Arrive in Atatürk Airport, Istanbul the ‘city where East meets West’. You will be met on arrival and transferred to your city centre hotel ahead of this evening’s welcome dinner and briefing.

Explore Istanbul’s landmark sites, mainly on foot but with plenty of rest breaks along the way. First visit the remains of the once mighty Hippodrome and view the Blue Mosque’s exquisite cascade of domes and slender minarets before continuing to the Hagia Sophia, the crowning achievement of the Byzantine Empire, whose 31.7 metre dome was for a millennium the largest in the world. Then walk to one of ancient Byzantium's most remarkable engineering achievements: the vast, 6th-century Basilica Cistern. Descend the 52 stone steps into the cistern and marvel at the 336 marble columns supporting its vaulted ceiling. After lunch, immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of the Grand Bazaar, one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world. During the day you will also get the chance to enjoy a traditional Turkish coffee at one of the city's historic coffee shops. Later dine at Hamdi Restaurant, overlooking the Golden Horn, where some of Istanbul's finest kebabs have been served since 1970. Your first full day in Istanbul is a busy one and full of highlights: expect to spend at least five hours walking and on foot. Your guide will arrange rest breaks and you can choose to skip some of the sightseeing if you prefer.

In the morning discover on a walking tour the mesmeric beauty of Topkapi Palace and its extraordinary treasures. The sprawling palace holds some fabulous examples of Ottoman architecture and Iznik tilework, plus the very best views out over the Bosporus and Golden Horn. Then we stroll through one of the city's oldest and most evocative sites: the Spice Bazaar (also called the Egyptian Bazaar), famous for its amazing array of herbs and spices. This is still the best place to buy Turkish delight, dried fruit, exotic spices and herbs. Nearby is Tahtakale, the traditional hardware district, with its beautiful but little-visited 16th-century Rüstem Pasha Mosque, decorated with exquisite tilework. Later after pausing for lunch, explore some of Istanbul's lesser-known locations with a chance to uncover the beating heart of the city on a walk through one of the city's hidden gems: the UNESCO-listed Fener and Balat districts. Stroll through the colourful, labyrinth-like streets of these historical neighbourhoods, whose rich history dates back to Byzantine times, with Armenian, Jewish and Orthodox influences still present today. To round off the day, enjoy a private cruise along the Bosporus Strait, the waterway that divides Europe and Asia, to witness the city’s minaret-studded skyline and its most famous sites from the water, including the dramatic Rumeli Fortress, Dolmabahce Palace and the sultan’s former summer residence - Beylerbeyi Palace. In the evening enjoy your dinner at a fish restaurant overlooking the Bosporus. Note that today involves a lot of walking with around six or more hours on your feet. Your guide will arrange rest breaks where possible and you will have the option to skip some of the visits if you prefer. For example you could choose to wait in a cay bahcesi (tea-house) rather than walk the steep, cobbled streets and alleys of Fener and Balat.

After breakfast drive approximately 4 hours to reach the arid hills of the Gallipoli Peninsula. After a short break at the town of Gallipoli, visit the key battlefields and memorials from World War I. These include the Helles Memorial, built to commemorate the 20,956 missing British and Commonwealth soldiers. You will also visit Anzac Cove, where in the early hours of 25th April 1915, the Australia and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) made a landing and set up a base from which the front line was supplied over the next 10 months. You will also explore Shrapnel Valley and the evocative Lone Pine Memorial, on a plateau 120 metres above sea level, from where there are wide-ranging views across the peninsula. Later visit Chunuk Bair Memorial, commemorating the New Zealand dead, then continue to the Gallipoli War Museum and see letters written by soldiers, along with displays of uniforms and armaments used by both sides. The tree-less slopes of the Gallipoli Peninsula are open and exposed: the weather here in December can be cold and windy, so wrap up warm. Later travel from Europe to Asia either by ferry or across the quite extraordinary 1915 Canakkale Bridge, the longest suspension bridge in the world, with a suspended central span of over two kilometres. After checking into the hotel in Canakkale enjoy a complimentary drink overlooking the Dardanelles - your chance to raise a toast in memory of the 111,000 lives lost (46,000 Allies, 65,000 Turkish) in one of the WWI's bloodiest campaigns.

After breakfast, discover the fabled UNESCO World Heritage site of Troy, with its multi-layered history and wonderful legends. Continue to Bergama to visit the Greco-Roman city of Pergamon, perched on its acropolis, with far-reaching views of the plains all around. In Bergama enjoy a special lunch at typical village houses. You will be divided into smaller groups and hosted by a number of local families, a perfect chance to try Turkish home cuisine and meet your hosts in their homes. Later drive on to Selcuk and check-in to the hotel for two nights.

Today enjoy a leisurely visit on foot to the outstanding UNESCO World Heritage site of Ephesus, one of the best-preserved Greco-Roman sites in the world. Here the streets and buildings are so well preserved it isn’t hard to imagine ancient life as it must have been, whether at the bath houses, the market, the theatre or the magnificent Celcus library. Later return to your hotel in Selcuk and take some time to relax before tomorrow's flight to Cappadocia.

After breakfast drive to Izmir and fly eastwards across the Anatolian Plateau to Kayseri, then transfer to Urgup in the heart of Cappadocia, for a three-night stay. Enjoy a very different Christmas Eve, with a visit to the beautifully restored 13th-century Saruhan Caravanserai. Here witness the Sema Ritual performed by Whirling Dervishes, a deeply mystical experience where the dancers fall into a rhythmic trance-like state. Note that the Sema is a religious experience, revered by Sufis for centuries. Photography is allowed only for a special extra performance at the end. Afterwards enjoy Christmas Eve dinner at an atmospheric local restaurant in an old Cappadocian stone-built house.

Happy Christmas! For a literally uplifting start to your Christmas Day how about taking the opportunity (optional) to enjoy an unforgettable flight in a hot-air balloon over Cappadocia's extraordinary landscapes of volcanic cones, wind-eroded cliffs and quite possibly snow-covered valleys? Note that this activity is not an included part of your tour and you participate at your own expense and your own risk. Later, after breakfast at the hotel, start your Christmas Day by exploring the monastic centre of Goreme, one of the very earliest Christian settlements in the world. Goreme was founded by St. Basil during the 4th century and the area is now described as an 'open-air museum', with rock-hewn churches and monastic dwellings dotting the landscape, often decorated with well-preserved Byzantine frescoes. Later visit picturesque Pasabag Valley, whose cone-shaped chapels and hermitages look as if they have been sculpted by artists. Finishing Christmas Day literally on a high, climb the pinnacle shaped rock-carved natural citadel of Uchisar, with its spectacular views of the whole region from the top. On the way back to the hotel there will be the opportunity to stop at Avanos, an attractive town famous for its red clay, which has been used in pottery since the 2nd millennium BC. You will visit the studio of a local Cappadocian pottery artist and have the chance to watch the creation of traditional pottery and ceramic masterpieces. Later enjoy a Turkish-style Christmas dinner at a popular local restaurant.

It's Boxing Day and your second full day in Cappadocia! You will visit the picturesque village of Mustafapasa, the rock-cut churches of Soganlı Valley, the remarkable underground city of Kaymakli and enjoy a fabulous opportunity to experience Turkish home cooking! Drive first to Mustafapasa, a perfectly preserved Greek village in the heart of Anatolia. The former Greek inhabitants left the village in 1923 during the population exchange between Turkey and Greece. Then continue to Soganli Valley, which has been inhabited since the earliest days of the Christian era. The rock-cut churches here date from the 9th to 13th centuries. Soganli, like other valleys in Cappadocia, exemplifies the harmony between man and nature. Enjoy a short walk (one hour approx. with some moderate ascent and descent) through the valley, mainly on wide and well-maintained paths, but with some short sections on loose gravel. Again, be ready for snow underfoot, with secure footwear and sticks for extra support if you choose. For non-walkers your driver can take you to a café at the end of the walk, to rest and wait for the others. At lunch today you will be welcomed by your host and his family to enjoy authentic Turkish home cooking. The setting is an original stone house, decorated with Turkish textiles and local Cappadocian rugs. This is a wonderful opportunity not only to learn about Turkish cuisine but to experience traditional and genuine Turkish hospitality. Your next stop will be Kaymakli Underground City, a subterranean settlement composed of troglodytic cave dwellings providing shelter for early Christians protecting themselves from invaders. Kaymakli had the capacity to house a total of 5,000 people at once with its eight different subterranean levels. This evening once again we head out to a local restaurant for dinner.

After breakfast set off to Kayseri Airport for your flight back to Istanbul, then transfer to your hotel. With your time in Istanbul, you can either explore independently, perhaps do some souvenir hunting, or indulge in the refined art of the Turkish Bath at the 16th century Hurrem Sultan Hammam, one of the oldest and best hammams in the city. Indulge in a deep cleanse and relaxing massage, your post-Christmas reward for the action-packed days you’ve just spent enjoying the best of western and central Turkey! Please allow €110pp for the traditional Turkish Bath and massage. On your final evening eat at the atmospheric Cicek Pasaji (Flower Passage) which is a small, covered street of traditional restaurants that serve typical Turkish meze, grilled meats and Turkey's national drink of choice: raki.

After breakfast at the hotel transfer to Atatürk Airport, Istanbul for your flight back home.