Surrounded on three sides by the Black Sea, Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean, Turkey is a breathtaking place of stunning architecture and empires, mouth-watering delicacies, and rich culture. This tour encapsulates the heart and soul of this vibrant country.
Situated with one foot in Europe and one in Asia, Istanbul is a fascinating mixing pot of cultures, sounds and experiences. Explore this enigmatic city for yourself during this extension.
Dinner
Fly from the UK to Istanbul, a vibrant city that straddles two continents. Transfer to your hotel for a welcome dinner.
Breakfast & Dinner
Start your exploration of Istanbul at Sultanahmet Square, the heart of historic Istanbul, where you’ll delve into the history of the ancient Hippodrome, once the site of thrilling chariot races and now home to magnificent obelisks. visit the iconic Hagia Sophia, a masterpiece of Byzantine architecture, followed by the stunning Blue Mosque, famed for its six minarets and beautiful blue tiles. In the afternoon continue to the Topkapi Palace Museum. This grand palace, which once served as the residence of Ottoman sultans, houses a priceless collection of artifacts. From there, head to the bustling Spice Bazaar, with over 100 shops offering everything from exotic spices to dried fruits and tea’s. Travel back to the hotel by tram and then after dinner explore Istanbul at your leisure or join an optional excursion to experience a traditional Turkish show, featuring captivating music and dance performances (at additional cost).
Breakfast & Dinner
After breakfast, the morning is free to explore Istanbul at your own pace or join our scenic Bosporus Cruise (at additional cost). This delightful cruise offers panoramic views of the city’s skyline and historic landmarks as you cross from Europe to Asia. In the afternoon, embark on a picturesque drive to Canakkale, taking in the stunning Marmara Sea coastline. En route, visit the famous WWI battlefields of Gallipoli, a poignant and historic site where soldiers from Australia, New Zealand, Britain, and Turkey fought and fell. After crossing the historic Dardanelles channel, enjoy dinner at your hotel Canakkale.
Breakfast & Dinner
Discover the legendary city of Troy immortalized in Homer’s Iliad and discover archaeological wonders that span over 3,000 years. Visit the Troy Museum to see historical artifacts found in the ruins before continuing your journey via Ayvalik to the ancient city of Pergamon, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Here, you’ll explore the impressive ruins of the Acropolis, an open-air museum that offers a fascinating glimpse into the past
Breakfast & Dinner
Visit the remarkable ancient city of Ephesus, one of the best-preserved archaeological sites in the world. Walk through its historic streets, visiting agoras, temples, and churches, and capture a memorable photo at the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. In the afternoon, travel to the picturesque village of Sirince, known for its excellent wine production. Perched atop a hill, Sirince boasts breathtaking views of vineyards and the surrounding countryside.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Journey to Aphrodisias today, a beautifully preserved Greco-Roman city dedicated to the goddess of love, Aphrodite. Explore the ancient temple and other ruins dating back to the 3rd century BC. Enjoy a delightful picnic lunch amidst these historic surroundings before traveling to Pamukkale. Known for its striking white terraces and mineral-rich thermal waters, Pamukkale offers a unique natural spectacle.
Breakfast & Dinner
Begin the day with a tour of Hierapolis, an ancient spa city. Wander through its ruins, including a grand Roman theatre, the agora, and a vast Necropolis with over 1,000 tombs. You may choose to take a dip in the hot spring pool at the hotel before we drive to Konya, once the capital of the Seljuk Empire. Along the way, enjoy the serene beauty of the lakes Egirdir and Beysehir, surrounded by lush landscapes.
Breakfast & Dinner
Start your exploration of Konya with a visit to the Mausoleum of Mevlana, the founder of the Whirling Dervishes. Admire the blue-tiled dome of Karatay Medrese, a masterpiece of Seljuk architecture. Next, visit the 13th-century Caravanserai Sultanhani, an important stop for merchants on the ancient Silk Road. In the evening, you may join an optional excursion to witness a mesmerizing Whirling Dervishes performance, a unique spiritual ceremony that offers a deep insight into Turkish culture (at additional cost).
Breakfast & Dinner
Awake to the surreal landscapes of Cappadocia, a region famed for its fairy-tale rock formations and unique cave dwellings. Start with a tour of Göreme Valley, where you’ll explore a network of man-made caves that house ancient churches, storehouses, and living quarters. The highlight of the day is the incredible Kaymakli Underground City, a vast subterranean complex used by early Christian settlers. Four of its eight levels are open to the public, offering a fascinating maze of tunnels and rooms. As the day draws to a close, enjoy a glass of local wine while watching the sunset over Love Valley.
Breakfast & Dinner
After an early breakfast, embark on a drive to Turkey’s bustling capital, Ankara. Upon arrival, delve into history at the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, home to an impressive collection of artifacts from Turkey’s ancient past, including relics from the Neolithic, Bronze Age, Hittite, and Lydian periods. In the afternoon, visit the Mausoleum of Atatürk, the founding father of modern Turkey.
Breakfast & Dinner
Begin you’re journey back to Istanbul. Upon arrival the afternoon is yours to explore the city at your own pace. You may wish to wander through the bustling Grand Bazaar, where you'll find everything from intricate carpets to exotic spices or explore Istiklal Avenue and the surrounding neighborhoods, full of charming cafes, boutiques, and galleries.
Breakfast
Make use of your free time here and explore the fascinating city of Istanbul at your own pace. Why not lose yourself in the bustling bazaars, or sample the flavours of Turkey's delicious cuisine.
Breakfast
Transfer to the airport for your return flight to the UK.
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The order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions or for operational purposes. Your local guide will inform you of any schedule changes as they are informed of them. The driving times listed are point to point and do not include the duration of excursions or stops en route. Some road construction and/or weather conditions may lengthen the driving times.
If booking more than 12 weeks before departure a deposit of £295.00pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 12 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 12 weeks of travel then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.
If you are visiting Turkey, your passport must be valid for at least 150 days from the date you arrive and you must have a full blank page for entry and exit stamps.
You can visit Turkey without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, for business or tourism. We recommend you check with your destination's tourist board or embassy prior to departure for the most up-to-date guidelines regarding visas and passport validity
British Citizens travelling to Turkey for tourist or business purposes are able to travel without a visa for visits of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. We recommend you check with your destination's tourist board or embassy prior to departure for the most up-to-date guidelines regarding visas and passport validity.
Please note that final flight details, including terminal, airline and baggage allowance, will be confirmed on your final documentation which will be sent to you approximately 21 days before departure. Check in baggage is included with your flight. A printed E-ticket is no longer required at check-in, all you need to do is present your passport and boarding pass to the staff at the desk.
We strongly recommend that you and all members of your party are suitably insured as soon as you book your holiday. It is a condition of booking that you must have suitable travel insurance. It is important that you purchase travel insurance that suitably covers your participation in whatever activities you may undertake at the time that you make your booking. To assist you with this, we have arranged travel insurance in partnership with Holiday Extras, including up to a 20% discount, which is given to all Mercury Holidays customers. To arrange your insurance with Holiday Extras, please visit https://www.mercuryholidays.co.uk/info/insurance for more details. Please ensure you provide us with the name of your insurer, policy number and their 24 hour emergency contact number as soon as possible. Mercury Holidays will not be liable for any costs incurred by you due to your failure to take out suitable travel insurance from the date of booking.
It is your responsibility to check any health and vaccination requirements applicable to your booked arrangements. We can only provide general information about this. Health and hygiene facilities and disease risks vary from country to country. You should take health advice about your own needs as early as possible and in good time before your departure. Sources of information include www.fco.gov.uk, www.travelhealthpro.org. uk, www.hpa.org.uk, your General Practitioner or a specialist clinic.
All our tours feature a “Tour Pace” to help find the right holiday for you. This tour is classed as an Intermediate Pace. To travel on any of our tours requires unaided mobility and the ability to stroll around the sights, climb stairs and get on and off coaches and boats. A good level of fitness is required as you may be on your feet for approximately four hours in a day, though this will be interspersed with regular breaks and will vary from day to day
The currency in Turkey is Turkish Lira, however, we recommend that you take GBP (Euros are also accepted), Cash machines are available in all the major cities to withdraw money in the local currency, however cash machines are available in all the major cities to withdraw money in the local currency.
The currency in Turkey is Turkish Lira, however we recommend that you take GBP (Euros are also accepted). Cash machines are available in all the major cities to withdraw money in the local currency.
As normal practice you may be asked for your credit card details on check-in at the hotel in order to cover any extras incurred during your stay. If you do not have a credit card, you may be asked for a cash deposit. MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted in hotels as well as American Express.
You will need to take money with you to cover any personal purchases such as souvenirs, laundry, any meals not included in the itinerary as well as drinks and any additional snacks. Approximately £300-£400 per person will be sufficient for the duration of the tour. It is a good idea to try and maintain a supply of small notes and change in the local currency for tipping or small purchases.
Tipping
It is at your discretion to tip both your driver and guide. We would recommend to tip approximately £3 per person per day. Tips are accepted in the local currency.
The minimum number of travellers in your group will be 15, and the maximum will be 35. If in the unlikely event there are less than 15 people booked on your tour date, we will endeavour to reduce any disruption to your holiday and try to operate your tour with lower passenger numbers. If we are not able to operate your departure date, then you may be asked to change to a different date and a full refund will be made available to you should this alternative not be suitable.
There is no minimum number of travellers for this extension however the main tour passenger numbers will apply for the main part of the tour. If in the unlikely event there are less than the required number of people booked on your main tour date then you may be asked to change to a different date. A full refund will be made available to you should this alternative not be suitable.
This is a fully escorted tour, meaning that you will be met on arrival by your national guide who will remain with you for the duration of the tour, ensuring that you have first-hand knowledge at all times.
Your stay in Istanbul is not escorted by a tour guide. All internal transfers are included.
Your accommodation is selected for convenience, location, comfort or character. Hotel accommodation is generally rated as local three to four-star standard, but please note there is no international classification system for hotels, and differences in facilities and quality do exist between the UK and Turkey. All group tours hotels have private bathroom facilities and air-conditioning, where needed. Rest assured that all accommodation used by Mercury Holidays is regularly inspected by our staff and partners to ensure that standards meet your needs.
Breakfast is always western style and served in the hotel each morning. Dinner on your tour (when included) will be taken in local restaurants or at the hotel. A variety of restaurants are visited giving you the chance to experience a range of dishes and flavours.
It is not recommended to drink the tap water, even in developed countries water may contain unfamiliar elements that can cause upset stomachs. In less developed countries water is not filtered in the same way.
To ensure the comfort and well-being of our guests, bottled drinking water will be provided daily throughout the duration of this tour.
Please contact Customer Experience for questions about other dietary requirements or allergy information
On your arrival in Turkey, you will be met by a representative from our local agent, Diana Travel. Once you have collected your luggage please proceed to the arrivals hall and head outside of EXIT GATE 8, your representative will be waiting here to show you to your transfer vehicle.
On arrival in Istanbul, you will be met by the representative from our local agent, Libero Tours. Please follow these instructions when exiting arrival terminal at the airport; exit at gate number 14 and meet the local guide waiting at the Q7 meeting point.
If you have any issues or cannot find the representative please call the Emergency contact for further instructions. Contact number - + 90 549 618 1835
Your guide will be on hand 24 hours a day should you have any queries, however if you need to contact your representative during your stay the details are:
Diana Travel – Telephone number 24 hr: 0090 532 287 98 59 Email Address: mustafayakar@dianatravel.com.tr
Please find below the emergency contact details for Diana Travel:
Telephone number 24 hr: 0090 532 287 98 59 E-mail: mustafayakar@dianatravel.com.tr
Istanbul City Stay:
If you need to contact a representative from Libero Tours during your stay. Contact number - + 90 549 618 1835
