Aegean Explorer - 7 Days

7 days.

From £1,555pp

Istanbul – Visit highlights of the Old City including the beautiful Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and imposing Topkapi Palace, Ephesus – Tour the marble ruins of this Roman city which was once the site of the great Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Ancient Wonders, Pamukkale – Stroll around the terraced pools and opt for a relaxing dip in the naturally warm and calcium rich waters, Gallipoli – Pay your respects at the Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair memorials and visit ANZAC Cove, a famous WW1 landing site, Troy – Discover the legendary ruins and see a replica of the famous wooden horse which as the story goes, was used to sack the city, Pergamum – Marvel at the Roman amphitheatre which is one of the steepest in the classical world, Hierapolis – See the UNESCO-listed ruins of this ancient spa town, built on the site of natural hot springs

Your tour to Turkey includes:

  • 5 breakfasts
  • 6 nights 4 star hotels
  • Economy class flight from Denizli (Pamukkale) to Istanbul
  • Guided sightseeing - Istanbul, Gallipoli, Troy, Ruins of Ephesus and Pergamum, Pamukkale Terraces and Hierapolis
  • Escorted by an English speaking, degree qualified Turkish tour guide
  • Airport arrival transfer on day 1
  • All relevant transfers and transportation in private modern air-conditioned vehicles

Your Itinerary:

Day 1, Istanbul

Saturday. Welcome to Turkey! Arrive Istanbul and included transfer to our hotel. Spend the afternoon at leisure or head out to explore the city. This evening our tip filled welcome meeting takes place.

No meals included.

Day 2, Istanbul

Istanbul. We'll start the day with an exciting tour of Istanbul's old city. We'll make a number of stops on our trip, starting with a visit to the stunning Blue Mosque famed for it’s blue Iznik tiles and unique 6 minarets, we'll continue to the ruinous Hippodrome – now a small park of sorts and once scene of chariot races and political activities in Byzantine times, we'll also discover the exterior of Hagia Sophia - constructed as a Basilica in the 6th century by Emperor Justinian, Topkapi Palace and the Underground Cistern – an ancient underground water tank - replete with carved and fluted Corinthian columns and a puzzling head of Medusa. Visitors walk on walkways suspended above the shallow water. It’s very cool and peaceful.

1 breakfast, no lunch, no dinner included.

Day 3, Canakkale

Istanbul – Gallipoli. Early this morning, we travel to the WW1 battlefields of Gallipoli. Here, we’ll embark upon a guided tour of the region, once the site of fierce fighting and today almost hauntingly beautiful, with its wooded landscape dotted with understated memorials to the war dead. Our guided tour of the region will take in sights such as ANZAC Cove, Lone Pine Australian War Memorial and cemetery, Chunuk Blair New Zealand War Memorial and cemetery, the Nek, Johnston’s Jolly and the many fortified trenches still clearly visible amongst the scrub after all these years.

Crossing the Dardenelles by ferry (offering panoramic views of the entire Gallipoli Peninsular) we proceed to our hotel for a little rest and relaxation.

1 breakfast, no lunch, no dinner included.

Day 4, Kusadasi

Gallipoli – Kusadasi. Heading south, we enjoy a guided tour of Homer’s Troy, famed for the Trojan wooden horse and fabled Helen. Continuing to ancient Pergamum - the cultural and political capital of its time, before continuing onto coastal Kusadasi. Make the most of the hotel facilities this evening.

1 breakfast, no lunch, no dinner included.

Day 5, Ephesus

Today, we enjoy a guided tour at the legendary Roman ruins of Ephesus. Positively the best-preserved classical city in the eastern Mediterranean, and among the best places in the world to get a feel for what Roman life must have been like. Ephesus, under the Romans was a vast city with a population nearing 250,000. It became the Roman capital of Asia Minor. We’ll have plenty of time to tour the marble ruins of Ephesus. Be sure to see the famous Library of Celcus, the gymnasium of Vedius and Stadium, the great theatre and stroll the streets in the ruins of this large Roman ruined city. It’s completely fascinating. We’ll see public toilets, a brothel, fountains and various temples. Carpet weaving has long traditions in Turkey and afterward we stop to watch a demonstration of how they are made.

1 breakfast, no lunch, no dinner included.

Day 6, Pamukkale

Kusadasi - Pamukkale. Today, after breakfast, we drive to Pamukkale visiting the region’s famed calcium rich terraced pools. Known locally as the Cotton Castles, they are a natural phenomena and gift of Mother Nature.

Pamukkale was formed when warm, calcium rich mineral water cascaded over the cliff edge, cooling and depositing in the process. The calcium built natural shelves and pools on the cliffs, known as travertines. Today, some of the pools are closed. However, areas of the travertines can be walked upon, albeit in bare feet. We can however opt to enjoy a unique and very pleasant dip in the warm waters at the Pamukkale Thermal, with its submerged fragments of fluted marble columns in the centre of the ruined spa town of Hierapolis, which was a was a cure centre founded around 190 BC by the Romans. This evening we have some free time to relax and unwind.

1 breakfast, no lunch, no dinner included.

Day 7, Istanbul

Friday. This morning we make our way to Denizli airport for our flight to Istanbul. On arrival to Istanbul Airport we bid farewell to our group and representative and catch our onward flights.

Note: Please note your internal flight is currently arriving into the new Istanbul Airport airport at approx. 08:50am. Please ensure you book an international flight departing Istanbul after 1pm, allowing for flight delays. If you are departing via Sabiha airport you will need to make arrangements between airports and we recommend booking flights after 2:30pm Alternatively, you could choose to extend your stay by purchasing an additional night's hotel accommodation.

No meals included.

Other important information

  • Departure dates marked with a 'G' are operating.
  • All departure dates are guaranteed to operate when there are 2 persons booked on the tour.
  • 'Twin Share' prices are per person when there are 2 people sharing a room.
  • 'Single Room' prices are applicable to solo travellers or anyone wanting the privacy of a single room.

Not included in the tour

  • International flights and visa
  • Tip for your tour guide and driver. We recommend you allow EUR €5 - 7 per day, per traveller as a tip for your guide and EUR €2 per day for your driver. Tipping your guide and driver is an entirely personal gesture
  • Entrance Fees: EUR€200-215pp, paid in EUR

Conditions

  • The following product terms and conditions apply in addition to our Booking Terms and Conditions (available on our website) and terms and conditions of the relevant travel service provider.
  • Prices quoted valid for sale until 02 April 2024 for travel during the period specified (if applicable) unless otherwise stated or sold out prior.
  • All prices are per person (unless otherwise stated), subject to availability and may be withdrawn or varied without notice. Accommodation (if included) is based on twin share unless otherwise stated.
  • Advertised price includes bonus nights and/or stated saving (if applicable).
  • Additional supplier conditions and travel restrictions may apply. Please enquire for further details.
  • Airfare (including internal flights) is not included unless otherwise stated and, if included, is economy class unless otherwise stated.
  • Components of the total price including local payments, "resort fees", "national park fees", "trip kitties" and food funds (if applicable) may be payable direct to the supplier on arrival or to your travel consultant prior to your departure. Where applicable, these payments are included in the total price quoted.
  • Gratuities are not included unless otherwise stated.
  • Prices shown are fully inclusive of taxes, levies and government charges current at the time of publication.
  • Additional levies, government charges & other applicable fees, including additional taxes, surcharges and visa fees specific to your departure date or flight routing, may apply and are beyond our control.
  • Seasonal surcharges and blackout dates may apply depending on date of travel.
  • Prices shown are for payments made by cash in store or by BPAY.
  • Payments made in store by credit card will incur a surcharge (see Booking Terms and Conditions for further details).
  • These prices are a guide to the best price and are subject to change without notice, due to matters outside our control, such as adverse currency fluctuations, fuel surcharges, taxes and airfare increases. Please enquire for further details..

Please quote deal number 1564707 when you call.

Call 0208 127 4273 or email an Airfare Expert to find out more

Find out more - talk to a Tours Expert

Travel Details

Why book with Flight Centre?

  • Be inspired in person – Travel Experts in over 80 stores across the UK
  • Safe and easy to book – ABTA/ATOL protection
  • Experts here in the UK and Experts when you get there
  • Superior service and peace of mind – 24/7 support
  • Book with a trusted Expert – not online and unknown
Your Details

We're passionate about travel and want to inspire you, however, you have the right to withdraw your consent from marketing communications at any time.

We value our customers' privacy and will treat your personal details with the utmost care and respect. For information about how we handle your data, please read our Privacy Policy.