silk Road route. On the
way, we’ll give a break in the city of Konya to have lunch and visit the
Mevlana Museum which houses the tomb of the great 13th-century Persian poet and
founder of the Order of the Whirling Dervishes, Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Balkhi,
also known as Rumi, and the Alaeddin Mosque, which was built on Alaeddin Hill
during the Seljuk period. Along the ancient Silk Road, we will also visit the
Sultanhanı Caravanserai. After our visits, we will continue on our way to
Cappadocia.
Dinner and accommodation in Cappadocia
(Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included)
Today,
we will start our tour with a visit to the Underground City and Göreme Open Air
Museum, which is home to a large monastery complex with dozens of monasteries,
each of which has its church, offering some of the best examples of Byzantine
art. The churches carved into the rock feature paintings and frescoes from the
tenth to the thirteenth century, whose colors still retain their original
freshness. Next, we will visit Paşabağı Valley located on a vineyard on Zelve
road. Some of the mushroom-shaped rock formations here are several meters high.
Fairy chimneys shaped by erosion for many years were used as houses by various
religious groups, therefore it is also known as the Monks Valley. Afterward, we
will visit the Devrent Valley, which offers a reddish moon view looks like a
movie set and is famous for its rock formations resembling different animal
figures.
End
of the tour. Return to our hotel. Overnight stay in Cappadocia.
*Optional Turkish
Folklore Night featuring,
traditional folklore and belly dancing shows in a cave music hall. (extra cost)
(Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included)
Departing
from Cappadocia in the morning, we pass the Tekir plateau and proceed towards
Mount Nemrut. ( Distance 580 Km ) Our first stop along the way is the Seljuk
Karatay Caravanserai. Seljuk Sultan II. It was completed in 1240 during the
time of Gıyâseddîn-Keyhüsrev. It is one of the most beautiful caravanserais of
the Silk Road. Stop for lunch on the way.
We
continue to the Severus (Cendere) Bridge in the ancient city of Arsemia in
Kahta and the Karakuş Tumulus where members of the Commagene royal family are
buried. After an arduous climb, we will reach the house of gods on the summit
of the mysterious and magnificent Mt. Nemrut. We will see the Zeus, Apollon,
Heracles, Antiochus, Commagene, Eagle, and Lion sculptures on the eastern
terrace of the Nemrut summit. The tumulus of the Commagene King Antiochus I is
at the top. We will see the altars and sculptures on the western terrace as
well. It is impossible not to be impressed by the magnificent view and the
beauty of the colossal statues.
We
will return to Adıyaman after enjoying the sunset views on top of Mt. Nemrut. Dinner
and accommodation in Adıyaman.
(Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included)
Today
we drive to Sanliurfa from Cappadocia ( 590 Km) We will see the Atatürk dam,
the largest in Turkey. After a short break, we go to Göbekli Tepe, predating
Stonehenge by some 12.000 years, some believe it is the site of the world's
oldest temple. Lunch will be in the Sanliurfa center. afterward visit the
Harran, a village of Mud-Brick "beehive" houses mentioned in the book
of Genesis where Abraham spent the last years of his life. We will visit the
ruins of Harran including the city walls, the first Islamic university, and the
castle dated to the eighteenth century.
We then drive back to Sanliurfa. Visiting Mevlid-i Halil Mosque, the Prophet Abraham Cave, and the Pools of the Holy Carp surrounding it, Ayn-el Zeliha Lake, (the pit where the Prophet Abraham was thrown into the fire) then wander around the oriental covered bazaar. Dinner and accommodation in Sanliurfa
(Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included)
After
breakfast from Şanlıurfa, we go to Gaziantep, the largest and most modern
industrial and agricultural city in the Southeastern region of Turkey. Zeugma
Mosaic Museum is the largest Mosaic Museum in the world. The famous 'Gypsy
Girl' mosaic is exhibited in this museum. It also showcases hundreds of
magnificent floor and wall mosaics discovered in the Roman settlement of Belkıs
- Zeugma before the Birecik Dam flooded most of the site. After lunch with
Gaziantep's famous local dishes and delicious baklavas, we fly to Istanbul from
Gaziantep airport. Then transfer to Istanbul hotel. Accommodation in Istanbul
(Breakfast
included)
After
breakfast, you will be transferred to Istanbul Airport for your onward flight.
Hope to see you on another Turkiye holiday.
3 nights of accommodation Istanbul - Nidya Hotel Galaport
1 nights of accommodation Canakkale - Troia Tusan Hotel
2 nights of accommodation Kusadasi - Odelia Resort Hotel
1 nights of accommodation Pamukkale - Palm Thermal
2 nights of accommodation Cappadocia - Special Class El Puente Cave Hotel
1 nights of accommodation Adiyaman - Whita Star
1 nights of accommodation
Sanliurfa - Harran Hotel
PS: If This hotel list not available at the time of your
booking then we will arrange another similar hotel for your group. If you
prefer a Different category hotel, there might be an additional cost
Professional English-speaking guide
Meals as per itinerary
Airport transfers as per itinerary
Transportation in a comfortable, air-conditioned,
non-smoking coach
All tours as per itinerary
Entrance fees to museums and historical sites
VAT & City Tax
Hotel room taxes
Domestic flight tickets
Travel Insurance
Personal expenses
Guide & driver tips
Türkiye entry visa
Alcoholic drinks & beverages
Any expenses not mentioned in the inclusions
Hot Air Ballooning Tour
Turkish Bath Tour