Welcome to Istanbul! A city born from a blend of European and Asian influences, Istanbul is full of intriguing sights and ancient wonders, from its spellbinding architecture to its exceptional cuisine.
Upon arrival at Istanbul Airport (IST), you’ll be greeted and transferred to your hotel in time for a welcome meeting with your fellow travellers and a suitably splendid welcome dinner.
Greet the day with a hearty breakfast at your hotel, ready to spend a full day discovering Istanbul’s best sights with your guide. Gaze upon the 17th-century Blue Mosque, replete with six soaring minarets and an array of masterful Ottoman architectural features, including approximately 260 windows illuminating its expansive central chamber. Delve beneath Sultanahmet (the Old City, formerly known as Constantinople) to unearth the ethereal beauty of the Basilica Cistern – the largest underground cistern in the city, dating back almost 1,500 years. You'll also have time to explore the Hagia Sophia, a masterpiece of intricate ancient architecture and religious importance.
Wander the kaleidoscopic Grand Bazaar, one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world, and peruse the handcrafted jewellery, textiles and books of more than 3,000 stallholders. Following your whirlwind bazaar adventure, take a trip to the renowned Spice Market, where quality aromatics fill the air with hypnotic scents.
Later this afternoon, join your fellow travellers for a memorable cruise along the Bosphorus Strait. Glide along the waters that divide Europe from Asia, admiring the palatial ‘yali’ or wooden mansions that line its banks.
Today, journey southwest to Canakkale, a crucial gateway to the World War I battlefields of Gallipoli, where you’ll check in at your hotel for an afternoon spent freely. Across the Dardanelles Strait sits the Gallipoli Peninsula, the famed site where ANZAC troops fought for nine months during the Great War.
In Canakkale, gather your energy alongside your travel companions while you enjoy dinner at the hotel. At 7pm, bundle up in your included commemorative ANZAC jumper and set off to pass the night in rememberance on Anzac Cove, ready to greet the dawn.
Watch the sun rise in silence this morning, remembering the history-defining events that took place upon the Anzac Commemorative Site 110 years ago. As the annual Dawn Service commences, take a moment to contemplate the sombre sacrifice that has come to define Gallipoli. With mats and blankets for your overnight vigil, an included breakfast hamper and the entirety of the morning to wander the grounds – from Anzac Cove to solemn Lone Pine Cemetery – you'll have plenty of time to pay your respects to ANZACs fallen.
At noon, transfer back to your hotel for rest and a day spent at leisure in Canakkale.
Set off this morning for the historic city of Troy, immortalised in the tales of the Trojan War. Beside the city's walls stands a replica of the formidable Trojan Horse. Follow your guide as you dive into this astounding site, then go deeper at the Troy Museum.
Next, pay a visit to Pergamon, a once-mighty Greek city boasting the renowned Asklepion temple. Wander through this sacred site, which once served as a prominent shrine and healing centre. Here, you’ll learn about the region’s thousand-year-old history of carpet-weaving, unravelling the story of Bergama’s carpet trade.
Later, travel onward to Izmir to check in at your hotel for the evening.
This morning, follow your guide through the Greco-Roman ruins of the beautifully preserved Ephesus. A century’s worth of excavation has uncovered Ephesus’ rich architectural history, including the imposing Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Stand in awe of the ancient amphitheatre and gymnasium, gaze upon the baths and the restored Library of Celsius, then drive on to the village of Sirince, a traditional Greek-Ottoman village famed for its olive oil and fruity wines.
Arrive this evening in Pamukkale, where a replenishing dinner awaits at your hotel.
Rise and shine for a day exploring Pamukkale, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site of mineral-rich hot springs, petrified calcareous waterfalls and spectacular stalactites. Take a guided tour of the travertine pools and Hierapolis, the ancient city which sat atop the terraces, along with the mineral-rich Cleopatra Antique Pools, located within its ruins.
Spend time soaking in the rejuvenating thermal waters and admiring the unique landscape before travelling onward to Konya for check-in and a well-earned dinner at your hotel.
Your day begins with a guided tour of Konya, renowned for its famous Sufi whirling dervishes. Visit the Mevlana Museum for a look at the history of the dervishes, stopping to view the intricate details of Mevlana’s tomb and his gold brocade sarcophagus.
Continue to captivating Cappadocia, an otherworldly landscape of labyrinthine caves and 'fairy chimneys' — unique formations of eroded volcanic rocks. In Goreme, the enchanting village in the heart of this region, characterised by its spectacular terraces and skies often dotted with hot air balloons, you'll check in at your spectacular cave lodgings before dinner and an evening amid scenic surroundings.
Rise and shine for the sunrise of a lifetime and choose to join an optional hot-air balloon flight over the magical fairy chimneys (additional cost). Otherwise, gather your energy over breakfast, then set your sights on the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Goreme Open Air Museum for a glimpse at the astounding houses, churches and monasteries carved straight from the cliff face. These unique Christian sanctuaries contain many examples of Byzantine art, cave chapels and colourful biblical frescoes from the 10th to 12th centuries.
Continue to Uchisar Castle, a natural rock-cut tower, then drive to Pigeon Valley, where cave dwellings have been painted white in hopes of attracting passing birds. Their valuable droppings are then used to fertilise the vineyards and farmlands in the effort to boost crop yields. Conclude your day with a demonstration of how eye-catching onyx is cut and polished into elegant handicrafts.
Optional activities:
- Hot air balloon flight with Champagne breakfast (from A$459 per person).
Start your day in Urgup, where you can wander the Old Village and witness the unusual towers of the Three Beauties fairy chimneys. Gaze out over the painterly hills of the Red Valley, formed over thousands of years of erosion.
Join a traditional pottery demonstration to discover the skilled process and local techniques in shaping clay. Then, descend into the underground avenues of Ozkonak to marvel at the stone doors and ingenious construction of this subterranean city.
This evening, attend a special whirling dervish ceremony for a traditional performance that’s sure to hypnotise.
Transfer today to Kayseri Erkilet Airport (ASR) for your included flight to Istanbul.
Once you’ve checked in at your hotel, you’ll have the afternoon free to explore more of this fascinating city. You may like to visit the former dwellings of Ottoman sultans at Topkapi Palace and wander its many ornate exhibition halls, or the grand Dolmabahce Palace, a striking and vivid example of the Ottoman Empire's attention to detail and regal charm. For those seeking an immersive experience of Turkish culture, perhaps you’ll join an optional visit to the hammam for a therapeutic and relaxing end to your journey.
This evening, sit down to a celebratory farewell feast and toast to your Turkish voyage.
Optional activities:
- 45-minute hammam treatment (from A$179 per person).
After one last breakfast at your hotel, it’s time to bid farewell to your fellow travellers before checking out this morning and making your own way to the airport for your onward journey.