Simply Turkey

Hos geldin! Welcome to Turkey. Your adventure begins in Istanbul with a welcome meeting at 4 pm, where you’ll meet your local leader and fellow travellers. After the meeting, head out with your leader for an orientation walk through the Old City district. If you arrive early, there's plenty to explore – you might like to visit the Grand Bazaar in search of jewellery, handcrafted ceramics and cups of deep amber Turkish tea. Or, you could visit the impressive Blue Mosque, the ancient Hippodrome, where chariot races were held in the Byzantine era, or Topkapi Palace, with its vast collection of relics dating back to the 15th century. Tonight, consider joining your group for an optional welcome dinner. This is a great opportunity to get to know your fellow travellers and dig into some tasty Turkish cuisine. Kebab, anyone?

Say goodbye to Istanbul (for now!) and head to the train station to board the fast train to Ankara – Turkey’s capital. Arrive in the early afternoon, then follow your leader on an orientation walk around the Hamamonu neighbourhood. This preserved historic area showcases Ottoman architecture and is home to the oldest hamam in Ankara (the Karacabey Hamam). As you pass the historic houses, your leader will point out traditional design features like the inner courtyards, bay windows and stone foundations. Next, visit Anitkabir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. As you walk along the Lion Road, observe the impressive wall reliefs, and visit the War of Independence Museum, you will gain a deeper understanding of both Atatürk and the foundations upon which modern Türkiye was built. The rest of your day is free for you to explore Ankara at your own pace – ask your local leader for some pointers for what to discover next.

Travel to Cappadocia by local public coach bus, arriving around midday. When you arrive, get a lay of the land on a guided walk with your leader. Formed by a series of volcanic eruptions, Cappadocia’s unique landscape is scattered with porous rock formations known as fairy chimneys. Soak up an I’m-so-far-from-home moment as you explore cave dwellings carved into the jagged, rocky landscape. Then, the rest of your afternoon is free. This is a great destination for authentic cultural experiences – you could join a local family for a home-cooked dinner in a cave home, join a Turkish Night experience for an evening of folkloric dancing and good food or learn about Sufism by watching a performance by the whirling dervishes.

There’s the opportunity to take a highly recommended hot air balloon ride at sunrise this morning. Even if you don’t opt to hop on a flight yourself, the sight of the hot air balloons scattered across the sky as the sun emerges over the incredible Cappadocia skyline is a picturesque sight in and of itself. Later this morning, join your group for a hike in the Cappadocia Valley. During this scenic walk, you'll see fairy chimneys, deserted rock-cut homes and cave churches. Your afternoon is free for you to keep exploring at your own pace. Maybe visit the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Goreme Open Air Museum where you can see a complex of churches, monasteries and chapels carved into the rock. For an additional fee, you can visit the Dark Church – one of the site’s highlights, with vaulted ceilings decorated by incredibly well-preserved frescoes. You could also visit the Kaymakli Underground City to discover multiple levels of narrow, maze-like tunnels and houses.

This is your final free morning in Cappadocia, so maybe take a hot air balloon ride if you haven’t already or do some final exploring before the long travel day ahead of you. Take a public coach bus to Konya, where you’ll board an overnight train to Izmir – a coastal city that will be your gateway to exploring the ancient city of Ephesus. Make sure you have your favourite playlists, podcasts or a good book ready for the journey.

Arrive in Izmir this morning. There are some shared rooms in your hotel for you to freshen up before check-in time, then take a private vehicle to the archaeological site of Ephesus. This well-preserved Greco-Roman site gives you a glimpse into what daily life was like here more than 2000 years ago. You’ll see the Roman baths, medical institute and complex aqueduct system and visit monuments like the Library of Celsus and the Great Theatre. Return to Izmir in the afternoon for a walking tour with your leader to get to know this important ancient port city. The rest of today and tomorrow are free for you to choose your own adventure. If you’re eager to discover more local history, you could visit the Archaeological Museum, Agora of Smyrna or Kadifekale Castle. The Culture and Arts Factory has an array of archaeological and visual arts exhibitions to browse. You could get to the beachside of Izmir for a relaxing day or travel to the charming coastal towns of Alacati and Çesme for a boat trip along the Aegean coast or find a hidden beach for a refreshing dip in the sea. If it’s more of a culinary adventure you’re after, how about a street food tour to try classic local specialties like kumru (cheese, tomato and spicy sausage on a chickpea bread roll) and midye dolma (stuffed mussels). Your expert local leader will have plenty of advice and directions to help you make the best of your time here.

Izmir

Travel to Canakkale on a public bus this morning. Arrive in the early afternoon, then head out on an orientation walk with your leader to get your first glimpse of this port city on the southern shore of the Dardanelles. This afternoon, there’s the option to visit Gallipoli to learn about the events that unfolded here in WWI and see sites like ANZAC Cove and Brighton Beach. You'll also get to see sweeping views across the Dardanelles Strait. This evening, maybe ask your leader for their favourite local restaurants and head out for dinner with some of your new travel friends.

Make the journey back to Istanbul this morning. When you arrive, check into your hotel, then you’ll have a free afternoon. Maybe take the scenic ferry across the Bosphorus Strait to take in vistas of harbourfronts, rich greenery and charming villas. Otherwise, you could explore any of the highlights of this fascinating city that you might’ve missed at the start of your trip. Tonight, consider joining your group for a toast to a trip well-travelled!

With no further activities planned, your adventure comes to an end. If you’d like to extend your stay, and it’s highly recommended you do, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time.