10-Day Turkey Christmas Tour – Istanbul, Ephesus, Pamukkale & Cappadocia

After breakfast the guided Istanbul city tour begins at Topkapi Palace, residence of the Ottoman sultans from the 15th to the 19th century, which displays crystal, silverware, Chinese porcelain, imperial robes, the famous jewels of the treasury, miniatures and the Holy Mantle with relics of the Prophet Muhammad. Next you reach Sultanahmet Square, where the Blue Mosque, named for its blue Iznik tiles, faces the Hagia Sophia. You walk along the Hippodrome, the arena of Byzantine chariot races, to see the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column and the Column of Constantine, and at its far end you enter the magnificent Hagia Sophia Mosque. After lunch the tour visits a traditional bazaar where you can shop for exotic spices and herbs, baklava, Turkish delight, Turkish coffee, nuts, dried fruit and handmade souvenirs. If Topkapi Palace is closed on a Tuesday, the Basilica Cistern can be visited instead. Please bring a headscarf for the mosques; an optional dinner cruise is available in the evening. Overnight in Istanbul.

Early in the morning you leave Istanbul and travel towards the Gallipoli Peninsula, arriving around midday after short breaks along the way. The first visit is the Kabatepe Museum, which displays weapons, photographs and uniforms used by soldiers during the Gallipoli Campaign. You then continue to Ari Burnu Cemetery, resting place of soldiers from Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, India and Malta who fell during the First World War. Your guide leads you on to Anzac Cove, Beach Cemetery, Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair, scenes of the fiercest fighting of 1915, recounting the personal stories behind the memorials. It is a quiet, reflective afternoon that brings the history of the campaign vividly to life. In the evening you cross to Canakkale. Dinner and overnight in Canakkale.

After breakfast in Canakkale you drive to Troy, reaching the archaeological site around 09:00. This famous mound is both a real excavation of many superimposed cities and the stage of Homer's Trojan War and the love story of Helen and Paris. Continuing south, you stop in Bergama around 13:00 for a lunch break (at your own expense). In the afternoon you ascend to the magnificent Acropolis of Pergamon to see the remains of its temples and its renowned library, once one of the richest of the ancient world; your guide tells the tale of how Mark Antony is said to have presented its scrolls to Cleopatra. A 30-minute shopping stop in Bergama, known for its jewellery, stones and silverware, follows before you reach Kusadasi in the evening, where your hotel's all-inclusive meal and drinks plan begins. Dinner and overnight in Kusadasi.

Today you explore Ephesus, a settlement with roots stretching back some 9,000 years and one of the finest Roman port cities ever excavated. Your guide shows you the site of the Artemision, the Temple of Artemis and one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, then the Roman Baths, the Library of Celsus, the Grand Theatre, Curetes Street and the House of the Virgin Mary. Next is Sirince, a 19th-century hillside village with well-preserved houses, famous for fruit wines made from blackberries, blueberries, melons and strawberries; you enjoy a wine tasting, learn how the wines are produced and can browse handicrafts made by local women, followed by a visit to a well-known leather production centre. In the evening your Christmas Eve celebration begins at the hotel, with a generous open buffet of Turkish dishes, unlimited alcoholic and soft drinks, views over the sea and city lights, live music from a DJ and a gift box delivered by Santa. Overnight in Kusadasi.

Merry Christmas! Today is completely free, giving you time to relax after the festivities with all meals and drinks included at your hotel in Kusadasi. You might stroll along the seafront promenade, wander the harbour and town centre, or simply enjoy the sea views from the hotel. For those who prefer to stay active, optional experiences such as a traditional Turkish bath, a Turkish Night show or a Kusadasi city tour can be arranged through your guide. It is a gentle pause in the middle of the journey before the tour heads inland tomorrow. Overnight in Kusadasi.

Departing around 08:00 after breakfast, you drive inland to Pamukkale, the world-famous cascade of white calcite travertines. Following a lunch break at around 13:30, you have time to walk across the snow-white calcium terraces, dip into the warm natural spring water and explore the ruins of ancient Hierapolis, the Roman spa city that sits above the travertines. The region is also renowned for its textiles, so there is a chance to visit an outlet and shop for towels and cotton goods. Around 18:30 you head to your hotel for the night. If you wish to add more adventure, optional paragliding or a hot air balloon flight over the terraces can be booked. Dinner and overnight in Pamukkale.

After an early breakfast you depart at 08:00 for Konya, stopping for a coffee break along the way and lunch around noon. In Konya you visit the imposing green-tiled Mausoleum of Mevlana, resting place of the mystic Jalaluddin Rumi, founder of the Sufi order known as the Whirling Dervishes, and learn about his philosophy of tolerance and love. The journey then continues across the Anatolian plateau to Cappadocia, where you arrive around 18:30 and check into your hotel. If you would like to join tomorrow's optional sunrise hot air balloon flight, please register with your guide this evening, as pick-up takes place early in the morning. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.

Balloon guests are collected at about 05:30 for an hour-long flight over fairy chimneys and valleys at sunrise, ending with a champagne celebration on the ground. After breakfast, at around 09:30, the regular Cappadocia tour explores a volcanic landscape whose formations began some ten million years ago; the Persians called it Katpatuka, the land of beautiful horses. You start at Uchisar Castle, the highest point in Cappadocia, then visit the Goreme Open Air Museum, famous for its 10th-century frescoes of the life of Christ and the monks who lived here. Next is Cavusin, an abandoned village of old cave houses, followed by lunch in Avanos and a pottery workshop demonstration. The afternoon brings Pasabag with its three-headed fairy chimneys, a workshop of handwoven Cappadocian carpets and rugs, Devrent Valley with its animal-shaped rocks, wine tasting in Urgup and, finally, the Three Beauties, the emblem of Cappadocia. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.

After breakfast you have free time in Cappadocia for a last walk among the rock formations, some souvenir shopping or a quiet coffee with a view. At the appointed time you are transferred to Nevsehir Cappadocia Airport for your domestic flight to Istanbul and onward connection home. The flight itself is not included in the package but can be booked for you on request. Your Christmas journey through Turkey ends here, with memories of Istanbul's palaces, the Gallipoli memorials, a festive night on the Aegean, the travertines of Pamukkale and the fairy chimneys of Cappadocia.