Cappadocia, Istanbul, Ephesus and Troy

Today we head straight to the Anatolian Civilisations Museum for a guided tour. We will learn about the ancient history of Anatolia, the migration of humans from Africa and the subsequent societies that evolved. 

From the Stone Age came some of the first actual societies, like the remarkable Hittites who discovered iron making, invented the wheel, signed the world’s first written peace treaty and had laws and social systems we could recognise. 

We then enjoy a guided tour of the Mausoleum of Kemal Ataturk. He was commander of the Turkish forces at Gallipoli. Known to be a national hero, he “founded” modern day Turkey in the 1920s. After the guided tour, you have some free time to explore as you wish. 

We begin our journey to Cappadocia, stopping for lunch along the way. We drive alongside Tuz Golu, one of the world’s largest salt lakes, entering our destination and one of the planet’s most unique landscapes, a remarkably fertile volcanic plateau eroded into bizarrely contorted shapes. 

We stay two nights with dinner in Cappadocia.

The Cappadocia region is incredibly rich in amazing natural phenomena and extraordinary settlements built by its resourceful peoples throughout the ages. Its history is unparalleled; it was once the land of the Hittites, then the Lydians, the Persians, the Romans, the Byzantines, the Turks and then the Mongols. Their remarkable legacies are astonishing. To survive periodic marauding invasions, entire cities were built underground here, some boasted a staggering 3,000 inhabitants. 

This morning we visit the underground city of Kaymakli, which had eight levels. We have free time to wander around and you’ll be amazed by the rooms, passages and recesses, ranging from stables, wine presses and kitchens even a church and a copper smelter. 

Then we visit nearby Pasabaglari where over the millennia, weathered rocks have formed almost unbelievable shapes capped with mushroom-like pinnacles. Some of these resulting “Fairy Chimney” rock pillars have been hollowed out by monks who distanced themselves from the outside world.  

Perhaps the highlight of the day is our visit to Göreme. This vast monastic complex boasts some of the finest rock cut churches and exquisite frescoes and is particularly noted for the surprising freshness of their original 10th-century colours. This is Byzantine art at its most astonishing, cleverly utilising the rock’s rugged surface to highlight shadow.

We return to the hotel in time for dinner.

Leaving Cappadocia’s hills you can really appreciate the wide-open vistas of Anatolian Plateau. After time for lunch, we continue the journey along part of the Ancient Silk Road and soon reach the great Caravanserai of Sultanhani, one of the Seljuk caravanserais – essentially camel “truck stops” – used by travellers since earliest times. 

Rebuilt many times during its turbulent history, the current 13th-century complex is probably the finest and best preserved, noted for its magnificent portal and the elegant simplicity of its massive walls. Exploring the great courtyard and surrounding rooms, it’s not hard to imagine the relief with which weary camel trains and their minders would rest here before continuing their epic journeys. We have a guided tour here and enjoy some free time to explore before continuing our journey. 

We start the day with a visit to the pottery making village of Avanos and see a demonstration of the potter’s art before beginning our journey south-west to Konya. Leaving Cappadocia’s hills, you can really appreciate the wide-open vistas of the Anatolian Plateau. Seemingly unremarkable today, this is the ancient Silk Road from the east. 

On arrival in Konya, we visit the Mevlâna Museum, the Mausoleum of Rumi, one of Islam’s greatest philosophers. Renowned for its green dome, it is sacred to the Muslim order of Mevlevi, sometimes called the Whirling Dervishes, and remains a site of pilgrimage today. 

We stay for one night with dinner in Konya.

Today we drive to Pamukkale, passing great lakes and dramatic mountain scenery along the way. On arrival we take a guided tour of the thermal pools and enjoy some free time to explore the ancient city of Heirapolis.  

Pamukkale – Turkish for “cotton castle” – holds one of the world’s most extraordinary phenomena. By a freak of nature, calcium carbonate has been deposited by the evaporation of mineral-rich springs, causing water to slowly drip down the mountainside, collecting in shallow terraces and spilling over cascades of travertine stalactites into thermal pools. 

Over the millennia, it has created a shimmering, brilliant-white scene that really is something special to behold. There’s also the ruined city-spa of Hierapolis, where emperors bathed two millennia ago. 

We stay at our hotel near Pamukkale, for one night with dinner.

This morning we visit another momentous site in civilisation’s history, the enticingly named Aphrodisias, for a guided tour. As significant as Ephesus, this is one of Turkey’s finest archaeological sites, yet much remains undiscovered. Evidence suggests Neolithic farmers worshipped the Mother Goddess of Fertility here 7,000 years ago. 

Our tour explores Greek and Roman remains and their legends, immersing us in those societies’ passion for passion. Pre-eminent amongst the ruins is of course the great Temple of Aphrodite, subsequently transformed into a Christian Basilica, and one of the most intact stadiums in the ancient world. 

After lunch, we travel towards the azure-blue Mediterranean and Kusadasi where we stay for two nights with dinner.

Today we’ll have a guided tour of Ephesus, an ancient city with breathtaking buildings. So great was Ephesus, with its amazing two-storey Library of Celsus and the enormous amphitheatre, that the Romans made it their capital of Asia.

We’ll see the Temple of Artemis, which was one of the original ‘Seven Wonders of the Ancient World’. Intriguingly, only a fraction of the city has been excavated to date, but the discoveries indicate a highly sophisticated society living in luxurious houses with marble-lined halls, mosaics and beautiful frescoes.

Strolling through the centre of Ephesus, you’ll be walking the same streets as St Paul and St John, who both lived here for several years. We also discover the remains of St John’s Basilica, built by the Emperor Justinian over St John’s tomb. In complete contrast, hillside site of the House of the Virgin Mary. St John was entrusted to care for her, and it’s believed she travelled with him to Ephesus.

We return to our hotel in Kusadasi in the late afternoon, and the rest of the day at leisure.

Departing Kusadasi, we follow the coast towards the ancient Hellenistic city of Pergamon, where we have a guided tour. Perched on a high rocky outcrop, with stunning views for miles around, the city was famed for its library, so concerned were the Egyptians about this competition that they cut off supplies of papyrus to Pergamon, thus prompting the invention of parchment. 

We’ll see the remains of the Temple of Trajan, the altar of Zeus and the world’s steepest ancient amphitheatre. 

We continue our journey along the scenic coastline to Canakkale where we stay for one night with dinner.

A fascinating day of contrasts awaits today. Firstly, there’s free time in Troy, famous for the ‘wooden horse’ story, when Queen Helen of Sparta eloped with Prince Paris to Troy and her enraged husband followed seeking her return. Today, Troy is a complex archaeological site that spans nine separate cities. It nevertheless remains a romantic and alluring place to anyone who has read about the heroic struggles recounted in Homer’s Iliad. 

We then take a short ferry cruise from Asia to Europe over the extremely scenic, steep-sided Dardanelles, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, to the Gallipoli peninsula. This was made famous during the First World War as the scene of one of the greatest and most tragic campaigns of the conflict. 

We visit the Lone Pine memorial and Anzac Cove, where the Australians mistakenly landed and were forced to scale steep cliffs and ravines under constant bombardment.

After some free time here, we continue our journey through this refreshingly picturesque landscape to Istanbul, where we stay for four nights, with breakfast.

This morning, we enjoy a visit to the breathtaking Hagia Sophia, one of the city’s best landmarks and quite simply one of the world’s greatest architectural achievements. Built in the 6th century, it was the largest enclosed space in the world for 1,400 years.

During our visit you can explore the second floor, including the galleries. During its time as a mosque, this is where the women would sit during the service. It offers views of the nave below and the dome above, as well as the spot where the empress’s throne once stood.

In the South Gallery, ornate Christian and imperial portrait mosaics adorn the wall. These amazing Byzantine mosaics seem to cover every wall with their vibrant golds, reds and yellows.  

We have a guided walk of Istanbul and experience the sights and sounds of this magnificent city. There are few places where you’ll find such a diverse array of monuments and fascinating places to visit. We’ll see the immense and beautifully preserved city walls, still dominant after a thousand years, and the remains of the Hippodrome, where the emperors entertained a staggering 50,000 people.

For thousands of years, Istanbul sat at the centre of the overland trade routes, and its Grand Bazaar became home to merchants from all over the known world. Today, more than 4,000 shops sell all types of goods, mainly gold, silver, leatherwear, ceramics and carpets, including fine collectors’ items.

Istanbul has about 500 underground cisterns, many dating back to antiquity. Today, we'll go underground in Istanbul to see one of the most famous of them.

Lost until it was rediscovered in the 16th century, the cistern has been welcoming visitors since 1837. Described as an underground cathedral, this feat of engineering dates back to the reign of Emperor Justinian in 532. The cistern could hold up to 80,000 cubic metres of water – and, standing inside it, you won't doubt it. With over 300 marble columns made from stone said to have been salvaged from ruined temples, look out for some of the ornate carvings including the famous carved heads of Medusa - eerie!

Back above ground, we'll continue our day with a visit to the iconic Sultanahmet Mosque, or as it's more commonly known "the Blue Mosque". So named because of the beautiful blue tiles used to decorate the interior, the exterior is equally impressive with 6 minarets that, legend has it, were built to rival the iconic Hagia Sophia. - but we'll let you decide for yourself which is the grandest. 

After our visit, the rest of the day is at leisure to continue to explore Istanbul or relax in our hotel as you wish.

We start the day with a guided tour of the Topkapi Palace, the glittering and labyrinthine imperial residence of the sultans for over 400 years. Today, it is a spectacular museum, but in its heyday, it functioned as a city within a city, a home to over 4,000 guards, eunuchs, courtiers and the ladies of the harem.

There is a superb display of weapons from throughout history: crossbows, firearms inlaid with ivory and beautifully crafted armour from as far afield as Japan. The treasury is breath-taking too, with an amazing display of jewellery including the world’s fifth-largest diamond, emeralds, jewel-encrusted thrones and the famous Topkapi. 

The rest of the afternoon is at leisure.