Grand Tour of Turkey: Istanbul to Cappadocia via the Coast

Today you explore the imperial heart of Istanbul on the historic Sultanahmet peninsula. You stand beneath the immense dome of Hagia Sophia, for a thousand years the greatest church in Christendom, glittering with gold mosaics, and gaze up at the cascading domes and blue Iznik tiles of the Blue Mosque. You take in the ancient Hippodrome with its Egyptian obelisk, and explore Topkapi Palace, opulent seat of the Ottoman sultans, wandering its courtyards, the harem and the dazzling treasury with its jewels and relics. You descend into the atmospheric underground Basilica Cistern. The grandeur and history are captivating. As the day ends, you return to your hotel, having stood at the crossroads of empires. This evening, savour Istanbul's atmosphere over meze and fish. Rest well, for tomorrow you cruise the Bosphorus and explore the bazaars.

Today you experience the colour and life of Istanbul by water and in its markets. You cruise the Bosphorus, the fabled strait dividing Europe and Asia, gliding past ornate Ottoman palaces, wooden waterside mansions, grand mosques and the fortresses and bridges that link two continents, with wonderful views of the city from the water. Back on shore, you lose yourself in the Grand Bazaar, one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world, glittering with carpets, lamps, gold, ceramics and textiles, and breathe in the aromas of the Spice Bazaar, mounded with saffron, teas and Turkish delight. The colour and aromas are intoxicating. As the day ends, you return to your hotel. This evening, savour Istanbul once more. Rest well, for tomorrow you travel to the Dardanelles and the poignant memorials of Gallipoli.

Today you travel from Istanbul to the Gallipoli peninsula, where the Dardanelles meet the Aegean. You journey southwest through the countryside to this beautiful, poignant landscape, scene of one of the most moving campaigns of the First World War in 1915. Guided by an expert who brings the history vividly and sensitively to life, you visit ANZAC Cove, Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair, walk the trenches and battlefields, and reflect at the moving cemeteries and memorials where the fallen of all sides are honoured with grace. The history and poignancy are deeply moving. As the day ends, you cross the Dardanelles and settle into your hotel in the seaside town of Canakkale, gateway to Troy. This evening, savour fresh seafood by the water, reflecting on the day. Rest well, for tomorrow you explore the legendary ruins of Troy and travel south along the Aegean.

Today you explore legendary Troy before travelling south along the Aegean coast. Near Canakkale you visit the ruins of Troy, the city of Homer's Iliad, where legend places the ten-year siege and the wooden horse, exploring the massive ramparts, the ramp and gate, and the layers of nine cities built across four thousand years, with a giant wooden horse recalling the famous ruse. You then journey south down the beautiful Aegean coast, perhaps pausing at Pergamon with its dramatic hilltop acropolis, towards the resort town of Kusadasi. The legend, history and scenery are captivating. As the day ends, you settle into your hotel near Kusadasi, close to Ephesus. This evening, savour fresh Aegean seafood and meze by the sea. Rest well, for tomorrow you walk the marble streets of magnificent Ephesus.

Today you explore magnificent Ephesus, the best-preserved classical city in the Mediterranean. Guided by your expert, you walk the grand Curetes Street past temples, fountains and statues, stand before the magnificent two-storey facade of the Library of Celsus, sit in the vast Great Theatre where Saint Paul once preached, and take in the terraced houses of the Roman elite with their frescoes and mosaics. You visit the peaceful House of the Virgin Mary in the hills above and the remains of the Temple of Artemis, once one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The scale and preservation are astonishing. As the day ends, you return to Kusadasi, perhaps exploring the hill village of Sirince and its fruit wines. This evening, savour the ancient Aegean. Rest well, for tomorrow you journey inland to the white terraces of Pamukkale.

Today you journey inland to the extraordinary white terraces of Pamukkale. You travel east through the countryside to Pamukkale, meaning cotton castle, one of the most extraordinary sights in Turkey, a hillside of dazzling white travertine terraces formed by mineral-rich thermal springs cascading down the slope like frozen waterfalls, filling with pools of warm turquoise water. Above the terraces you explore the extensive ruins of Roman Hierapolis, a spa city of the ancient world, with its great theatre, colonnaded streets, temples and vast necropolis, and you can swim among fallen marble columns in the antique pool. The beauty and wonder are breathtaking. As the day ends, you settle into your hotel near Pamukkale. This evening, savour a relaxed dinner beneath the glowing white terraces. Rest well, for tomorrow you journey to the beautiful Mediterranean coast.

Today you journey south to the beautiful Mediterranean coast and the Turkish Riviera. You travel through beautiful mountain and lake scenery, perhaps pausing at the well-preserved ruins of ancient Aphrodisias or Sagalassos in its dramatic mountain setting, arriving at Antalya, the elegant capital of the coast, set on cliffs above the turquoise Mediterranean where the Taurus Mountains meet the sea. You settle into your hotel and explore the enchanting old town of Kaleici, wandering its cobbled lanes of Ottoman houses, past the Roman Hadrian's Gate to the pretty old harbour. The scenery, coast and charm are captivating. As the day ends, you relax in beautiful Antalya. This evening, dine on fresh Mediterranean seafood by the harbour. Rest well amid the beauty of the Turkish Riviera, ready to explore its ancient theatres tomorrow.

Today you explore the spectacular ancient sites and enchanting old town of the Antalya coast. You visit the magnificent Roman theatre of Aspendos, one of the best-preserved in the world and still used for concerts, marvelling at its towering stage building and perfect acoustics, and the ruined city of Perge, with its colonnaded streets, great stadium and monumental gate. Back in Antalya, you explore more of the old town of Kaleici and its harbour, and perhaps visit the excellent archaeological museum, rich in finds from the ancient cities of the coast. The history and beauty are captivating. As the day ends, you return to your hotel. This evening, savour a relaxed dinner by the Mediterranean. Rest well amid the beauty of the Turkish Riviera, ready to fly to surreal Cappadocia tomorrow for the finale of your grand tour.

Today you fly to central Anatolia and the surreal landscapes of Cappadocia, the finale of your grand tour. After a short domestic flight and private transfer, you begin exploring one of the most extraordinary landscapes on earth, a soft volcanic plateau eroded into a fantasia of fairy chimneys, honeycombed cliffs and rippling valleys. You explore the Goreme Open-Air Museum, a remarkable cluster of rock-cut churches adorned with vivid Byzantine frescoes, and take in spectacular viewpoints over the valleys of fairy chimneys at Uchisar and Pigeon Valley as the golden light plays across the terrain. As the day ends, you settle into your boutique cave hotel, carved into the rock itself. This evening, savour a Cappadocian dinner in an atmospheric cave restaurant. Rest well, and consider an early start tomorrow for a magical dawn balloon flight over the fairy chimneys.

Today, in surreal Cappadocia, brings one of the most magical experiences of your grand tour. Before dawn, you can take an optional hot-air balloon flight, rising into a sky slowly filling with colour and floating silently over the fairy chimneys and valleys as hundreds of balloons glow in the morning light and the sunrise turns the landscape gold and pink, celebrated with a champagne toast, an unforgettable experience. Later, you descend floor after floor into an astonishing underground city such as Derinkuyu or Kaymakli, exploring its tunnels, kitchens, stables and chapels where whole communities once sheltered. You explore more of the surreal valleys. The wonder is magical. As the day ends, you return to your cave hotel. This evening, savour a traditional testi kebab, cracked open at the table. Rest well amid the surreal beauty of Cappadocia.

Today you enjoy a final, flexible day exploring surreal Cappadocia. You might hike the Rose Valley or Love Valley amid towering fairy chimneys, explore the cave dwellings and panorama of Uchisar and the old Greek village of Mustafapasa, or visit the pottery town of Avanos on the Red River, trying your hand at the potter's wheel. You could watch carpets being woven, browse craft studios, and sip local wine at a Cappadocian vineyard. This flexible day lets you savour the surreal landscape and its living crafts, a beautiful finale to your grand tour of Turkey. As the day ends, you return to your cave hotel. This evening, enjoy a final Cappadocian dinner, reflecting on the whole magnificent journey across Turkey, from Istanbul and Gallipoli to Ephesus, Pamukkale, the coast and the fairy chimneys. Rest well ahead of your departure tomorrow, carrying warm memories of Turkey.

After a final morning in surreal Cappadocia, perhaps a last look over the fairy chimneys from your cave-hotel terrace as the dawn balloons drift by, you are transferred to Kayseri or Nevsehir airport for your onward departure, connecting via Istanbul as needed. You leave having experienced the whole magnificent depth and variety of Turkey, imperial Istanbul, the poignant memorials of Gallipoli, the legendary walls of Troy, the marble streets of Ephesus, the white terraces of Pamukkale, the beautiful Mediterranean coast and ancient theatres at Antalya, and the surreal fairy chimneys and dawn balloons of Cappadocia, all warmed by legendary Turkish hospitality. The images stay vivid long after you land, the dome of Hagia Sophia, the Library of Celsus, the white terraces of Pamukkale, and the balloons rising over the fairy chimneys. Turkey offers history, beauty, wonder and genuine warmth in extraordinary abundance, and you depart already dreaming of a return to this magnificent land.