Straddling Europe and Asia, Turkey’s tapestry of history, landscapes, and culture is the key to understanding the Middle East, Mediterranean, Balkan peninsula, and Central Asia. Elegant Istanbul stands timeless on the Bosporus with its chic cafes, labyrinthian bazaars, and Byzantine cathedrals-turned-Ottoman mosques. Legendary archeological sites dot the desert landscape beneath bobbing hot air balloons. Turkey’s vibrant palette is painted with colorful carpets, spices, and lanterns, soaked in the palate of rich coffee, bold wines, and innovative cuisine. Its rural villages incubate tradition while its urban cities host some of the world’s youngest populations. The Mediterranean and Aegean coasts unveil pristine beaches capped by ancient castles. We’ll take a deep dive into Turkey’s broad canvas to discover the timeless allure of this complex country.

Iconic Places:

Stand beneath Istanbul’s soaring domes and minarets along the Bosporus, wander Cappadocia’s honeycombed valleys beneath drifting hot air balloons, trace the marble streets of Ephesus, and gaze across the luminous white terraces of Pamukkale’s “cotton castle.”

Signature Experiences:

Sail the Aegean aboard a traditional wooden gulet, float at sunrise above Cappadocia’s surreal landscape, soak in Cleopatra’s thermal baths, and share a home-cooked village meal where dolma-making becomes a lesson in hospitality and heritage.

Cultural & Daily Life:

Sip thick Turkish coffee in a rural village café, wander the vaulted corridors of the Grand Bazaar in conversation with local shopkeepers, experience the ritual of the hammam, and savor the layered flavors of meze, spice, wine, and centuries-old culinary tradition.

Natural Encounters:

Drift between Europe and Asia along the Bosporus, watch dawn spill gold across Cappadocia’s stone towers, swim in the crystalline coves of the Aegean, and stand where thermal waters have shaped the land for millennia.

Hidden Stories:

Descend into underground cities carved for protection and faith, witness Byzantine churches transformed into Ottoman mosques, trace apostolic footsteps through ancient basilicas, and discover living artisan traditions carried forward in carpets, ceramics, and village kitchens.

Expert Guidance:

Learn from trusted local scholars and storytellers who illuminate Turkey’s layered civilizations--Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, and modern--revealing a country whose complexity is its greatest treasure.

Welcome to the crossroads of Europe and Asia! We’ll meet at 2:00 for a welcome reception at our hotel before setting out on foot to explore the city. Starting from the famous Sultanahmet Square we’ll see how this city has been shaped by overlapping civilizations including the Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, and Turkish. We’ll visit the Roman hippodrome, the Blue Mosque, and one of the city’s ancient underground cisterns whose massive columned-rooms feel more like gothic cathedrals of medieval Europe than Byzantine era storage facilities for drinking water. We’ll conclude our first day with a Turkish feast as we get to know our new travel companions.

We start this morning with a guided visit to the Haigia Sophia, the largest church in Christendom turned Ottoman mosque. After our visit to this holy marvel we’ll hop on a tram to the spice market for an introduction to Turkish spices, teas, halva, and the world's tastiest Turkish delight. Lunch is a sampling of street-food before visiting one of Istanbul’s greatest architectural marvels, the Suleymaniye Mosque. This afternoon we’ll boat the Bosporus with an option to explore Istanbul’s Asian side and try an assortment of delicious mezes or to return to Sultanahmet, the beautiful neighborhood around our hotel.

Today finds us in the luxurious 15th century Topkapi Palace, an enchanted story-book structure that was the royal setting of the Ottoman court. We’ll also visit Hagia Irene, the church of Holy Peace, constructed during the reign of Constantine, en route to the Grand Bazar, with over sixty streets and 4,000 shops. A visit to this market is a multi-sensory experience filled with craftsmen, jewelers, ceramics, and vaulted ceilings where thousands of years of artisan culture is gathered under one roof. We’ll chat with local shop owners to learn the routine of daily life in Grand Bazaar. After our visit to the Grand Bazaar you’ll be free for the rest of the afternoon and evening.

This morning we fly to Cappadocia, a surreal desert landscape dotted with fairy-chimneys and underground cities. After lunch we’ll have a quick orientation to Sinassos village, one of the oldest settlements of Cappadocia, followed by a trip to a Turkish bath where we’ll experience the legacy of the ancient Roman bathhouse. Men and women will remain separate for this invigorating experience of tea, hot marble slabs, relaxation, and olive oil massage. Tonight we’ll enjoy a Turkish family-style meal of the traditional comfort food whose recipes have been passed down from generation to generation.

We’ll savor the sunrise from the perch of our hot air balloons, watching the soft morning light spill over the honey-combed landscape. Afterward, we’ll stroll through this magical stone maze before visiting the Goreme Open Air Museum of 4th century CE cave dwellings where a thriving monastic community thrived in dedication to prayer in the wilderness. We’ll share a traditional lunch in a local home with casual question-and-answer session hosted by grandmothers. After lunch the afternoon is yours to explore Sinassos, chat with locals, hike to nearby monasteries, and to regroup this evening for a casual wine tasting and an optional meal of Turkish barbecue.

Today we’ll visit the highest and deepest places of Cappadocia: the underground cities of Kaymakli and the Uchisar Castle. Originally carved deep into the stone for protection from enemies and heavy winters, these subterranean cities housed populations into the thousands. We’ll then visit a ceramic workshop in Avanos where we’ll witness this 3,000 year-old tradition in artisan demonstrations. Our afternoon will conclude with a visit to Uchisar Castle, a high rock promontory that served as a natural fortification and offers a spectacular view of the surrounding countryside and fairy chimneys. We’ll return to Sinasos for a relaxed late afternoon and free evening.

This morning we fly to Izmir on the Aegean Sea where we’ll enjoy a guided tour of the Ephesus Archeological Museum and a visit the Basilica of St. John, the beloved apostle of Jesus who wrote the Gospel and the Book of Revelation. We’ll also visit the Museum of Ephesus where we’ll see spectacularly preserved statues of Artemis and relics of the sanctuary, followed by a rendevous at the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, said to have 'mounted to the clouds.' In the late afternoon we’ll arrive at the seaside town of Kusadasi where we’ll sleep two nights. The evening is yours to enjoy after hotel check-in.

Similar to the Greek sister-city of Athens, Ephesus tells the story of beauty, prosperity, self-governance, tragedy, and tyranny. We’ll stroll the ancient streets, glimpsing the sophistication and simplicity of the port-city that endured more than a thousand years. This afternoon we’ll visit the quaint village of Sirince famous for its wine production, cobblestone streets, silver smiths, small textiles shops, olive oil soaps and creams, and friendly artisan shop-keepers. In the later part of the afternoon we’ll return to Kusadasi to visit Mert’s favorite seafood restaurant for an optional meal together of locally caught seabream seabass, calamari, and the catch of the day.

This morning we’ll drive inland to the ancient Greek city of Aphrodisias. Named for the goddess of love Aphrodite, it is one of the most beautiful and intriguing cities in antiquity, housing perhaps the best-preserved ancient stadium in the Mediterranean. After lunch we’ll continue to Pamukkale, a site that has drawn visitors to its thermal waters since antiquity. The name, meaning ‘cotton castle,’ derives from the cascading plateaus of white limestone shaped over millennia as calcite-rich springs overflow into pools below. Our hotel is at the top of these hot springs, with its own thermal pool free for our use.

This morning we soak with ancient royalty in the Pool of Cleopatra. After a relaxed bath, we’ll visit the nearby tomb of St. Phillip, one of Christ’s twelve apostles. Recently discovered at the site of ancient Hierapolis, it was to the church of Colossians in this area that St. Paul wrote his famous letters. Before departing for the day, we’ll visit a spectacularly preserved Roman theater from the 2nd century CE where concerts still occur today. After lunch we’ll return to the Aegean coast to enjoy seaside bliss in Bodrum. The evening is yours to enjoy dinner in town by the sea or at our hotel’s excellent restaurant with its beautiful view of St. Peter’s Castle.

Today we immerse in Turkish village life, visiting the authentic village of Etrim. We’ll get caffeinated in the village coffee shop where our host will introduce us to the local traditions of wool production, carpet weaving, wine making, farming, and beekeeping. Next our host’s mother will bring us into her small kitchen and teach us how to make dolma, a communal event in rural Turkish communities. After lunch, coffee, wine, and conversation shared with locals we’ll take a tour of locally made carpets and have an opportunity to learn more about the cooperatives of women that produce them. In the late afternoon we’ll return to Bodrum for another relaxed evening by the sea.

We’ll spend today sailing the crystal waters of the Aegean, but first we’ll visit St. Peter’s Castle, standing sentinel over Bodrum. Built by crusaders at the beginning of the 14th century CE, the castle served as a fortification for five hundred years before becoming home to Bodrum’s underwater archeological museum. After lunch we’ll board our ‘gulet,’ our traditional two-masted Turkish sailing boat to explore the beautiful islands' beaches by boat, stopping to swim, sunbathe, and chat about the experiences we’ve shared over the previous two weeks. After a day of sailing we'll celebrate our voyage together with a final meal on board before returning to our hotel.

Our detour ends after breakfast. Istanbul is a quick 1.5 hour flight from Bodrum. Whether returning home or continuing your journey in Turkey, Greece, or elsewhere, we are available to help with travel plans and can always add pre & post nights in Istanbul. Although our journey in Turkey has come to an end, our memories will endure as we plan our next adventures together!