14-Day Istanbul & Western Anatolia

Day by day

Your itinerary

1. Day1

   Arrival in Istanbul

   Your driver meets you at the airport and takes you to your hotel. Depending on your arrival time, take a short first stroll through the city before dinner.

   Overnight in Istanbul

2. Day2

   Historic Istanbul

   A full day in the city Constantine called the New Rome. Start in the old Hippodrome, with its Egyptian obelisk and bronze Serpent Column, then visit the Blue Mosque and its İznik tiles. Spend the afternoon in Topkapı Palace, home of the Ottoman sultans, with its treasury, porcelain and views over the Bosphorus, and finish in the columned half-light of the Basilica Cistern.

   Overnight in Istanbul

3. Day3

   Spice Bazaar and the Bosphorus

   Breathe in the colours and scents of the Spice Bazaar, then take a cruise along the Bosphorus between Europe and Asia, past Ottoman palaces, fortresses and wooden waterside mansions. Visit the glittering Dolmabahçe Palace and end the day with the view from Çamlıca Hill.

   Overnight in Istanbul

4. Day4

   Istanbul at your own pace

   A free day to explore as you like. Walk the length of İstiklal Avenue, browse the boutiques of Galata and Karaköy, or simply settle into a café and watch the city go by.

   Overnight in Istanbul

5. Day5

   Gallipoli and the Dardanelles

   A long drive to the Gallipoli peninsula, where you visit the memorials of the First World War campaign, the place where Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey, first stepped onto the stage of history. Cross the Dardanelles by ferry to Çanakkale.

   Overnight in Çanakkale

6. Day6

   Troy and Pergamon

   A full day. Walk the layered walls of Troy, where Schliemann's excavations helped give birth to modern archaeology. Stop at a local olive oil museum, then climb to Pergamon, once the proud capital of the region, and visit the Red Basilica, linked to one of the Seven Churches of Revelation. Continue to Selçuk, with an evening visit to the seaside town of Kuşadası.

   Overnight in Selçuk

7. Day7

   Şirince and Ephesus

   Start in Şirince, a hillside village known for its fruit wines and old stone houses. Then walk through Ephesus, one of the best-preserved ancient cities in the world: the Temple of Hadrian, the Terrace Houses, the Library of Celsus and the Great Theatre. Visit the House of the Virgin Mary, the Basilica of St John and the Temple of Artemis before driving on to Pamukkale.

   Overnight in Pamukkale

8. Day8

   Pamukkale, Hierapolis and Aphrodisias

   Walk on the white travertine terraces of Pamukkale and explore the Roman spa city of Hierapolis, with the chance to swim in the warm Antique Pool. A peaceful drive brings you to Aphrodisias, the city of Aphrodite, with its huge stadium, temple and elegant Tetrapylon gate. Continue south to Dalyan.

   Overnight in Dalyan

9. Day9

   Kaunos, mud baths and İztuzu beach

   Take a boat along the reed-lined Dalyan river to the ancient city of Kaunos, with Lycian rock tombs carved into the cliff above. Try a mud bath, then swim at İztuzu, a long golden beach where loggerhead turtles come ashore to lay their eggs. Drive on to the stone village of Kayaköy.

   Overnight in Kayaköy

10. Day10

    Kayaköy to Ölüdeniz on the Lycian Way

    Wander the silent lanes of Kayaköy, a hillside town of stone houses left empty after the population exchange of 1923. Then walk about four kilometres along the Lycian Way down to Ölüdeniz, for a swim in the Blue Lagoon or a paragliding flight. Drive on to Kaş for the evening.

    Overnight in Kaş

11. Day11

    Saklıkent, Xanthos and Patara

    Visit Saklıkent, Turkey's longest gorge, set in a landscape of pine and cedar, with stops for tea in mountain villages and the chance to walk into the gorge with an experienced guide. Then explore Xanthos, the old Lycian capital and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Patara, the great Lycian port and birthplace of St Nicholas. Swim from Patara's endless beach before returning to Kaş.

    Overnight in Kaş

12. Day12

    Kekova by boat

    A day on the water around Kekova, one of the most beautiful corners of the Mediterranean. See the sunken city, shaken into the sea by earthquakes long ago, visit the castle village of Kaleköy, and swim and snorkel over more submerged ruins in Tersane Bay. Swimming over the sunken city itself is not allowed, as it is a protected site.

    Overnight in Kaş

13. Day13

    Free day in Kaş

    A day to enjoy Kaş as you please: wander its lanes and harbour, or try diving, sea kayaking or paragliding. You can even take the short ferry across to the Greek island of Meis for the day.

    Overnight in Kaş

14. Day14

    Departure

    A private transfer takes you to Antalya or Dalaman Airport for your flight home.