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10-Nights Wonders of Turkey - Classic Group from $3,250
Insight Vacations
OFFER ID 1570582
Wonders Of Turkey - Classic Group, Summer
Fall in love with Turkey on this 11-day guided tour. See Ephesus, an ancient city founded in the 10th century BC, home to an amphitheater that once sat 24,000 people. Drive through the Maeander River Valley to an organic farm, where you can walk the lush lands, then feast on fresh produce during a mouth-watering lunch. See the turquoise travertine pools in Pamukkale where ancient Romans used to soak - then dip into the spa at your hotel to indulge in its Turkish baths. Take a tour of a traditional cave house in Cappadocia with the local who lives there, then dine as you watch whirling dervishes dance nearby. In Ankara, visit the Mausoleum of Atatürk, the final resting place of the country’s first president. Travel to Istanbul, where you’ll see the infamous Blue Mosque before bargaining at the eclectic Grand Bazaar, which boasts more than 4,000 shops.
Dining Summary
- 7 Dinner (D)
- 10 Breakfast (B)
- 1 Lunch (L)
- Choose between two carefully selected activities
- Istanbul: An immersive digital experience through the iconic structure's rich past, showcasing its transformation from a Byzantine cathedral to an Ottoman mosque and now a museum, with captivating exhibits and architectural wonders.
- Istanbul: Visit Hagia Sophia with your Local Expert. You’ll step beneath the central dome and see how elements from its time as a Byzantine basilica and as an Ottoman mosque share the same interior, reflecting the building’s long and layered history.
- Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.
- Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.
- We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.
- From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.
- Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).
- If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport.
- Istanbul: Begin your travels savoring traditional flavors over dinner at a local restaurant.
- Izmir: Share a Farm-to-table lunch at Nif Baglari, a family-owned wine producer in the foothills near Izmir. Walk through the vines and learn how the land is used, then sit down to seasonal dishes made with produce grown on the property, served in the vineyard setting.
- Cappadocia: Experience a Sema ceremony performed by the whirling dervishes, part of the Mevlevi Sufi tradition. You’ll watch the ritual unfold through music, movement and costume, in a form of worship still practised across Turkey today.
- Istanbul: Toast the culmination of your travels during dinner at a local restaurant.
- Istanbul: An immersive digital experience through the iconic structure's rich past, showcasing its transformation from a Byzantine cathedral to an Ottoman mosque and now a museum, with captivating exhibits and architectural wonders.
- Istanbul: Visit Hagia Sophia with your Local Expert. You’ll step beneath the central dome and see how elements from its time as a Byzantine basilica and as an Ottoman mosque share the same interior, reflecting the building’s long and layered history.
- Cappadocia: Step inside a traditional cave house and meet a local Cappadocian who has lived there for decades. Hear how the home was shaped, how it has changed over time and what it means to remain rooted in this landscape.
- Ayvalik: Visit the Copmadam workshop, where one-of-a-kind items are made from recycled packaging, creating employment opportunities for local women. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5: Gender Equality.
- Gallipoli: Visit ANZAC Cove on the Gallipoli Peninsula, the landing site for Australian and New Zealand forces on 25 April 1915. The site remains the focus of ANZAC Day commemorations, including the dawn service held here each year.
- Troy: Visit this ancient sight fabled to have been destroyed over love and view the huge reconstructed Trojan Horse.
- Ephesus: Visit the Archaeological museum housing many of the artifacts from Ephesus.
- Ephesus: Walk through Ephesus with a Local Expert, following the Arcadian Way into the heart of the Roman city. You’ll stand before the Library of Celsus, take in the scale of the amphitheater and visit the House of the Virgin Mary, set in the hills above the ruins.
- Pamukkale: Walk along the travertine pools at Pamukkale, where thermal waters have created white limestone terraces across the hillside. You’ll see how the calcium-rich water continues to shape the formations, leaving new deposits as it flows.
- Konya: Step inside the Sultanhani Caravanserai, built in 1229 to support traders and travelers crossing the Anatolian plain. See how the space was designed for overnight shelter, with stables, storerooms and a central courtyard still intact.
- Saratli: Explore the underground city of Saratli, where tunnels, rooms and passageways were carved out to provide shelter and storage. You’ll walk through the lower levels and see how early communities bui
10 nights from $3,250 per person
Insight Vacations: Wonders of Turkey - Classic Group, Summer
Day 1 - Welcome to Istanbul
Welcome to Turkey. Your journey begins in vibrant Istanbul, the only city in the world that spans two continents: Europe and Asia, where a representative will pick you up from the airport and transfer you to the hotel. Relax and settle in before joining your Travel Director and fellow travelers for dinner.
Accommodations: Radisson Blu Sisli, Istanbul
Meals: Dinner
Day 2 - Gallipoli, Anzac Cove and Troy
Marvel at breathtaking coastal views as you make your way along the shores of the Sea of Marmara to historic Gallipoli. Located in the southern part of East Thrace, it was here that for nine months during the Great War, Anzac troops fought in an in an attempt to gain control of the Dardanelles Strait. Learn more about these events as you visit Anzac Cove and Lone Pine Cemetery. Later, join your group as you head from Eceabat across the sea to Çanakkale before arriving in the historic city of Troy, the focal point of the Trojan War and the backdrop to one of history’s most famous love stories, that of Paris and Helen of Troy, the face that launched 1000 ships. A replica of the mighty Trojan horse, which helped the Greeks capture the city in 1200 B.C., can be seen beside the city’s walls.
Accommodations: Kolin, Çanakkale
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 3 - Izmir
Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience at Copmadam, a women's co-op turning recycled materials into unique items, and addressing women's employment issues. After some time exploring, continue your journey to Izmir, where you will stop for a Farm-to-Table lunch at Nif Baglari, a family-owned wine producer. Explore the four acres of crop fields, nestled amidst picturesque surroundings before continuing your journey to the coastal resort of Izmir.
Accommodations: Swissotel Büyük Efes, Izmir
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4 - Ancient Ephesus
Start your morning with a trip to the nearby town of Selçuk. Home to the House of the Virgin Mary and the Temple of Artemis, you’ll begin with an educational visit to the Archaeological Museum. Once here, delve into the area’s history as you explore the museum’s exhibits, many of which have been retrieved from the nearby Ephesus excavation site. Later, explore the famous site itself. Walk through the colonnaded Arcadian Way, see the Library of Celsus and the huge Amphitheater, before visiting the House of the Virgin Mary, situated above the Ephesus ruins.
Accommodations: Swissotel Büyük Efes, Izmir
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5 - The Pools of Pamukkale Relaxed Start
Head to Pamukkale, famous for its mineral-rich thermal waters and chalk-white limestone terraces, explore the area with your Travel Director. See the ruins of the ancient Roman spa city of Hierapolis, founded in 190 B.C. You’ll see the city’s well-preserved theater and its turquoise travertine pools. Later, head to your hotel, the esteemed Doga Thermal Health & Spa. Take full advantage of its indoor and outdoor thermal pools, steam room and its Turkish bath complex.
Accommodations: Doga Thermal Health & Spa, Pamukkale
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 6 - The Underground City and Cappadocia
Today your journey takes you to Urgup, a historic town in the heart of Cappadocia. Visit the 13th-century Sultanhani Caravanserai before exploring the underground city of Saratli. You will recognize this famous area from the striking golden, volcanic landscapes that surround it.
Accommodations: DoubleTree by Hilton Avanos, Cappadocia
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 7 - The Cappadocia Experience Relaxed Start
Move on to Göreme, a striking town in the Cappadocia region of Turkey. Early risers may choose an Optional Experience to watch the sunrise as hot air balloons lift off and drift above the valleys. Explore Göreme’s rock-hewn churches decorated with ancient wall paintings before moving on to the Pasabag Valley. Located on the road to Zelve, you’ll find otherworldly earth pillars here, ‘fairy chimneys’ and troglodyte dwellings. Later, join a Cappadocian local who has lived in the city for decades and take a tour of their cave house. You’ll learn more about their unique way of living, local traditions and family life. Complementing the day’s events, this evening you'll witness a performance of the Whirling Dervishes before dining at a local restaurant.
Accommodations: DoubleTree by Hilton Avanos, Cappadocia
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 8 - Ankara
One for art lovers, this morning, you’ll learn about the art of pottery making in Avanos. A town based in Cappadocia, it is famous for its earthenware pottery. Continue your journey to Ankara, where you’ll visit the Hittite Museum and the Mausoleum of Atatürk, Turkey's greatest modern leader and the first President of the Republic of Turkey. Perhaps relax in the spa and wellness center at your hotel this evening.
Accommodations: Ankara HiltonSA
Meals: Breakfast
Day 9 - To Istanbul
It’s time to head to Istanbul, a glorious fusion of East and West where Byzantine splendor meets Ottoman elegance and contemporary energy. This afternoon, set out on a traditional cruise along the Bosphorus, the storied strait that links the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara and divides Europe from Asia. Glide past waterside yalis, domed mosques and palace façades of Istanbul’s skyline. Your evening is at leisure.
Accommodations: Radisson Blu Sisli, Istanbul
Meals: Breakfast
Day 10 - Istanbul and the Ottoman Empire
Take in the sights of Istanbul, beginning with the historic Blue Mosque and the Hippodrome, once the heart of imperial Constantinople where chariot races drew roaring crowds. Explore Hagia Sophia with Insight Choice. Choose between the Hagia Sophia History Digital Experience for an immersive journey through the landmark’s layered past or alternatively, visit Hagia Sophia, built in A.D. 537 and famed for its vast dome. Continue to Topkapi Palace, dramatically poised above the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn, then step into the Grand Bazaar, a labyrinth of lanes where centuries-old trading traditions live on in glittering textiles, ceramics and spices. In the evening, join your fellow travelers for dinner at a local restaurant.
Accommodations: Radisson Blu Sisli, Istanbul
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 11 - Farewell Istanbul
It’s time to say goodbye to your new friends, as your trip comes to an end. A transfer will take you to the airport for your onward flights, or for those extending their stay in Istanbul, speak to your Travel Director for tips and tricks on where to head.
Meals: Breakfast
Vacation Details
* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.
Fine dining, on-site bars or lounges and room service with extended hours are characteristic of deluxe establishments. Guest services usually include valet parking, concierge services, baggage assistance and laundry services. Other on-site facilities often include shops and boutiques, full service spas, full fitness facilities with pools and tennis courts. Business amenities may include available up-to-date technology and support staffs available for services. Attention to detail is apparent in the guestrooms which typically have stylish furnishings, quality bedding and bath products and often provide an evening turn down service.
All fares are quoted in US Dollars.
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