WONDERS OF TURKEY (CLASSIC GROUP)

• Arrive in Istanbul
• Meet with our representative and transfer to hotel.
• Relax and settle in before joining your Travel Director and fellow travellers for dinner.

Welcome Meet your Travel Director at 18:30

• Marvel at coastal views along the shores of the Sea of Marmara
• Visit historic Gallipoli, site of significant battles during the Great War
• Explore Anzac Cove and Lone Pine Cemetery
• Travel from Eceabat to Çanakkale
• Arrive in the historic city of Troy
• Learn about the Trojan War and the story of Paris and Helen of Troy
• See a replica of the Trojan horse next to the city’s walls.

• Participate in a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience at Copmadam, a women’s co-op focusing on recycled materials and women’s employment
• Visit Pergamon, an ancient Greek city
• Explore the Asklepion temple, a famous shrine and healing center dedicated to Asklepios, the god of medicine
• Continue journey to the coastal resort of Izmir

• Visit the nearby town of Selçuk
• You’ll begin with an educational visit to the Archaeological Museum.
• Once here, delve into the area’s history as you explore the museum’s exhibits, many of which have been retrieved from the nearby Ephesus excavation site.
• Later, explore the famous site itself.
• Walk through the colonnaded Arcadian Way, see the Library of Celsus and the huge Amphitheatre, before visiting the House of the Virgin Mary, situated above the Ephesus ruins.

• This morning, following the winding Maender River Valley, with its twists and turns, head to a local organic farm.
• Once here, you’ll meet the agricultural director who will take you on a walking tour of the eco-friendly lands.
• You’ll have the satisfying task of picking fruits and vegetables from his fields.
• Delight in a mouth-watering Farm-to-Table lunch, prepared with fresh produce from the farm.
• Continue to Pamukkale.
• Explore the area with your Travel Director.
• See the ruins of the ancient Roman spa city of Hierapolis, founded in 190 B.C.
• Later, head back to your hotel, the esteemed Doğa Thermal Health & Spa.
• Take full advantage of its indoor and outdoor thermal pools, steam room and its Turkish bath complex.

• Move on to Göreme, a striking town in the Cappadocia region of Turkey.
• Explore its rock-hewn churches decorated with ancient wall paintings before moving on to the Pasabag Valley.
• Located on the road to Zelve, you’ll find otherworldly earth pillars here, ‘fairy chimneys’ and troglodyte dwellings.
• Later, join a Cappadocian local who has lived in the city for decades and take a tour of their cave house.
• You’ll learn more about their unique way of living, local traditions and family life.
• Complementing the day’s events, this evening you’ll witness a performance of the Whirling Dervishes before dining at a local restaurant.

• One for art lovers, this morning, you’ll learn about the art of pottery making in Avanos.
• Continue your journey to Ankara, where you’ll visit the Hittite Museum and the Mausoleum of Atatürk, Turkey’s greatest modern leader and the first President of the Republic of Turkey.
• Perhaps relax in the spa and wellness centre at your hotel this evening.

• It’s time to head to Istanbul. A glorious fusion of east and west, this popular city offers something for everyone, with history, culture, modernity, delicious cuisine and of course, the friendliest of faces.
• Board a cruise along the Bosphorus.
• As you make your way from Eminönü to the Black Sea, witness the area’s beautiful Ottoman palaces and fortresses lining the waterfront.
• Your evening is at leisure, why not ask your Travel Director for suggestions on places to dine.

• Today you’ll take in the sites of Istanbul.
• In the morning, visit the historic Blue Mosque and the Hippodrome, where Roman chariot races were held, before exploring Hagia Sophia.
• Visit the Topkapi Palace, perched above the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn, the primary inlet of the waterway.
• Enjoy the excitement of bargaining in the bustling Grand Bazaar.
• In the evening, join your fellow travellers for dinner at a local restaurant.

• Transfer to the airport for onward flights
• For those extending their stay in Istanbul, consult the Travel Director for recommendations on activities and attractions