Highlights of Turkey: Istanbul, Cappadocia & Ephesus

Today you explore the imperial heart of Istanbul on the historic Sultanahmet peninsula. You stand beneath the immense dome of Hagia Sophia, a masterpiece of Byzantine architecture and for a thousand years the greatest church in Christendom, later a mosque, its soaring space glittering with gold mosaics. You gaze up at the cascading domes and blue Iznik tiles of the Blue Mosque, and take in the ancient Hippodrome with its Egyptian obelisk. In the afternoon you explore Topkapi Palace, opulent seat of the Ottoman sultans for four centuries, wandering its courtyards, the harem and the dazzling treasury with its jewels and relics. 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 and cuisine. 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 (yali), grand mosques and the fortresses that once guarded the passage, 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, a labyrinth of thousands of stalls glittering with carpets, lamps, gold, ceramics and textiles, and breathe in the heady aromas of the Spice Bazaar, mounded with saffron, teas, dried fruit 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 fly to surreal Cappadocia.

Today you fly to central Anatolia and the surreal landscapes of Cappadocia. After a short domestic flight, you are met and 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 visit the Goreme Open-Air Museum, a remarkable cluster of rock-cut churches and chapels adorned with vivid Byzantine frescoes, carved by early Christian monks into the soft stone. You take in spectacular viewpoints over the valleys of fairy chimneys, perhaps at Uchisar or Pigeon Valley, as the light plays across the surreal terrain. As the day ends, you settle into your boutique cave hotel, carved into the rock itself. This evening, savour Cappadocian cuisine and the magical setting. Rest well, and consider an early start tomorrow for a dawn balloon flight over the valleys.

Today you explore more of surreal Cappadocia, perhaps beginning before dawn. Early risers can take an optional hot-air balloon flight at sunrise, floating silently over the fairy chimneys and valleys as hundreds of balloons glow in the morning light, one of the most magical sights on earth. Later, you descend into an underground city such as Kaymakli or Derinkuyu, an astonishing multi-level warren carved deep into the rock where whole communities once sheltered, with kitchens, stables, chapels and ventilation shafts. You explore more of the surreal valleys, walking amid the fairy chimneys, visiting a traditional pottery or carpet workshop, and taking in the beauty of the landscape. As the day ends, you return to your cave hotel. This evening, savour the magical Cappadocian night. Rest well, for tomorrow you journey to the ancient Aegean.

Today you fly west to the Aegean coast and the ancient world. After a short domestic flight to Izmir, you are met and transferred towards the coast, arriving at the marble streets of Ephesus, the best-preserved classical city in the Mediterranean and one of the great cities of the ancient world. Guided by your expert local guide, you walk the grand Curetes Street past temples and fountains, 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. The scale and preservation are astonishing. As the day ends, you settle into your hotel near the seaside resort of Kusadasi. This evening, savour fresh Aegean seafood by the water. Rest well amid the beauty of the ancient Aegean coast.

Today you explore more of the beautiful ancient Aegean at a relaxed pace. You might visit the House of the Virgin Mary, a peaceful shrine in the hills above Ephesus where tradition holds Mary spent her final years, and the scattered remains of the Temple of Artemis, once one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. You could explore the atmospheric old Greek village of Sirince, with its hillside houses, wine and lively market, or wander the harbour and bazaar of Kusadasi. Alternatively, you might simply relax by the sea, swimming in the warm Aegean and savouring the coast. The history, beauty and relaxed pace are delightful. As the day ends, you return to your hotel, savouring your last evening on the Aegean. This evening, enjoy a final Turkish dinner. Rest well ahead of your departure tomorrow, carrying warm memories of Turkey.

After a final morning on the Aegean coast, perhaps a last swim or a stroll through the bazaar, you are transferred to Izmir Airport for your onward departure, connecting via Istanbul as needed. You leave having experienced the very best of Turkey, imperial Istanbul with its magnificent Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and colourful bazaars, the surreal fairy chimneys, cave churches and dawn balloons of Cappadocia, and the astonishing marble streets of ancient Ephesus, all warmed by legendary Turkish hospitality. The images stay vivid long after you land, the great dome of Hagia Sophia, the balloons rising over the fairy chimneys, and the Library of Celsus glowing in the Aegean sun. Turkey offers history, beauty, wonder and genuine warmth in abundance, and you depart already dreaming of a return to this extraordinary land, perhaps next time to sail the Turquoise Coast.