Turkey: Istanbul, Cappadocia & Walking the Turquoise Coast

Visions of ancient kingdoms, whirling dirvishes and exotic food float through your head as you touch down in Istanbul. Take in the hustle and bustle of the city and catch glimpses of the spires of some of the city's many mosques en route to the hotel. Welcome to Istanbul, and to Turkey, and we invite you to let the sights, sounds, flavours and history ignite your imagination as you embark on this thrilling adventure. Arrive in Istanbul at any time and transfer to your hotel. Meet your fellow group members at the welcome meeting in the evening and get all the important information about the adventure ahead. Afterwards, head out on a short orientation walk to the old square to see the iconic Hagia Sofia and Blue Mosque lit up at night before arriving at a nearby restaurant for a delicious welcome dinner of local specialties.

Often the best way to discover a city is on foot, and this certainly rings true in Istanbul. Visit some of the iconic highlights of the old city to fully appreciate the rich history and complex mingling of cultures that have shaped the city over the millennia. Feast on delectable local street food and try cookies from one of the city's oldest bakeries before taking in the sights, sounds and smells of the Grand Bazaar. Head out on a walking tour of Istanbul, visiting the Hippodrome, Blue Mosque and the Basilica Cistern. Enjoy street food doener sandwiches and wraps for lunch then explore the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar before taking the rest of the afternoon and evening at leisure.

Leaving Istanbul behind, you'll head firmly onto the Asian continent to the surreal, wind-sculpted landscapes of the Cappadocia region. Step into ancient history with a visit to the tunnels and storerooms of the vast Kaymakli underground city complex. Settle into your cave hotel, carved right out of the rocky landscape. Take a morning flight from Istanbul to Cappadocia in time for a lunch of traditional pide, a type of Turkish pizza. Drive to the Dervent Valley, stopping at landscape viewpoints and at the iconic "Three Beauties" to marvel at the fairy rock chimney formations. Continue to the underground city of Kaymakli for a visit before arriving at the hotel in the evening.

Immerse yourself in the otherworldly landscapes of Cappadocia by exploring either on foot or by e-bike. See the fairy chimneys up close and imagine how the wind and elements have shaped the earth and impacted human settlements throughout the ages until modern times. Observe churches cut out of the rocks and hilltop structures with commanding views of the surroundings. You'll learn of the human experience in this region by having dinner and tea in a local family home for a one-of-a-kind cultural exchange. Choose between a hike or an e-bike ride through the rock formations of Cappadocia before visiting the impressive rock-carved churches at the Goereme Open Air Museum. Climb the stairs up to the top of a rock formation of Uchisar Castle for incredible views before driving to a small village to have dinner and tea with a local family. Return to the hotel in the evening.

Discover more of Turkish cuisine today as you visit a local food and vegetable market then take part in a cooking class to learn how to make goezleme, a delicious savoury stuffed turnover, cooked on an iron griddle over the fire. You'll see the landscapes change again as you fly towards Turkey's Aegean coastline and discover the ancient village of Sirince, an agricultural settlement that dates back to ancient and medieval times. Drive to the town of Ugrup for time to shop and explore before continuing to a local food and vegetable market in Avanos. Next, take part in a cooking class to learn how to prepare typical Turkish goezleme. Afterwards, catch a flight west from Kayseri to Izmir and transfer to the Village of Sirince to take part in a short orientation walk before enjoying the rest of the evening at leisure.

Be transported back in time as you explore the vast ancient city of Ephesus, walking through the site to its northern gate. You'll see the remains of the Temple of Artemis, where expert excavation makes it easy to imagine it in all its glory. Visit the House of the Virgin Mary and explore the area around the Greek Orthodox Church, stopping for a drink from the refreshing natural spring water. Drive to Ephesus for a tour of the site, including a visit to St. John's Basilica. Enjoy some free time for lunch in Selcuk before visiting the House of the Virgin Mary and the Greek Orthodox church. Enjoy a 3-course farewell dinner at a local restaurant before returning to your hotel in Sirince for the night.

Lace up your walking shoes today as you descend an ancient trail from village to village through olive orchards and past ancient sites with sweeping views toward the ocean. Pass through the neighborhood of Notion, where the Greek mathematician Pythagoras lived and taught before taking the afternoon to explore nearby Selcuk. Drive to the town of Cile to start your walk down to the village of Ahmetbeyli on the coast, stopping to visit the ancient site of Claros. Continue to the city of Selcuk for free time to have lunch or for individual exploration before meeting new group members in the evening at the hotel who are travelling with us on the next leg of the adventure.

Delve deep into Turkey's history as you wander through ancient temples and ruins dating back thousands of years. The massive columns and sheer size of these complexes will spark the imagination into how these places once were in their heyday. Sip tea from a local tea house and enjoy a picnic lunch before continuing south to the Bodrum Peninsula, jutting out into the Aegean Sea. Drive from Sirince to the ancient sites of Priene and Miletus to visit the ancient ruins, theatre and temples. After a light typical lunch, stop in a local tea house before visiting the temple complex of Didyma on the way to Bodrum. Enjoy a free evening to choose from one of the many great restaurants around or join the CEO at their local favourite.

Sitting at a strategic position on the water, Bodrum has been an important marine and shipping hub for the region over the thousands of years that people have lived there. You'll discover parts of this history firsthand as you wander through the castle and some of the city's other historical sites. Venture out to the end of the Bodrum Peninsula for a delicious lunch of local specialties with great views across the sea and coastline. Visit Bodrum Castle before heading to the ancient city of Halikarnasos to see the tomb of Mosaleus and the theatre. Continue to Gumusluk for lunch overlooking the bay before stopping at the Bodrum windmills perched on a hill with views of the surrounding area. Enjoy the rest of the day and evening at leisure.

Swap the bus for a boat as you drift down the Dalyan River for another day of adventure. Feel the warmth of the bubbling natural mud pools and let your skin soak in all of those rejuvenating minerals before taking a refreshing rinse in the river or lake. Meander further downriver to the sprawling ancient site of Kaunos and cruise right up to your hotel for a relaxing evening by the pool or gazing across the river at the rock tombs. Drive from Bodrum to Dalyan and take a boat trip on the Dalyan River. Soak in mud baths and then travel upriver to visit the Acropolis of Kaunos and see the nearby rock tombs. Continue to Dalyan beach to have lunch next to the river, relax and swim before arriving by boat to the hotel for a free evening.

The Turkish countryside opens up as you follow the coast south to a small village where the trailhead lies for today's hike. Set off on foot with the remote ancient city of Pinara as your goal, to explore the remains of the theatre, basilica and the Lycian rock tombs carved out of the stone cliffs. Back in the village you'll gain insights into daily life of the people who live in this region with a delicious lunch prepared by a local family. Travel from Dalyan to the village of Minare to start the hike to the historical site of Pinara. Back in Minare, enjoy a local lunch prepared by a family before continuing on to Goecek to check into the hotel and have an evening at leisure.

The Lycian Way is yours to discover today either by sea kayak or on foot. Hike from village to village along the coast with the Mediterranean on one side and forest on the other, or alternatively paddle the rocky coves and shoreline around Saint Nicholas Island. Regroup in the picturesque seaside resort village of OEludeniz which serves as the official start point for the marked footpath of the Lycian Way and also is home to one of the most beautiful beaches in Turkey. Choose either a half-day hike along part of the Lycian Way or go sea kayaking along the Turquoise Coast. Have lunch at a local restaurant in OEludeniz and then take some free time to explore before returning to the hotel in the evening.

There's no better way to appreciate the beauty of rocky coastline and blue waters than from a boat. You'll spend the day winding in and out of the bays of Goecek, swimming and snorkelling along the way, as well as make a stop for a short hike to a beach where a natural hot water spring meets the sea. Goecek and the Turquoise Coast provide the ultimate capstone to this adventure along the Lycian Way. Head out on a full-day boat tour of Goecek's bays for swimming and snorkelling with a barbecue lunch onboard. Stop for a hike to Cleopatra's Baths before returning to Goecek. Enjoy a delicious farewell dinner at a local restaurant in the evening.

Today your adventure comes to an end and you can depart at any time. Departure transfers to Dalaman airport are included.