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From the legends of Troy to ancient Greek cities, your travels will reveal the places where history happened. On this in-depth Best of Turkey voyage, you'll also venture into the Taurus Mountains for lunch with the Yazir community and relax on the shores of the Turkish Riviera.
Stand at the ancient crossroads between Europe and Asia, embarking on a journey of discovery through ancient lands and the marauding empires who fought to rule it. Arriving in vibrant Istanbul, you will be transferred to your hotel before joining your Travel Director and fellow travellers for a memorable Welcome Reception to kick off your epic adventure.
Spend your day delving into a city where modern and ancient coexist effortlessly. Gain insights into the Ottoman Empire's power during your guided tour of the Topkapi Palace and see the 4th-century Egyptian obelisk. Visit Hagia Sophia, the Hippodrome and the exquisite Blue Mosque, said to rival even the Great Mosque in Mecca. Dive Into Culture this afternoon, with a visit to the Grand Bazaar. Spend your afternoon haggling with passionate market vendors lining its labyrinthine lanes. This evening, consider an optional dinner with Turkish folk and belly dancing.
Trip Summary Meals IconIncluded Meals - Breakfast
Optional Experience
Istanbul Nightlife Experience
You’ll enjoy a short drive through the illuminated streets of Istanbul before arriving at a Night Club. You’ll taste Turkish specialties while being entertained by musicians, belly and folk dancers, performing dances from different regions of Turkey. You’ll also get the chance to join in.
Adult Price: $80.00*
* The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
Day 3
Journey to Troy and Çanakkale
Leaving Istanbul behind, you'll cross the Dardanelles Strait by ferry to Çanakkale. Visit the Archaeological Site of Troy and the replica wooden horse which famously ended a 10-year siege. Then, return to Çanakkale and check in to your hotel, leaving later this evening to attend the Dawn Service.
Witness the stirring dawn tribute at Anzac Cove and pay your respects to the brave soldiers who lost their lives during poignant ceremonies held at Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair. Return to your hotel in Çanakkale later this afternoon and spend the rest of the day at leisure.
Cross the Dardanelle Strait again and visit Anzac Cove, Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair. You'll be reminded of the sacrifices made by both sides during World War I before returning to Çanakkale and then on to Izmir where you'll spend the night.
Tread in the footsteps of the ancients who sought relief and relaxation at the Roman health spa at Hierapolis, then admire the bubbling pools and delicate white cascades of water of Pamukkale's Cotton Castle Springs. Later, we travel through scenic countryside and join the Yazir community in the Taurus Mountains, where we'll Connect With Locals and gain insights into their traditions at our Be My Guest lunch. Our stop for the next two nights is the Mediterranean retreat of Antalya. Enjoy some time on your own ambling through the winding lanes of its old city and admiring beautifully preserved Ottoman architecture. This evening, join your companions for dinner at your hotel.
Trip Summary Meals IconIncluded Meals - Breakfast, Be My Guest, Dinner
Day 8
Enjoy Ancient Perge
Enjoy a morning on your terms to soak up the enchanting seaside atmosphere of the Turkish Riviera, embarking on an optional yacht cruise or relaxing at the hotel pool. This afternoon, we travel to the Roman city of Perge to visit the impressive Antalya Archaeological Museum and see treasures spanning the centuries.
Antalya Old Town, 'Kaleici', is the picturesque old quarter in the centre of present day Antalya. Your Local Specialist will show you the imposing Hadrian's Gate, dating from 130 AD when the Roman Emperor visited the city. Then you'll enjoy a yacht cruise to the stunning Düden waterfall.
Adult Price: $40.00*
* The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
Day 9
On the Road to Aspendos and Konya
Witness the world's best-preserved theatre of antiquity during your first stop in Aspendos this morning, before continuing to Konya, where we will gain insights into the mystical Whirling Dervish sect whose remains lie in the Mevlana Museum and Mausoleum. We continue to the Karatay Tile Museum, spellbound by its exquisitely Seljuk-tiled dome, before returning to our hotel where we'll dine tonight.
See a well-preserved 13th-century caravanserai, at which weary travellers used to rest. We journey to Cappadocia with its honey-coloured rocky spires providing an enchanting backdrop for our visit to the underground city of Saratli on the ancient Silk Road. This evening, indulge in the flavours of traditional pottery kebabs during a Regional Dinner at a local restaurant, before retiring to your hotel with beautiful views of the surrounding fairy chimneys. Tonight we stay in one of Trafalgar's Stays With Stories located alongside the ancient Ortahisar rock castle.
The other-worldly landscapes of Cappadocia take centre stage today as we explore its volcanic landscape dotted with caves and troglodyte dwellings. We visit the Göreme Open-Air Museum to admire the extraordinary rock-hewn churches and Dive Into Culture to learn about the art of pottery making in Avanos before dining in our hotel this evening.
The 'dance' of the Whirling Dervishes is called Sema. It is part of Turkish custom, history, beliefs and culture and represents a man's spiritual journey, and will be a highlight of your trip to Turkey.
Adult Price: $32.00*
* The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
Day 12
Onwards to Ankara
Arriving in the youthful capital of Turkey today, we visit the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations and the final resting place of the country's beloved Atatürk, the first president of the modern Turkish nation. This evening we dine at our hotel in Ankara.
Returning to Istanbul, we enjoy the rest of the day on our own. Delve into the depths of the Basilica Cistern, savour the intoxicating smells of the Spice Market or ascend Galata Tower for exquisite views of east and west. Consider an optional cruise navigating the waters of the Bosphorus before meeting your Travel Director and fellow companions for a memorable Farewell Dinner.
No stay would be complete without this unforgettable cruise along the Bosphorus, the winding strait separating Europe and Asia. Along the shores you’ll see a beautiful mixture of modern hotels, ancient wooden villas, marble palaces, fortresses and small fishing villages, as you relax on board.
Adult Price: $45.00*
* The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
Day 14
Farewell Istanbul
Our epic journey into antiquity has come to an end as we bid Istanbul and newfound friends a fond farewell. Find out more about your free airport transfer at trafalgar.com/freetransfers.
Trip Summary Meals IconIncluded Meals - Breakfast
All optional experiences for this trip
Book with your travel director when you travel
Available on day 2
Istanbul Nightlife Experience
You’ll enjoy a short drive through the illuminated streets of Istanbul before arriving at a Night Club. You’ll taste Turkish specialties while being entertained by musicians, belly and folk dancers, performing dances from different regions of Turkey. You’ll also get the chance to join in.
Adult Price: $80.00*
* The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
Available on day 8
Antalya Old Town And Waterfall Yacht Cruise
Antalya Old Town, 'Kaleici', is the picturesque old quarter in the centre of present day Antalya. Your Local Specialist will show you the imposing Hadrian's Gate, dating from 130 AD when the Roman Emperor visited the city. Then you'll enjoy a yacht cruise to the stunning Düden waterfall.
Adult Price: $40.00*
* The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
Available on day 11
Performance of Whirling Dervishes
The 'dance' of the Whirling Dervishes is called Sema. It is part of Turkish custom, history, beliefs and culture and represents a man's spiritual journey, and will be a highlight of your trip to Turkey.
Adult Price: $32.00*
* The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
Available on day 13
Traditional Bosphorus Cruise
No stay would be complete without this unforgettable cruise along the Bosphorus, the winding strait separating Europe and Asia. Along the shores you’ll see a beautiful mixture of modern hotels, ancient wooden villas, marble palaces, fortresses and small fishing villages, as you relax on board.
Adult Price: $45.00*
* The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
All Optional Experiences
The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
13 breakfasts, 2 lunches (including Be My Guest), 12 Dinners
Trip Summary Transport Icon
On-trip Transport
All transport shown. VIP private door-to-door UK airport transfers included. *This service is excluded from UK-based trips.
The Trafalgar difference
Learn about the art of pottery making in Avanos. (Day 11)
Connect with Locals
Enjoy a Be My Guest lunch with the Yazir community in the Taurus Mountains near Antalya. (Day 7)
Stays with Stories
Located alongside the ancient Ortahisar rock castle, many of the rooms at Dilek Kaya Hotel are hewn out of the surrounding rock. (Day 10)
Sightseeing highlights
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Explore Istanbul with a Local Specialist
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Visit the Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, Hippodrome, Blue Mosque and Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, Anzac Cove and the War Cemeteries at Gallipoli, the ancient ruins of Troy, the Asclepion Medical Centre at Pergamon, the ancient city at Ephesus, the Cotton Castle Springs in Pamukkale, the Archaeological Museum in Antalya, the home of the Whirling Dervishes at Konya, the underground city of Saratli, Göreme Open Air Museum and the Museum of Anatolian Civilisation at Ankara
Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
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Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
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Optional Experiences and free time
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All porterage and restaurant gratuities
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Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras
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An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
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All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
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Handcrafted Highlights
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Ferry across the Dardanelles from Eceabat to Çanakkale.
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LIVE, UNEDITED & INDEPENDENT TRAVELLERS REVIEWS
Best of Turkey with Anzac Day Trip Reviews
Our guests are at the heart of everything we do, their feedback fuels our innovation, inspiring us to improve continuously and craft Simply The Best vacations. That's why we ask each of our guests to leave a third-party verified, independent review after every trip. As testament to our commitment we have been given the Trusted Service Award from Feefo, recognising we deliver exceptional experiences as rated by real guests.
Overall Rating
4.5
Out of 5
Based on 17 independent reviews
Trip Rating
Customer experience
Trip rating is the overall quality of the itinerary and trip
4.9
Out of 5
5
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15
4
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2
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2
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Customer experience is the standard of service you receive
I would give the tour director and bus driver 5's. Had issues getting certain information from the London Office and the person that booked my trip. Some hotel and dining staff were less than helpful
Our tour was wonderful. Very enjoyable and well planed. We had very good accommodation a…
Trip Rating
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5
I would like to make special mention of our tour guide Tolga Koseoglu. His wealth of knowledge was incredible, he went above and beyond what most tour guides would do to make our trip as wonderful as it was, he was far beyond our expectations. I would also like to make special mention of the fact we had a butler on our coach. I must say it made our traveling much more comfortable. I would recommend a butler on other tours. Thanks must also go to our driver who gave us a smooth comfortable ride. I would highly recommend this tour especially with the Trafalgar team we had. Simply incredible.
Our tour was wonderful. Very enjoyable and well planed. We had very good accommodation a very comfortable coach. we would certainly travel with Trafalgar again.
Some of the hotels were dreadful; some of the meals were vile. The tour leader was generally good and had lots of knowledge, but I didn't like being 'taken' to the rug, leather or pottery places - I felt like I was being set up to be ripped off!! Turkey is a great country and this made up for the shortcomings of Trafalgar!
Unless otherwise stated, trip prices are per person, land only, based on double occupancy and reflect applicable discount. Discounts are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice.
Trip prices are correct at the time of the products going live, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking. All trip information is correct at time of trips going live, however are subject to change - please confirm all details at time of booking.
Twin-share option not available for trips to South America, Costa Rica, Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, South Africa, Kenya & Tanzania, Botswana, Zambia or for any holiday & cruise combination, or in Asia and Eastern Mediterranean except Highlights of Turkey (without cruise) & Best of Turkey. It's also not available on Small Group trips. Guided Vacations included in this restriction are Newfoundland and Labrador (DNLA) as well as Panama, the Canal & Beyond (LPAN).
For trips that are part of our Guaranteed Room Share, please note that there is a no smoking policy in all shared rooms. Solo travel is not accepted on guided Family Experiences holidays unless travelling as part of a family group.
VIP private door-to-door UK airport transfers included. *This service is excluded from UK-based trips.
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