Tour overview

This 8-day small-group trip packs Turkey's best-known sights into a single week, looping from Istanbul to the Aegean coast and Cappadocia. Groups have no more than 16 travellers aged 15 and over, with a local leader throughout. You travel by private vehicle, an overnight train and a domestic flight, and stay in comfortable hotels, including two nights in a traditional cave-style hotel in Cappadocia. Breakfast is included most days, with a lunch and a home-cooked dinner, and the flight from Cappadocia to Istanbul is included. The trip is otherwise land-only, starting and ending in Istanbul.

Istanbul, the city that straddles Europe and Asia and served as capital to Romans, Byzantines and Ottomans, is the start, with a walk through the Old City after the welcome meeting. You then drive to the Gallipoli Peninsula for a guided tour of the First World War battlefields, including ANZAC Cove, before crossing to Çanakkale on the Dardanelles. The next morning brings Troy, where layer upon layer of ancient cities have puzzled archaeologists for centuries, and a drive down to Selçuk.

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Ephesus is one of the best-preserved classical cities in the world, and a local guide brings to life the Great Theatre, the Library of Celsus and the Roman streets, baths and houses. Lunch includes a demonstration of gözleme, the Turkish stuffed flatbread. In the evening you board an overnight train to Konya, the city of Rumi and the whirling dervishes, where you visit the Mevlana Museum before continuing to Cappadocia via Kaymaklı, an underground city carved deep into the rock.

Two nights in Cappadocia leave time for its fairy chimneys and rock-cut churches. At dawn you can take an optional hot-air balloon flight, or watch the balloons fill the sky from the ground, before a leader-led walk through the valleys and a home-cooked dinner with a local family. A flight returns you to Istanbul for a last evening in one of the city's lively neighbourhoods.

The physical rating is low, though some travel days are long with early starts. This trip suits travellers who want an introduction to Turkey's history and landscapes in a short time, at a very good price.

Trip highlights

  • Istanbul's Old City (Day 1)
  • A guided tour of the Gallipoli battlefields (Day 2)
  • The ruins of Troy (Day 3)
  • Ephesus with a local guide and a gözleme lunch (Day 4)
  • Konya's Mevlana Museum and the underground city of Kaymaklı (Day 5)
  • Two nights in a cave hotel in Cappadocia, with an optional balloon flight (Days 5–6)

Your route

10 stops from Istanbul to Goreme

8-day route: Istanbul – Gallipoli – Troy – Ephesus – Konya – Cappadocia – Istanbul
  1. Istanbul Days 1 & 7–8
  2. Gallipoli Peninsula Day 2
  3. Canakkale Day 2
  4. Troy Day 3
  5. Selcuk Days 3–4
  6. Ephesus Day 4
  7. Konya Day 5
  8. Kaymakli Underground City Day 5
  9. Ürgüp (Cappadocia) Days 5–6
  10. Goreme Day 6

Why choose this tour

Covers Istanbul, the Aegean coast and Cappadocia in one week, with the flight back to Istanbul included. An overnight train, a cave hotel and a family dinner add memorable experiences at a low price.

Best suited to

  • First-time visitors to Turkey with limited time
  • Travellers interested in ancient and First World War history
  • Budget-conscious travellers who want a guided trip
  • Anyone keen to see Cappadocia's landscapes
The fairy chimneys of Cappadocia

Day-by-day itinerary

8 days from Istanbul, Turkey to Istanbul, Turkey

  1. Day 1 · Istanbul, Sultanahmet Arrive in Istanbul

    Welcome to Istanbul, a city that has been home to Greeks, Romans, Byzantines and Ottomans. After the welcome meeting at 1pm, your leader takes you on a walk through the Old City.

    Hotel
    Hotel
  2. Day 2 · Gallipoli Peninsula, ANZAC Cove, Çanakkale Gallipoli to Çanakkale

    Drive to the Gallipoli Peninsula for a guided tour of the First World War battlefields, including ANZAC Cove and the memorials. Cross to Çanakkale, a port city on the Dardanelles.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  3. Day 3 · Troy, Selçuk Troy to Selçuk

    Explore the ruins of Troy with your leader, where many cities have been built one on top of another, and see the replica Trojan Horse. Continue to Selçuk for an orientation walk.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  4. Day 4 · Ephesus, Selçuk, Izmir Ephesus and the night train

    A local guide shows you Ephesus, once the capital of Roman Asia Minor, including the Great Theatre and the Library of Celsus. Enjoy a gözleme-making demonstration and lunch, then transfer to Izmir to board the overnight train to Konya.

    Hotel
    Overnight train
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch
  5. Day 5 · Konya, Mevlana Museum, Kaymaklı Underground City, Ürgüp Konya to Cappadocia

    Wake up in Konya, home of the Sufi mystic Rumi and the whirling dervishes, and visit the Mevlana Museum. Continue to Cappadocia via Kaymaklı, an underground city carved deep into the rock, and end the day with a sunset walk.

    Hotel
    Cave-style hotel
  6. Day 6 · Göreme, Cappadocia Cappadocia

    At sunrise, take an optional hot-air balloon flight or watch the balloons from the ground. Later, join a leader-led walk through the valleys of fairy chimneys and rock-cut churches, and share a home-cooked dinner with a local family.

    Hotel
    Cave-style hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast, Dinner
  7. Day 7 · Istanbul Fly to Istanbul

    Fly from Cappadocia to Istanbul, arriving between 1pm and 4pm. In the evening, take a walk to one of the city's liveliest neighbourhoods for a final night out.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  8. Day 8 · Istanbul Trip ends in Istanbul

    The trip ends after breakfast. Extra nights in Istanbul can be arranged when you book, to see more of the city, such as Topkapı Palace or a Bosphorus cruise.

    Meals
    Breakfast
The Library of Celsus at Ephesus, Turkey

Where you stay

  • Istanbul (1 night) Hotel
  • Çanakkale (1 night) Hotel
  • Selçuk (1 night) Hotel
  • Izmir to Konya (1 night) Overnight train
  • Cappadocia (2 nights) Cave-style hotel
  • Istanbul (1 night) Hotel

Hotel names are indicative and may be replaced with a property of similar standard and location.

What's included

Included

  • Accommodation — 7 nights 6 in hotels, including a cave hotel, and 1 on an overnight train
  • Meals 6 breakfasts, a gözleme lunch in Selçuk and a home-cooked dinner in Cappadocia
  • Flight Cappadocia to Istanbul
  • Transport private vehicle and the overnight train from Izmir to Konya
  • Guided visits Istanbul's Old City, Gallipoli, Troy, Ephesus, the Mevlana Museum, Kaymaklı underground city and a Cappadocia valley walk
  • Local leader throughout

Not included

  • International flights to and from Istanbul
  • Airport transfers
  • Turkey e-visa, if required
  • Meals not listed
  • Optional activities, such as the balloon flight, single supplement, tips, travel insurance and personal spending
The Çanakkale Martyrs' Memorial on the Gallipoli Peninsula

This trip might not be for you if…

Honest disclaimer — please read

  • You want international flights included — they are not
  • You want a relaxed pace — the trip moves on most days
  • You need a private room every night — the train night is shared
  • You want most meals included — breakfasts, one lunch and one dinner

Good to know

FCDO advice UK FCDO travel advice for Turkey
The Blue Mosque in Istanbul

In pictures

Departures & prices

From £1,185 per person, twin share, tour only. 165 upcoming departures.

Frequently asked questions

How do I book this tour?

Tap any "Enquire" button on the page and one of our travel specialists will be in touch within 24 hours (often same day). We'll confirm availability on your preferred date, run through anything you need to know, and only ask for the deposit once you've decided.

What financial protection do I get?

Every Travelisto booking is 100% financially protected. Your money is held in a ring-fenced Trust account until you return from your trip, and we are members of the Protected Trust Services scheme (PTS 6035). Most tours also include ATOL protection where flights are part of the package.

What is the overnight train like?

You travel from Izmir to Konya in a shared sleeper compartment. The single supplement does not apply on this night.

Is the balloon flight included?

No, it is optional and weather-dependent. Even without flying, you can watch hundreds of balloons rise over Cappadocia at sunrise.

Is the internal flight included?

Yes. The flight from Cappadocia to Istanbul on Day 7 is included. Most domestic flights allow 15 kg of checked luggage and 8 kg in the cabin.

How active is the trip?

The physical rating is low. Expect walking at archaeological sites, city walks, a sunset walk and a valley walk in Cappadocia. Some travel days are long, with early starts.

What meals are included?

6 breakfasts, a gözleme lunch in Selçuk and a home-cooked dinner with a local family in Cappadocia.

Do I need a visa?

UK passport holders do not currently need a visa for stays of up to 90 days. Other nationalities should check the latest rules.

Can you tailor the trip?

Yes — every escorted tour can be modified into a private tailor-made version with your own dates, adjusted pace, upgraded hotels and add-on extensions. Tell us what you'd like changed when you enquire and we'll quote it both ways so you can compare.

What if my flight is delayed or cancelled?

If your international flight is part of your booking through us, we re-book at no cost. If you've booked flights separately, the tour's local team holds your transfer slot until you arrive. We strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes delay and cancellation cover.

ATOL protected 100% financially protected in a Trust bank account PTS 6035 4.7 on Trustpilot
Tailor-made option

Not quite the right fit? Make it tailor-made.

If this group tour doesn't match your ideal trip, our specialists will turn it into a private tailor-made journey — your own dates, your own pace, upgraded hotels where you want them, and the parts you don't love swapped out. Same destinations, just rebuilt around you.

Contact us for a tailor-made version of this itinerary

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