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. 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 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.

This morning you will explore the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ephesus, one of the best-preserved ancient sites in the world. 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 Celcius library. Later enjoy a picnic lunch along with a chance to prepare and cook some of the food. In the afternoon sample locally produced wines and learn how hand-woven Turkish carpets are produced, then return to your hotel in nearby Selcuk.

After breakfast set off to the little-visited ancient site of Magnesia, which dates back to 400-350BC and was an important city in the fertile Menderes (Meander) valley. Our partner in Turkey is a proud sponsor of the archaeological excavations here, which allows us special access to archaeological areas that are normally restricted. Later continue to the extraordinary thermal waters and geological formations of Pamukkale (which literally translates as 'Cotton Castle') where you have the chance to relax and enjoy the hotel's facilities including the thermal pool.

After breakfast set out to explore the Hellenistic site of Hierapolis, which was an important trading post on the routes connecting East to West. Later, during the Roman Period, Hierapolis became famous as a thermal centre, with its massive bath houses built to serve visitors from around the ancient world. Upon arrival at the site, you will be greeted by spectacular views of the calcium pools that have been formed by the spring waters of Hierapolis over thousands of years. Explore the ancient site, including its fabulous necropolis and one of the best-preserved Roman theatres in the world. Later drive south to the coastal city of Antalya for a two-night stay.

Today you will visit the impressive ruins of Aspendos, then enjoy a boat trip along Antalya's attractive shoreline. This morning you will visit the nearby city of Aspendos, famous for its incredibly well-preserved Roman theatre, said by many to be the best example in the Mediterranean world. Enjoy a change of pace in the afternoon as you head out on a private boat tour from Antalya, lasting around two hours, with the chance to swim or just relax and take in the coastal scenery. Later there's the chance to eat at one of Antalya's traditional restaurants in the heart of the old city.

Drive northeast from the coast onto the Anatolian Plateau, a sparsely populated region of rolling steppes bordered by the Taurus Mountains in the south. Arriving at the traditional town of Konya, you will have the chance to visit the Mausoleum of Mevlâna, the founder of Whirling Dervishes, before dinner and your overnight stay. Note that Konya is more traditional than most other locations visited on this tour; you are asked to dress conservatively and alcohol may not be available.

Set off from Konya and drive first to Sultanhani Caravenserai - one of the most significant and best-preserved Seljuk caravanserais in Turkey. Enjoy time at this majestic building and imagine the camel caravans of old stopping here en route from China or Central Asia. Later continue to the other-worldly landscapes of Cappadocia, enjoying lunch and a short walk through the canyon of Ihl ara, a fertile valley flanked by 150 metre cliffs and dotted with ancient rock-cut churches. Later drive to the village of Urgup and check in to your hotel for a three-night stay. In the early evening, visit the beautifully restored 13th-century Saruhan Caravanserai to see 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, therefore photography is allowed only for a special extra performance at the end.

For those that wish this morning at sunrise you have the opportunity (optional) to enjoy an unforgettable experience: to float in a hot-air balloon over Cappadocia's extraordinary landscapes of volcanic cones, wind-eroded cliffs and rich, green valleys. Note that this activity is not an included part of our tour and you participate at your own risk. Later, start a full day exploration of the region with a visit to the monastic centre of Goreme. The town was founded by St. Basil as the first Christian monastic centre during the 4th century. Now the area is 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, where cone-shaped chapels and hermitages look as if they have been sculpted by contemporary artists! Finishing literally on a high, you will stop by the 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 the creation of traditional pottery and ceramic masterpieces. Enjoy dinner at a popular local restaurant this evening.

On your second full day in Cappadocia, enjoy the picturesque village of Mustafapasa, the rock-cut churches of Soganlı Valley, the remarkable underground city of Kaymakli and 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. We enjoy a short walk (one hour approx. with some moderate ascent and descent) through the valley, mainly on a wide and well maintained path, but with some short sections on loose gravel. If you choose not to walk, 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.

Say goodbye to the magical landscapes of Cappadocia and drive around 3 to 4 hours to Ankara. Historically known as Angora, Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country’s second-largest city after Istanbul. Upon arrival, you will visit the Anatolian Civilizations Museum, a museum that has drawn worldwide acclaim for its unparalleled collection of artifacts from all the civilisations that have occupied Anatolia throughout history and pre-history, including the Hittites, Urartians and Phrygians. Afterwards, visit the colossal Mausoleum of Ataturk, the burial place of the national hero who founded the modern Republic of Turkey.

After breakfast set off to drive back to Istanbul (5 to 6 hours) where we have lunch at a waterside restaurant on the Asian shore, close to Beylerbeyi Palace. From here we have fine views of the Bosporus and over to the famous skyline of the old city. Check into your hotel then enjoy the rest of the afternoon in one of the world’s great cities. You can either explore independently, do some souvenir shopping or indulge in the refined art of the Turkish Bath at the 16th century Hurrem Sultan Hammam, one of the very best and most traditional hammams in the city. Indulge in a deep cleanse and relaxing massage, your 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.