Where Every Stone Has an Empire Behind It: Eleven Days Through Turkey
11 Days – A Journey Through History – Turkey’s Timeless Cities of Culture & Civilization
- • Duration: 11 days
- • Countries: Turkey
- • Cities: Istanbul, Euromos, Ephesus, Bodrum, Cappadocia
- • Valid Travel Dates: 1 January 2026 - 31 December 2026
Trip Summary
Turkey rewards those who look properly, and this eleven-day journey is designed around that idea. Istanbul opens with two bases: the Peninsula or the Four Seasons at Sultanahmet, depending on your preference, and two days to absorb the Bosphorus, Topkapı Palace, the Blue Mosque, and the Basilica Cistern — with a local expert who reads the city like a text rather than a checklist. Troy and Gallipoli carry a different kind of weight: quieter, heavier, the kind of places that change the quality of a conversation. Ephesus is extraordinary — the marble streets still walkable, the columns still standing, the scale of what was here hard to absorb. Bodrum brings the oldest shipwreck ever discovered and exclusive access arranged exclusively through Memorii. Cappadocia closes the journey in volcanic landscape unlike anything else in the world: the rose-coloured spires, the underground cities, and if the weather holds, a dawn balloon over all of it. Your Resident Tour Director and local guides carry the whole journey. Luggage moves ahead.
Countries
- Turkey
Cities
- Istanbul
- Euromos
- Ephesus
- Bodrum
- Cappadocia
Accommodation
- Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet (Istanbul option)
- Manici Kasri Hotel (for the Troy / Gallipoli area)
- Swissôtel Büyük Efes, Izmir (Izmir / Ephesus region)
- Argos in Cappadocia (Cappadocia)
- The Peninsula Istanbul (Istanbul)
Inclusions
- ✓Airport meet & greet with private transfers (for arrival and departure)
- ✓Travelling Bell Boy® luggage handling (usually up to two checked pieces)
- ✓Traveller’s Valet® laundry service (for a set number of pieces, once during the journey)
- ✓Internet / Wi-Fi access (where available)
- ✓All accommodations as per the itinerary
- ✓Meals, sightseeing, and guided services included in the itinerary (i.e. breakfasts, selected lunches/dinners, entrance fees, guided tours)
- ✓Entrance fees, park fees, site-museum admissions as per itinerary
- ✓Hotel taxes and internal airfare when indicated in the itinerary
- ✓English-speaking Resident Tour Director + local guides throughout the journey
Exclusions
- ✗Passport, visa, and border/reciprocity fees
- ✗Airport departure taxes (unless otherwise noted)
- ✗Excess baggage charges beyond the allowed amount
- ✗Gratuities (tips) to the Resident Tour Director, local guides, drivers (unless specified otherwise)
- ✗Meals not specified in the itinerary (i.e. dinners or lunches that are “at leisure”)
- ✗Beverages beyond what’s included (those not listed in the “inclusions” above)
- ✗Room service (unless on a cruise or otherwise stated)
- ✗Optional / supplementary sightseeing or activities outside what’s published in the itinerary
- ✗Personal expenses (laundry beyond the valet service, phone calls, souvenirs, etc.)
- ✗Communication charges (e.g. extra internet on certain legs, phone, etc.)
- ✗Travel insurance (medical, cancellation, etc.)
- ✗international airfare / flights to / from Turkey (unless explicitly noted)
Day-by-Day Itinerary
City: Istanbul
Begin in Istanbul, a storied city steeped in history, which witnessed Christianity reach a momentous turning point and served as the capital of the 600-year Ottoman Empire. Settle into your sumptuous hotel and relax as weary travellers have done here for millennia.
City: Istanbul
A grand arc through the Old City: Hagia Sophia’s immense dome, the poetic tiles of the Blue Mosque, and the jeweled courts of Topkapı Palace, stories of sultans and silk routes woven by a gifted host. Lunch near Sultanahmet is modern-Anatolian. Later, drift down the Bosphorus—palaces, fortresses, and gulls at golden hour—before a chic dinner in Nişantaşı.
City: Istanbul
Dip into Istanbul’s creative pulse: the underground Basilica Cistern, artisan ateliers in Cağaloğlu & Galata, and a spice-scented wander through the Mısır Çarşısı. Learn to read Turkish coffee fortunes, sample pistachio baklava hot from the tray, then decompress with a time-honored hammam ritual. Evening free, ask for our short list of Michelin and under-the-radar gems.
City: Bodrum
Stop by the ancient Theater of Halicarnassus before visiting the Bodrum Underwater Archaeology Museum in the Castle of St. Peter, which houses the oldest shipwreck ever discovered. Gain exclusive private access to the research and conservation laboratories. Next, savor a chef-led cooking demonstration at a charming restaurant founded by a local self-taught gourmet chef who shares some of her secrets. The rest of your day is free to spend as you please.
City: Euromos
Journey to Euromos, a site where weathered stone monuments still echo with tales of mighty Greek deities. Explore the ruined yet magnificent Temple of Zeus. Continue to Didyma to discover the Temple of Apollo, dating to at least 300 BC. Stop for lunch at a local restaurant before continuing to Izmir, where you enjoy dinner.
City: Ephesus
Embark on a day trip to Ephesus, a city graced with well-preserved architectural marvels, where Saint Paul once lived. Explore the renowned archaeological park and museum here as well as the weekly farmers market’s bustling product stalls, before eating a special lunch in a nearby village. Return to Izmir for an afternoon and evening on your own.
Fly via Istanbul to Cappadocia, a region renowned for whimsical landscapes formed by volcanic eruptions and shaped by wind and rain from time out of mind. Explore the nearby volcanic stone “fairy chimneys.” Later, enjoy access to the rock-carved churches of Goreme, and visit the Dark Church, before dining at your hotel.
City: Cappadocia
This morning, opt for a hot air balloon excursion over Cappadocia. Afterward, visit the Goreme Weavers Association on an engaging artisan visit. Then, sit down with a local family for lunch at their home. In the afternoon, explore a fascinating, centuries-old underground city that includes chapels, kitchens, air vents and dwellings carved out of volcanic rock.
A day to exhale: cabana, spa, or a gulet day at sea with a chef-grilled lunch in a turquoise bay. Prefer movement? Paddleboard at dawn, then contemporary art and design boutiques in Yalıkavak. Farewell dinner draws on Aegean farm-to-table—heirloom tomatoes, island herbs, and a final glass of crisp Narince.
City: Istanbul
Embark by public ferry along the Bosphorus to explore Suleymaniye Mosque and the Grand Bazaar, and stroll the fragrant spice market. Tonight, enjoy a farewell dinner.
City: Istanbul
After breakfast, take your private transfer to the airport for your departing flight.
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