Treasures of Türkiye Istanbul, Ancient Ephesus & Cappadocia

You're on your way to Türkiye, a country that bridges two continents, where Europe gives way to Asia, and thousands of years of history pulse through every city, coast, and valley. Ancient trade routes, living traditions, and a landscape unlike anywhere else await. The journey begins now.

Welcome to Izmir. Once the ancient city of Smyrna, today it's a lively Aegean port where centuries of civilization have left their mark on every café-lined street and sun-warmed promenade. Settle into your hotel for three nights. With no included activities today, the evening is yours to unwind and explore in your own way.

Start your day with a visit to Karsiyaka, a district translated literally as “the other side.” Walk through its main street filled with shops and restaurants that have preserved their Turkish roots. Then, take a short public ferry to Konak Pier. You’ll get a real feel for the city’s rhythm and daily life as you explore and taste your way through the winding lanes of the Kemaralti Bazaar with your Tour Manager. Stop at several local market vendors for simit, börek, and more. The afternoon is yours and your hotel places you in the center of it all. Explore the seafront promenade, browse the shops, and find a spot that feels like your own. Tonight, gather with your fellow travelers for a welcome dinner.

This morning, your in-depth tour of ancient Ephesus (UNESCO) takes you through the residential Terrace Houses, past the great Library of Celsus and the ruins of the Temple of Artemis, walking the same marble paths that Paul the Apostle once traveled. Visit the Archaeological Museum to round out the morning. This afternoon, the hilltop village of Sirince awaits — a rare, protected example of Ottoman Christian architecture, its streets lined with locally made olive oil, wine, and peaches. Settle into a café for an exclusive experience sipping Türk kahvesi, and maybe even letting a local read your fortune from the grounds.

Head inland this morning to Pamukkale (UNESCO), where the ruins of the Greco-Roman city of Hierapolis sit above one of nature's most unexpected sights — the "Cotton Castle", a cascade of white limestone terraces and thermal pools that must be seen to be believed. A private golf cart tour of the archaeological site brings the ancient world to life. With free time, wander the "Cotton Candy" pools* at your own pace. By evening, you're in Dalyan, where you'll spend two nights at a family-run bed & breakfast, simple and welcoming, with a deck overlooking the water. The rest of the evening is yours to unwind in this riverbank town.

After a leisurely and traditional Turkish breakfast, tour the ruins of ancient Kaunos before stepping aboard a private boat for a trip along the river that winds from Dalyan out toward the Mediterranean. The marshland you pass through is alive — herons, fish, and sea turtles share these waters — and the Aegean coastline opens up ahead of you. Weather permitting, there are stops along the way for a swim.** Return to Dalyan for an evening at leisure.

Today you follow one of history's great paths, the ancient Silk Road, which once carried goods, stories, and people from China all the way to Istanbul. It's a full day on the road, with a lunch stop in the city of Burdur, known for its simple, yet delicious food. By early evening, you arrive in Konya, a deeply spiritual city with a remarkable past, where dinner at the hotel is included at your leisure.

This morning, visit the Mevlâna Museum in Konya, the world center of the Whirling Dervishes and one of the most visited pilgrimage sites in the world. The road then leads to a visit to Sultanhani Caravanserai, one of the largest surviving Silk Road rest stops, where the soaring stone vaults give you a real sense of the scale of ancient trade. Arriving in Cappadocia in the early afternoon, you'll tour one of the region's extraordinary underground cities, some carved nearly 3000 years ago as refuge from invasion. As you make your way to the hotel, the valley opens up around you: volcanic rock formations shaped over millennia into something that feels like another world.

Rise early for an optional hot air balloon ride*** above the fairy chimneys and ancient rock dwellings of Cappadocia — few mornings will top this one. After regrouping with your fellow travelers, visit the Göreme Open Air Museum (UNESCO), where eleven rock-cut churches and monasteries hold centuries-old frescoes. Lunch is a home-cooked experience with a local family — vegetables from the garden, hands in the soil, stories across the table. A pottery workshop follows, where you'll see how Cappadocia's distinctive clay tradition has been shaped from the land itself. This evening, gather for a Whirling Dervishes ceremony.****

This morning, it's your choice! Join your Tour Manager for a leisurely walk through Love Valley among the fairy chimneys at ground level -OR- go off-road on a private 4x4 safari. After you’ve worked up an appetite, lunch is an Impact Moment at Tik Tik, a women's cooperative restaurant where your meal directly supports the women who made it. Afterwards, a carpet weaving demonstration follows, tracing the full journey from silkworm to finished pattern — a tradition as intricate as the rugs themselves.

A short flight this morning carries you from the valleys of Cappadocia back to Istanbul, where continents and centuries collide in the best possible way. Your first stop is the Grand Bazaar, a labyrinthine covered market that has been humming with trade for over 600 years. Browse, barter, and soak it all in before checking into the hotel. This evening, regroup with your fellow travelers for dinner at a local restaurant.

Today belongs to Istanbul's greatest landmarks, and they do not disappoint. Visit Hagia Sophia (UNESCO), a breathtaking structure that has served as cathedral, mosque, and museum over the course of its long life, before stepping inside Topkapi Palace and Harem, where the Ottoman Sultans once held court. Then, continue to the 17th-century Blue Mosque with its cascade of domes and slender minarets, followed by the Hippodrome, once the roaring heart of the Roman Empire. Istanbul's legendary traffic is very much part of the experience — patience is its own reward here.

This morning, a Bosphorus cruise carries you between Europe and Asia as the city's skyline — minarets, bridges, and waterfront palaces — unfolds on either side. Spend some time in the city’s Golden Horn district, visiting the Spice Market for some free time. The rest of the afternoon is yours. Visit the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art, with its extraordinary collection of woven carpets dating to the Ottoman Empire, or treat yourself to an optional hammam, an authentic Turkish scrub and foam bath in a historic bathhouse. This evening, the group gathers for a farewell dinner of Ottoman-inspired dishes.

Your Türkiye journey comes to a close today. Carry home the friendships, flavors, and memories that only a trip like this leaves behind.