Fourteen nights, one expert guide and some of the most fascinating stops in the world. This small group tour with G Adventures starts and finishes in Istanbul and covers Turkey from the volcanic landscapes of Cappadocia to the Mediterranean coast, taking in Pamukkale, Ephesus, Troy and Gallipoli along the way. Transport between every destination, 14 breakfasts and 3 dinners are all included.
The tour begins and ends in Istanbul, one of the great cities of the world. Mosques, bazaars, Byzantine architecture and the Bosphorus strait running between Europe and Asia make it a place you could spend weeks in and still not see everything.
An orientation walk is included on the first day. For those who want to go deeper, an optional full day walking tour covers the ancient city walls, the colourful Fener and Balat districts and a cruise along the Bosphorus past Ottoman palaces and the city skyline, available for an additional fee.
The route heads east into Cappadocia, a landscape of volcanic rock formations, cave dwellings and hidden valleys that looks unlike anywhere else on earth. Two full days include a visit to the Göreme Open Air Museum, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where early Christians carved churches and frescoes directly into the rock face thousands of years ago.
One of the most distinctive nights on the trip is a stay with a local family in the village of Güneysinir, reached after exploring one of the region's ancient underground cities carved deep into the rock. En route the group visits Konya and the Mevlana Museum, dedicated to the 13th century poet Rumi.
For an additional fee, you can attend a Whirling Dervishes ceremony, a centuries old Sufi spiritual ritual where robed performers spin in a trance-like meditation, one of the most memorable things you can witness in Turkey.
The route south reaches Antalya before continuing to Kas, a small town on the edge of Turkey's turquoise coast. An afternoon boat trip on the Mediterranean is included, with dinner on board before heading ashore for the evening. A free day in Kas gives you time to swim, explore or simply sit by the water.
Pamukkale is one of Turkey's most striking natural sites, a hillside of white calcium terraces and thermal pools above the ancient city of Hierapolis. A guided walk takes in both. From there the route moves to Selçuk for a visit to Ephesus, one of the best preserved ancient cities in the world, with marble streets, a vast library facade and a theatre that once held 25,000 people. A traditional Pide cooking lunch and demonstration is available in Selçuk.
The final stretch north takes in the ancient city of Troy with a guided visit to the archaeological site. The following day a guided tour of the Gallipoli battlefields covers ANZAC Cove, the war cemeteries and Lone Pine, one of the most moving stops on the entire route.
Return flights from Dublin to Istanbul with Turkish Airlines, private airport transfers, 14 night Absolute Turkey tour with G Adventures including Chief Experience Officer throughout, all transport between destinations, 13 nights hotel accommodation and one night Turkish village homestay, 14 breakfasts and 3 dinners, Istanbul orientation walk, Göreme Open Air Museum, underground city exploration, afternoon Mediterranean boat trip, guided walk of Pamukkale and Hierapolis, Ephesus, guided visit to Troy, guided Gallipoli battlefield tour including ANZAC Cove and Lone Pine. Optional extras available locally: Istanbul walking tour and Bosphorus cruise, Whirling Dervishes ceremony, Pide cooking lunch and demonstration. Flights depart Dublin on 06 October 2026. Price is correct at the time of posting (16 April 2026). Offers are subject to change.
Price from €2,310 per person
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