20 Days Turkey Tour with Hattusa and Six Cappadocia Nights

Hagia SophiaThe broad central dome rises above an interior shaped by successive periods of religious use. Hear how the building changed from its Byzantine origins through the Ottoman centuries.

Blue MosqueThe mosque stands opposite Hagia Sophia, with six minarets and a sequence of domes. During the interior visit, observe the tiled decoration while following the requirements for dress and shoes.

Hippodrome and ObelisksThe old racing arena survives as an elongated public space. Its monuments help locate the centre of public ceremonies and competition in Byzantine Constantinople.

Lunch in the Old CityLunch is included during the full-day itinerary. Drinks are ordered and paid for separately.

Shopping OpportunityThe day includes time to look at local goods as part of the Old City route. Any purchases are optional and at your own expense.

Topkapi Palace and HaremPass through palace courtyards and visit the Harem rooms. Their arrangement introduces the ceremonial and domestic sides of the Ottoman royal residence.

Grand BazaarCovered passages lead between rows of shops in the historic market. On Sundays, when the Grand Bazaar is closed, another shopping alternative replaces this visit.

Gallipoli Battlefield AreasThe circuit starts with the relationship between the landing shores and the high ground. Seeing the distances and contours gives the campaign a physical setting.

Brighton BeachThe beach opens onto relatively level ground along this part of the coast. It provides a useful comparison with the steep terrain around the main Anzac landing area.

Beach CemeteryA small cemetery lies close to the shore used during the campaign. Its position ties the graves to the narrow coastal strip where troops first came ashore.

ANZAC CoveThe landing cove sits directly below rising slopes. Look from the beach toward the ridges to see how quickly the ground became difficult beyond the water.

Ari BurnuAt the edge of the cove, the headland and cemetery mark another part of the landing landscape. The guide relates this coastal position to the routes inland.

Lone Pine CemeteryThe cemetery and memorial occupy ground associated with fierce fighting in August 1915. The stop places the human losses alongside the contested ridge position.

Lunch in EceabatLunch is included as part of the Gallipoli day. Drinks are extra.

Johnston's JollyThe trench positions were separated by a short distance here. The surviving landscape helps show the closeness of the opposing lines.

Shrapnel ValleyThe valley leads up from the shore through exposed slopes. Follow its line with the guide to understand movement between the beach area and the inland fighting.

Turkish MemorialThe memorial recalls the Ottoman soldiers who defended the peninsula. The visit adds their experience to the wider account of the campaign.

The NekThe narrow ridge leaves little room between its falling sides. This setting helps explain the difficulties of the attack associated with the position.

Chunuk BairThe high ground gives a broad view of the surrounding battlefield. Its commanding position explains why the ridge became such an important objective.

Troy Ancient CityWalk among the remains of a city rebuilt through many periods. The guide uses the archaeological evidence to distinguish the successive settlements from the stories associated with Troy.

Trojan Horse movie replicaSee the movie horse on the Canakkale waterfront as part of the itinerary. This stop connects the familiar modern image of Troy with the archaeological remains visited nearby.

Sacrificial AltarsThe altar remains point to ritual activity within the ancient settlement. The guide explains their place in the changing religious life of Troy.

3,700-Year-Old City WallsThe substantial stonework shows how the settlement was defended. Look at the surviving wall sections to understand the construction and scale of the fortifications.

Houses of Troy IRemains from the earliest settlement belong to the period around 3000–2500 BC. They provide a much earlier point of comparison with the larger structures in later layers.

Agora of TroyThe agora formed part of the public space of the later city. Its remains shift attention from defensive walls to the civic life conducted within them.

Ephesus Ancient CityMonumental buildings line the route through the excavated city. The streets and public spaces reveal how a major Roman centre was organised and used.

House of Virgin MaryThe small hillside chapel offers a different atmosphere from the large ancient city. Hear about the pilgrimage tradition associated with the wooded sanctuary.

Lunch during the Ephesus excursionA restaurant lunch is included during the day. Drinks and other personal purchases are extra.

Temple of ArtemisThe surviving remains give only a partial impression of the former sanctuary. The guide explains how this site once held one of the best-known temples of the ancient world.

Pamukkale TravertinesThe white hillside was formed by mineral deposits carried in the spring water. Follow the visitor section of the terraces, walking barefoot where required.

Hierapolis Ancient CityThe remains above the springs belong to an ancient spa city. The guide introduces the surviving streets and buildings in relation to the thermal landscape below.

Lunch on the Pamukkale routeLunch is included before continuing toward Antalya. Drinks are charged separately.

Cleopatra Antique PoolThe open pool contains warm water and ancient column fragments. Viewing it is free; visitors who want to swim pay the separate swimming fee at the site.

Duden WaterfallVisit the waterfall area to see the river tumble into its green surroundings. The contrast with the busy city is part of the appeal of this stop.

Karpuzkaldiran WaterfallThe river drops from the high coastal edge into the Mediterranean. The viewpoint looks across the falls toward the sea below.

Lunch during the Antalya tourA restaurant lunch is included within the day route. Drinks are extra.

Kaleici Old TownOlder houses and narrow lanes lead through the historic quarter toward the harbour. Your guide points out the architectural layers that remain within the modern city.

Panoramic Boat TourTake to the water for views back toward the harbour and cliffs. The sailing adds a coastal perspective to the streets and waterfalls visited on land.

Perge Ancient CityThe ancient streets, gateways and public buildings outline the plan of the city. Explore the visible remains with the guide to understand how these spaces connected.

Aspendos Ancient TheatreThe substantial seating and stage structure preserve the form of a Roman performance space. The visit focuses on the theatre and the engineering that has allowed so much of it to survive.

Lunch on the archaeological routeThe included lunch provides a break between the sightseeing stops. Drinks are paid for separately.

Side Ancient CityRoman remains share the peninsula with the streets of the coastal town. Follow the guided route through this meeting of the ancient city and its present-day setting.

Manavgat WaterfallA wide sheet of river water runs over the low rock ledge. Paths and terraces provide places to view the cascade at close range.

Konya free timeYou may use the stop to visit the Mevlana Museum, associated with Rumi and the Mevlevi tradition, or explore the surrounding central area independently. Any museum entry and meals are at your expense.

Devrent ValleyWeathered rock shapes stand across the valley floor and slopes. Look for forms that resemble animals while considering how erosion has created these unusual outlines.

Pasabag Open Air MuseumThe clustered fairy chimneys have broad caps above narrower stems. Walking the visitor paths brings the shapes and the rock-cut chambers into view from different angles.

Goreme Panoramic ViewA wide view across the settlement and surrounding valleys helps locate the places on the tour. The stop gives a sense of the landscape beyond each individual rock formation.

Lunch on the northern circuitLunch is included during the Red Tour. Drinks are charged separately.

Avanos Pottery WorkshopA pottery demonstration shows clay taking shape on the wheel. Learn about a craft closely associated with the town and its river setting.

Zelve Open Air MuseumThe abandoned cave settlement spreads into several valleys. The route passes carved spaces once used for homes, work and community life.

Uchisar Castle (exterior view)The great rock formation towers above the village buildings. View the citadel from outside; castle entry and the climb to the top are not included in this stop.

Rose ValleyThe valley is marked by ridges of pale and rose-coloured stone. Views across the slopes show both the natural erosion and traces of human use of the rock.

Underground CityDescend into a network of rooms and connecting passages. Steps and narrow sections are part of the visit, as the guide explains how people used the spaces below ground.

Pigeon ValleyPigeon houses carved into the cliff faces are visible across the valley. Their repeated openings reveal a practical use of the rock alongside the dwellings seen elsewhere.

Lunch during the Yellow TourStop for the included lunch during the circuit. Drinks are at your own expense.

Gulludere ValleyThe valley walk follows a landscape of rock formations and older carved spaces. Walking is optional and can take up to two hours; guests who skip it may wait in the vehicle.

Cavusin VillageThe rock face above the village holds remains of old cave houses. The stop shows how settlement developed within the soft stone landscape.

Yazilikaya Open-Air SanctuaryRows of divine figures are carved into the rock walls of this open-air sanctuary. Your guide explains its place in Hittite religious life.

Hattusa Ancient CityThe former Hittite capital occupies a large, sloping site. Its surviving layout helps connect the temples, monumental gates and defended districts.

Lion GateCarved lions flank the gateway through the city defences. Look closely at the sculpture and the substantial masonry around the entrance.

King's GateThe decorated gateway forms another monumental entrance to the upper city. The guide relates its surviving form to the surrounding fortifications.

Lunch on the Hattusa excursionLunch at a local restaurant is included in the day trip. Drinks are extra.

Sphinx Gate and TunnelThe gateway stands above a high constructed embankment. A stone tunnel passes beneath it, illustrating another part of the Hittite defensive architecture.

Great Temple ComplexFoundations and adjoining spaces mark the major sanctuary in the lower city. The remains show a religious complex on a substantial scale.

City Walls and WatchtowersThe defences follow the uneven ground around the city. Their surviving line shows how walls and towers enclosed the different districts.

Bogazkoy MuseumSee finds from Hattusa arranged in the local museum. The collections, including the sphinxes associated with the city, give details that are harder to see among the ruins outside.

Ihlara ValleyWalk a section of the river valley below the cliffs and rock-cut churches. The route includes steps and paths along the valley floor, so comfortable walking shoes are useful.

Derinkuyu or Kaymakli Underground CityVisit one of these underground settlements according to the tour route. Rooms, ventilation shafts and connecting passages show how a community could use several levels below the surface.

Belisirma VillageThe village sits beside the river in the Ihlara landscape. The stop brings the canyon setting into contact with a small riverside community.

Lunch on the Green TourA restaurant lunch is included during the excursion. Drinks are extra.

EsentepePause at the viewpoint to look across the surrounding Cappadocia landscape. The wider view provides context for the closer visits to valleys and underground rooms.

YaprakhisarRock towers rise around this part of the route near the gorge. The viewpoint focuses on the shape and scale of the formations.

Pigeon ValleyThe carved pigeon houses appear as small openings across the valley cliffs. This visit gives another view of the way the local rock was used for practical purposes.

Golden HornThe inlet opens between the old peninsula and the shore opposite it. From the water, the city skyline and waterfront neighbourhoods can be seen together.

Lunch aboard the cruiseLunch is included on the shared boat. Drinks are charged separately.

BosphorusThe sailing follows the channel dividing the European and Asian sides of Istanbul. Watch the waterfront and the passing traffic along the strait.