= Journeys Featuring AKP Projects
Turkey | Treasures of Turkey
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Click to download PDF itinerary:
10 days / 9 nights
| Location | Nights |
| Istanbul | 4 |
| Cannakale | 1 |
| Izmir | 2 |
| Cappadocia | 2 |
Day 1 Arrive Istanbul
Arrive into cosmopolitan Istanbul, the city straddling two continents. Settle into your hotel perfectly located in Sultanahmet.
Four Seasons Sultanahmet (Deluxe Room)
Day 2 Istanbul
There’s a myriad of choice in this elegant city. Start by orientating yourself with a bird’s eye view of the city from the 14th century Galata Tower pinpointing the spot’s you’ll see at ground level. Tour the city’s major monuments, markets and mosques, visiting Aya Sofia, the Topkapi Palace, home of the Ottoman sultans from the 15th to 19th centuries, the Basilica cistern and the neo-Baroque Dolmabahce Palace. Take an option to spend a leisurely couple of hours on the mighty Bosphorus, a 30km stretch of water flowing through the city that joins the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara to the south. From the deck of your private vessel see the passing woodland areas, fishing villages and the many summer palaces from Ottoman times (B,L).
Four Seasons Sultanahmet (Deluxe Room)
Day 3 Istanbul-Canakkale
Drive south along the Sea of Marmara to the Gallipoli Peninsula where you visit Anzac Cove and some of the Commonwealth military cemeteries including Lone Pine. Visit the military museum before crossing the Dardanelles by ferry to Canakkale on the Asian side (B).
Akol Hotel (Standard Room)
Day 4 Canakkale-Izmir
Be dazzled by the archaeological delights on offer today. Start by visiting Troy where excavations first began in the late 1800’s. The scenic road takes you on through olive groves, flat plains, past pebbly Aegean beaches and fertile agricultural land to Pergamum (B).
Swissotel Grand Efes (Swiss Advantage Room)
Day 5 Izmir – Ephesus - Izmir
The morning to explore the important site of Ephesus, the best-preserved classical city in the Eastern Mediterranean. Walk in the footsteps of the ancients along the Roman Way and Marble Street. A&K also arranges access to the recently excavated Terrace Houses to see the beautiful mosaic floors and frescoed walls. A short drive to Sirince to meet a local cook in her restaurant. This is a hands-on experience as you help prepare lunch from home-grown produce. Afterwards see Turkish rugs being delicately woven (B,L).
Swissotel Grand Efes (Swiss Advantage Room)
Day 6 Izmir-Cappadocia
A flight to Kayseri in central Turkey to access Goreme, a picturesque town where your lodgings are traditional Cappadocian cave dwellings. This afternoon see the extraordinary rock-carved Byzantine churches, now an open-air museum, famous for their painted frescoes (B).
Argos in Cappadocia (Deluxe Suite)
Day 7 Design Your Day Cappadocia
Once heart of the ancient Hittite Empire and later a strategically point on the famed Silk Road, Cappadocia has an incredible historical heritage so plan the day pursuing your own interests. Choose one of the following activities. Explore the underground city of Kaymakli with its network of rock-carved tunnels and hallways used as subterranean hideouts. Or spend the afternoon hiking along the Red River to visit a pottery workshop. Lunch is included in the house of a local family in Ulasli to enjoy some traditional Cappadocian hospitality (B,L).
Argos in Cappadocia (Deluxe Suite)
Day 8 Cappadocia-Istanbul
Fly back to Istanbul and transfer to your hotel on the banks of the Bosphorus (B).
Four Seasons at the Bosphorus (Garden Room)
Day 9 Istanbul
One final day in this exotic and cosmopolitan city and so much more to see. Savour the sights and smells of the Spice Market and try your hand at bargaining in one of the 3000 shops in the labyrinthine Grand Bazaar. The afternoon is at leisure (B).
Four Seasons at the Bosphorus (Garden Room)
Day 10 Depart Istanbul
Your Turkish sojourn comes to an end as you arrive at the airport for your onward flight (B).
Optional Extension
View our 'Turkey | Bodrum Extension'
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No visit to Istanbul is complete without a traditional Turkish bath house experience. A&K recommends Cagaloglu, an atmospheric establishment built by a 16th century sultan. After trawling the myriad stalls of the Grand Bazaar, relax on the heated marble slab for an authentic steam, wash down, scrub and massage.
