Highlights of Turkey
Experience Overview
Travel along the age-old trading routes that linked East and West, where the Highlights of Turkey are revealed. Haggle in Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar, daydream through the fairy-tale landscapes of Cappadocia and walk in the footsteps of the ancient Greeks in Ephesus.
Highlights
Dining Summary
- 7 Dinner (D)
- 9 Breakfast (B)
- 1 Lunch (L)
Be My Guest
- Demircidere: Meet the most liberated women in Turkey in the village of Demircidere, where you’ll learn how to bake traditional bread and taste the local wine at our Be My Guest lunch.
Dive into Culture
- Learn about the art of pottery making in Avanos.
- Istanbul: Haggle for souvenirs at Istanbul's Grand Bazaar one of the largest covered markets in the world with 60 streets and over 5,000 shops.
MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®
- Istanbul: Visit the house of Turkey’s greatest classical composer, Dede Efendi. Recently brought back to its former architectural glory, this unique museum holds a rare collection of traditional instruments, which we experience first hand during a private concert by Music Conservancy students. This experience advances United Nations’ Global Sustainable Goal 4: Quality Education. Our visits provide opportunities for the students to perform. This experience also advances United Nations’ Global Sustainable Goal 11: Resilient Cities and Communities. Our visits contribute to Turkey’s cultural vibrancy in safeguarding traditional forms of music which was fast disappearing. Our visits also support the important work of TURKEV association, who researches and safeguards Turkish traditional architectures and houses. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 4 and 11: Quality Education and Sustainable Cities and Communities.
Must-see Highlights
- Explore Istanbul
- View the Wooden Horse at Troy and the Blue Mosque
- See the exquisite Blue Mosque
Trafalgar Difference
- Cappadocia: The Exedra Hotel's rooms, carved from rock, boast unique designs and handcrafted antiques. During construction, a chapel was uncovered, inspiring the name 'Exedra,' a gathering place in ancient Rome.
Trip Details
Product Code: 19142
Tour Type: Group Tour
Accommodation: Deluxe
Transport: Private
Guide Language: English
Travel Styles:
Family, 55+
Tour Operator:
Trafalgar (CA)
Supplier Code: 274.370A
Starts: Istanbul, Turkey
Finishes: Istanbul, Turkey
Duration: 10 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Easy
Includes
Whats Included
- An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
- Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
- All porterage and restaurant gratuities
- All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
- Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
- Must-see sightseeing
- Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
- Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
- Ferry across the Dardanelles from Eceabat to Canakkale
- Flight from Cappadocia to Istanbul
- Optional Experiences and free time
- On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilized
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $3,222 ($322 /day)
Itinerary
Meet at the crossroads of East and West – the effervescent capital of Istanbul launches your journey of discovery through centuries of turmoil and triumph. Spend the day exploring after being transferred to your hotel. Later, you’ll meet your Travel Director and travel companions for dinner.
Accommodation: Novotel Istanbul Zeytinburnu
Meals: Dinner
Delve into the treasures of the Ottoman Empire, strolling through the exquisite Topkapi Palace with its spellbinding views of the Bosphorus. Visit Hagia Sophia, the Byzantine Hippodrome, to see where thundering chariots once raced to victory before viewing the Blue Mosque – its six minarets and beautiful blue Iznik tiles are a sight to behold. Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience at the museum of Classical Turkish Music. The evening is yours to further explore the city.
Accommodation: Novotel Istanbul Zeytinburnu
Meals: Breakfast
Remember the heroism of the many thousands of men who fought bravely at Gallipoli. You'll see Lone Pine Cemetery and the battlefields that today still hold special significance for the Turkish, Australian and New Zealand nations. Spend a quiet moment commemorating the lives lost at Anzac Cove and Chunuk Bair, where some of the fiercest fighting took place during World War I. This evening, stay in Çanakkale where tonight you’ll dine at the hotel.
Accommodation: Kolin
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Visit a land of Trojan legends, an ancient city immortalized by Homer in the stories of King Priamus, Hector, Paris and the beautiful Helen. Admire the archaeological excavations at Troy revealing nine separate periods of settlement and the symbolic replica wooden Trojan horse commemorating the epic war machine constructed by the Greeks to end a lengthy siege. This afternoon, Connect With Locals over lunch in the village of Demircidere at a Be My Guest experience. Travel to the broad boulevards of seaside Izmir later and dine in your hotel this evening.
Accommodation: Kaya Izmir Thermal & Convention
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Journey into antiquity and explore the ruins of the ancient Greek city of Ephesus admiring the well-preserved façade of the Library of Celsus and its famous Temple of Artemis. Visit the House of the Virgin Mary, the Temple of Hadrian guarded by Medusa's head, and the Great Theater, built by the Romans in the 2nd-century and still in use today. You’ll learn about the intricate heritage and art of carpet weaving during a visit to a Turkish carpet emporium. Relax and enjoy the blissful thermal pools at your hotel in Pamukkale.
Accommodation: Colossae Thermal
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
This morning, enjoy a leisurely visit to the ancient ruins of the Holy City of Hierapolis, imagining ancient patrons seeking revival and rest within their limestone-laden thermal springs. Visit the Mevlana Museum and Mausoleum in Konya, a former dervish lodge of the Mevlevi order, which reveals the origins of Sufism. Your last stop today is Konya where tonight you'll dine at the hotel.
Accommodation: Dedeman
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Continue your journey to Cappadocia, you'll see a 13th-century caravanserai and underground city of Saratli on the ancient Silk Road. Then Dive into Culture to learn about the art of pottery making in Avanos. Later, consider joining an Optional Experience to watch the Whirling Dervishes then enjoy a Regional Meal at a local restaurant. Tonight we stay in one of Trafalgar's Stays With Stories hewn out of the surrounding rock and houses.
Accommodation: Exedra
Meals: Breakfast
The whimsical landscapes of Cappadocia take center stage today as you embark on a full-day excursion that will see you visit the Göreme Open-Air Museum, the Paşabağı and Kizil Vadi valleys. Join your fellow travelers for an included dinner this evening.
Accommodation: Exedra
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Take a short flight this morning to Istanbul, Dive into Culture as you shop for souvenirs at Istanbul's Grand Bazaar, one of the largest covered markets in the world with 60 streets and over 5,000 shops. Tonight, join your Travel Director and fellow companions for dinner.
Accommodation: Novotel Istanbul Zeytinburnu
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Say a fond farewell to Turkey and newfound friends as you prepare to depart to the airport for your flight home.
Meals: Breakfast
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Tour Operator
Trafalgar (CA)
Family owned and run since 1920, The Travel Corporation (TTC) is the world leader in immersive travel experiences across an extensive range of travel categories. Each year TTC's 40 award winning hospitality and travel brands connect over 1 million happy travellers to the world. We give you access to the 12 DMC’s behind these brands, so you can build your business by capitalizing on the extensive experience, local expertise, and financial assurance of TTC. LOCAL EXPERTISE The world leaders in travel for over 100 years, we offer unparalleled local expertise with a global footprint. Our 12 DMCs, led by experienced in-destination teams, deliver experience rich travel solutions in more than 80 countries. Additionally, our market based teams are on hand to support across our 40 offices worldwide
In Business Since 1931
Reviews
Trusted Customer - Traveled, May 2025
Turkey Highlights review. The guide from Trafalgar was exceptional. The organization behind the trip with transportation and baggage being coleected and delivered was also outstanding. Overall the trip was very good and our guide was outstanding. The sites that we visited were fantastic. However I am marking it down a little as the food choices for myself and my wife, we are Vegan, were disappointing at a number of the hotels and lunch/dinner venues that were used. we also had a problem with the room at one of the hotels (the cave hotel in Cappadocia) though the room was changed on request.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/20/2025
Andreas Grove - Traveled, May 2025
Tour with Trafalgar and be sure of 100 % satisfaction. From the moment I made a booking up to the end of the tour, I received excellent service. Will tour again with Trafalgar. Our Tour Director and bus driver were outstanding!! The fact that *Personal information removed by Feefo* is an archaeologist, was a bargain. He could inform us about happenings witch (I am sure) only a few leaders can be equal to him. Well done!!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/18/2025
Caroline Yu - Traveled, May 2025
The itinerary is good but hotels were not of usual Trafalgar quality. Several buffet dinners were included and many were unappetizing so were several of the breakfast.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/19/2025
Trusted Customer - Traveled, May 2025
Service is good! Very hectic itinerary. specially the last 3 days of the trip. we had to get up early for the hot air balloon ride, plane ride back to Istanbul, and the flight back home. The first day at Istanbul visiting the blue mosque, palace and Hagia Sophia was just as bad. No time for a break. I had no problem but I can feel it for some fellow travelers. the tour director is very good but he was just trying to make sure that the schedule is followed as stated. I had stomach issues for half of the trip, and I had to push myself to try to keep up with the tour, no one offer to see if I need to see a doctor. Request to use the toilet in the bus was not my preference but it was denied until I requested for a second time. It won't be a good sight if I cannot use the toilet. I am not the only one in the trip had stomach issues, you might want to revisit the restaurants that we went. This is the first time I didn't enjoy my vacation, the schedule is too hectic, the tour director just couldn't have a chance to manage any extra incidents as it will delay the whole trip.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/19/2025
Trusted Customer - Traveled, May 2025
Travelling with Trafalgar. I am travelling with Trafalgar for almost 20 years, there have been excellent tours and some others not so much, but all depends on the country/s visiting. I will continue travelling with Trafalgar because it provides the safety and flexibility I require to fulfill my expectations. It was a good way to know Turkey, a little too demanding specially for older participants. I found it too rush covering Istanbul, we waited over one hour in line to enter Hagia Sophia, I was surprised when our group didn't have priority entrance as other tour groups had. Some of the hotels were very good, and others like the Novotel Istanbul didn't meet the expectations and the Exedra in Cappadocia, which was a little hard to navigate because of its natural structure.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/18/2025
Suzana Curcuruto - Traveled, May 2025
It was a great trip and the itinerary was perfect taking us to the main areas of Turkey. Be prepared for lots of waking and full on days but well worth it. Perhaps we could have had more time at the Grand Bazaar.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/18/2025
Trusted Customer - Traveled, May 2025
Turkey tour experience. Our tour guide Al was very well informed and took very good care of our group.Arif our driver was very good and courteous too.Happy with accommodation. Thank you Trafalgar for a great experience!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/18/2025
Trusted Customer - Traveled, April 2025
Osman was an amazing guide. Extremely knowledgeable and very approachable. We really enjoyed his company and his leadership. He was great at helping me deal with food intolerances. An interesting and varied itinerary.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/26/2025
Trusted Customer - Traveled, April 2024
WOW, such history. Service by tour director and Driver was superb. *Personal information removed by Feefo* was very knowledgeable and passionate so made the trip worthwhile. Such diverse cultures and history throughout Turkey. I did nor enjoy the optional experience of performance of Whirling Dervishes. Would not put it as an excursion. Too long singing and spinning same thing. To enjoy one needs a bit of variety.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/24/2024
Anushia N Siva Subramaniam - Traveled, April 2025
Tour Director was excellent and journey very enjoyable.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/25/2025
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