The Grand Archaeological Journey of Turkey

Day by day

Your itinerary

1. Day1

   Arrival in Istanbul

   Your private driver meets you at Istanbul Airport and takes you to your hotel. Depending on your arrival time, take a short orientation walk around the historic peninsula, or simply rest after the journey.

   Overnight in Istanbul

2. Day2

   Istanbul: Byzantine and Ottoman heritage

   A day with your private guide on the historic peninsula. Discover Hagia Sophia, according to current visitor arrangements, the Blue Mosque and the Hippodrome, then Topkapı Palace, the seat of the Ottoman sultans, if you wish. Along the way, follow the city's story from ancient Byzantium to Constantinople and the Ottoman capital.

   Overnight in Istanbul

3. Day3

   Troy: the ancient city of legends

   Drive to Çanakkale on the Dardanelles and explore Troy, its layers of settlement reaching back thousands of years, and the link between the archaeology and the legend of the Trojan War. Visit the Troy Museum if time and opening hours allow.

   Overnight in Çanakkale

4. Day4

   Pergamon and the Aegean

   Travel south to Pergamon, a powerhouse of Hellenistic culture. Explore the acropolis, its dramatic hillside theatre and public buildings, as your guide explains the city's achievements in architecture, medicine and scholarship. Continue towards Selçuk.

   Overnight in Selçuk or İzmir

5. Day5

   Ephesus: the great city of antiquity

   A full day for Ephesus, one of the most remarkable archaeological sites in the Mediterranean. Walk to the Library of Celsus and the Great Theatre, and discover the city's role in trade, culture and religion under Greek and Roman rule. Time allowing, add the Ephesus Archaeological Museum or the Temple of Artemis.

   Overnight in Selçuk or Kuşadası

6. Day6

   Aphrodisias and on to Pamukkale

   Drive inland to Aphrodisias, famous for its sculpture workshops, its great stadium and the Temple of Aphrodite, with its museum if open. Continue to Pamukkale for the night.

   Overnight in Pamukkale

7. Day7

   Hierapolis and on to Konya

   Start early in Hierapolis, with its theatre, necropolis and thermal heritage, and walk the white travertines of Pamukkale within the permitted areas. Then drive east towards Konya, breaking the long overland journey to Cappadocia with a comfortable night on the way.

   Overnight in Konya

8. Day8

   Konya and arrival in Cappadocia

   Discover some of Konya's Seljuk highlights, with an optional visit to the Mevlana Museum, resting place of the poet Rumi. Continue to Cappadocia, stopping at the 13th-century Sultanhanı Caravanserai or another historic site along the old trade route.

   Overnight in Cappadocia

9. Day9

   Cappadocia: rock-cut churches and ancient settlements

   Explore the Göreme Open-Air Museum, with its painted rock-cut churches and monastic heritage, then visit villages and viewpoints that show how people adapted to this extraordinary volcanic landscape. Depending on access and your interests, descend into an underground city such as Kaymaklı or Derinkuyu.

   Overnight in Cappadocia

10. Day10

    Departure

    A final visit if your flight time allows, then a private transfer to Kayseri or Nevşehir Airport.