18 Days Turkey Tour with Pergamon, Nemrut and Gobeklitepe

Hippodrome and ObelisksFind the monuments that survive from the old chariot-racing ground. Their positions help the guide explain the long arena that once occupied this part of Constantinople.

Blue MosqueEnter the mosque to see its blue tilework beneath the domes. As this remains a place of worship, visitors follow the dress rules and remove their shoes.

Hagia SophiaThe great dome is the focus of this visit, with details from the building’s different religious periods around it. Your guide explains the features visible along the visitor route.

Lunch in the Old CityTake a restaurant break during the day’s visits. The meal is included; drinks cost extra.

Topkapi Palace and HaremWalk through the palace grounds and Harem rooms included in the tour. Together they show the public and private sides of life at the Ottoman court.

Shopping opportunityThe itinerary includes time to look at local goods. Browse at your own pace; purchases are optional.

Grand BazaarExplore the covered market’s branching passages and shops before the return transfer. When the bazaar is closed on Sunday, the tour uses another shopping stop.

Golden HornLook across the inlet towards the built-up slopes and the Old City skyline. The water offers a different view of the area explored on foot yesterday.

Lunch on the boatYour meal is served aboard the shared cruise boat. Drinks are ordered and paid for separately.

Bosphorus StraitFollow the waterway between Istanbul’s European and Asian shores. Waterfront buildings and passing vessels give the cruise its changing views.

Devrent ValleyLook for familiar shapes in the exposed rock formations. The camel-shaped rock is one of the most recognisable forms at this open valley stop.

Pasabag Open Air MuseumWalk among the tall, capped fairy chimneys and rock-cut cells. Seen from below, the formations show the different layers left by erosion.

Goreme Panoramic ViewPause above Goreme to see the town within the surrounding valleys. The broad view connects the rock formations with the houses built among them.

Lunch during the Red TourStop at a restaurant between the visits. Lunch is included in the day’s tour, while drinks are extra.

Avanos Pottery WorkshopWatch the potter shape local clay and explain the work at the wheel. The visit introduces the craft associated with Avanos.

Zelve Open Air MuseumFollow the paths through a former settlement carved into several valleys. Openings in the rock mark the homes and religious spaces once used here.

Uchisar Castle (exterior view)See the rock citadel rising above the village from an outside viewpoint. Entry to the castle and the climb to its summit are not part of this stop.

Rose ValleyView the folds of pale and pink rock that give this valley its name. Carved openings in the slopes are reminders of the area’s former cave communities.

Underground CityDescend through rock-cut rooms and connecting passages to see how the underground settlement worked. The visit involves steps, low openings and some confined spaces.

Pigeon ValleySee the small pigeon-house openings cut into the valley walls. These chambers were once part of local farming practices.

Lunch during the Yellow TourA restaurant stop divides the day’s sightseeing. Your lunch is included, with drinks paid separately.

Gulludere ValleyThe valley route passes cultivated plots and carved rock features. The walk is optional and can take up to two hours; guests who prefer not to walk can wait in the vehicle.

Cavusin VillageLook at the old cave houses grouped along the village’s rocky slope. The stop shows how homes and community spaces were built into the landscape.

Cendere BridgeSee the Roman stone bridge spanning the river between rocky banks. Its single arch and surviving columns show the scale of this crossing.

Arsameia Ancient CityVisit the remains of the Commagene royal site on the hillside. Reliefs and inscriptions provide evidence of the rulers remembered along the Nemrut route.

Lunch on the Nemrut routeThe circuit includes a restaurant meal between the archaeological stops. Drinks are extra.

Karakus TumulusLook at the burial mound and the columns that survive around it. The eagle figure on one column is a distinctive feature of the site.

Mount Nemrut summit at sunsetWalk up from the car park to the statues and tomb mound. The required route is about 800 metres on a steep, stepped stone path, taking roughly 20 minutes at an average pace. Vehicles cannot reach the terraces.

GobeklitepeView the excavated stone enclosures from the raised visitor walkway. The large T-shaped pillars and their carved animals are central to the site’s early history.

Sanliurfa Archaeology MuseumExplore the displays that place the region’s ancient settlements in context. Objects and reconstructions add detail to the structures seen at Gobeklitepe.

Lunch during the Sanliurfa tourPause for the restaurant lunch included in the itinerary. Drinks are charged separately.

Haleplibahce Mosaic MuseumLook down onto mosaics preserved where they were found. The display lets you see the patterned floors and figures across the remains of the ancient building.

BalikligolWalk around the pools and buildings of this important religious setting. The guide introduces the traditions associated with the water and its fish.

Hasimiye SquareFinish among the streets and trading area around the square. This part of the visit brings the ancient-site day into the life of present-day Sanliurfa.

KarahantepeSee the excavated structures and worked stone at another major early settlement of the region. This visit follows Gobeklitepe, giving you a second site to consider alongside it.

Sogmatar Ancient SettlementExplore the remains scattered across this historic landscape. Rock carvings and tombs are among the traces of the communities and beliefs associated with Sogmatar.

Bazda CavesVisit the large quarry chambers cut by stone workers. Their openings and supporting rock show how building material was removed from the hillside.

Lunch on the Harran routeStop for a restaurant meal during the day outside Sanliurfa. Lunch is included; drinks are extra.

HarranArrive in the town on the broad plain and learn about its long settlement history. The surrounding landscape helps explain its place on regional travel and trade routes.

Traditional Harran Beehive HousesLook at the houses with their distinctive conical roofs. Their construction is a clear example of the area’s traditional building methods.

Historic Harran AreaVisit the historic remains to understand Harran beyond its well-known houses. Your guide explains the buildings and the town’s importance as a centre of learning.

Halfeti VillageWalk beside the remaining village buildings at the edge of the reservoir. The old settlement and the water together show the changes brought by the dam.

Euphrates Boat TripTake the included boat ride over the reservoir around Halfeti. The route gives views of the shore and traces of buildings beside the water.

Zeugma Mosaic MuseumSee the mosaic floors recovered from the ancient city of Zeugma. The figures and patterns provide a close view of the decoration once used in Roman homes.

Lunch during the Gaziantep itineraryYour tour includes a restaurant lunch during the day. Drinks and additional food are at your own expense.

Gaziantep Castle (exterior view)View the castle from outside as part of the city route. The stop focuses on its position above the surrounding streets; the interior is not included.

Coppersmiths BazaarPass the workshops and stalls where copper goods are made and sold. Look at the tools, shapes and finished pieces along the market street.

Almaci MarketBrowse a market known for local food products, including pistachios and dried vegetables. It adds a view of Gaziantep’s everyday trade to the museum and historic stops.

Duden WaterfallFollow the park paths to view the cascade and the shaded area around it. The rushing water provides a change from the city streets.

Karpuzkaldiran WaterfallLook towards the waterfall dropping from the high cliffs into the sea. The coastal viewpoint shows its setting against the Mediterranean.

Lunch in AntalyaTake a restaurant break within the city itinerary. Your meal is included; drinks are paid separately.

Kaleici Old TownWalk through the old quarter’s lanes, lined with historic houses and walls. The route introduces the area around Antalya’s traditional harbour.

Panoramic Boat TourBoard the sightseeing boat for views back towards Antalya’s harbour and cliffs. The trip adds the sea-level perspective to the stops made on land.

Pamukkale TravertinesSee the bright white terraces formed by water flowing from the thermal springs. Follow the marked public route and remove your shoes where required on the terraces.

Hierapolis Ancient CityWalk among the remains of the city built above the hot springs. The theatre and other surviving structures show the scale of this ancient settlement.

Lunch during the Pamukkale visitThe tour includes a restaurant lunch before the onward journey. Drinks are separate from the meal.

Cleopatra Antique PoolSee the warm-water pool and the ancient stone remains within it. Viewing the pool is free; guests who want to swim pay an additional fee at the site.

Ephesus Ancient CityFollow the streets between the ancient public buildings, with the library facade and theatre among the main stops. Your guide connects the remains with daily life in the Roman city.

House of Virgin MaryVisit the small place of pilgrimage on the wooded hillside. The chapel and its quiet grounds offer a different setting from the city ruins.

Lunch on the Ephesus tourStop for the included restaurant meal between the visits. Drinks and personal orders are extra.

Temple of ArtemisSee the surviving traces of the sanctuary on the plain near Selcuk. The guide explains the great temple that once stood here and its place among the ancient Seven Wonders.

Pergamon AcropolisExplore the terraces of the ancient hilltop city above Bergama. The buildings were arranged across the steep ground, with views out over the plain.

Altar of ZeusSee the foundations marking the altar’s original position. The remaining ground plan helps your guide explain the monument that once occupied this terrace.

Library of PergamonVisit the remains associated with the ancient library. Pergamon’s role as a centre of learning is part of the story told among these foundations.

Lunch on the northbound journeyA restaurant lunch is included during today’s itinerary. Drinks are at your own expense.

Theatre of PergamonLook at the rows of seating descending sharply along the hillside. The theatre shows how the builders used the steep slope of the acropolis.

Great Altar AreaConsider the altar’s wider setting among the neighbouring terraces and paths. This part of the visit explains how the sacred area fitted into the hilltop city.

Troy Ancient CityWalk through the excavated remains and see how successive settlements were built on the same site. The guide identifies different periods visible in the surviving walls and ground levels.

Trojan Horse at the archaeological siteStop by the wooden horse replica at Troy’s archaeological site. It introduces the story linked to the city before the walk among its ancient remains.

Sacrificial AltarsView the stone remains connected with ritual activity at Troy. Their position adds a religious part to the picture of life within the settlement.

3,700-Year-Old City WallsLook at the large defensive walls that protected an earlier phase of the city. Their construction stands out from the smaller domestic remains nearby.

Houses of Troy ISee the exposed traces of dwellings from an early settlement level. They show the scale of the community long before the later city developed.

Agora of TroyVisit the area associated with the city’s public and commercial life. The remains help the guide describe how people used these shared spaces.

Gallipoli Battlefield AreasBegin the peninsula visits with the landscape of the campaign. The shore, valleys and ridges help link the memorials into a single account of the fighting.

Brighton BeachLook along the open stretch of shoreline south of the main ANZAC landing area. Its wider beach provides a useful reference for the nearby coves and slopes.

Lunch during the combined tourThe itinerary includes a restaurant lunch between the archaeological and battlefield visits. Drinks are extra.

Beach CemeteryVisit the cemetery beside the shore and pause among the graves. Its location recalls the work and movement that took place along the beach during the campaign.

ANZAC CoveSee the narrow landing shore below the rising ground. Standing here makes the short distance between the water and the steep slopes clear.

Ari BurnuVisit the headland and cemetery beside the cove. The stop covers ground closely associated with the opening landings in April 1915.

Lone Pine CemeteryStop at the cemetery and memorial on the ridge. The guide explains the fighting remembered here and the names recorded at the site.

Johnston’s JollyExamine the battlefield ground where opposing positions lay close together. Surviving traces help show the layout and conditions of trench warfare.

Shrapnel ValleyLook into the valley linking the coast with the higher battlefield. The terrain explains its use as a route inland during the campaign.

Turkish MemorialPay a visit to the memorial honouring the Turkish soldiers. Their defence of the peninsula forms part of the wider history covered throughout the afternoon.

The NekSee the narrow ground between the ridges where the remembered attack took place. The limited space is a defining feature of this battlefield stop.

Chunuk BairFinish among the memorials on the high ridge. The views across the peninsula show the military importance of holding this position.