Please note: A visa is required for U.S. and Canadian passport holders to enter Turkey. 

Explore the rich history of Turkey, starting with a guided tour of Istanbul, Turkey’s cultural heart and one of the oldest cities in the world. Pay a visit to the home of the Whirling Dervishes and the otherworldly stone homes of Cappadocia, wander among Greco-Roman ruins, take in the scenery of the Turquoise Coast and discover the unique blend of cultures in the country where east meets west.

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 - Overnight Flight

Day 2 - Istanbul

Welcome to Istanbul, crossroads of East and West and the world’s only city spanning two continents. A Go Ahead representative greets you and escorts you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax or begin exploring Istanbul. At an included dinner this evening, meet your fellow travelers.
Included meals: breakfast (in flight), dinner

Day 3 - Istanbul

Your Tour Director acquaints your with Istanbul on this morning’s sightseeing tour. You’ll visit the city’s Hippodrome, the breathtaking Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and Hagia Sophia. About 1,000 years older than St. Peter’s in Rome, this awe-inspiring building was the pride of Christendom until the city fell to the Turks in 1453. This evening is free to enjoy at leisure.
Included meal: breakfast
Included entrances: Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia

Day 4 - Canakkale

Journey to Troy from Istanbul including a ferry across the Dardanelles Strait. Enjoy a guided sightseeing tour of Troy, the legendary city at the heart of Homer’s Iliad. Later, make your way along the Aegean coast to Canakkale, a town coveted in centuries past for its strategic location at the entrance to the Dardanelles. Dinner is included tonight.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner

Day 5 - Kusadasi

Travel south along the Aegean coast to Pergamon. Here, you’ll visit the Acropolis before continuing on to Kusadasi, a resort town on Turkey’s west coast for an included dinner this evening.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner

Day 6 - Kusadasi

Today’s excursion introduces you to one of the Mediterranean region’s best-preserved classical cities, Ephesus, once a sacred center for the cult of Artemis. Your guided tour highlights the city’s major landmarks: the elaborate Library of Celsus, the Temple of Hadrian and the Great Theatre, which is still in use today. Leaving Ephesus, you’ll then travel to the house where the Virgin Mary is said to have spent her final days. Afterwards, join a special optional excursion to the town of Sirince for a firsthand look at rural village life in Turkey. Dinner is included tonight.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner
Included entrances: Ephesus ruins, House of the Virgin Mary

$25 USD

Village of Sirince The peaceful village of Sirince lies in the hills outside of Ephesus. Known for its homemade wines, olive oils and needlecrafts, Sirince offers a taste of rural life far removed from the bustle of Turkey’s cities. On a walking tour led by your Tour Director, stroll past some of the country’s best-preserved 19th-century architecture and enjoy panoramic views of peach orchards and olive groves.

Day 7 - Pamukkale

Travel to the ruins of Priene, which was once an important harbor. Priene is also home to a ruined Temple of Athena. Continue on to the ruins of the Temple of Apollo at Didyma, one of the Hellenic world’s most important oracles. Arrive later in Pamukkale, where dinner is included tonight.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner

Day 8 - Pamukkale

On this morning’s guided tour, discover why Pamukkale was a popular spa town during Roman times on a visit to the city’s famous travertines—petrified waterfalls of white stone pocked by natural basins filled with warm mineral water. Afterwards, journey to the well-preserved ruins of Hierapolis nearby. Hierapolis was established as a thermal spa at the end of the 2nd century B.C., and the ruins of baths, temples and other Greek monuments can be seen at the site. Enjoy a free afternoon to soak in the Pamukkale hot springs or join an optional excursion to Aphrodisias. Dinner is included tonight.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner

$25 USD

Aphrodisias Visit Aphrodisias and marvel at the excavated ruins that bear testimony to an age-old artists' colony. In the late first century B.C., the Roman Empire granted autonomy to the city that honored Aphrodite, goddess of love. Aphrodisias' ancient sculptors created works of stunning beauty out of the glowing marble they found in the nearby mountains, and many of these treasures can still be seen today.

Day 9 - Antalya

Travel to Antalya this morning. After arriving, a local guide leads you on a tour of the city. You’ll explore the Antalya Museum, an enormous complex housing nearly 30,000 antiquities. You’ll continue on to the ruins of Hadrian’s Gate, a remarkably well-preserved triumphal arch built to honor the Roman emperor’s visit in 130. According to legend, the Queen of Sheba passed through this arch during her journey to visit with King Solomon.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner
Included entrances: Antalya Museum, Hadrian’s Gate

Day 10 - Antalya

Enjoy a day at leisure in Antalya. While Antalya is notable for its ruins, it’s also Turkey’s premier seaside resort town. Spend a day discovering the city’s modern and ancient charms, or join an optional excursion to the ancient sites of Aspendos and Perge this afternoon. Dinner is included tonight.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner

$25 USD

Aspendos & Perge After the Trojan Wars, some of the victorious Greek forces stayed in Asia Minor and established new towns for Greek colonists. This excursion will take you to Perge, one of the most successful of these new colonies, which prospered under the patronage of Alexander the Great. The ancient remains of this proud city are extensive, and you’ll have a chance to explore the Great Theatre, the ruined Hellenistic Gates, Roman baths and the impressive stadium. Later, visit the Roman theater at Aspendos, a center of classical drama in the first century A.D. Please note: During the summer months, this region can be quite hot. Please bring sunscreen and sturdy footwear.

Day 11 - Cappadocia

Cross the Taurus Mountains to visit the mystical center of Konya, where you’ll find the spiritual home of Sufism and the Whirling Dervishes. Learn more about the Dervishes on your tour of the Mevlana Museum, which was once their monastery. Later, traverse the windswept Anatolian steppe before reaching Cappadocia and its strange, unearthly rock formations. This evening, after an included dinner, join an optional excursion to see a Whirling
Dervishes performance (seasonal).
Included meals: breakfast, dinner
Included entrance: Mevlana Museum

$45 USD

Whirling Dervishes The Sufi Muslim sect known as the Whirling Dervishes was founded in the 13th century by Mevlana Rumi. They were named after their elaborate dance-like ritual, which honors the movement of the Earth. Learn more about this fascinating ancient faith and its modern-day practitioners during this cultural performance.

Day 12 - Cappadocia

Tour the famous Göreme Open Air Museum, comprising beautifully frescoed rock churches dating back to the fourth century. Continue on to the charming towns of Pasabag, a bustling trading center, and Avanos, where the local economy thrives on the production of pottery created from the distinctive red clay of the Kizilirmak River. This evening, you may opt to attend a folklore show. Dinner is included tonight.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner
Included entrance: Göreme Open Air Museum

$35 USD

Cappadocia Folklore Show An authentic Cappadocian restaurant carved out of sheer rock provides the setting for an evening of snacks, drinks and entertainment. Taste delicious Turkish wine, beer and snacks while a troupe of traditional dancers performs.

Day 13 - Istanbul

This morning is free for your own explorations of Cappadocia. Alternatively, join an optional excursion to the Özkonak Underground City, where you’ll learn about the mysterious story behind this ancient subterranean complex. Later today, catch your afternoon flight back to Istanbul.
Included meal: breakfast

$25 USD

Underground City Discover the mysterious Özkonak Underground City. This guided tour will expose the secrets of this ancient city, which lay buried for centuries until it was found, by chance, by a local farmer. Built to house thousands of people, the city's tunnels and underground rooms boast innovations including moving stone doors, a winery, a ventilation system, a water well and a built-in system for communication between rooms on different levels. Please note: On days when Özkonak is crowded, your guide may take the tour to an alternative underground city, Kaymakli.

Day 14 - Istanbul

Enjoy a free day to explore Istanbul. You might try your hand at haggling in the Grand Bazaar. Or, join an optional excursion to the Bosphorus, also known as the Istanbul Strait. This boundary between European Turkey and Asian Turkey connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara. This evening, reflect on your journey at an included Farewell Dinner.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner

$55 USD

Bosphorus Straits Cruise Journey through the Bosphorus Straits on this cruise. You'll see decadent Ottoman palaces and imposing medieval castles as you journey through this narrow waterway, which separates Europe from Asia. On your way you'll stop for a visit to a local spice market. Lunch is included. Please note: This excursion is weather dependent.

Day 15 - Istanbul