Turkey: Istanbul, Ephesus, and Cappadocia

Arrival in Istanbul

Arrive in Istanbul at any time. Settle into your hotel in the Old City, the historic heart of it all. The evening is free to get your bearings; a walk through the Sultanahmet Square reveals the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, both dramatically lit after dark.

Gallipoli's Sombre Fields

The route pushes west from Istanbul, a 260km overland drive to the Gallipoli Peninsula. The afternoon is spent on a guided walk through the battlefields, a quiet and moving landscape of memorials. The tour covers ANZAC Cove, the war cemeteries, and the Lone Pine memorial, tracing the history of the costly WWI campaign.

From Gallipoli, a short ferry crosses the Dardanelles Strait to the harbour town of Çanakkale. It’s a busy port with a thriving student population, and the waterfront promenade is the place to be as evening falls.

The Walls of Troy

From Çanakkale, it's a short drive to the archaeological site of Troy, a city once thought to be pure myth. A walk through the excavated layers reveals nine different cities built on top of one another over millennia. The route continues south to the coastal town of Ayvalık, with a stop at a handicraft cooperative where local women create products from recycled materials.

The day ends further south in Selçuk, a small town that serves as the primary base for exploring the ruins of Ephesus.