Day 1 Welcome to Istanbul
Tauck’s new Turkey tours begin at 6:30 PM at the Ceylan InterContinental Istanbul. A transfer from Istanbul’s Atatürk Airport to the Ceylan InterContinental Istanbul is included. Please join us for a welcome reception and dinner this evening.(D)

Day 2 Hagia Sofia & the Blue Mosque
Begin your discovery of Istanbul with a walk through the Hippodrome and into history. Famous for its massive dome, considered by many to be the epitome of Byzantine architecture and said to have changed the history of architecture, Hagia Sophia was once the largest cathedral in the world for over 1,000 years, subsequently served as the primary mosque of Constantinople for over 500 years and is now a museum. Sightseeing continues in the Basilica Cistern, 52 steps underground, where any preconceived notions you might have of what a cistern looks like will float away forever; you may recognize it from a scene in From Russia With Love, which was filmed here. Located in front of Hagia Sofia, the Blue Mosque, built in 1609 to out-do its neighbor, is regarded as a prime example of Turkish Islamic architecture; its six slender minarets and cascading domes dominate the city skyline. Remove your shoes before entering to look up and discover the tens-of-thousands of blue tiles from which it gets its name. From the Blue Mosque, it’s a short walk to the Green House (Yesil Ev) where you’ll have lunch in the gracious setting of a 19th-century mansion. You'll find an oasis of calm in busy Sultanahmet, the historic district of Old Istanbul.
(B,L)

Day 3 The many faces of Istanbul
Step back into the lives of the Ottoman sultans who occupied it for 400 years when you visit Topkapi Palace this morning. Try to imagine what it was like to live here as you explore the Council Chamber, the Imperial Kitchens and the Harem. Then, enter another world in the Grand Bazaar, the largest covered market in the world, a maze of lanes and alleys in which shoppers can find virtually anything they might be looking for at the over 4,000 shops. Most Turkey tours include the architectural wonders and famous sights that you’ve seen, but Tauck provides experiences other travelers don’t have. Board a boat and cruise across the Bosphorus to the private home of an artist and businessman for a tour and insights on life in Istanbul today. Dine at restaurant on the Bosphorus known for its seafood this evening.(B,D)

Day 4 Off to Izmir & Sardis
After a morning flight to Izmir, visit Sardis, once one of the most important cities in the Persian Empire, home to many ruins from different time periods. Discover what were shops and the mammoth gymnasium dating from the second century AD as you explore the city. Alexander the Great liberated the city from the Persians; visit the Temple of Artemis, once the fourth-largest Ionic temple in the world, built by the Greeks in honor of the goddess of the hunt. Ancient Sardis also had a large and prosperous Jewish community, which built the largest ancient synagogue outside of ancient Palestine that you’ll explore today. It was also in Sardis that coins were used for the first time. Dine at your leisure at your hotel this evening.(B,L,D)

Day 5 Ancient Ephesus
Having seen the Harem in Istanbul, where the women of the sultans’ households lived, gain insights about the role of women in contemporary Turkey this morning before heading off to Ephesus, an ancient bastion of women’s rights and the site of the largest temple built to honor Artemis.  Once an important trade center as well as a religious center of early Christianity, the ruins at Ephesus are among the best preserved in the region. As you walk the 2,000-year-old marble and cobblestone streets, it isn’t hard to imagine what the city was like when tradition says that Paul was preaching to the Ephesians, perhaps in the Great Theater that could seat 24,000; dating from the 1st century AD, it is still used today for public theatre and musical performances. Explore the two-story Library of Celsus, the Scholastic Baths, the Arcadian Way and more. This splendid city is a highlight of Tauck’s Turkey tours.(B,L)

Day 6 Antalya & the Ruins of Perge
Arrive in the “resort capital” of the Turkish Mediterranean coast, Antalya, after a short flight from Istanbul. Following lunch, set off for the ruins of the Roman city of Perge. Pass through the unusual Hellenistic-Roman towers to an impressive colonnaded street line once lined with shops and statues that you’ll see tomorrow at the Antalya Museum. Your home for the next two nights, Kempinski Hotel The Dome, is set between the mountains and the Mediterranean Sea. Dine at your leisure at the hotel this evening.(B,L,D)

Day 7 Archaeology in Antalya
History and culture through the ages unfold at the Antalya Archeological Museum, one of the largest museums in Turkey with 13 exhibition halls showcasing art and artifacts of the area large and small from the Stone Age onward. Perhaps most impressive are the larger-than-life statues of 16 gods and goddesses as well as emperors and empresses found in Perge and Aspendos in the “Hall of the Gods.” After lunch on your own, explore the narrow streets of Antalya’s historic Old Town. This evening, attend a cooking demonstration featuring Turkish coffee as well as Turkish delight, a sweet treat on Turkey tours. When you’ve finished your coffee, look at the dregs left in the cup, which are said to foretell the future if you know how to read them.(B,D)

Day 8 Konya, Rumi's Tomb & Catahulyuk
A scenic drive through the mountains leads to Konya, final resting place of the Sufi poet Jelaleddin Rumi, considered by some to be one of the great spiritual teachers and thinkers the world has known, who founded the Whirling Dervishes over 800 years ago. While visiting the Mevlana complex, view his mausoleum, learn about the man and the mystical religious order he founded and see the oldest surviving copies of his work, dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries. Later, discover Catal Huyuk, built about 6.500 BC and thought to be one of the world’s first towns. A guided tour reveals the ongoing archaeological work being done and what has been learned about the people who abandoned the hunter-gatherer lifestyle and formed a pueblo-style community here so long ago from the artifacts that have been found.(B,L,D)

Day 9 Cappadocia & the Underground City
Along the Silk Road, caravanserais traditionally provided stopping places for travelers in need of rest and refreshment and were spaced to accommodate a one-day camel trek. We’ll make a rest stop at one this morning, just as people have been doing for centuries. A visit with children at a local elementary school provides the opportunity to help them practice their English and for you to learn a bit about daily life here. After lunch at a local restaurant in Cappadocia, you’ll be invited into the modern home that a family has burrowed into the side of a bluff, just as their ancestors did, before walking along the bluff itself to view the famous “fairy chimneys” for which Cappadocia is known. As early as the days of the Hittites, locals created underground cities to protect them from assorted conquerors who invaded the area. Explore Kaymakli, originally an eight-story underground city that provided safety and refuge for up to 5,000 people; four stories are open to the public. Your home for the next two nights features comfortable cave suites constructed within five different cave formations that are a part of Cappadocia’s historical structure, and each one is unique.(B,L,D)

Day 10 From Fairy Chimneys to Whirling Dervishes
Drifting over the fairy chimneys of the Göreme Valley in a hot air balloon is a memorable experience on this newest of Tauck’s Turkey tours. Be sure to have your camera handy as the rising sun bathes the mountain bluffs and unique rock formations below in light! Breakfast is served among the fairy chimneys before visiting the Göreme Open Air Museum, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Resembling a huge monastic complex, the museum showcases eleven early Christian, rock-cut churches containing beautiful frescoes whose colors are still vibrant after countless centuries. The Whirling Dervishes belong to one branch of the Sufi tradition Islam whose followers are taught to love everything. By slowly whirling in a prescribed way, they undertake a spiritual journey seeking unity with the three components of human nature: the body, the heart and the mind. Witness this ancient ritual in a cave venue once part of an ancient monastery at a private dinner and performance.(B,D)

Day 11 Meanwhile, back in Istanbul
Arrive back in Istanbul by plane in time for lunch at the Hamdi Restaurant, called “Istanbul’s favorite Anatolian restaurant” by Travel + Leisure. Then the scents and sights of the Spice (or Egyptian) Bazaar beckon with an exotic bouquet of fragrances and a kaleidoscope of colors – and must-see-and-smell experience for foodies on Turkey tours. Join us for our farewell reception at the Pera Palace Hotel, once the terminus of the Orient Express and a coveted address for folks like Mata Hari and Agatha Christie.(B,L,D)

Day 12 Homeward bound
Tauck’s new Turkey tours end in Istanbul. A transfer from the Pera Palace Hotel to Atatürk International airport is included. Fly home anytime; please allow a minimum of 3 hours for flight check-in. We wish you a safe and pleasant journey home.(B)

Turkey is truly a land of contrasts, from the blending of east and west as Europe meets Asia in sophisticated Istanbul to people living in homes they’ve dug into the side of a bluff in the Göreme Valley, as you’ll learn on this latest of Tauck’s Turkey tours. Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace tell stories from antiquity in Istanbul, magnificent Ephesus brings the Greeks and Romans into focus and the fanciful rock formations called the fairy chimneys have tales to tell about both ancient days and today. Glimpse modern daily life in the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar, and imagine it when surrounded by ruins of shops dating back to the Romans and beyond in Perge and Sardis. Gain insights into the mysticism of the Whirling Dervishes and learn to make Turkish Delights. Mingle with schoolchildren who want to practice their English and explore an underground refuge of the early Christians in a single day! Float over eerie landscapes in a hot air balloon and visit the private home of a successful businessman. Discover the contrasts for yourself on these intriguing Turkey tours.

• A boat cruise on the Bosphorus Strait, which runs through the heart of Istanbul
• Visits to the Yali house in Istanbul, a mansion on the Bosphorus, and a traditional caravanserai (roadhouse inn) on the ancient Silk Road
• A hot air balloon flight over the “fairy chimneys” of Göreme, with breakfast afterward among the famous rock formations
• A performance by a company of Whirling Dervishes in the rock cave of an ancient monastery
• Private lecture on the status of women in contemporary Turkish society
• Visit to a family who lives in a modern “cave home” carved into a fairy chimney in Cappadocia
• A private cooking class teaching the art of making Turkish coffee
• Airport transfers upon arrival and departure as noted
• 27 meals (11 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 9 dinners); gratuities to local guides, taxes, service charges, admission fees and porterage

Istanbul: Ceylan InterContinental Istanbul
Izmir: Swissôtel Grand Efes
Belek: Kempinski Hotel The Dome
Konya: Dedeman Konya Hotel
Goreme: Anatolian Houses
Istanbul: Pera Palace Hotel, Jumeirah

• Prices above do not include on-tour air (starting at $395).
• The following dates are "small group departures," averaging 24 Tauck guests: April 30, October 8
• Please ask your Vacations To Go travel counselor for more information.

For Tauck terms and conditions, please click here.

* The prices shown are U.S. dollars per person, based on double occupancy, and subject to availability. Prices quoted for land/cruise arrangements are subject to increase without notice. Once we have received your deposit, land/cruise prices are guaranteed. Air prices quoted via phone or email are subject to increase and are guaranteed only from the time that full payment is received. Also, air prices or air promotions mentioned on this site or on the phone do not include baggage fees imposed by airlines.