Compare From Istanbul to Antalya: the Ultimate Turkey Itinerary by Culture Trip vs Turkey: See & Experience Almost it ALL in 10 Days, 1st Class Custom Tours by Charlie The Traveler
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| Trip |
5 | Excellent
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 12 days | 10 days |
| Price From | $ 2,189 | $ 1,875 |
| Price Per Day | $ 182 | $ 188 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Group tour | Private guided tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Luxury |
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| Countries Visited | ||
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Ground transport included |
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| Meals Included |
11 Breakfasts, 1 Lunch & 2 Dinners |
Dinner is included on Night 1. Lunch is included on Days 2, 3, 5, 6 and 9. We are very picky about food and refuse to accept anything short of quality. We do our best to ensure you are being offered healthy and tasty local cuisine. The very diverse cuisine alone is enough reason to visit Turkey and join our group tour. Turkey learned all the best recipes from the vast territories it occupied for hundreds of years and created its own incredibly diverse national cuisine. Personal favorites include: menemen (an egg dish), kofta (meatballs), kuzu tandir (a lamb dish), lahmacun (baked dough topped with minced meat and veggies), borek (a type of pastry), su boregi (another pastry), baklava (another pastry), pide (Turkish pizza), Gullac (a dessert), lokum (candy), kayisi tatlisi (apricot stuffed with cream and nuts), baklali enginar (artichokes), imam bayildı (stuffed eggplant), kunefe (dessert) and Turkish coffee. |
| Description |
Ever dreamt of gliding over Cappadocia in a hot-air balloon? Or getting lost in the Grand Bazaar? On this 12-day journey through Turkey, you’ll do precisely that, and then some. Your adventure begins where two continents collide in a glorious explosion of colour: Istanbul. After discovering the beauty of this cosmopolitan city, you’ll venture out to the traditional capital Ankara and the curious troglodyte dwellings of Cappadocia, plus the wild Taurus Mountains and coastal serenity of Antalya. There’s also time for a food tour of Kadıköy, and the chance to marvel at centuries-old ruins in Hattusas. |
You absolutely will not find another tour out there as packed with activities and attractions as this one, provided by CharlieTheTraveler. You will also not find another tour out there that offers it all "FIRST CLASS," yet for a relatively low price. We have thousands of travelers taking this specific tour every year-and that's because no competitor can beat us on quality, price and substance. |
Day 1: Arrive in Istanbul
Accommodation: Radisson Blu Hotel Istanbul Pera
Activities Included: Welcome dinner
Upon arrival in Istanbul, you’ll be whisked off to a five-star hotel in the harbourside district of Karaköy. Here, our Local Insider will greet you at 6pm and accompany the group throughout the trip. Drop your bags and get your first taste of Istanbul at the in-house hammam, or take a short walk to see the Galata Tower. Regroup in the evening for a welcome dinner at Hamdi in the Old City; tuck into Urfa-style kebaps and lahmacun (thin, meat-topped pizza) while getting to know your fellow travellers. Today serves as a gentle preamble to the packed itinerary over the next two days.
Day 2: Admire the extraordinary architectural treasures of Istanbul
Accommodation: Radisson Blu Hotel Istanbul Pera
Activities Included: Guided Old City tour, Guided Grand Bazaar tour
Starting at the elegant Blue Mosque, our tour will lead you through the vibrant streets of Istanbul. This unique city is a melting pot of Byzantine, Greek, Roman, Ottoman and Turkish civilisations, where tradition and modernity live harmoniously side-by-side. Enjoy the vast beauty of the Hagia Sophia and the exquisite details within the Topkapi Palace complex, once the imperial residence of 25 Ottoman sultans. Take your time to sip a glass of çay (Turkish tea) while you haggle for souvenirs in the Grand Bazaar, one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with more than 4,000 shops.
Day 3: Discover the sights, sounds and smells of Istanbul’s two continents
Accommodation: Radisson Blu Hotel Istanbul Pera
Activities Included: Guided Spice Market tour, Bosphorus ferry cruise, Istanbul food tour
Today, allow yourself to be drawn into the aromatic pleasure of the Spice Market. Next, a hop aboard a ferry across the Bosphorus, the historic waterway between the shores of Europe and Asia, where you’ll glimpse the architectural highlights of Istanbul, such as the Rumeli Fortress. Disembark in the fairytale-like neighbourhood of Kuzguncuk, where you’ll take part in a food-tasting tour through Kadıköy, sampling Turkish specialities such as lahmacun, kaymak and baklava. After taking a ferry back to the European side, you’ll walk through the ancient Beyoglu tunnel and end your day with a stroll down the popular, shop-lined Istiklal Street.
Day 4: Visit the traditional capital city, Ankara
Accommodation: The Wings Hotels Neva Palas
Activities Included: Guided Anıtkabir visit, Museum of Anatolian Civilizations visit
On arrival in Ankara, you’ll instantly sense the calmer, less touristy way of life – in contrast to the chaotic clamour of Istanbul. By now, you’ll probably be familiar with the figure of Kemal Atatürk, founder and first leader of the Turkish Republic, as his image is found across the country. In Ankara, you’ll visit Anıtkabir, his monumental tomb, then onto the Ankara Citadel and the fascinating Museum of Anatolian Civilizations to pour over the most extensive collection of Hittite artefacts in the world, some more than 7,500 years old. Bed down in a luxurious city-centre hotel.
Day 5: Experience the remarkable sites of Hattusas, Yazilikaya and Cappadocia
Accommodation: Utopia Cave Cappadocia
Activities Included: Hattusas visit, Yazilikaya visit
The capital of the ancient Hittite Empire was the mighty Kingdom of Hattusas. Discover this extraordinary relic from the late Bronze Age as you meander through huge stone walls set with reliefs and statues from more than 5,000 years ago. A short walk uphill from the Unesco World Heritage site will bring you to Yazilikaya, a sacred memorial place for Hittites. This impressive site is a natural open-air temple hewn in the rocks, and hidden in the high cliffs. Tonight, you’ll stay in cave-like rooms built from local stone.
Day 6: Marvel at the unique chimney stack rock formations of Cappadocia
Accommodation: Utopia Cave Cappadocia
Activities Included: Guided Goreme Open-Air Museum tour, Zelve Valley visit, Pottery workshop, Wine tasting
Optional Activities: Hot-air balloon ride over Cappadocia, Rug weaving demonstration
Although optional, we highly recommend you take the early morning hot-air balloon ride. Floating silently over the surreal rock formations of Cappadocia is undoubtedly the best way to experience this natural phenomena. Enjoy breakfast back at the hotel before heading to Goreme National Park, which has more than 30 rock-carved chapels and the unique cliff dwellings of Zelve. Come afternoon, you’ll join a terracotta workshop in Avanos, creating traditional colourful pottery using time-honoured techniques. Finish your day with a wine tasting at the finest winery in Cappadocia and an optional visit to see local craftspeople weave rugs.
Day 7: Explore an underground city and hike the Rose and Red valleys
Accommodation: Utopia Cave Cappadocia
Activities Included: Guided Kaymakli Underground City tour, Rose and Red valleys hike
Optional Activities: Turkish evening entertainment
Tug on your hiking boots today. You’ll be exploring the Kaymakli Underground City, cut seven storeys down into volcanic rock. These labyrinthine tunnels were dug by locals to hide from marauding armies centuries ago, and could house thousands of people and livestock. Leaving the subterranean city behind, you’ll embark on an 8km (5mi) hike through the Rose and Red valleys; the pink colour of the other-worldly rocks changes as the sun moves across the sky. Spend the rest of your afternoon exploring Cappadocia at leisure. Evening brings optional traditional entertainment of live music and, of course, belly dancing.
Day 8: Visit the compelling city of Konya
Accommodation: Hilton Garden Inn Konya
Activities Included: Mausoleum of Rumi visit, Mosque of Aladdin visit
Bid farewell to the Cappadocia caves as we drive on to the sacred city of Konya. Walk in the footsteps of the most famous Persian poet and great Sufi mystic, Mevlana Celaleddin-i Rumi, as we explore the streets of his hometown. Immerse yourself in Rumi’s teachings, learn about his life, and perhaps catch a glimpse of the mesmerising Whirling Dervishes as they spin, hands held aloft, in a form of meditation. Next, you’ll visit the Mosque of Aladdin, one of the oldest mosques in Turkey, where you can take time to investigate interesting architectural features and beautiful historical tiles.
Day 9: Stroll through the archaeological sites of Aspendos and Perge
Accommodation: Puding Marina Hotel
Activities Included: Aspendos amphitheatre tour, Perge visit
Widely renowned as one of the best preserved Roman theatres of the ancient world, the Aspendos amphitheatre was built during the reign of emperor Marcus Aurelius (161-180CE) and was used as a caravanserai by the Seljuks in the 13th century. This ancient masterpiece is used for performances to this day. You’ll hear the story of how the statues of Perge were unearthed as we explore this ancient town, before the final leg of your day trip: a journey through the wild landscapes of the Taurus Mountains to Antalya.
Day 10: Explore the gateway to the Turkish Riviera, Antalya
Accommodation: Puding Marina Hotel
Activities Included: Old Harbour walking tour
Optional Activities: Termessos hike and tour
Today you have two options. You could hike to the ancient mountaintop site of Termessos, 1,000m (3,281ft) above sea level. The national park includes an impressive amphitheatre, Roman baths, aqueducts and even a gymnasium, bounded by a dense pine forest and home to rare wild plants. Alternatively, kick back by the hotel pool. Regroup in the afternoon for a walking tour of the Old Harbour. This includes the colourful marina, cobblestone streets and the fascinating Antalya Archaeological Museum, considered to be one of the best in Turkey. The rest of the day is yours to spend as you wish.
Day 11: Relax on the beloved beaches of Antalya
Accommodation: Puding Marina Hotel
Activities Included: Farewell dinner
Optional Activities: River rafting
As our tour comes to a close, it’s time to relax and take stock of everything you’ve discovered on your trip through the diverse Turkish landscape. Take a dip in the sea and find your spot to unwind on the miles of soft sand in Turkey’s favourite seaside destination. Alternatively, join an optional adventure to Koprulu Canyon National Park – a vast playground for hiking, rock climbing, swimming and river rafting. Climb aboard and paddle downstream to work up an appetite for your farewell dinner, in a beautiful location under the night sky.
Day 12: Depart from Antalya
After one final night at your hotel, your trip concludes. Say goodbye to your new-found friends at midday before either making your way back to Istanbul to catch your onward flight or continuing your exploration of this fascinating country.
Day 1: Wine Tasting After Arriving at the Country's Second Most Popular Destination
Our tour starts in Goreme, best reached via the airport in Kayseri or Nevşehir. This village is used as a base from which to explore Cappadocia’s cave dwellings. In the evening, we are taken to a wine house. There we do wine tasting for about 45 minutes.
Note that you are most likely to go through Istanbul before reaching Goreme. If you are not famililar with this city, then we strongly recommend you spend some time there before beginning our 10-day tour. Istanbul is arguably one of the world's greatest cities. If you are interested in a guided tour, please ask us for details.
Day 2: Hot-Air Balloon Ride, Cave Dwellings & Experiencing a Turkish Bath
We go on an excursion today. The day starts with an early-morning, hot-air balloon ride over the cave dwellings of Cappadocia. The tour takes about an hour. Following this is a tour of the area: the surreal-looking rock formations of Pasabagi (a.k.a. Monks’ Valley), Devrent (a.k.a. Camel Rock), a pottery workshop in the small town of Avanos, the Goreme Open Air Museum, Love Valley and Uchisar Castle. Lunch is included on today’s tour. The day ends with a traditional Turkish bathhouse (a.k.a. hammam). There we are bathed and massaged and sip on tea.
Day 3: A Folkloric Night Show, a Rock-Cut Monastery & an Underground City
We go on another excursion today. The destinations for today are a viewpoint called Esentepe, the underground city of Derinkuyu, Selime Monastery, a viewpoint overlooking Ihlara Valley, a hike inside Ihlara Valley, Pigeon Valley and a gemstone (a.k.a. onyx) workshop. Lunch is included on today’s tour. In the evening, we go to a night show. There we listen to traditional music while watching locals wearing folkloric attire do a great deal of choreography.
Day 4: Having a Traditional Dinner Inside a Native’s Home & the Castle & Beaches of Kusadası
We relocate from Goreme to Kuşadası via a flight through Izmir. We are provided with a guided tour in Kuşadası, covering sites like the city walls and castle. We also have time to go swimming. In the evening, we are taken to a native Turk’s home. There we watch how traditional food is prepared as well as have dinner. The combination of tasty cuisine, rich culture and good company creates an unforgettable experience.
Day 5: An Ancient City, Bathing in Hot Springs & Travertine Limestone
Still based in Kusadası, it’s almost time to visit the world-renowned archaeological site that is Ephesus. First, however, we head to a Catholic shrine named the House of Virgin Mary. It is believed that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was taken to this stone house by Saint John and lived there for the remainder of her earthly life. Moving onto Ephesus, it is one of the largest Roman archaeological sites in the eastern Mediterranean. The visible ruins still give some idea of the city’s original splendor and the names associated with the ruins are evocative of its former life. Following our tour there is lunch, which is included on today's tour.
Next is a Greek temple dedicated to an ancient and local form of the goddess Artemis. This temple was completely rebuilt twice, once after a devastating flood and three hundred years later after an act of arson. In Artemis Temple’s final form, it was considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Next is a visit to the ruined Basilica of Saint John. It stands over the believed burial site of John the Apostle. Lastly is Isa Bey Mosque. It is one of the oldest and most impressive works of architectural art in the region.
Day 6: Bathing in Natural Pools & the Travertine Limestone Formations of Pamukkale
We make another daytrip today. We are taken to the village of Pamukkale. There we first have a guided tour of the ancient Greek city of Hierapolis. Next is lunch, which is included on today’s tour. Next is a visit to nearby Pamukkale, a natural site which shares the same name as the village. Pamukkale consists of hot springs and travertine limestone. It is one of the country’s most photographed locations. Lastly is swimming in nearby natural pools called Cleopatra Pools. People have bathed in these pools for thousands of years.
Day 7: The Maze-Like Streets of Turkey's Best Known Beach Town
After relocating from Kusadasi to Bodrum, we have a guided tour around the harbor and through the maze-like streets. The traditional houses are characterized by their prismatic shapes, simplistic designs and locally sourced building materials like stone, wood, clay and cane. The highlights for today are the castle and going swimming.
Day 8: Postcard-Perfect Oludeniz Lagoon, a River Cruise, a Therapeutic Mud Bath & Tombs Carved into the Mountainside
Although we are relocating from Bodrum to the resort town of Fethiye, an important stop is made en route, specifically to the village of Dalyan. There we take a river cruise, passing by the mountain-carved Lycian tombs and heading to a therapeutic mud pool. After bathing in the mud clay, we visit the Tomb of Amyntas, near Fethiye. Like the Lycian tombs in Dalyan, Amyntas is carved into the mountainside. After checking it out, we are taken to a viewpoint overlooking the postcard-perfect Oludeniz Lagoon. We are then taken to the lagoon itself. Oludeniz has a sandy bay, on a blue lagoon. The seawater is famous for its shades of turquoise and aquamarine. We go swimming and then head back to Fethiye, where we are based for the remainder of our tour in Turkey.
Day 9: An All-Day Boat Cruise Around the Turkish Riviera
We go on a daytrip today. We are taken back to Oludeniz Lagoon. There we take an all-day boat tour. The destinations are the Blue Cave, a butterfly valley, Saint Nicholas Island, a cold-water spring, Camel Beach (home to a rock which resembles a camel) and an aquarium. Lunch is included on today’s tour, around 1:00pm.
Not included in the tour but highly popular nonetheless is paragliding over Oludeniz Lagoon. It is done from Mount Babadag, which is a 1-hour drive away from the lagoon. If you are interested in paragliding, please let us know. It would be done in the morning before taking the boat tour. You would be picked up from your hotel a bit earlier today, at 8:00am instead.
Day 10: Our Tour Ends This Morning
Transportation will be arranged for you to reach the airport in Dalaman.
