Empires & the Turquoise Coast
Two weeks from Byzantium to the Lycian coast: ancient theatres, a seaside town, Cappadocia from the air.
- 15 days / 14 nights
- Small group, usually 8–12 (max 16), or private on request
- from US$4,580 per person, room sharing
After a week of empires, you wake in Kaş to the sound of fishing boats. You swim over the walls of a city that slipped into the sea, eat grilled fish by the harbor, and sit in the theatre of Aspendos, where 15,000 people once fell silent for a single voice.
Highlights
- Whirling dervish ceremony
- Gallipoli and Troy
- Ephesus
- Pamukkale
- Kaş on the Lycian coast
- Aspendos theatre
- Balloon flight included
Your route
- By road
- Domestic flight
Cultural moments
- A whirling dervish ceremony in Istanbul
- Lycian rock tombs and the sunken city of Kekova
- Aspendos, the best-preserved Roman theatre in the world
- A sunrise balloon flight over Cappadocia, included
Day by day
- Day 1
Arrive in Istanbul
Transfer to your boutique hotel.
- Day 2
Istanbul Old City and the Sema
The great monuments, then a whirling dervish ceremony in the evening.
- Day 3
Istanbul: two continents
Bosphorus cruise and the Spice Bazaar.
- Day 4
Gallipoli
The Anzac battlefields. Overnight in Çanakkale.
- Day 5
Troy and Pergamon
On to Kuşadası.
- Day 6
Ephesus
Library of Celsus, the Great Theatre and the House of the Virgin Mary.
- Day 7
Pamukkale
The travertines and Hierapolis.
- Day 8
To Kaş
Drive down to the Mediterranean and the harbor town of Kaş.
- Day 9
Kaş at leisure
Swim, take a boat over the sunken city of Kekova, or simply sit by the harbor.
- Day 10
Coast road to Antalya
Along the Lycian shore to Antalya's old town.
- Day 11
Aspendos, Perge and Side
The best-preserved Roman theatre in the world and two ancient port cities.
- Day 12
Fly to Cappadocia
Check in to your cave hotel.
- Day 13
Balloon flight and Cappadocia North
Sunrise flight, then Göreme Open-Air Museum and Avanos.
- Day 14
Cappadocia South, fly to Istanbul
Underground city, then an evening flight to Istanbul.
- Day 15
Depart
Transfer to the airport.
What's included
- 14 nights in boutique and 4–5 star hotels, including a cave hotel
- Breakfast daily, plus many lunches and dinners on touring days
- Hot-air balloon flight in Cappadocia
- Whirling dervish ceremony in Istanbul
- Domestic flights Antalya–Kayseri and Kayseri–Istanbul
- English-speaking licensed guide on every touring day
- Entrance fees for every site in the itinerary
- Airport arrival and departure transfers
- Small group, usually 8 to 12 travelers (maximum 16)
Not included
- International flights
- Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
- Visa / e-Visa fees if your passport requires one
- Meals not listed in the itinerary
- Optional activities not listed (e.g. a balloon flight where it is not included)
- Tips for guides and drivers
- Single room supplement if you travel alone
Good to know
- Hot-air balloon flights depend on the weather and are confirmed by the authorities on the morning of the flight. If yours is cancelled we will try to rebook on another morning where the itinerary allows.
- Mosques require modest dress: shoulders and knees covered; women bring a scarf for the head.
- Some sites (Ephesus, Pamukkale, Cappadocia valleys) involve uneven ground and walking. Tell us about any mobility needs and we'll adapt the plan.
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