Compare Turkey Blue Cruises - 18 Days by Tour Altinkum Travel vs Majestic Turkey by Culture Trip

Day 1: Arrival to Istanbul

Upon arrival at Istanbul / SAW Airport, you will be greeted and drive to your hotel. Check-in. Overnight in Istanbul.

Day 2: City Highlights Tour

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

According to your tour pick-up time meet with your guide and start your full-day tour. Explore Hagia Sophia; was the largest building on earth barring the Egyptian Pyramids or the Great Wall of China. It was the religious center of the city during the Byzantine period. Next; Topkapı Palace; As well as being the imperial residence of the Sultan, the palace was also the seat of government for the Ottoman Empire. It housed the ottoman sultans for nearly 400 years. Continue to with Hippodrome; Built by the Roman Emperor Septimus Severus in 203AD, during the Roman period hippodrome was the civil center for the people of the city where once 100,000 spectators could be held. Next, Blue Mosque; Built by the Ottoman Sultan Ahmet I in the year 1616, Blue mosque today is one of the most famous landmarks of the old city with its famous six minarets and magnificent dome.  Next, Grand Bazaar; With 18 entrances and more than 4000 shops it is one of the greatest bazaars in the World.  At the end of the tour drive you back to your hotel. Overnight in Istanbul

Day 3: Bosphorus Cruise/Flight to Izmir

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Upon breakfast at the hotel check out, leave your luggage at the lobby. According your pick up time meet with your guide and start your half-day tour. Visit Spice Bazaar; It was called Egyptian Bazaar during the ottoman period because shopkeepers used to sell herbs and spices brought throughout Egypt and Asia. Next, Cruising on Bosphorus; where you will enjoy a magnificent view. A great history and beautiful nature. The shore is lined with old wooden villas, palaces of marble, fortresses, and small fishing villages. During the excursion, you will pass the magnificent Dolmabahce Palace, Rustem Pasa Mosque, Rumeli Fortress and further along with the parks and imperial pavillions of Yildiz Palace. After tour drive you back to your hotel. Take your luggage and drive to Airport for your 1hour 30min domestic flight to Izmir. Upon arrival you wıll be greeted by your driver and driven to your hotel. Check in. Overnight in Kusadasi.

Day 4: Ephesus Tour

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

According to your tour pick-up time meet with your guide and start your full-day tour. Visit The House of Virgin Mary; a church was built from the 6C AD to the top of the foundations of a house from 1C AD and it is declared by the church to be the final house where Mary spent her last days. Your tour continues with the Ancient Ephesus; The best-preserved classical city in Eastern Mediterranean. During the 1C AD, Ephesus was the second-largest city on the planet after Rome with more than 250.000 citizens. Ephesus is also well preserved that, walking on the ancient streets among the beautiful monuments such as the third largest library of the ancient world or the largest roman theatre on the Asia continent, gives you the feeling of a time traveller.

Next; Temple of Artemis or Artemision was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Its ancient cult dedicated to Artemis was very famous in antiquity and made Ephesus a much-visited pilgrimage place. After tour drive you back to your hotel. Overnight in Kusadasi.

Day 5: Pamukkale Tour

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Upon breakfast at the hotel check out, According to your tour pick-up time meet with your guide and start your full-day tour. Visit Pamukkale; Pools of Heaven on Earth… Pamukkale has always been a very popular settlement where hot springs were believed to have healing powers so it is considered to be the earliest spa on earth where in history people travelled long distances in order to find a cure. The unique terraces were formed by running warm spring water at a temperature of 35 C, containing calcium bicarbonate. Today Pamukkale is declared as a worlds heritage site by UNESCO. Visit; ancient city of Hierapolis which has the biggest Necropolis with 1200 gravestones in Anatolia. Also, The Sacred Pool is one of the highlights of the site. Theır shallow thermal waters ripple over a wonderful scattering of ancient roman ruins that lie beneath. At the end of the tour drive you to your hotel. Check in. Overnight in Pamukkale.

Day 6: Bodrum to Black Islands/Cruising

Meals: Dinner

According your pick up time from the hotel, drive to Bodrum harbor at 16:00 for check-in and information, if you require directions our staff can aid you. This afternoon you will board your gulet at 4 pm for check-in information about your upcoming week onboard cruising from Bodrum into Fethiye. You will leave harbor shortly after binding for Black Island. This will be your first chance for a dip into the beautiful ocean and as you will spend the night here you can even sit back and enjoy your first cruise life sunset with a cold drink in hand.

Day 7: Black Island to Palamutbuku/Cruising

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

This morning you cruise onto Knidos. This is an Ancient City that still is under current excavation. You will find that you can still clearly see the old harbors of this once ancient settlement. You will have time to go exploring before cruising onto Palamutbuku.  After all your hard walking and exploring of Knidos, it’s time to enjoy the pristine clear waters of Palamutbuku and spend the afternoon swimming and snorkeling.

Day 8: Palamutbuku Bay to Datca/Cruising

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Today it’s time to cruise onto Datca. Inland from where you will anchor down is the ancient city of Datca. What you will find today is the old temples and other buildings of this ancient settlement. You will have time to go explore on land and also wander through modern-day Datca, have tea with the locals or have a cold drink along the harbor before jumping back on board and cruising off to a quiet bay for the evening.

Day 9: Serce or Bozukkale/Cruising

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Today is your day for complete R&R. Grab a book, grab a sunbed, sunnies, hat, and sunscreen as you get to simply kick back and enjoy the beautiful waterways of the coastline of Turkey. Today you will cruise through for Datca onto Service or Bozukkale. You will have time to swim in beautiful bays, turquoise waters and recharge for some fun nights ahead.

Day 10: Marmaris/Cruising

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

This morning, feeling fully re-energized after your day of R&R its time to hit up one of the biggest harbors in Turkey – Marmaris. You will cruise ınto Marmaris to anchor down into the harbor and then it’s time to explore. You can wander around the old town which is still littered with old homes and cobbled streets, hit up some of the seaside markets to shop for that bargain or find yourself a quaint little harbour side café to sit in and watch the world go by. Enjoy the day before jumping back on board for dinner. Marmaris has some pretty impressive nightlife, so after dinner and a few drinks on board, the night is yours to go and explore.

Day 11: Marmaris to Ekincik/Cruising

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

This morning you will cruise out of the harbor and it's back onto the waterways of Turkey. You will cruise onto an area called Ekincik. If you would prefer to stay on board you can enjoy chilling out on the deck or you may be tempted by the local water sports on offer.

Day 12: Ekincik to Fethiye/Cruising

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Today you will cruise on the 12 Islands area close to Fethiye. The first stop is the beautiful Cleopatra Baths. Here you can still swim through the ruins of this once ancient Hamam. You will then make one last swimming stop at Flat Island before cruising into Fethiye Harbour in the afternoon. Fethiye is a smaller scale version of Marmaris with plenty more charm. You will have the afternoon to explore the old town scattered with your souvenir shops, wander up to the old Lycian tombs for sunset or you may like to venture further and catch the bus onto the ghost town of Kayakoy. You will be served dinner back on board and then you may like to wander back to the lively bar street and find your bar of choice to spend the evening in and ponder back on the week before.

Day 13: Fethiye

Meals: Breakfast

This morning breakfast will be served nice and early and then it’s time to bid farewell to your cruise buddies and crew. Check out will be around 9 am after breakfast. Meet with your guide at the port and drive to Antalya. Check inn. Overnight in Antalya.

Day 14: Antalya city tour

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

According to your tour pick-up time meet with your guide and start your full-day tour. Drive to the Duden waterfalls; most beautiful and the most visited in the Antalya region. Enjoy a green environment, fresh air and pine scent, cool atmosphere and spectacular waterfalls.

After lunch at a local restaurant with a beautiful panoramic view, you will have 1-1.5 hours of free time to explore the old town (Kaleici). You will see top attractions of the city: Hadrianus Gate, Clock Tower, Kesik Minare (Truncated Minaret) and city walls dated back to the 2d century. Old Town with its narrow stone streets is also a great place to explore numerous boutiques, art galleries, and interesting museums.

The tour will continue wıth the cable car ride 'from sea to sky'. Enjoy amazing views from the top of Tunektepe which stands 1365 mt above sea level. You will see the beautiful coastline of the Antalya region, gorgeous mountains, pine forests, and turquoise Mediterranean sea. Great pictures taken during the trip will remind you of this unforgettable experience. Overnight in Antalya.

Day 15: Flight to Cappadocia

Meals: Breakfast

Upon breakfast at the hotel check out, according to your flight departure time drive to Antalya Airport for your domestic flight to Cappadocia. Upon arrival you will be greeted by your driver and driven to your hotel. Check in. Overnight in Cappadocia.

Day 16: Fairy Chimneys Tour

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

According to your tour pick-up time meet with your guide and start your full-day tour. Explore Goreme Museum; consists of many rock-cut churches from the second half of 9C with beautiful colourful frescoes decorating the walls. Next; Pasabagi which means: the Pacha's vineyard. This site is also called Monks Valley. The hermitage of Simeon monks was here. A chapel dedicated to St. Simeon (Simon), and a hermit's shelter is built into one of the fairy chimneys with three heads. Proceed to Zelve; was the name of a village with homes carved from natural tufa and was inhabited until 1950s.Early churches and houses can be seen in three different canyons intersecting each other.

Next continues to with Pigeon Valley earned its name from the countless man made dovecotes (Pigeon Houses) that have been carved into the soft volcanic tuff. Next; Devrent Valley; famous for its quirky animal shaped rocks. It looks like a sculpture zoo made by nature. Take in the unique lunar landscape of the valley and feel like you're in another World. At the end of the tour drive you back to your hotel. Overnight in Cappadocia

Day 17: Underground Cities Tour/Flight to Istanbul

Meals: Breakfast

Upon breakfast at the hotel check out, According to your tour pick-up time meet with your guide and start your full-day tour. Explore Underground Cities; once a place of refuge for 15000 Christians. These settlements were of enormous value to the development of Christianity as they provided shelter and worship and were in use until the end of 7C AD. Witness the ancient bedrooms, church, meeting hall, and food storage rooms in this eight-story city connected by 30km of corridors and passageways. Next; Panorama Esentepe; is a variety of great panoramic viewpoints in Cappadocia for the ones who want to enjoy the stunning views of Cappadocia and also for photographers. Tour continues with Ortahisar; famous for its friendly inhabitants, picturesque stone houses, narrow streets, and lovely churches as well as the castle-like rock formation after which the town is named. Next; Uchisar the Naturel highest Rock Castle provides a magnificent panorama of the surrounding area. At the end of the tour drives to Kayseri Airport for your 1hour 30min domestic flight to Istanbul. Upon arrival you wıll be greeted by your driver and driven to your hotel. Check in. Overnight in Istanbul.

Day 18: Departure Day

Meals: Breakfast

Upon breakfast at the hotel check out and according to your flight time drive you to Istanbul Airport. End of our service.

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.