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Wonders of Turkey
Small Group
Tour Description:
Travel across Turkey with your Small Group, linking Istanbul’s mosques, bazaars and Bosphorus shores with the battlefields of Gallipoli, the ruins of Troy and the streets of ancient Ephesus. Meet women at a social enterprise, share a Farm-to-Table vineyard lunch and walk the travertine terraces of Pamukkale. In Cappadocia, step inside a cave house and watch a Sema ceremony. Along the way, visit the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations, enjoy a Small Group Exclusive experience at a backgammon lesson in a traditional coffee house and stand beneath the dome of Hagia Sophia.
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Dates & Pricing
| Thursday 01 Apr 27 — Sunday 11 Apr 27 | Starting at $3,595 |  SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Thursday 06 May 27 — Sunday 16 May 27 | Starting at $3,595 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Thursday 20 May 27 — Sunday 30 May 27 | Starting at $3,595 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Thursday 03 Jun 27 — Sunday 13 Jun 27 | Starting at $3,595 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Thursday 17 Jun 27 — Sunday 27 Jun 27 | Starting at $3,595 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Thursday 15 Jul 27 — Sunday 25 Jul 27 | Starting at $3,595 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Thursday 12 Aug 27 — Sunday 22 Aug 27 | Starting at $3,595 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Thursday 09 Sep 27 — Sunday 19 Sep 27 | Starting at $3,595 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Thursday 07 Oct 27 — Sunday 17 Oct 27 | Starting at $3,595 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Thursday 28 Oct 27 — Sunday 07 Nov 27 | Starting at $3,595 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Thursday 04 Nov 27 — Sunday 14 Nov 27 | Starting at $3,225 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Thursday 11 Nov 27 — Sunday 21 Nov 27 | Starting at $3,225 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Thursday 09 Dec 27 — Sunday 19 Dec 27 | Starting at $3,225 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Thursday 16 Dec 27 — Sunday 26 Dec 27 | Starting at $3,225 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Thursday 27 Jan 28 — Sunday 06 Feb 28 | Starting at $3,225 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Thursday 24 Feb 28 — Sunday 05 Mar 28 | Starting at $3,225 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Thursday 02 Mar 28 — Sunday 12 Mar 28 | Starting at $3,225 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Thursday 09 Mar 28 — Sunday 19 Mar 28 | Starting at $3,225 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Thursday 16 Mar 28 — Sunday 26 Mar 28 | Starting at $3,225 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
Disclaimer: Prices listed are per person, based on double occupancy, and in USD. All promotions are valid for new bookings only, capacity controlled and valid on select dates and departures. Individual Terms and Conditions will apply to all promotions. Any promotion can be withdrawn at any time without notice. Please speak with your Pavlus Travel Planner for complete vendor terms and conditions, including eligible tour and cruise dates.
Destination & Sightseeing
Destination & SightseeingDestination Highlights:
Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.
Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.
We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.
From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.
Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).
If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport.
Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.
Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.
We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.
From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.
Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).
If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport.
ITINERARY
ITINERARYWelcome to Istanbul
Arrive in Istanbul, the only major city set across two continents, shaped by the Bosphorus and a skyline of domes and minarets. You’ll transfer to your hotel and have time to settle in. If time allows, head out for a first look at the city’s waterfront life, watching ferries cross the strait and taking in views towards the historic peninsula. This evening, meet your Travel Director and your Small Group for dinner in a local restaurant. Share Turkish dishes and begin getting to know the travelers you’ll be exploring with.
Gallipoli, Anzac Cove and Troy
Follow the shores of the Sea of Marmara towards the Gallipoli Peninsula, a landscape defined by the 1915 campaign and the events commemorated each year on ANZAC Day. Visit ANZAC Cove and Lone Pine Cemetery, learning how the coastline and ridgelines shaped what happened here and how the memorial sites were established. Later, continue to Troy, the archaeological site linked to Homeric legend and later excavations that revealed multiple layers of settlement. See the replica Trojan Horse at Troy beside the excavated mound at Hisarlık, where archaeologists have identified nine main settlement layers dating from the Early Bronze Age to around A.D. 500.
Izmir
Start the day at Copmadam, a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience where women turn recycled materials into handmade goods. The co-operative supports long-term employment in a part of Turkey where opportunities for women remain limited. Continue to Nif Bağları, a family-owned wine producer in the hills outside Izmir, for a Farm-to-Table vineyard lunch. Later, arrive in Izmir with time to explore the waterfront, visit the Kemeralti Bazaar or stop for a coffee in the Alsancak district before dinner with your Small Group.
Ancient Ephesus
Travel to Selçuk for a visit to Ephesus, walking along ancient streets lined with monumental remains from the city’s Roman period. Continue to the House of the Virgin Mary, a small shrine above Selçuk visited by pilgrims. Later, learn about Turkish carpet weaving through a closer look at materials, natural dyes and knotting techniques. Arrive at a traditional coffee shop for your Small Group Exclusive experience, learning the basics of tavla (backgammon) before sitting down for a game over Turkish coffee. Continue to İzmir for the night, where you could join an Optional Experience for dinner on the seafront promenade, sharing seafood and meze with drinks.
The Pools of Pamukkale Relaxed Start
Travel inland to Pamukkale, known for its white travertine terraces formed by mineral-rich thermal waters. Explore the site with your Travel Director, visiting the ruins of ancient Hierapolis, including the Roman theater and the remains of streets, tombs and bathhouses. See the pools that still flow across the terraces today. Later, check in to your hotel, the Doğa Thermal Health Spa, which draws its water from the same geothermal sources. You’ll have time to unwind in the thermal pools, try a traditional hammam or explore the wider spa facilities before dinner with your Small Group.
The Underground City and Cappadocia
Travel into central Turkey, following a route once used by traders and travelers on the Silk Road. Stop at the Sultanhani Caravanserai, a fortified roadside inn built in the 13th century to shelter caravans. Later, explore the underground city of Saratlı, where early communities carved out homes, storage areas and passageways beneath the ground. Arrive in Ürgüp in the early evening and settle into your hotel before dinner with your Small Group.
The Cappadocia Experience Relaxed Start
Start the day in Göreme, the heart of Cappadocia. You may choose to rise early for an Optional Experience to watch the region’s hot air balloons lift at sunrise. Later, explore the rock-cut churches of the Göreme Open-Air Museum, with frescoes that date back to the 10th century. Continue to Paşabağ Valley to see the region’s fairy chimneys and former cave dwellings. In the afternoon, meet a Cappadocian local who will show you their cave house and share how daily life has shifted over the decades. The day ends with a performance by the whirling dervishes before dinner in a local restaurant.
Ankara
Begin in Avanos, a town on the Kızılırmak River known for its pottery traditions. Learn about the craft and see how local clay is worked and shaped before firing. Continue on to Ankara, Turkey’s capital and the center of the modern republic. Visit the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations, often referred to as the Hittite Museum, to see key finds from Anatolia’s early cultures. Then visit Anıtkabir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of modern Turkey and the Republic’s first President. The rest of the day is at leisure. Perhaps head up to Ankara Castle for views across the city, explore the lanes of Hamamönü’s restored Ottoman-era quarter, or spend longer in Ulus around the historic center.
To Istanbul
Leave Ankara for Istanbul, returning to the city where your journey began. On arrival, join a Bosphorus cruise to see Istanbul from the water, traveling between Europe and Asia as you pass Ottoman palaces, neighborhood mosques and busy quays along both shores. In the evening, explore at your own pace. You might walk through Karaköy and across the Galata Bridge, follow İstiklal Caddesi’s shops and cafes, or head towards the Spice Bazaar and Eminönü’s ferry piers.
Istanbul and the Ottoman Empire
Spend your final full day exploring Istanbul’s historic peninsula. Start at the Blue Mosque, known for its six minarets and interior Iznik tiles, then cross the Hippodrome, the former chariot-racing ground of Constantinople. Continue to Hagia Sophia with Insight Choice: select the Hagia Sophia History Digital Experience, outlining its shift from basilica to mosque and museum, or visit Hagia Sophia itself with your Local Expert. Later, visit Topkapi Palace, once the seat of Ottoman sultans, and walk the covered streets of the Grand Bazaar. In the evening, share a final dinner with your Small Group and Travel Director as your journey through Turkey comes to a close.
Farewell Istanbul
our journey through Turkey comes to an end in Istanbul. After breakfast, take a moment to say goodbye to your Travel Director and Small Group, reflecting on the days spent traveling together, before transferring to the airport for your onward travel.
Disclaimer: Prices listed are per person, based on double occupancy, and in USD. All promotions are valid for new bookings only, capacity controlled and valid on select dates and departures. Individual Terms and Conditions will apply to all promotions. Any promotion can be withdrawn at any time without notice. Please speak with your Pavlus Travel Planner for complete vendor terms and conditions, including eligible tour and cruise dates.
