7-Day Top Highlights of Turkey
Take our classical tour to explore the mysterious and diverse Turkey. History, culture, customs, religion, and natural wonders — this tour will satisfy your curiosity.
Days
7
Price
US$2,160 p/p
Best For
First-timers
Best Time
Apr. to Oct.
Tour Highlights
We have just returned from an amazing trip to Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Our travel adviser Albee Ning prepared a wonderful itinerary taking us to great locations with creative activities highlighting local culture.
We traveled with Asia Highlights (Lissie was our agent) several years ago when we went to Saigon, and the experience was so positive, we automatically went to Asia Highlights again for an extensive trip to Southeast Asia.
Itinerary Details
The itinerary below is only a typical sample and you may alter any aspect of it. Tell us your needs and our travel advisors will tailor-make it to meet your requirements.
Welcome to Turkey. Upon arrival, your private guide and driver will greet you at the airport holding a card with your name on it and will escort you to your downtown hotel to check in. You will have the rest of the day to recover from jet lag or wander around the area surrounding your hotel at your leisure.
Hotel suggestions:
Grand Yavuz Hotel (4-star)
Crowne Plaza Istanbul Old - City Hotel (5-star)
Meals provided: breakfast and lunch
Start the first day with a delicious breakfast and head to the Old City of Istanbul. Looking at the architecture is a great way to learn about Turkey’s history. For example, the Hippodrome of Constantinople with its obelisk and serpentine column, the Blue Mosque with its exquisite mosaics and blue-white tiles for decoration, and Ayasofya (Hagia Sophia), which has a Byzantine style. Hold your breath and look for the answers from your guide.
Enjoy authentic dishes for lunch. Learn more from the royal treasury and elegant courts in the Topkapi Palace. Linger at the bustling Grand Bazaar, the world's largest covered market. Thousands of colorful products will amaze your eyes. Have a fantastic shopping experience and enjoy some bargaining before you head back to your hotel for a rest.
Special Notes
- Hagia Sophia is closed on Mondays.
- The Blue Mosque is closed on Fridays.
- The Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays.
- The Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays.
Optional Trip to Enrich Your Tour
Bosphorus night cruise with dinner: Enjoy sightseeing at night across both Asia and Europe from the Bosphorus Bay. A Turkish meal will be served for dinner on the cruise.
Meals provided: breakfast and lunch
Your guide and driver will take you to the airport on time. Say goodbye to Istanbul and fly to Cappadocia for a magical adventure.
Your local guide and driver will be waiting for you. Stop off at Kaymakli Underground City, which is known for its labyrinthine tunnels. Proceed to Pigeon Valley to explore a cave and look at the view. Sometimes, you will see a lot of pigeons flying into the panoramic mountain landscape. You will be dropped off at your hotel later where you can have a nice sleep.
Meals provided: breakfast and lunch
Your guide will meet you on time in the hotel lobby. Have an excursion to Devrent Valley and Monks Valley to enjoy a view of the moonscape made from volcanic ash cones. See the animal-shaped rocks and fairy chimneys made from mushroom-shaped rocks. Relax your legs and have lunch before visiting the home of pottery, Avanos. Take a comfortable pace and discover how the local people take red clay from the Red River that flows through the town and make pottery with all kinds of unique patterns. Take some back to your hotel if you want to.
Optional Trip to Enrich Your Tour
Hot-air balloon ride: Do not miss this morning sight in Cappadocia. If you want to test your courage, why not try a hot-air balloon ride? It will take you across the valleys to see the sunrise. But, if you prefer to relax without any challenges, enjoying the view of hot-air balloons all over the sky when you are eating breakfast in the hotel would be great. Let your guide or travel advisor know what you prefer.
Meal provided: breakfast
Before leaving, have some free time to let your mind adjust to such an amazing morning. Jump on an airplane to Kusadasi. Your luggage and hotel check-in procedure will be taken care of when you land.
Meals provided: breakfast and lunch
Pamukkale looks like big cotton blossoms lying on the hill when you take a look at it from a distance. A layered semicircle of white stairs has formed after thousands of years of calcification precipitation. Your guide will prepare a bag for your shoes. Take off your shoes and step into the warm water for a foot massage or spa. This area has been popular for spa treatments since ancient Roman times because the water temperature stays at 38ºC all year round.
Climb up and pay a visit to Hierapolis, which has well-preserved Roman city ruins. Head back to Kusadasi and stay overnight there.
Optional Trip to Enrich Your Tour
Swimming in an ancient spring pool in Hierapolis is an amazing experience. As you float in the natural warm water, you will see the broken ruins from the ancient city clearly visible at the bottom of the water. Please take your swimsuit with you before the tour starts.
Meal provided: breakfast
You will be collected at your hotel and driven to the ancient city of Ephesus, the best-preserved classical city in the Eastern Mediterranean. It has a history of more than 2,000 years. Go through Hercules Gate and walk along Curetes Street — you will see ruins on both sides. Admire the Library of Celsus, the Grand Theater, the Temple of Hadrian, the Latrines, and the House of the Virgin Mary. Pick your favorite and your guide will tell you the story and history behind it.
Take one last glance, transfer to the airport in Izmir, and leave with unforgettable memories. Have a pleasant journey home!
Trip Notes
Each part of the itinerary above can be customized. Feel free to let us know your preferences and we will be pleased to adjust the elements for you.
Extend the Tour
- Gallipoli and Troy: Add 2 days to see the Dardanelles Memorial, Brighton Beach, Troy, and Pergamum.
- Fethiye and Kars: Add 3–6 days for Oludeniz, Butterfly Valley, hiking in the Lycian Way, Calis Beach, the ancient rock tombs, Kaputas Beach, and a cruise tour of six or 12 islands.
- Ankara: Add 2 days to see Ataturk Mausoleum and Lake Abant.
- Antalya: Add 2 days to see Perge, Aspendos, Termessos, and Duden Waterfalls.
- More destinations: Bursa, Konya, Cesme, Alacati, Bodrum, and Safranbolu. Feel free to tell us the places you’re interested in and we will provide you with more information.
Accommodation
Many types of accommodation are available including 5-star hotels, superior 4-star hotels, the best value 3-star hotels, or popular boutique hotels in various Turkish styles. We will select the perfect one for you.
Transportation
We usually recommend flights to connect destination cities, which is more effective and saves time. Feel free to tell us if you prefer to experience the trains or buses.
Meals
Lunches are prepared in local restaurants for you to taste authentic Turkish food. Please tell us your special dietary requirements, such as vegetarian, Indian, gluten-free, or halal. Your guide will take care of it for you.
Hand-picked Hotels
Price Includes
Price from: $2,160 (tour code: gh-tk-1)
Why Travel with Global Highlights During the Pandemic
- Tailor-made experience: All of your ideas/needs will be carefully considered to create your ideal trip.
- Worry-free planning: Your 1:1 travel consultant in Asia will take all the uncertainty out of your planning, helping you navigate any travel restrictions.
- No-risk booking: 100% refund policy! (prior to 3 weeks before departure, more details)
