Come with us to Turkey as we explore many of the country’s highlights and experience local culture. Travelling by public transport we visit the ‘fairy chimneys’ of Cappadocia, the famous Roman city of Ephesus and the ancient harbour town of Kas. We also take a boat trip through the Dalyan reed beds to Iztuzu Beach, stroll through the olive groves in Sirince and hike along ‘The Lycian Way’.
Itinerary
[+] Detailed Itinerary
Day 1:
Join tour Antalya
Our journey begins in the superbly situated Mediterranean town of Antalya, nestling beneath the peaks of the Beydağlari Mountains. Originally founded by Attalos II, King of Pergamon, the town’s turbulent past saw it develop and prosper under Roman and Byzantine rule, going on to become a major staging post for the Crusader ships heading to the Holy Land, before being captured by the Seljkuk Turks in the early 13th century. Today its old quarter remains an enchanting cluster of narrow streets, lined with classical reminders of its Ottoman past. Transfer from Antalya airport to hotel is approximately 30 minutes.
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+)
Day 2:
Morning walking tour of Antalya’s ‘Old Town’. Afternoon free
This morning we have a chance to explore Antalya’s historic heart on a walking tour of the old town. A labyrinthine network of narrow, winding streets, lined with old wooden houses, the city’s old quarter lies close to Antalya’s ancient walls and is home to a famous 13th century ‘fluted minaret’ and an 8th century mosque that was once a former Christian church. Following the tour the rest of the day is then free, leaving time to visit the Antalya Museum, or perhaps enjoy a stroll around the harbour.
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+)
Included meals: Breakfast
Day 3:
Public bus to Konya
Leaving Antalya after breakfast this morning we take a public bus to Konya in Central Anatolia (approx. 5 hours). Enjoying a reputation as one of Turkey’s more conservative religious centres, Konya is the spiritual home of the Mevlevi Sufi sect, better known as the ‘whirling dervishes’. One of the oldest settlements in Anatolia, the city was the capital of the Seljuk empire between the 11th and 14th centuries, but it is as the final resting place of Mevlâna Jelaleddin Rumî, founder of the dervishes, that is best known today.
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+)
Included meals: Breakfast
Day 4:
Morning tour of Mevlâna Museum. Public bus to Goreme
The Mevlâna Museum holds the revered tomb of the Sufi mystic and has been an important pilgrimage site for centuries. This morning we take a guided tour of the complex, taking in the sarcophagus, the Ritual Hall and the museum’s fine collections of prayer rugs, illustrated korans and poetic writing. We then board another public bus for the journey to the small town of Goreme, lying amongst the surreal ‘fairy chimneys’ of Cappadocia’s UNESCO World Heritage landscapes (approx. 4 hours).
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+)
Included meals: Breakfast
Day 5:
Morning visit to the Goreme Open Air Museum. Afternoon free
Dating back to the 10th century, the Goreme Open Air Museum is a unique monastic complex that contains an incredible collection of rock-cut churches, beautiful frescoes and 'fairy chimneys'. Carved out of the soft volcanic rock of Cappadocia, the stunning rock monastic retreats recall a time when the region was a religious haven for the newly founded Christian faith. We walk through the evocative valley to the museum (approx. 1½ hours) to explore one of the most captivating religious sites anywhere in the country. This afternoon we then have some free time.
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+)
Included meals: Breakfast
Day 6:
Optional hike from Pigeon Valley to Uchisar Castle
Today there is an option hike along Pigeon Valley to Uchisar Castle, the highest point in Cappadocia. (The hike is approx. 2½ hours each way). The castle offers some magnificent views out across the surrounding area, with Mount Erciyes visible in the far distance. Many of the castle’s hollowed out rooms are connected by tunnels and passages, with many of those on the northern side being used today as dovecotes (pigeon houses), hence the valley’s appropriately descriptive moniker. Entrance fees into the castle are not included, but we will have time to visit for anyone who wants a look inside.
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+)
Included meals: Breakfast
Day 7:
Public bus to Eğirdir. Late afternoon walk around Green Island
This morning we take a public bus to Eğirdir in the Turkish Lakes region, home to the second largest body of freshwater in Turkey. The town lies amongst the central Taurus Mountains of western Anatolia and we should hopefully arrive in plenty of time to take in the views across this pleasant lakeside town. This afternoon we take a walk out across the causeway to the small community of Green Island.
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+)
Included meals: Breakfast
Day 8:
Morning walk around Eğirdir. Bus to Selçuk via Aydin
A guided walking tour of Eğirdir this morning takes in its 13th century medrese and mosque (religious college), before we catch the midday bus on to Selçuk and Turkey’s Aegean region (approx. 4½ hours). Selçuk is home to the magnificent remains of ancient Ephesus, one of the seven great wonders of antiquity and home to some of the best preserved ruins anywhere in the Mediterranean. On arrival we enjoy a guided walk around the town.
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+)
Included meals: Breakfast
Day 9:
Morning tour of Ephesus. Afternoon free in Selçuk
Home to the Temple of Artemis and once one of the largest cities in the Roman Empire, Ephesus benefited over the centuries from the influences and wealth of the Greeks, Persians, Romans and Byzantines. Once known as the ‘Capital of Asia’, today it contains the largest collection of Roman ruins in the region. We explore the site this morning with a local guide, before a free afternoon back in Selçuk to perhaps pay a visit to the Basilica of St John, the ruins of the Temple of Artemis and the 14th century Seljuk mosque of Isa Bey.(The castle is currently closed for further excavations)
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+)
Included meals: Breakfast
Day 10:
Walking around Şirince and back to Selçuk
After breakfast this morning we travel by local dolmuş (minibus) up to the lovely hill town of Şirince, just to the east of Selçuk. Founded by Greeks, the town was originally christened Cirkince (Ugly) by its inhabitants, in an attempt to keep strangers away. An interesting mix of Greek and Turkish influences (the town reverted to Turkish ownership in the 1920s after the Greco-Turkish War), the town is famed for its wine and olives and this morning we take a walk along the trails that lead through the olive groves back to Selçuk (approx. 2½ hours).
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+)
Included meals: Breakfast
Day 11:
Public bus to Dalyan
Travelling to Aydin by dolmuş this morning (approx. 1 hour), we then take a public bus on to Dalyan on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast (approx. 4 hours, with the last 20 minutes of the journey from Ortaca to Dalyan by private minibus). The town lies along the banks of the Dalyan Çayi River, close to the ancient trading city of Caunos and its beautifully weathered collection of 5th century BC Lycian tombs.
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+)
Included meals: Breakfast
Day 12:
Morning boat trip to Caunus. Afternoon bus to Kas
We take a riverboat journey this morning to the ruined city of Caunus. The famous rock tombs are typically Lycian and a wander up to the higher points of the city’s ruined citadel presents some spectacular views across the reeds to the distant waters of the Aegean. Returning to Dalyan, we then catch an afternoon bus to the beautiful coastal town of Kas (approx. 3½ hours).
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+)
Included meals: Breakfast
Day 13:
Hiking along the Lycian Way
The Lycian Way is the longest walking trail in Turkey, stretching for some 500 kilometres, from Fethiye to Antalya. The full extent of this famous journey takes in some of Turkey’s most beautiful and unspoiled scenery and today we have a chance to explore just a small part of it on a short day hike from Kas. (Total walking time approx. 3 hours)
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+)
Included meals: Breakfast
Day 14:
Free in Kas
Today has been left free for us to enjoy a little time exploring more of Kas and its surroundings. The town itself is a great place to relax and soak up the Mediterranean ambience, with cafes and restaurants spilling out onto cobbled streets and a network of tiny back-alleys to lose ourselves amongst. Other options include a full day excursion to the small Greek island of Meis, located just 1,300 metres off the southern Turkish coast, or a chance to try some sea kayaking over the sunken ruins of ancient Kekova.
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+)
Included meals: Breakfast
Day 15:
Tour ends Antalya Airport
Transfer by charter bus to Antalya airport (approx. 3½ hours).
Included meals: Breakfast
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