Türkiye

The tour starts at 6.00pm on Friday 10 October, at the Sura Hagia Sophia Hotel, Istanbul.

The tour ends after breakfast on Monday 27 October, at the Sura Hagia Sofia Hotel, Istanbul.

The tour commences at the hotel in Istanbul at 6.00pm. Meet your tour leader and fellow travellers in the lobby of the hotel for an introductory talk and drinks, followed by dinner in the hotel. Overnight Istanbul (D)

After a talk on Byzantine Türkiye this morning, we begin with a walking tour of Istanbul’s Byzantine past, exploring the cathedral-sized Basilica Cistern, the Hippodrome, and the Mosaic Museum displaying mosaics from the Great Palace complex. After a welcome lunch away from the hustle and bustle in the Green House garden restaurant, we then visit the beautiful Hagia Sophia, considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture. It was constructed as a church and was the religious focal point of the Eastern Church for nearly 1,000 years, before being converted into a mosque following the fall of Constantinople in 1453. After being designated as a museum for much of the last century, it once again became a mosque in 2020. The evening is at leisure. Overnight Istanbul (B, L)

We begin the day with a talk on Ottoman Türkiye before a visit to the many-domed Sultan Ahmed Mosque. Built in the early 17th century, it is known as the Blue Mosque for its hand- painted Iznik tiles which cover its awe-inspiring interior. After filling our senses with a stroll through the nearby Spice Bazaar, we then head to the Bosphorus for a private afternoon ferry cruise. Finally, we stop by the Sadberk Hanim Museum to admire its collection of antiquities and works of art. Tonight we dine in a restaurant located in fashionable Ortaköy. Overnight Istanbul (B, D)

Our talk this morning moves to 20th-century Türkiye before our touring takes us to the vast and intriguing Topkapi Palace, once home to the Ottoman sultans and now to important collections of precious objects and artworks. After lunch in the outer gardens of the palace, there is time to explore the six-century- old Grand Bazaar, composed of around 60 narrow laneways holding 4,000-odd shops with everything from handmade ceramics to kilims in every colourway. The evening is at leisure. Overnight Istanbul (B, L)

Departing Istanbul this morning, we fly to Türkiye’s capital Ankara. On arrival we visit the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations and the Ataturk Memorial, which acknowledges the 70th anniversary of the Gallipoli landing. Kemal Ataturk commanded the Turkish forces at Gallipoli and later became the founder and first president of modern Türkiye. This memorial honours him, as well as the heroism and sacrifice of both the Anzac and Turkish troops who took part in the bitterly fought campaign. Following our visit, we drive to our cave hotel in Ürgüp, our base for the next three nights as we explore Cappadocia. Dinner this evening is in the hotel. Overnight Cappadocia (B, D)

For early risers, there is the option of joining a balloon ride (extra cost of approximately €300 per person) to view Cappadocia from the air. This unique landscape of “fairly chimneys” has been shaped by erosion, volcanic activity, and centuries-old human occupation, and today we learn about the geology and anthropology of the region. We begin our exploration at the Göreme Open Air Museum. Now a UNESCO World-Heritage site, the rock churches, cave refectories and houses carved into hillsides showcase a golden period of Byzantine art and bear testimony to a settlement that has flourished at Göreme since the 9th century. We then enjoy lunch together in a restored old stone house and visit the terracotta factory in nearby Avanos, where the local ceramics are made from red local clay, a practice dating back to the Hittites. Returning to the hotel, the afternoon is at leisure, before our included group dinner. Overnight Cappadocia (B, L, D)

Today’s varied itinerary begins at Kaymakli, a cave city excavated by Christian communities in the 6th and 7th centuries. We then follow the scenic backroads to lunch at the village of Mustafapaşa. This afternoon we visit Kara Mustafa Paşa Kervansarayi, a remarkable complex built in 1667 for the Ottoman Vizier. It includes a large barracks, a bath house, a mosque and a row of shops still in use. Before dinner this evening, we’ll attend a performance of the famous Whirling Dervishes, a mystical dance performed by members of the Sufi sect of Islam. Overnight Cappadocia (B, L, D)

Departing Cappadocia this morning, we first make our way to Çatalhöyük for a guided tour of this important Neolithic settlement. The site provides significant evidence of the transition from settled villages to urban agglomeration, which was maintained in the same location for over 2,000 years. Discovered in the late 1950s, it has been under renewed excavation since 1993. Following a picnic lunch together, we continue to Konya, centre of 12th- and 13th-century Şelçuk architecture and famous for the Tomb of Mevlana. Dinner tonight is in our hotel. Overnight Konya (B, PL, D)

Today we make our way to Pamukkale, a geological wonder and one of Türkiye’s most significant geological sites. Turkish for “cotton castle”, Pamukkale is a shimmering series of white limestone terraces, as hot water emerges from a spring and slowly drips into a chain of pools below, depositing calcium carbonate on its downward journey. After lunch, we visit the ruins of the nearby Roman spa city of Hierapolis, which became one of the most prominent cities in the Roman Empire in the fields of the arts, philosophy, and trade. Founded as a curative centre around 190 BCE by Eumenes II of Pergamum, the extensive ruins, excavated since the 19th century, include a Roman theatre, baths, a gymnasium, an agora and a Byzantine church. Continuing to our hotel, we enjoy dinner together before an evening at leisure. Overnight Pamukkale (B, L, D)

We depart for Kuşadasi this morning, a resort town on Türkiye’s western Aegean coast and our base for the next three nights. On route we stop at Aphrodisias, a Roman city named for the Greek goddess of love Aphrodite. The site consists of many examples of the civil architecture for which the Romans are renowned, such as baths, an agora, odeon, and a theatre. The city’s stadium is one of the most magnificent from antiquity, with a capacity of close to 30,000 people. There is also time to visit the onsite museum, filled with statues found from all over the ancient site of Aphrodisias, before we enjoy a relaxed alfresco lunch in a nearby outdoor setting. In the afternoon, we continue to the bustling seaside town of Kuşadasi. Dinner tonight is in the hotel. Overnight Kuşadasi (B, L, D)

This morning we explore Ephesus, one of the world’s largest and best-preserved ancient Roman cities. Ephesus was home to a quarter of a million people in the first century BCE and was one of the very first cities to have street lighting as well as one of the most advanced aqueduct systems in the Roman world. The site is home to marble streets, agoras, villas, a theatre for 28,000 and an extraordinary library. We then make the short drive to Meryemana, a chapel on a site considered by some to be the last home of the Virgin Mary. After enjoying a traditional Turkish lunch near the village of Sirince, we then visit the Ephesus Museum and its excellent display of artefacts from the ancient city, including scales, jewellery and cosmetic boxes, as well as coins, funerary goods and ancient statuary. On the way back to our hotel we stop briefly at the Artemesion, the site of the famed Temple of Artemis, designated one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Tonight, we meet together for a group dinner. Overnight Kuşadasi (B, L, D)

Today’s excursion takes us south to the sites of the important ancient cities of Priene, Miletus and Didyma, places associated with the conquests of Alexander the Great in the 4th century BCE. Priene was chosen by Alexander as a “model” city, and he personally took responsibility for its development, including funding the construction of the Temple of Athena. These ruined cities, along with significant sites such as the Sanctuary of Apollo at Didyma, provide clear evidence of the region’s prosperous Hellenistic and Roman past. We enjoy lunch in Didyma before returning to the hotel in the late afternoon. Dinner tonight is in the hotel. Overnight Kuşadasi (B, L, D)

Departing Kuşadasi today, we spend much of the day at Bergama, site of the ancient city of Pergamum. The spectacular acropolis was home to the famed Altar of Zeus before its controversial removal to Museum Island in Berlin. It boasts the remains of temples, palaces, a library, theatre, and the Aesclepion, a famous medical centre. After lunch in Bergama, we then travel north to the stunning waterfront village of Assos, arriving in the late afternoon. Onetime home of Aristotle, the town has significant ancient sites as well as an enviable harbour-side position. Following time to freshen up, we have dinner in the hotel. Overnight Assos (B, L, D)

Assos is a finely sited ancient city, with views across the Aegean to the Greek island of Lesbos. Unlike the large Aegean resort towns, planning laws have kept Assos unchanged for almost a century. This morning we explore the 5th-century BCE Temple of Athena and the surrounding acropolis. The afternoon is free to relax in this charming town on the Aegean Coast. There will be a talk on Ancient Troy this evening, followed by dinner tonight in the hotel. Overnight Assos (B, D)

This morning we visit Troy and the new Troy Museum. Immortalised by Homer, it is best known as the setting for the Greek myth of the Trojan War, the associated wooden horse, and the home of Helen of Troy, the “face that launched a thousand ships”. Troy was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt during its 4000 years of occupation. As a result, the site is divided into nine archaeological layers, each corresponding to a city built on the ruins of the previous. The site was first excavated by Heinrich Schliemann in the late 19th century, and work continues to this day. Returning to the hotel, we gather for a talk on Gallipoli POWs before a group dinner. Overnight Assos (B, D)

A 90-minute trip north from Assos takes us to the Dardanelles, the strategically important strait connecting the Mediterranean with the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea. We spend most of the day across the strait exploring the Gallipoli Peninsula in the company of an expert on the Gallipoli Campaign and World War I. Our itinerary includes the moving sites of Anzac Cove, the remnants of trenches and the Lone Pine Memorial and Cemetery. We also pause for a picnic lunch on the shore of the Dardanelles. In the late afternoon we continue to our hotel in Çanakkale, with time to freshen up before dinner. Overnight Çanakkale (B, PL, D)

This morning we depart Çanakkale for a day on the road to Istanbul, checking into our hotel on arrival. This afternoon there is time to visit the Archaeological Museum which features the sarcophagi recovered from the Necropolis of Sidon. The afternoon is at leisure to shop or relax before our farewell dinner this evening. Overnight Istanbul (B, D)

The tour concludes after breakfast. Airport tranfsers will be arranged to Istanbul (IST) airport. (B)

Hotels have been selected principally for their central location. All hotels are a comfortable 4- and 5-star standard.

• Istanbul, Sura Hagia Sophia Hotel (5 nights, total)

• Cappadocia, Utopia Cave Hotel (3 nights)

• Konya, Novotel Hotel (1 night)

• Pamukkale, Doga Thermal Hotel (1 night)

• Kuşadasi, Charisma De Luxe Hotel (3 nights)

• Assos, Kervansaray Hotel (3 nights)

• Çanakkale, Buyuk Truva (1 night)