Itinerary

Day 1 - Istanbul

Arrive at Istanbul Ataturk International Airport where you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to explore until we meet in the hotel lobby at 7pm to go to dinner at a restaurant specialising in traditional Ottoman cuisine. Overnight Istanbul - Yasmak Sultan Hotel or similar

Day 2 - Istanbul

This morning we will visit Topkapi Palace, former home to the Ottoman Sultans. We will also visit the beautiful Haghia Sophia, a former church, later converted to a mosque, and now a museum, the Hippodrome and the Blue Mosque, famous for its six minarets and beautiful interior. Free time until we meet for dinner at 6pm. Tonight we will have a light dinner in one of the many fish restaurants on the Galata Bridge. We will then make our way to Taksim via the Tünel, the second oldest funicular in Europe for a night at a traditional Turkish meyhane. A meyhane is a traditional restaurant serving wine, raki and beer with meze. You’ll be overwhelmed with the choices as the wait staff present tray after tray of hot and cold meze. Be prepared to be serenaded by musicians and for some dancing. Overnight Istanbul (B, L, D)

Day 3 - Istanbul

After breakfast we will visit the famous Basilica Cistern, then later in the morning we will participate in a cooking class where we will prepare a five course, traditional Turkish meal together then enjoy it together with a glass of wine. We will finish approximately 2.30pm, then wander down the hill to Eminonu, home of the famous Spice Bazaar. This bustling market was built in the 17th century as a source of income to run the nearby “New” mosque (Yeni Cami). Often referred to as the ‘Misir’ or ‘Egyptian Market’ because many of the spices came from Asia via Egypt, this place is foodie heaven. Here we will learn about the vast array of spices available here and the history of their trade. Late afternoon we will catch a ferry from Eminonu over to Kadikoy, on Istanbul’s Asian side where we will wander around the local fruit and vegetable and fish markets. We will have a light dinner then catch the ferry back to Eminonu, stopping for dessert at Hafiz Mustafa, famous for its incredible selection of local foods on our way back to our hotel. Overnight Istanbul (B, L, D)

Day 4 - Istanbul to Cappadocia

After breakfast we transfer to Ataturk Airport for our flight to Kayseri, a large regional city close to Cappadocia. We will spend the afternoon looking at some of the panoramic views of the area, and visit Goreme Open Air Museum which consists of a cluster of rock-cut churches, chapels and monasteries. It was originally home to around 20 Byzantine monks, and from the 17th Century, became a pilgrimage site. The monks carved the caves from the soft volcanic stone and decorated them with elaborate Byzantine frescoes. Although many of the frescoes have been damaged by wind, water, and earthquakes, the beauty of the churches and their decoration is still apparent. Next up is a visit to Rose Valley where you will have a chance to look at its amazing rock formations, hidden cave dwellings and rock-cut churches with stunning Byzantine murals. We then move on to Devrent Valley whose landscape is likened to being similar to a lunar landscape, and then back to the hotel. Late afternoon we will enjoy a wine tasting at a local winery and then for dinner we will taste manti, which is often referred to as Turkish ravioli, and is a specialty dish in this region. Tonight we will have the opportunity to watch a whirling dervish performance. Overnight Cappadocia – Gamirasu Cave Hotel or similar (B, L, D)

Day 5 - Cappadocia

Optional Activity: Experience Cappadocia’s incredible landscape from above in a hour hot air balloon ride at sunrise. After breakfast we will visit a local carpet weaving cooperative and learn about this dying art - different weaving and dyeing techniques and the different types of carpets and kilims. We then continue sightseeing in this incredible region, visiting one of the area’s many underground cities, and tonight we enjoy a simple but tasty dinner with a local family, and learn about dining village style. Overnight Cappadocia – Gamirasu Cave Hotel or similar

Day 6 - Cappadocia to Konya

This morning we set off for Konya, stopping to visit Sultanhani Caravansary, a former stop for traders travelling the old Silk Road, on the way. Konya, where Rumi, a 13th-century Persian Muslim poet, jurist, theologian, and Sufi mystic, spent most of his years. Rumi was the founder of the Whirling Dervishes, who aim to achieve unity with God through controlled, trance-like spinning. While we are in Konya, the former capital of Seljuk Empire, we will visit the Whirling Dervish Museum (Mevlana Museum), a former Dervish seminary, and finish our day with a visit to the bustling Konya Pazar (fruit and vegetable market). Tonight we will visit a simple local restaurant where we will taste on of the area’s specialty dishes – Konyali etli ekmek – this is like a very thin pide topped with finely ground minced meat with simple spices. It’s a great example of how spices are used to gently draw out flavours in a dish. Overnight Konya – Hotel TBA

Day 7 - Konya to Pamukkale

After breakfast we drive five hours to Pamukkale, home of the incredible natural wonder that is the calcium travertines (thermal pools). Set in to the side of a hill, the travertines almost appear as if they are the frozen cascades of a waterfall. We will make a late afternoon visit to the travertines and the ruins of the ancient Roman spa town of Hierapolis. We will visit a local restaurant for a simple but tasty dinner. Overnight Pamukkale – Hotel TBA (B, L, D)

Day 8 - Pamukkale to Kusadasi

This morning we drive towards Sirince, a charming former Greek village located on top of a hill. We will eat lunch at a restaurant that specialises in home-style cooking, and then have a wine tasting of the fruit wines for which Sirince is famous. We will then head back down the hill and visit the House of Virgin Mary, where it is believed she spent her last days. Afterwards it is just a 15 minute drive to our hotel in Kusadasi, a port town on the Aegean Coast. We will stop to have a demonstration of local leather goods, for which this area is well known. Tonight you are free to explore Kusadasi’s many great restaurants and its charming old town area. Overnight Kusadasi – Ilayda Avant Garde Hotel or similar (B, L)

Day 9 - Kusadasi / Ephesus

After breakfast we will drive to a local garden cooking school located on a beautiful property just outside Kusadasi. Here we will learn about Turkish coastal cuisine and work together to make a traditional Aegean region meal which we will then enjoy together before we drive to Ephesus. As we explore the ruins of Ephesus, you will feel as if you have been transported back in time as we walk the streets of this ancient city which were once walked by some of history’s biggest characters including St Paul, St John, Alexander the Great and Antony to name just a few. Highlights of our visit will include the Odeon, the Roman Baths, the impressive Celsus Library, the great theatre and more. Free night to again to sample one of the town’s many great restaurants. Overnight Kusadasi – Ilayda Avant Garde Hotel or similar (B, L)

Day 10 - Kusadasi to Canakkale

After breakfast, we set off for Canakkale, stopping to visit the ruins of ancient Pergamon on the way. Pergamon sits on top of a mountain along the Turkish coastline and looks over the beautiful Aegean Sea. Although the majority of its monuments now sit in Berlin’s Pergamon Museum, enough remains of the Acropolis for visitors to understand how this city once dominated the entire region, and how it rivalled Alexandria, Ephesus and Antioch in culture and commerce. In addition, advancements in science and medicine in Pergamon contributed greatly to today’s field of modern medicine, largely due to the efforts of roman physician Galen. We continue on to Canakkale, stopping to visit Troy, Overnight Canakkale (B, L, D)

Day 11 - Gallipoli

A moving morning this morning as we visit the now peaceful battlefields of Gallipoli, and learn about the heroism of all those who fought here in World War I. This afternoon we commence our drive back to Istanbul, stopping to visit one of the area’s wineries along the way. Tonight you are free for dinner. Overnight Istanbul – Hotel TBA (B, L)

Day 12 - Istanbul

Free morning for last minute shopping. Meet at 1pm for lunch at a restaurant specialising in Cağ kebab – a type of kebab that rotates horizontally instead of vertically and is served with thin lavash style bread. This is a simple meal but bursting with flavour. We then walk over the Galata Bridge to Karakoy, where we will visit Güllüoğlu Baklava. Established in 1820, what these guys don’t know about baklava is not worth knowing. The family who runs this shop hail from Gaziantep, which everyone in Turkey commonly acknowledges is the home of the best baklava chefs in the country. Here we will enjoy a demonstration of how baklava is made, and then have a chance to sample some of the wares. Free time until we meet for our farewell dinner at 8pm. Farewell dinner with views of the Golden Horn and Marmara sea. Overnight Istanbul (B, L, D)

Day 13 - Istanbul

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your departure flight. (B)