Turkey in a Tea Cup

İstanbul, Türkiye

RL
Roads Less Traveled LLC
  • Email address verified
120 reviews
Oct 10 - 18, 2024
Group size: 1 - 16
Turkey in a Tea Cup
İstanbul, Türkiye

Roads Less Traveled LLC
  • Email address verified
120 reviews

Oct 10 - 18, 2024
Group size: 1 - 16

About this trip

8 Nights of essential Turkish highlights including Istanbul, Cappadocia and Ephesus

Overview of Tour

Asia Minor – home of the mighty Hittites, Ionian Greeks, Eastern Roman and Ottoman Empires. It is the confluence of ancient empires and cultures where “Wonders of the World” were erected, markets enriched Kings Midas whose touch turned everything into gold, and Croesus first minted coins. Great shrines of ancient gods and goddesses lay hand in hand with those of Christ and his Apostles. These sites and wonderful experiences are waiting for us on a journey through Turkey.


This itinerary is a starter pack for Turkey with some major “Silk Road” cities, regional food experiences, interactions with local people, and shopping in underground caves.  Istanbul will get us warmed up to the history of civilizations with mosques and markets. Next, Cappadocia will fascinate us with a unique landscape, and finally, Ephesus will make us feel like a Roman as we walk down its marble streets.

What’s included

  • Lodging
    8 nights accommodations
  • Meals
    all breakfasts, 4 dinners, 2 lunches
  • Entrance Fees
    fees for entry into sights and activities that are included in itinerary
  • Transportation
    all transportation from point to point during the tour
  • Tips
    tips for hotels, tour guides and included meals

What’s not included

  • International travel
    travel to/from Turkey
  • Meal
    meals not listed on What's Included
  • Free-time Sightseeing
    activities and sights you choose to visit outside of the planned itinerary
  • Optional activities
    such as hot air balloon ride
  • Insurance
    travel insurance

Available Packages

Single Room
Deposit:$600
Available until August 9, 2024
$4,150
Deposit:$600
Double Room
Deposit:$600
Available until August 9, 2024Sold Out
$3,650
Deposit:$600

Itinerary

Days 1-3
Istanbul

Day One - After arriving in Istanbul, explore the Istiklal/ Beyoglu area (where our hotel is located) with your guide and try to get rid of jet lag. Welcome dinner in a nearby neighborhood.


Day Two - Your guide will meet you at the hotel for an Istanbul Highlights tour. We head to the Old Town to see the Hagia Sophia Mosque which used to be one of the greatest Christian Orthodox cathedrals, then visit Topkapı Palace (the earliest and most oriental Ottoman family residence) followed by a visit to the recently renovated Underground Cistern dating back to the Roman period.


Day Three - Following a morning at your leisure, explore the Grand Bazaar and surrounding markets marveling at the many historical and contemporary experiences in the area. From here we visit and taste our way through the Spice Market. Then we catch the ferry across the Bosphorus to the Asian side of Istanbul where we hang out with students, artists, and ex-pats and have dinner at one of the city’s most celebrated restaurants.

Your Organizer


RL
Roads Less Traveled LLC
120 reviews
Joined in December 2021
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Reviews

It was an unbelievably amazing adventure! Pretty much all I had dreamed about. Absalom in Zimbabwe, the Zambian guide and Todd in south Africa went way above and beyond any expected duties to provide for our needs and our outrageous wants! Africa is more than spectacular and, obviously, we could only skim the surface in the two short weeks we toured. My favorite part was the game drives. It was almost surreal to be out in the African bush seeing lions and elephants and giraffes and zebras, a leopard and even a somewhat rare black backed jackal. Wow!!! (Lots of other animals and birds; I'm just not listing them all.) The accommodations were rather more luxurious than I expected and the food was marvelous. I'd do another African tour next week if I could manage it,
By Diane E for Private South Africa Trip on Aug 07, 2024
This trip was fantastic. It was my mother-in-law's dream trip and it exceeded expectations. From the accommodations, to the food, and the expert guides it was wonderful. We learned a lot about the different animals we saw and about South Africa. Our local guide Todd made sure everything went smoothly. I can't recommend Adventure's with Sarah and her team enough.
By Rebecca D for Private South Africa Trip on Aug 05, 2024
We had a wonderful time. The whole trip was a dream come true. It exceeded our expectations. We would highly recommend. Loved the small tour group and staying at one location.
By Frances R for Sarah's Greek Birthday Staycation on Jun 30, 2024
Thoroughly enjoyed the Ireland trip with Stephen. Comfortable travel, centrally located hotels, an amazing tour guide and wonderful travel companions. Ireland is the most beautiful and welcoming of countries, the people could not have been more helpful. Small tours is the best way to enjoy a country or a city. I will be booking with Adventures with Sarah again soon.
By Katherine S for Ireland 2024 on Jun 28, 2024
Stephen was a great tour guide! He and his brother(our driver) were very knowledgeable about Ireland , the sites we visited as well as the restaurants and pubs in the area. Our group was a good size of 10 - 2 couples and the rest women- some w friends and several solos- it was a very friendly group. The trip was a lot of fun- quite a few unique experiences, a lot of knowledge gained about Ireland and the people of Ireland and loads of laughter! We were given very little detail in advance of the trip Stephen gave us an update the night before as to what our basic agenda would be for the next day. 10 breakfasts, 1 picnic lunch, and 3 group dinners were the only meals included in the $4800 price for the trip. We were on our own for all other meals. Staying at the Milltown House in Dingle was a real treat. The Falconry, gin and whiskey tastings , dinner and singing and dancing performance by Stephens River-dance friends made our stay extra special. Stopping at another of Stephens friends to feed and hold the baby lambs was a unique experience as well. Being a small group enabled us to see and do things large groups cannot easily do. Most lodgings were nice and in good locations. The one in Belfast was not in the best neighborhood and they did not have single beds in the rooms nor did they have a room for Stephen. He had to get a room down the street and also got rooms for 2 people so everyone had there own bed to sleep in.. You had to go to the lodging operator to get a cab as they don’t normally come to the area. It was my first trip to Europe and my first trip with AWS. It was a lot of fun!
By Helen M for Ireland 2024 on Jun 27, 2024
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