Grand Tour of Turkey

Board your overnight flight to Istanbul today.

Welcome to Turkey! Arrive in Istanbul—one of the world’s only cities that spans two continents—and enjoy a welcome drink as you meet your Tour Director and fellow travelers.

Set off on a tour of Istanbul’s vibrant streets and historic UNESCO World Heritage sites led by your Tour Director.

• Step inside the Hagia Sophia, which held the title of the world’s largest cathedral for nearly 1,000 years
• Walk to the Basilica Cistern and explore the 6th-century underground water collection area
• Visit the Hippodrome, once considered the social center of ancient Constantinople
• Enjoy an included welcome lunch at a local restaurant
• Explore the Blue Mosque, named for the blue tiles adorning its interior, and sit down to learn about Ottoman Islamic traditions
• Discover the former residence of Ottoman sultans at Topkapi Palace during a tour of the museum and palace grounds

Please note: Travelers are required to remove or cover shoes when entering the Blue Mosque. On some departures the visit to Basilica Cistern may take place on day 14.

Take a short ferry ride across the Dardanelles Strait and join your Tour Director on a guided tour of Troy, the city at the heart of Homer’s “Iliad.”

• Explore the Archaeological Site of Troy
• See the ruins of the city walls, temples, and buildings
• View a replica of the famous Trojan Horse

After, continue on to Canakkale and sit down for an included dinner.

Head south along the Aegean coast, making several stops along the way.

• Visit Adatepe, a small village in the hills above the Aegean Sea
• Walk along the cobblestone streets and have a chance to visit the elegant stone mosque
• Sample olives, olive oil, and Turkish tea at a local eatery
• Continue on to the city of Edremit to visit Nar Kadin, a collective that provides culinary employment opportunities to marginalized women
• Learn how the women use locally sourced ingredients to make handmade pies, noodles, baklava, cookies, and sample some of their pastries

Then, travel to the Ephesus region, a historic area on Turkey’s west coast, and sit down for an included dinner.

Please note: On some departures a visit to İzmir at Mt. Pagos will take place when the Nar Kadin collective is closed.

Join your Tour Director on a guided tour of Ephesus, one of the best-preserved ancient Greek cities in the Mediterranean region.

• Discover many UNESCO-listed sites, including the elaborate Library of Celsus and the ruins of the Basilica of St. John
• View the Great Theatre, which is still in use today
• Step inside the house where the Virgin Mary is said to have spent her final days

Spend a free evening in the Ephesus region or add an excursion.

Head inland and stop in the quaint town of Sirince, known for its wine and olive oil, to get a firsthand look at rural village life.

• Learn about the town’s history of Greek and Turkish residents from your Tour Director
• Hear how the local Turks reconstructed the Ottoman-era houses
• Enjoy free time to explore the streets and markets
• Visit a wine store for a tasting of local wines

Later, arrive in Pamukkale and sit down for an included dinner.

Discover some of the area's natural wonders and ancient ruins on today's guided tour.

• Visit the UNESCO-listed city of Hierapolis to see the well-preserved Greco-Roman ruins
• Walk to neighboring Pamukkale, a popular spa town during the Roman times
• See the town's famous travertines—petrified waterfalls of white stone

Then, travel to Antalya and sit down for an included dinner this evening.

Join your Tour Director on a tour of Antalya, a stunning coastal city known for its pristine beaches and beautiful scenery.

• Explore the Antalya Museum, an enormous complex with nearly 30,000 antiquities from the Stone Age, Roman, Hellenistic, and Byzantine periods
• Walk through Karaalioglu Park to admire views of Hidirlik Tower, the coastline, and mountains
• Uncover the ruins of Hadrian’s Gate, a remarkably well-preserved triumphal arch

Enjoy a free afternoon in Antalya or add an excursion.

Spend a free day in Antalya or add an excursion.

Cross the Taurus Mountains to visit the mystical center of Konya, the spiritual home of Sufism and the Whirling Dervishes.

• Step inside the Mevlana Museum with your Tour Director
• Learn more about the Dervishes as you tour the museum, which was once their monastery

Continue on to Cappadocia, which is known for its unearthly rock formations, and sit down for an included dinner.

Please note: For an additional cost, you can book a Whirling Dervishes cultural performance for this evening through your Tour Director.

Wander through the Göreme Open-Air Museum, which is comprised of frescoed rock churches dating back to the fourth century.

• See the area’s signature geological rock formations, known as fairy chimneys
• Visit a cave village and a rock-carved church
• Stop in Avanos to discover the town’s distinctive red-clay pottery

This afternoon, join your Tour Director on a hike down through one of Capaddocia’s famous valleys.

• See the dramatic landscapes and rock formations carved by wind and water
• Learn about the people who carved their homes out of the rock

Sit down for an included dinner this evening.

Please note: For an additional cost, you can book a hot air balloon ride for this morning through your Tour Director.

Spend a free morning in Cappadocia or add an excursion.

Then, fly back to Istanbul this afternoon.

Today, see Istanbul from a different perspective as you take a ferry across the Bosporus Strait to Kadiköy and explore Kadiköy Market with a local guide.

• Walk through this open-air market, which sits on the Asian side of Istanbul
• See where locals go to shop for everything from fresh-caught fish to locally grown produce
• Stop by specialty shops to see what the vendors are selling and learn more about the foods used to create some of the country’s culinary staples
• Shop for snacks and pick up some sweets to bring back home
• Head to a nearby restaurant for a farewell lunch featuring food, drinks, and desserts from the Anatolian, or Asia Minor, region of Turkey

This afternoon, take a ferry back up the Golden Horn and head to Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar.

• Step inside the bazaar, which is one of the oldest covered markets in the world
• Follow along as you Tour Director points you in the direction of the best vendors and enjoy free time to shop

Toast to your trip with a farewell drink this evening.

Transfer to the airport for your flight home or extend your stay in Istanbul.