13 Days Istanbul, Cappadocia, Pamukkale, Ephesus, Troy and Gallipoli Tour

Hagia SophiaSee the building’s large dome and learn about its changing role in the city. Its architecture reflects both Byzantine and Ottoman Istanbul.

Blue MosqueThe blue tiles inside give this working mosque its familiar name. Modest clothing is needed, and shoes are removed before entering the prayer hall.

Hippodrome and ObelisksThe square occupies the site of the Byzantine chariot-racing arena. Its surviving obelisks and columns help trace the centre of the old track.

Grand BazaarCovered lanes lead between shops selling jewellery, textiles and other goods. The Group tour ends here. If the bazaar is closed on Sunday, the visit is replaced with another bazaar or shopping stop.

Golden HornSail along the sheltered inlet beside the historic peninsula. Buildings on its two shores show how closely the city has grown around the water.

Lunch on the boatYour meal is served during the cruise, so there is no separate restaurant stop. Any drinks you order are paid for on board.

Bosphorus StraitThe waterway runs between the European and Asian sides of Istanbul. Watch the waterfront neighbourhoods from the boat as the cruise continues along the strait.

Devrent ValleyWind and water have left unusual shapes in the soft volcanic rock. Look for formations resembling animals as you walk near the valley viewpoints.

Pasabag Open Air MuseumStone caps balance above tall pillars at this group of fairy chimneys. The carved spaces within some formations show how people adapted the rocks for shelter.

Goreme Panoramic ViewLook across Goreme’s buildings and the ridges around the town. The wider view helps place the smaller valleys visited during the day.

Lunch on the Red TourStop at a local restaurant for the lunch included in this guided day. Pay separately for drinks with your meal.

Avanos Pottery WorkshopWatch clay take shape on a potter’s wheel in Avanos. The demonstration introduces a craft long associated with the town; buying pottery is optional.

Zelve Open Air MuseumPaths connect the rock-cut rooms of this former settlement. Cave homes and places of worship reveal how daily life fitted into the valley walls.

Uchisar Castle (exterior view)The tall rock citadel rises above the surrounding village. This is an outside viewing stop; a climb through the castle is not included.

Rose ValleyPink-toned ridges surround the valley paths. The walk brings you closer to the rock faces and their carved openings than the roadside viewpoints do.

Underground CityFollow passages between rooms built below ground for shelter and storage. The visit includes steps, low ceilings and narrow sections that can be difficult with limited mobility.

Lunch during the Yellow TourA restaurant break is part of the day’s included itinerary. Drinks are the only part of this meal charged separately.

Pigeon ValleySmall openings high in the rock mark former pigeon houses. Hear how these birds were connected to farming in the surrounding valleys.

Gulludere ValleyThe valley route passes rock formations and cultivated patches. This optional walk takes up to two hours; if you prefer to skip it, wait with the vehicle.

Cavusin VillageOld cave dwellings sit against a steep rock face above the village. The stop shows a different side of Cappadocia from its isolated valley formations.

Ihlara ValleyThe Melendiz River runs below high canyon walls with churches cut into the rock. Reaching the valley paths involves steps before the walk beside the river.

Derinkuyu or Kaymakli Underground CityVisit one of these underground settlements, chosen for the day’s itinerary. Rooms, shafts and connecting tunnels show how large communities used space beneath the surface.

Belisirma VillageThis village lies by the river within the Ihlara canyon. Its setting offers a closer view of the valley floor and the cliffs rising around it.

Lunch on the Green TourPause between the visits for an included restaurant lunch. Drinks with lunch are settled separately.

EsentepeStop for a broad view of Cappadocia’s rock landscape. It is a chance to see the shapes of the hills together before continuing the route.

YaprakhisarRock formations surround this village near the lower part of the Ihlara valley system. Take in the view of the village and the larger outcrops around it.

Pigeon ValleyReturn to a landscape marked by pigeon houses carved into the cliffs. This stop belongs to the Green route as well as yesterday’s Yellow Tour.

Pamukkale TravertinesWhite mineral deposits form terraces down the hillside. Remove your shoes for the designated walking area to help protect the surface.

Lunch during the Pamukkale visitThe tour includes a restaurant lunch between sightseeing stops. Order and pay for any drinks separately.

Hierapolis Ancient CityThe ruins above the terraces belonged to a city built around the hot springs. Your guide explains the streets, public buildings and theatre that remain from its ancient life.

Cleopatra Antique PoolThe pool is open, with warm water around fallen ancient columns. Viewing the pool is free; if you would like to swim, pay the additional swimming fee there.

Ephesus Ancient CityWalk along the ancient streets to the Celsus Library and the large theatre. The remains of shops and public spaces help explain how this Roman city functioned.

Lunch on the Ephesus routeA local restaurant provides the included lunch before the afternoon journey north. Drinks and the later evening meal are extra.

House of Virgin MaryVisit the small stone shrine on a wooded hillside near Ephesus. It is a place of pilgrimage linked by tradition to Mary’s later life.

Temple of ArtemisThe few surviving remains mark the sanctuary of an ancient Wonder of the World. Your guide explains how the temple once dominated this area.

Troy Ancient CityExcavations reveal settlements built above earlier ones across many centuries. Walk through the ruins while your guide separates the archaeological evidence from the famous Trojan War story.

Trojan Horse (Movie Replica)See the large wooden horse on the Canakkale waterfront. This stop is in the city, separate from the visit to the ancient site of Troy.

Sacrificial AltarsStone altars mark areas used for religious offerings at Troy. They add a view of ritual life to the city’s houses and defensive walls.

3,700-Year-Old City WallsLook at the surviving stone defences from Bronze Age Troy. The scale of the walls helps explain the effort made to protect the settlement.

Houses of Troy IThese remains belong to one of Troy’s earliest settlement layers. Your guide identifies the foundations so you can distinguish them from the later buildings around them.

Agora of TroyThe agora formed part of the city’s public life in a later period. Its remains show that Troy’s history continued long after the age associated with the war story.

Beach CemeteryVisit the cemetery beside the Gallipoli shore. Its graves bring the scale of the campaign down to individual names and lives.

ANZAC CoveThe narrow beach lies beneath the steep ground reached during the April 1915 landings. Seeing the shore and ridges together helps explain the difficult terrain.

Lunch during the combined tourA restaurant lunch is included within the Troy and Gallipoli itinerary. Drinks are additional, and dinner on the later journey is not included.

Ari Burnu CemeteryThe cemetery stands close to the landing shore at the northern end of Anzac Cove. Pause among the graves before continuing through the peninsula.

ANZAC Commemorative SiteThis coastal site provides a place for remembrance near the original landing area. Your guide explains its connection with the annual Anzac commemorations.

Respect to Mehmetcik MonumentThe monument shows a Turkish soldier carrying a wounded opposing soldier. It recalls an act of help across the battle lines.

Lone Pine Australian MemorialThe cemetery and memorial mark ground fought over during the campaign. The memorial commemorates Australian dead who have no known grave.

Johnston’s JollyVisit the cemetery near the lines once held by opposing forces. The close positions in this area show how little ground separated the trenches.

Turkish 57th Infantry Regiment CemeteryThis memorial cemetery honours the Turkish regiment associated with the defence of the peninsula. It gives the Turkish account a place alongside the Anzac sites.

The NekThe narrow ridge was the scene of the August 1915 charge. Its confined setting helps explain why this small strip of ground became so costly to contest.

Chunuk Bair New Zealand MemorialThe hilltop memorial commemorates New Zealand soldiers from the campaign. The high position makes clear why control of the ridge mattered to the fighting below.