19 Days Complete Turkey Tour with Gallipoli, Nemrut and Gobeklitepe

Hippodrome and ObelisksThe former racing ground now forms a long public square. Its obelisks and Serpent Column preserve traces of the ceremonial centre of Byzantine Constantinople.

Blue MosqueThe mosque remains in daily religious use beneath its six minarets. See the tiled interior during the visit, following the dress requirements and removing shoes before entering.

Hagia SophiaA vast dome dominates the interior of this Byzantine monument, later adapted for Ottoman worship. The guide explains the building through its surviving architectural features.

Grand BazaarArched passages connect rows of shops selling carpets, jewellery and other goods. The bazaar is the last stop of the guided morning, with free time afterwards.

Golden HornThe sheltered inlet opens between the historic peninsula and the opposite shore. The cruise brings the harbour-side neighbourhoods and the city skyline into view across the water.

Lunch aboardLunch is included during the shared cruise. Drinks are paid for separately.

BosphorusAlong the strait, waterfront neighbourhoods face one another across the divide between Europe and Asia. Follow the views from the boat as other vessels move along the channel.

Gallipoli Battlefield AreasThe terrain links the landing shores with the defensive positions above them. Your guide explains how the slopes and narrow ridges shaped the 1915 campaign.

Brighton BeachThis broad stretch of coast lies south of the main Anzac landing area. Its flatter ground helps put the difficulties of the nearby landing beaches in context.

Beach CemeteryGraves occupy a small site close to the shore. The cemetery recalls the wartime beach area where wounded men were brought down from the fighting.

ANZAC CoveA narrow shoreline sits directly below steep rising ground. The view from the cove makes the short distance between the water and the first slopes clear.

Ari BurnuAt the northern end of the cove, this headland and cemetery mark another part of the landing landscape. Pause here to relate the coastal positions to the heights.

Lone Pine CemeteryThe cemetery and memorial occupy ground associated with the August fighting. The visit connects the commemorative site with the former positions on the ridge.

Lunch at a local restaurantLunch is included on this Gallipoli day before continuing the route and crossing to Canakkale. Drinks are extra.

Johnston's JollyLook across opposing trench positions in this part of the battlefield. The surviving ground shows how closely the lines faced each other above the landing beaches.

Shrapnel ValleyThe valley provided a route inland from the coast during the campaign. Its enclosed slopes explain its importance for moving between the shore and the front.

Turkish MemorialThe memorial honours the Ottoman soldiers who defended the peninsula. Your guide includes their part in the campaign alongside the stories of the Allied landing forces.

The NekThis narrow ridge is associated with the attacks of August 1915. The small area of ground helps explain why the fighting here proved so costly.

Chunuk BairThe heights carry memorials to the fighting for this commanding ridge. The surrounding views help place the August offensive within the wider peninsula landscape.

Troy Ancient CityExcavations reveal a mound repeatedly rebuilt by different communities. Your guide separates the visible archaeological remains from the stories that made Troy famous.

Trojan HorseSee the wooden horse replica at the Troy archaeological site. It provides an introduction to the story associated with the ancient city before you examine its remains.

Ancient City Walls and Settlement LayersWalls and building levels belong to successive settlements rather than a single moment. The guided walk explains how the layers fit together on the excavated mound.

Lunch at a local restaurantLunch is included between the two ancient-city visits on the journey south. Drinks are extra.

Pergamon AcropolisThe upper city occupies a high, terraced hillside above the plain. Walk through the surviving remains to see how monuments were fitted to the steep setting.

Temple of AthenaThe sanctuary terrace preserves the setting of a major temple in the upper city. Its position helps connect the religious area with the neighbouring civic monuments.

Hillside TheatreRows of seats descend sharply along the slope below the acropolis. The theatre shows how the builders used the hillside to create space for public performances.

Ephesus Ancient CityThe excavated streets connect the Celsus Library, theatre and public buildings of a major ancient city. Walk among the marble remains as the guide explains their uses.

House of the Virgin MaryThe modest shrine stands on a wooded hill outside the ancient city. It is visited for the tradition linking this place with the later life of Mary.

Lunch at a local restaurantTake a seated lunch break during the Ephesus itinerary. The meal is included, while drinks are extra.

Temple of ArtemisA reconstructed column rises above the remains of the former sanctuary. The guide explains the temple through the site that survives and its ancient reputation.

Pamukkale TravertinesMineral deposits left by flowing thermal water have formed the white terraces. Use the marked visitor route barefoot to see the surface and shallow pools at close range.

Hierapolis Ancient CityThe remains of the spa city extend above the travertines. Its streets, theatre and surviving public structures show how the settlement developed beside the hot springs.

Lunch at a local restaurantLunch is included during the Pamukkale itinerary before the drive to Antalya. Drinks are paid for separately.

Cleopatra Antique PoolAncient stonework lies within the warm thermal water. The pool is open and free to view; swimming is optional and requires a separate fee paid at the site.

Duden WaterfallPark paths lead toward the cascade and its green surroundings. The close views bring together the falling water, rock formations and shaded areas around the waterfall.

Karpuzkaldiran WaterfallThe river drops over the coastal cliffs into the Mediterranean here. See the fall from the viewing area above the sea.

Lunch at a local restaurantLunch is included between the Antalya visits. Drinks are at your expense.

Kaleici Old TownHistoric houses stand along narrow streets in the old city centre. Walk through the quarter toward the harbour, where the lanes meet the cliff-side waterfront.

Panoramic Boat TourLeave the harbour for a short look back at Antalya from the water. The boat gives a lower view of the coastline and the cliffs beneath the city.

Perge Ancient CityColonnaded streets and substantial public buildings remain within the ancient city. The walk shows the scale of its planned centre and the stonework of its surviving monuments.

Aspendos Ancient TheatreThe theatre retains its stage building opposite the rising tiers of seats. Its enclosed form makes the relationship between the audience space and performance area clear.

Lunch at a local restaurantLunch is included during the excursion between the archaeological stops. Drinks are extra.

Side Ancient CityAncient remains share the coastal peninsula with the present settlement. Explore the area where the old harbour and seaside monuments connect the city to the Mediterranean.

Manavgat WaterfallA broad ledge spreads the river into a low cascade. Stop at the riverside viewing area to see the water after the day among the ancient cities.

Devrent ValleyNatural erosion has shaped the rock into isolated figures and ridges. Look for recognisable forms, including the camel-shaped rock, during this open landscape stop.

Pasabag Open Air MuseumThe fairy chimneys rise with broad caps above narrower stems. Carved spaces within the formations add evidence of earlier human use to the natural rock shapes.

Goreme Panoramic ViewFrom above the settlement, look across the valleys and scattered rock formations. The wide view helps place the separate stops of the northern circuit on the landscape.

Lunch at a local restaurantSit down for the included lunch between the Cappadocia visits. Drinks are charged separately.

Avanos Pottery WorkshopWatch clay take shape during a pottery demonstration. The workshop introduces a craft that has long been associated with Avanos and its riverside setting.

Zelve Open Air MuseumThe former rock settlement extends across adjoining valleys. Follow the paths past carved rooms and communal spaces to see how homes fitted into the stone.

Uchisar Castle (exterior view)The tall rock citadel dominates the surrounding settlement. This is an exterior viewing stop; entry and the climb to the summit are not included.

Rose ValleyBands of pale and pink rock fold across the valley sides. The exposed ridges and carved spaces reveal both the natural landscape and earlier uses of the cliffs.

Underground CitySteps and passages lead between rooms below the surface. See how storage areas, ventilation and access routes were fitted into the rock, with low or narrow sections along the way.

Pigeon ValleyDovecote openings punctuate the cliffs above the valley. They reflect the former use of pigeons in farming communities around the surrounding vineyards.

Lunch at a local restaurantLunch is included during the southern circuit. Drinks cost extra.

Gulludere ValleyWalk among the rock scenery on the optional valley route, which can take up to two hours. Guests who prefer to skip the walk may wait with the vehicle.

Cavusin VillageThe old rock face holds former homes and religious spaces above the village. The stop gives a close view of a settlement built directly into the hillside.

Cendere BridgeThe Roman stone arch spans the river at the mouth of a rocky gorge. The stop introduces an ancient crossing along the route through the Commagene landscape.

Arsameia Ancient CityRock-cut remains, inscriptions and reliefs mark this ancient Commagene site. The hillside visit adds a royal and ceremonial setting before the journey to the mountain.

Lunch during the Nemrut circuitLunch is included on the sunset-tour day. Drinks are extra.

Karakus TumulusColumns stand around a royal burial mound from the Commagene period. The surviving eagle sculpture is one of the visible markers of the funerary site.

Mount Nemrut Summit at sunsetStone heads and seated figures stand beside the royal tomb mound. Reaching the terraces requires an approximately 800-metre steep, stepped stone walk, about twenty minutes at an average pace; vehicles stop below.

GobeklitepeLarge T-shaped pillars define prehistoric enclosures beneath a protective roof. Animal carvings on the stone give close detail to a site built long before the cities visited earlier in the trip.

Sanliurfa Archaeology MuseumThe galleries bring together finds from the region and displays about its early settlements. They provide context for the excavated sites on this part of the journey.

Lunch at a local restaurantThe included lunch forms part of the Gobeklitepe and Sanliurfa itinerary. Drinks are extra.

Haleplibahce Mosaic MuseumMosaic floors are displayed where the ancient remains were uncovered. View the figures and decorative patterns to see a later period of the region after the prehistoric displays.

BalikligolThe pools and surrounding religious buildings are associated with local traditions about Abraham. Walk through the area to see the setting of one of the city's best-known gathering places.

Hasimiye SquareThis busy old-city area connects shopping streets and everyday market activity. It brings the afternoon from the museums into the lived-in centre of Sanliurfa.

KarahantepeExcavated structures and carved stone features belong to the early settlement landscape around Sanliurfa. The visit broadens the prehistoric context introduced at Gobeklitepe the day before.

Sogmatar Ancient SettlementRock-cut features, reliefs and tombs survive around this ancient settlement. They introduce a different period of worship and community life on the plain.

Bazda CavesThese large chambers were cut as stone quarries for buildings in the region. Their height, passages and working surfaces show the scale of the extraction.

Lunch at a local restaurantLunch is included during the Harran-plain circuit. Drinks are paid for separately.

HarranVisit the settlement that gives the surrounding plain its name. Its long history links trading routes and successive communities in this part of southeastern Turkey.

Traditional Harran Beehive HousesThe houses use distinctive conical roof forms above their rooms. See how their construction responds to the materials and climate of the surrounding plain.

Historic Harran AreaExplore the historic remains around the settlement, including traces of its mosque and earlier urban life. The guide connects these ruins with Harran's role as a centre of learning.

Halfeti VillageThe reservoir changed the shape of the old settlement, leaving part of it below water. See the surviving waterfront and the village landscape around the river.

Euphrates Boat TripThe included boat trip follows the reservoir beside Halfeti. Views from the water show the rocky banks and the relationship between the remaining settlement and the flooded landscape.

Zeugma Mosaic MuseumMosaics recovered from ancient Zeugma preserve figures, scenes and patterned floors from its houses. The galleries show these detailed works close enough to study their stone tesserae.

Lunch at a local restaurantLunch is included during the full Halfeti and Gaziantep day. Drinks are extra.

Gaziantep Castle (exterior view)View the castle from outside as part of the city route. Its fortified mound rises above the surrounding streets; the itinerary does not include the interior.

Coppersmiths BazaarCopper goods fill the market lanes alongside active workshops. The visit shows the craft as part of the old city's everyday trade.

Almaci MarketBrowse the food market where dried produce, nuts and other regional ingredients are sold. The stalls provide an introduction to the ingredients used in Gaziantep cooking.