Experience Türkiye in 28 Days
This 28-day Turkey tour package takes you from imperial Istanbul, through the WWI battlefields of Gallipoli and the ancient world of Troy and Ephesus, all the way to Kars — 18 regions of Türkiye in a single, fully guided journey.
The route runs Istanbul → Gallipoli → Troy & Pergamon → Ephesus → Kuşadası Region → Pamukkale → Antalya Region → Antalya → Olympos → Kaş → Fethiye Coast → Fethiye → Cappadocia → Kayseri → Sivas → Erzincan & Kemah → Erzurum → Kars. Every one of the 28 days includes real, guided sightseeing at named destinations — your licensed guide, private transport, entrance fees and lunch are arranged in advance, so nothing is left to chance.
Tour at a Glance
- Duration: 28 Days / 27 Nights
- Starting Point: Istanbul
- Ending Point: Kars
- Tour Style: Private or Group
- Accommodation: Hotels per itinerary
- Guiding: Licensed English-speaking guide
- Free Days: Zero — every day is guided
Hagia Sophia
Istanbul's 6th-century masterpiece — cathedral, mosque and museum across 1,500 years of Byzantine and Ottoman history.
Topkapı Palace
The former residence of Ottoman sultans, with imperial treasures and courtyards overlooking the Bosphorus.
ANZAC Cove, Gallipoli
The WWI landing site central to one of the defining and most solemn campaigns of the First World War.
Ancient City of Troy
A UNESCO World Heritage site with settlement layers spanning 3,700 years, the legendary setting of Homer's Iliad.
Library of Celsus, Ephesus
A monumental two-story marble façade that once housed over 12,000 scrolls, among the most photographed ruins in the Mediterranean.
Pamukkale Travertines
Brilliant white mineral terraces formed by thermal springs, paired with the Roman spa ruins of Hierapolis above.
Chimaera Eternal Flames, Olympos
Natural gas vents that have burned continuously for millennia, tied to the ancient Greek myth of the fire-breathing Chimaera.
Ölüdeniz & Butterfly Valley
The Turquoise Coast's most iconic lagoon, paired with a cliff-ringed cove famed for its rare butterfly species.
Mevlana Museum, Konya
The tomb of Jalal ad-Din Rumi and the spiritual home of the Whirling Dervishes, one of Türkiye's most visited religious sites.
Göreme Open-Air Museum
A UNESCO-listed complex of rock-cut Byzantine monasteries and chapels preserving frescoes from the 10th–12th centuries.
Derinkuyu Underground City
A multi-level subterranean settlement descending roughly 60 meters, once sheltering thousands in times of danger.
Twin Minaret Madrasa, Erzurum
A striking 13th-century Seljuk theological school and one of eastern Anatolia's defining architectural landmarks.
Ruins of Ani
A once-great medieval Armenian-Byzantine capital, now a haunting ghost city on the Turkish-Armenian border.
Mount Ararat Viewpoints
Türkiye's highest peak and the legendary resting place of Noah's Ark, viewed from Doğubayazıt and İshak Pasha Palace.
Akdamar Island, Lake Van
A 10th-century Armenian church on its own island in Türkiye's largest lake.
Mount Nemrut Colossal Heads
UNESCO-listed monumental stone heads crowning a 2,150-meter summit tomb-sanctuary built by King Antiochus I.
Historic Mardin
A honey-stone hill town of Syriac churches, mosques and courtyard houses overlooking the Mesopotamian plain.
Why Choose This 28-Day Turkey Tour
13 reasons this itinerary stands out.
Zero Free Days
Every one of the 37 days includes real, guided sightseeing — not a single unscheduled day.
29 Regions in One Trip
The widest geographic sweep of any itinerary The History Travel offers, from the Bosphorus to the Iranian border.
Reach Mount Ararat
Few Turkey tours travel far enough east to see Türkiye's highest peak and the legendary resting place of Noah's Ark.
Explore the Ruins of Ani
A medieval Armenian-Byzantine ghost city on the Turkish-Armenian border, visited by only a fraction of travelers to Türkiye.
See Lake Van & Akdamar Island
Türkiye's largest lake, home to a 10th-century Armenian church on its own private island.
Discover Hasankeyf
A submerged and relocated 12,000-year-old settlement on the Tigris River, unlike anywhere else in the country.
Sumela Monastery Finale
The journey closes exactly where our 29-day tour does — at Türkiye's most dramatic cliffside monastery.
One Continuous Journey
No repeated backtracking — a single sweeping route from the Aegean to eastern Anatolia and the Black Sea.
Licensed Guide Every Day
A professional English-speaking guide accompanies you for all 37 days, not just the headline stops.
Three Package Tiers
Standard, Superior and Deluxe hotel categories let you choose your comfort level without changing the itinerary.
Regional Cuisine Throughout
From Istanbul's street food to Van's breakfast culture and Black Sea tea, this route crosses nearly every culinary region of Türkiye.
A Photographer's Dream Route
From Cappadocia's balloons to Ani's ruins and Uzungöl's mountains, this is the most visually diverse itinerary in our catalogue.
Visit Konya, Home of Rumi
A dedicated stop at the Mevlana Museum, the spiritual home of the Whirling Dervishes — rarely included on standard Turkey itineraries.
Follow Our 28-Day Route Across Türkiye
The geographic scope of this itinerary, at a glance.
Detailed 28-Day Turkey Itinerary
Each day below can be expanded for the full list of sites, activities and overnight locations.
Arrival & Transfer
Airport pickup and transfer to your hotel in Istanbul, followed by a welcome briefing with your The History Travel guide.
Hippodrome Morning
The former center of Byzantine public life, still marked by the Egyptian Obelisk, the bronze Serpentine Column, and the Column of Constantine.
Blue Mosque Midday
An Ottoman imperial mosque famed for its cascading domes and interior walls covered in over 20,000 hand-painted blue İznik tiles.
Hagia Sophia Afternoon
A 6th-century architectural masterpiece that has served as cathedral, mosque, and museum across 1,500 years of Byzantine and Ottoman history.
Grand Bazaar Late Afternoon
One of the world's oldest and largest covered markets, a maze of over 4,000 shops selling carpets, ceramics, and jewelry.
Lunch
Lunch at a local restaurant, between the day's guided stops.
Basilica Cistern Late Afternoon
Built in 532 AD under Emperor Justinian, this vast subterranean cistern held up to 80,000 cubic meters of water for the Great Palace, its 336 marble columns — including two carved with Medusa-head bases — creating one of Istanbul's most atmospheric underground spaces.
Hotel Transfer
After the day's final sightseeing stop, your guide and driver transfer you to your hotel — a full sightseeing day covered by your tour price, not free time.
Topkapi Palace Morning
The former residence of Ottoman Sultans, housing imperial treasures, sacred relics, and courtyards overlooking the Bosphorus.
Dolmabahçe Palace Midday
The most luxurious palace of the late Ottoman Empire, known for its crystal chandeliers and European-inspired state rooms.
Spice Bazaar Afternoon
A fragrant 17th-century market filled with exotic spices, Turkish delight, dried fruits, and traditional Turkish coffee.
Lunch
Lunch at a local restaurant, between the day's guided stops.
Galata Tower Late Afternoon
A 14th-century Genoese watchtower on the northern shore of the Golden Horn, offering a 360-degree panorama across Istanbul's rooftops, minarets and the Bosphorus.
Hotel Transfer
After the day's final sightseeing stop, your guide and driver transfer you to your hotel — a full sightseeing day covered by your tour price, not free time.
Bosphorus Cruise Morning
A boat journey along the strait dividing Europe and Asia, passing Ottoman palaces, waterfront mansions, and historic fortresses.
Rumeli Fortress Midday
Built by Mehmet the Conqueror in just four months in 1452 to control the Bosphorus ahead of Istanbul's conquest.
Beylerbeyi Palace Afternoon
The summer residence of Ottoman sultans on the Asian shore, with original antique furniture and Bosphorus-facing gardens.
Ortaköy Late Afternoon
A waterfront neighborhood where a historic mosque, church, and synagogue have stood side by side for centuries, framed by the Bosphorus Bridge.
Lunch
Lunch at a local restaurant, between the day's guided stops.
Çamlıca Hill Late Afternoon
Istanbul's highest point on the Asian side, crowned by the Büyük Çamlıca Mosque, one of Türkiye's largest, and offering the city's broadest panoramic views across the Bosphorus and both continents.
Hotel Transfer
After the day's final sightseeing stop, your guide and driver transfer you to your hotel — a full sightseeing day covered by your tour price, not free time.
Princes' Islands Morning
A cluster of vehicle-free islands in the Sea of Marmara, known for horse-drawn carriages, historic mansions, and quiet coastlines.
Lunch
Lunch at a local restaurant, between the day's guided stops.
Heybeliada Late Afternoon
A second, pine-forested Princes' Island reached the same afternoon, known for its historic naval school and quieter, wooded shoreline — a peaceful contrast to Büyükada.
Hotel Transfer
After the day's final sightseeing stop, your guide and driver transfer you to your hotel — a full sightseeing day covered by your tour price, not free time.
ANZAC Cove Morning
A quiet coastal landing site central to the WWI Gallipoli campaign, one of the most significant events of the First World War.
Lone Pine Memorial Midday
A memorial and cemetery marking one of the fiercest engagements of the Gallipoli campaign, honoring soldiers from both sides.
Chunuk Bair Afternoon
A hilltop memorial with sweeping views over the Dardanelles Strait, marking a pivotal battle of the Gallipoli campaign.
Lunch
Lunch at a local restaurant, between the day's guided stops.
Çanakkale Martyrs' Memorial Late Afternoon
A towering monument on the southern tip of the Gallipoli Peninsula, commemorating the roughly 253,000 Ottoman soldiers who died defending the Dardanelles in 1915.
Hotel Transfer
After the day's final sightseeing stop, your guide and driver transfer you to your hotel — a full sightseeing day covered by your tour price, not free time.
Trojan Horse Morning
A large wooden horse structure at the site entrance, commemorating the legendary siege recounted in Homer's Iliad.
Ancient City of Troy Midday
A UNESCO World Heritage site with settlement layers spanning 3,700 years, believed to be the setting of the Trojan War.
Pergamon Acropolis Afternoon
A dramatic hilltop complex of temples, a library once rivaling Alexandria's, and one of the steepest ancient theatres ever built.
Altar of Zeus Late Afternoon
The remains of a monumental Hellenistic altar once among the ancient world's most celebrated works of art.
Lunch
Lunch at a local restaurant, between the day's guided stops.
Asclepion of Pergamon Late Afternoon
An ancient healing center and one of the first medical schools in history, connected to the Pergamon Acropolis by a colonnaded sacred road and dedicated to Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine.
Hotel Transfer
After the day's final sightseeing stop, your guide and driver transfer you to your hotel — a full sightseeing day covered by your tour price, not free time.
Library of Celsus Morning
A monumental two-story marble facade that once housed over 12,000 scrolls, among the most photographed ruins in the Mediterranean.
Great Theatre (Ephesus) Midday
A hillside amphitheater that once seated up to 25,000 spectators for performances, assemblies, and public gatherings.
Temple of Artemis Afternoon
The remains of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, once the largest temple ever built in its time.
Lunch
Lunch at a local restaurant, between the day's guided stops.
Terrace Houses of Ephesus Late Afternoon
A separately roofed and ticketed excavation of multi-story Roman residences, preserving in-situ mosaics, frescoes and heating systems that reveal how Ephesus's wealthiest families actually lived.
Hotel Transfer
After the day's final sightseeing stop, your guide and driver transfer you to your hotel — a full sightseeing day covered by your tour price, not free time.
House of Virgin Mary Morning
A modest stone chapel on a nearby hillside, venerated as the traditional final home of Mary and a major pilgrimage site.
Şirince Village Midday
A hillside Aegean Greek-style village of whitewashed houses, known for fruit wines and a relaxed, historic atmosphere.
Lunch
Lunch at a local restaurant, between the day's guided stops.
Basilica of St. John, Selçuk Late Afternoon
Built by Emperor Justinian over the traditional burial site of the Apostle John, this 6th-century basilica was once among the largest churches in the Byzantine world.
Hotel Transfer
After the day's final sightseeing stop, your guide and driver transfer you to your hotel — a full sightseeing day covered by your tour price, not free time.
Priene Ruins Morning
An ancient city dramatically set against the mountains, notable for its remarkably well-planned Hellenistic grid layout.
Miletos Ruins Midday
An important ancient port city associated with early Greek philosophy, science, and maritime trade.
Didyma Ruins Afternoon
Home to the monumental Temple of Apollo, one of the largest and most ambitious temple projects of the ancient world.
Lunch
Lunch at a local restaurant, between the day's guided stops.
Güvercinada (Pigeon Island Castle) Late Afternoon
A small Byzantine-Genoese-Ottoman fortress on a rocky islet connected to Kuşadası by a short causeway, and the town's most recognizable landmark.
Hotel Transfer
After the day's final sightseeing stop, your guide and driver transfer you to your hotel — a full sightseeing day covered by your tour price, not free time.
Pamukkale Travertines Morning
Dazzling white mineral terraces formed by thermal spring water cascading down the hillside over thousands of years.
Hierapolis Ancient City Midday
A major Greco-Roman spa city built around Pamukkale's thermal springs, with a well-preserved theatre and colonnaded streets.
Cleopatra's Antique Pool Afternoon
A warm mineral pool scattered with submerged ancient columns, traditionally said to have been a gift from Marc Antony.
Lunch
Lunch at a local restaurant, between the day's guided stops.
Laodicea Ancient City Late Afternoon
One of the Seven Churches of Revelation named in the New Testament, Laodicea's colonnaded streets and stadium are still being excavated a short drive from Pamukkale.
Hotel Transfer
After the day's final sightseeing stop, your guide and driver transfer you to your hotel — a full sightseeing day covered by your tour price, not free time.
Perge Ruins Morning
One of the finest archaeological sites in Turkey, with surviving colonnaded streets and monumental Roman public buildings.
Aspendos Ruins Midday
Home to the best-preserved Roman theatre in the world, still used for performances nearly 2,000 years after construction.
Side Ruins Afternoon
A beautiful ancient harbor city where classical ruins meet a working Mediterranean fishing town.
Lunch
Lunch at a local restaurant, between the day's guided stops.
Manavgat Waterfall Late Afternoon
A wide, gently cascading waterfall on the Manavgat River near Side, popular for a relaxed riverside walk and boat rides after a day among Pamphylian ruins.
Hotel Transfer
After the day's final sightseeing stop, your guide and driver transfer you to your hotel — a full sightseeing day covered by your tour price, not free time.
Kaleiçi Old Town Morning
Antalya's historic old town, a maze of narrow Ottoman-era streets, boutique shops, and waterfront cafés.
Hadrian's Gate Midday
A magnificent triumphal arch built in honor of the Roman Emperor Hadrian, one of Antalya's most iconic landmarks.
Hıdırlık Tower Afternoon
A striking stone tower dating to the Hellenistic period, believed to have served as a fortification or lighthouse over the Mediterranean.
Lunch
Lunch at a local restaurant, between the day's guided stops.
Antalya Archaeological Museum Late Afternoon
One of Türkiye's leading museums, housing statuary, sarcophagi and mosaics excavated from Perge, Aspendos and other Pamphylian sites along this itinerary.
Hotel Transfer
After the day's final sightseeing stop, your guide and driver transfer you to your hotel — a full sightseeing day covered by your tour price, not free time.
Düden Waterfalls Morning
A dramatic set of waterfalls fed by streams from the Taurus Mountains, with one cascading directly into the sea.
Tünektepe Cable Car Midday
A cable car ride to a hilltop platform offering panoramic views over Antalya and the Mediterranean coastline.
Kurşunlu Waterfalls Afternoon
A tranquil forested waterfall park just outside Antalya, popular for short nature walks.
Lunch
Lunch at a local restaurant, between the day's guided stops.
Karpuzkaldıran Waterfall Late Afternoon
A dramatic coastal waterfall that plunges directly into the Mediterranean west of Antalya, a striking contrast to the inland cascades visited earlier in the day.
Hotel Transfer
After the day's final sightseeing stop, your guide and driver transfer you to your hotel — a full sightseeing day covered by your tour price, not free time.
Olympos Ancient City Morning
A forested ancient Lycian city where ruins sit scattered among the trees, leading down to a quiet Mediterranean beach.
Chimaera Eternal Flames Midday
Natural gas vents that have burned continuously for centuries on a rocky hillside near Olympos, tied to ancient legend.
Lunch
Lunch at a local restaurant, between the day's guided stops.
Çıralı Beach Late Afternoon
A quiet, protected loggerhead-turtle nesting beach beneath the ruins of Olympos, offering a relaxed swim or walk after the Chimaera's flames.
Hotel Transfer
After the day's final sightseeing stop, your guide and driver transfer you to your hotel — a full sightseeing day covered by your tour price, not free time.
Kaş Old Town Morning
A small Mediterranean coastal town with whitewashed houses, narrow lanes, and a laid-back harbor atmosphere.
Lycian Rock Tombs Midday
Monumental tombs carved directly into cliff faces, a distinctive legacy of the ancient Lycian civilization along this coast.
Lunch
Lunch at a local restaurant, between the day's guided stops.
Kaş Ancient Theatre Late Afternoon
A small, well-preserved Hellenistic theatre perched above the sea on the edge of Kaş, with sweeping views toward the Greek island of Kastellorizo.
Hotel Transfer
After the day's final sightseeing stop, your guide and driver transfer you to your hotel — a full sightseeing day covered by your tour price, not free time.
Ölüdeniz Bay Boat Cruise Morning
A boat trip along a sheltered turquoise lagoon consistently rated among Turkey's most beautiful natural bays.
Butterfly Valley Midday
A steep-walled coastal valley accessible mainly by boat, protected for its resident butterfly population.
Blue Cave Afternoon
A coastal grotto known for the vivid blue color its clear water takes on under midday light.
St. Nicholas Island Late Afternoon
A small island holding the ruins of an early Byzantine church, reachable only by boat.
Lunch
Lunch at a local restaurant, between the day's guided stops.
Ölüdeniz Lagoon Beach Late Afternoon
Türkiye's most photographed beach, where a sheltered turquoise lagoon meets the Mediterranean beneath forested mountains — time to relax on the sand after the morning's boat excursion.
Hotel Transfer
After the day's final sightseeing stop, your guide and driver transfer you to your hotel — a full sightseeing day covered by your tour price, not free time.
Kayaköy Ghost Village Morning
An abandoned early-20th-century settlement left empty after the 1923 population exchange, now a quiet open-air historic site.
Amintas Rock Tombs Midday
Spectacular Lycian tombs carved directly into a cliff face overlooking the town of Fethiye.
Lunch
Lunch at a local restaurant, between the day's guided stops.
Fethiye Museum Late Afternoon
A compact archaeological museum displaying Lycian, Carian and Roman artifacts recovered from Fethiye and the surrounding region, including inscribed stelae.
Hotel Transfer
After the day's final sightseeing stop, your guide and driver transfer you to your hotel — a full sightseeing day covered by your tour price, not free time.
Mevlana Museum, Konya Early Morning
An en-route stop in Konya, the former Seljuk capital, to visit the tomb of the 13th-century poet and mystic Jalal ad-Din Rumi and the museum dedicated to the Whirling Dervish tradition he inspired.
Devrent Valley Midday
A lunar-like valley of wind-sculpted rock formations, several resembling recognizable shapes such as animals.
Göreme Open-Air Museum Afternoon
A UNESCO-listed cluster of rock-cut chapels and monasteries decorated with Byzantine frescoes, carved into the hillside.
Uçhisar Castle Late Afternoon
Cappadocia's highest point, a natural rock fortress riddled with tunnels, offering panoramic valley views.
Lunch
Lunch at a local restaurant, between the day's guided stops.
Love Valley Viewpoint Late Afternoon
One of Cappadocia's most photographed viewpoints, its tall, slender rock spires rising from a green valley floor below Uçhisar.
Hotel Transfer
After the day's final sightseeing stop, your guide and driver transfer you to your hotel — a full sightseeing day covered by your tour price, not free time.
Derinkuyu Underground City Morning
A multi-level underground settlement that could shelter thousands, complete with ventilation shafts, stables, and chapels.
Ihlara Valley Midday
A dramatic 14-kilometer canyon lined with rock-cut Byzantine churches, carved by the Melendiz River.
Selime Monastery Afternoon
One of Cappadocia's largest rock-carved complexes, a cliffside monastery with chapels, kitchens, and stables hewn from stone.
Lunch
Lunch at a local restaurant, between the day's guided stops.
Belisırma Village Late Afternoon
A shaded riverside village within Ihlara Valley, where the Melendiz River runs beneath walnut and poplar trees between rock-cut Byzantine chapels.
Hotel Transfer
After the day's final sightseeing stop, your guide and driver transfer you to your hotel — a full sightseeing day covered by your tour price, not free time.
Avanos Pottery Center Morning
A riverside town practicing a pottery tradition dating back to the Hittites, using red clay from the Kızılırmak River.
Paşabağ Fairy Chimneys Midday
Home to the tallest and most photographed fairy chimney rock formations in the Cappadocia region.
Zelve Open-Air Museum Afternoon
A former cave-dwelling settlement of rock-cut churches and homes, inhabited until relocation in the 1950s.
Lunch
Lunch at a local restaurant, between the day's guided stops.
Çavuşin Village Late Afternoon
A historic cave village beneath a cliff-face Byzantine church, largely abandoned after 20th-century rockfall and now one of Cappadocia's most atmospheric photo stops.
Hotel Transfer
After the day's final sightseeing stop, your guide and driver transfer you to your hotel — a full sightseeing day covered by your tour price, not free time.
Erdemli Valley Morning
A Byzantine cave settlement roughly 65km from Kayseri, with rock-cut churches from the ancient Kyzistra region.
Soğanlı Valley Midday
A valley of rock-cut Byzantine churches, including the Karabaş, Yılanlı, and Tokalı churches, alongside traditional local doll handicrafts.
Sultan Sazlığı National Park Afternoon
A protected wetland home to flamingos, pelicans, herons, and cranes, one of Turkey's most important bird sanctuaries.
Lunch
Lunch at a local restaurant, between the day's guided stops.
Mustafapaşa (Sinasos) Late Afternoon
A former Greek Orthodox town near Soğanlı, known for its elegant carved stone mansions reflecting Cappadocia's once-thriving multicultural heritage.
Hotel Transfer
After the day's final sightseeing stop, your guide and driver transfer you to your hotel — a full sightseeing day covered by your tour price, not free time.
Kayseri Castle Morning
A Byzantine and Seljuk fortress at the heart of Kayseri, set beneath the slopes of Mount Erciyes.
Kayseri Clock Tower Midday
A late-Ottoman landmark standing at the center of Kayseri's Republic Square.
Kayseri Grand Bazaar Afternoon
One of Anatolia's oldest covered markets, famous for regional specialties like pastırma and sucuk.
Seljuk Civilization Museum Late Afternoon
A museum of Seljuk-era artifacts and medicine, housed in the 13th-century Gevher Nesibe medical complex.
Lunch
Lunch at a local restaurant, between the day's guided stops.
Hunat Hatun Complex Late Afternoon
A 13th-century Seljuk mosque, madrasa and mausoleum complex commissioned by Mahperi Hunat Hatun, wife of Sultan Alaeddin Keykubad — among the earliest and finest examples of Seljuk religious architecture in Anatolia.
Hotel Transfer
After the day's final sightseeing stop, your guide and driver transfer you to your hotel — a full sightseeing day covered by your tour price, not free time.
Gök Madrasa Morning
A 1271 Seljuk theological school in Sivas, famed for its elaborately carved, turquoise-tiled entrance portal.
Twin Minaret Madrasa (Sivas) Midday
Sivas's most photographed Seljuk landmark, named for its pair of slender brick minarets.
Sivas Great Mosque Afternoon
A 12th-century mosque in Sivas known for its distinctively leaning minaret.
Sivas Congress Museum Late Afternoon
The site of the 1919 Sivas Congress, a pivotal turning point in the Turkish War of Independence.
Lunch
Lunch at a local restaurant, between the day's guided stops.
Şifaiye Medrese Late Afternoon
A 13th-century Seljuk medical madrasa built around a symmetrical courtyard, once combining a hospital and medical school — among the earliest institutions of its kind in the Islamic world.
Hotel Transfer
After the day's final sightseeing stop, your guide and driver transfer you to your hotel — a full sightseeing day covered by your tour price, not free time.
Kemah Castle Morning
A fortress overlooking the Euphrates Valley, used continuously from the Urartians through the Ottoman era.
Tomb of Sultan Melik Midday
A Seljuk-era Islamic monument in Kemah reflecting the early Turkish expansion into Anatolia.
Mama Hatun Tomb Afternoon
A 12th-century circular mausoleum in Tercan built under the Saltukid dynasty.
Lunch
Lunch at a local restaurant, between the day's guided stops.
Girlevik Waterfall Late Afternoon
A striking waterfall near Erzincan formed where the Karasu River drops over a basalt cliff, a scenic stop on the road toward Erzurum.
Hotel Transfer
After the day's final sightseeing stop, your guide and driver transfer you to your hotel — a full sightseeing day covered by your tour price, not free time.
Erzurum Congress Museum Morning
The building where the 1919 Erzurum Congress was held, a key milestone of the Turkish independence movement.
Erzurum Twin Minaret Madrasa Midday
A masterpiece of Seljuk religious architecture in Erzurum, paired with the city's historic Great Mosque.
Üç Kümbetler Afternoon
Three monumental Seljuk tombs ('Three Domes') standing together in central Erzurum.
Erzurum Castle Late Afternoon
A fortress with origins spanning Roman to Ottoman rule, overlooking the historic center of Erzurum.
Lunch
Lunch at a local restaurant, between the day's guided stops.
Erzurum Grand Mosque (Ulu Cami) Late Afternoon
A 12th-century Seljuk mosque with a distinctive forest of stone columns supporting its roof, among the oldest and largest surviving mosques in eastern Anatolia.
Hotel Transfer
After the day's final sightseeing stop, your guide and driver transfer you to your hotel — a full sightseeing day covered by your tour price, not free time.
Cathedral of Ani Morning
A 10th-century Armenian cathedral later converted to a mosque, part of the UNESCO World Heritage city of Ani.
Ebu'l Menuçehr Mosque Midday
Regarded as the first mosque built by the Turks in Anatolia, within the ruined city of Ani.
Ani City Walls Afternoon
The monumental fortified walls and Lion Gate of Ani, once one of the medieval world's great capitals.
Çıldır Lake Late Afternoon
A high-altitude lake near Kars known for dramatic mountain scenery and winter ice-fishing.
Lunch
Lunch at a local restaurant, between the day's guided stops.
Church of St. Gregory of Tigran Honents Late Afternoon
The best-preserved of Ani's many churches, its exterior and interior walls still carrying vivid 13th-century frescoes depicting the life of St. Gregory the Illuminator, Armenia's patron saint.
Hotel Transfer
After the day's final sightseeing stop, your guide and driver transfer you to your hotel — a full sightseeing day covered by your tour price, not free time.
Kars Fethiye Mosque Morning
A former Russian-period church in Kars, later converted into a mosque.
Church of the Apostles (Kars) Midday
A thousand-year-old church in Kars noted for its distinctive twelve-apostle carved motif.
Kars Castle Afternoon
A hilltop fortress offering panoramic views over the city of Kars and the Kars River.
Lunch
Lunch at a local restaurant, between the day's guided stops.
Kars Museum Late Afternoon
A regional museum tracing Kars's layered Armenian, Seljuk, Ottoman and Russian history through archaeological finds and ethnographic displays.
Hotel Transfer
After the day's final sightseeing stop, your guide and driver transfer you to your hotel — a full sightseeing day covered by your tour price, not free time.
Places You'll Visit In Detail
A closer look at the historical, cultural and natural significance of the headline stops on this itinerary.
Hippodrome of Constantinople
Built in the early 3rd century AD and greatly expanded by Emperor Constantine, the Hippodrome was the social, political and sporting heart of Constantinople for over a thousand years, hosting chariot races before crowds of up to 100,000 spectators and, on occasion, the violent political unrest that shaped Byzantine history — most famously the Nika riots of 532 AD. Today the open square known as Sultanahmet Meydanı preserves three extraordinary monuments that once decorated the racetrack's spine: the 3,500-year-old Egyptian Obelisk of Thutmose III, brought from Luxor by Emperor Theodosius; the bronze Serpentine Column, cast from melted Persian shields to commemorate a Greek victory at Plataea in 479 BC; and the Column of Constantine, a rough-hewn stone obelisk once sheathed in gilded bronze plates.
Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque)
Commissioned by Sultan Ahmed I and completed in 1616, the Blue Mosque was built to rival — and visually answer — the great Hagia Sophia standing directly across the square. Its architect, Sedefkar Mehmed Agha, a student of the legendary Sinan, designed a cascading sequence of domes and semi-domes culminating in six slender minarets, a number that controversially matched the Great Mosque of Mecca at the time. The mosque earns its popular name from the interior: more than 20,000 handmade İznik ceramic tiles in over fifty tulip designs cover the upper walls, flooded with light from 200 stained-glass windows, creating one of the most luminous interiors in Islamic architecture.
Hagia Sophia
Commissioned by Emperor Justinian I and completed in just under six years, Hagia Sophia was consecrated in 537 AD as the Cathedral of Constantinople and stood as the largest enclosed space and the largest church in the world for nearly a thousand years. Its central dome, rising 55 meters and spanning over 30 meters with no visible means of support, was considered a near-miraculous feat of engineering in its own time. Converted into an imperial mosque after the Ottoman conquest of 1453, secularized as a museum in 1935, and reopened for Muslim worship in 2020, Hagia Sophia's walls still carry Byzantine mosaics of Christ Pantocrator alongside monumental Arabic calligraphic roundels — a single building embodying nearly 1,500 years of continuous religious and imperial history.
Grand Bazaar (Kapalıçarşı)
Construction began in 1455 under Mehmed the Conqueror, just two years after Constantinople fell to the Ottomans, making the Grand Bazaar one of the oldest continuously operating covered markets on Earth. Today it sprawls across roughly 30,000 square meters, encompassing more than 4,000 shops along 60-plus covered streets, painted vaulted ceilings, fountains and small mosques woven throughout — effectively a self-contained historic city district. Merchants here have traded gold, silver, carpets, ceramics, leather and spices for over 560 years, and the bazaar remains one of the most-visited attractions in the world by footfall.
Topkapı Palace
Built by Mehmed the Conqueror beginning in 1459, Topkapı Palace served as the primary residence and administrative seat of Ottoman sultans for roughly 400 years, until Abdülmecid I moved the court to Dolmabahçe in 1856. Rather than a single building, Topkapı is a sprawling complex of four courtyards, pavilions, kitchens and the famous Harem, home at times to thousands of court officials, concubines, eunuchs and family members. Its Imperial Treasury holds the emerald-studded Topkapı Dagger and the 86-carat Spoonmaker's Diamond, while the Sacred Relics chamber displays items attributed to the Prophet Muhammad — among the most sacred objects in the Islamic world.
Dolmabahçe Palace
Built between 1843 and 1856 for Sultan Abdülmecid I, Dolmabahçe Palace marks the Ottoman Empire's decisive architectural turn toward European style, blending Baroque, Rococo and Neoclassical elements across 285 rooms and 46 halls. Fourteen tons of gold leaf were used to gild its ceilings, and its Ceremonial Hall houses a 4.5-ton Bohemian crystal chandelier — a gift from Queen Victoria and among the largest chandeliers in the world. Dolmabahçe also holds a poignant place in modern Turkish history: Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of the Republic, died in the palace's Süleymaniye Room on 10 November 1938, where all clocks remain stopped at 9:05, the exact moment of his passing.
Spice Bazaar (Egyptian Bazaar)
Opened in 1664 as part of the New Mosque complex in Eminönü, the Spice Bazaar takes its alternate name, Mısır Çarşısı (Egyptian Bazaar), from the Egyptian taxes that originally funded its construction. Its L-shaped covered arcade holds roughly 85 shops beneath vaulted stone ceilings, historically the terminus of spice caravans arriving from Egypt, India and beyond along Ottoman trade routes. For over 350 years it has traded saffron, sumac, dried fruits, nuts, Turkish delight and coffee, and remains one of the most atmospheric and fragrant markets anywhere in the Mediterranean world.
Bosphorus Cruise
The Bosphorus is a natural strait roughly 30 kilometers long connecting the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara, and by extension the Mediterranean — one of the world's busiest and most strategically important waterways, and the physical boundary separating Europe from Asia. A cruise along its waters passes 19th-century Ottoman waterfront mansions (yalıs), the fortresses of Rumeli Hisarı and Anadolu Hisarı, three suspension bridges, and palaces including Dolmabahçe and Beylerbeyi — offering a single continuous panorama of over 2,500 years of settlement along its shores, from Byzantine times through the Ottoman era to the modern metropolis of today.
Rumeli Fortress (Rumeli Hisarı)
Built by Mehmed the Conqueror in an extraordinarily fast four months and sixteen days in 1452, Rumeli Hisarı was constructed at the narrowest point of the Bosphorus specifically to control maritime traffic and cut off Constantinople from Black Sea reinforcement ahead of the decisive 1453 siege. Working alongside the older Anadolu Hisarı fortress on the opposite Asian shore, its three massive towers and connecting walls allowed Ottoman forces to close the strait entirely — a piece of military engineering that directly enabled the fall of Constantinople and the end of the Byzantine Empire.
Beylerbeyi Palace
Completed in 1865 on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus, Beylerbeyi Palace served as the sultan's summer residence and as an official guesthouse for visiting heads of state, hosting figures including Napoleon III's Empress Eugénie and later Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany. Smaller and more intimate than Dolmabahçe, its rooms retain original 19th-century furniture, Hereke carpets and a marble pool room designed to cool the palace's interior in summer — a well-preserved window into late Ottoman court life away from the main seat of government. In a somber historical footnote, the deposed Sultan Abdülhamid II spent his final years here under house arrest until his death in 1918.
Gallipoli Peninsula — A Place of Remembrance
The 1915 Gallipoli Campaign is one of the defining events of the First World War and a shared point of memory for Türkiye, Australia, New Zealand and Britain. Walking ANZAC Cove, Lone Pine Memorial and Chunuk Bair is a profoundly moving experience — a chance to reflect on the human cost of a campaign that shaped the modern histories of several nations.
Troy & Pergamon — Legend Meets Archaeology
Troy's nine settlement layers span roughly 3,700 years and anchor the legend of Homer's Iliad in hard archaeological evidence — a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998. The same day continues to Pergamon, a hilltop Hellenistic capital famed for a library once rivaling Alexandria's and one of the steepest ancient theatres ever built.
Ephesus — The Best-Preserved Ancient City
Once a Roman port of some 200,000 people, Ephesus is among the best-preserved classical cities in the Mediterranean. The Library of Celsus, the Great Theatre and marbled Curetes Street let visitors walk the ancient world's streets in extraordinary detail, while the nearby House of the Virgin Mary adds a profound layer of religious significance.
Pamukkale & Hierapolis — The Cotton Castle
Pamukkale's brilliant white travertine terraces, formed over millennia by calcium-rich thermal springs, sit above the ruins of Hierapolis — an ancient Roman spa city that drew the sick and wealthy of the classical world to its healing waters. Together they form a UNESCO World Heritage Site combining natural and cultural significance.
Antalya & Ancient Pamphylia
Antalya pairs a beautifully preserved Ottoman-era old town, Kaleiçi, with some of Türkiye's finest Greco-Roman archaeology at Perge, Aspendos and Side. Aspendos's Roman theatre, built around 155 AD, is celebrated as one of the best-preserved anywhere in the world and still hosts performances today thanks to its extraordinary acoustics.
Olympos & the Chimaera's Eternal Flames
Olympos's ruins sit within a lush, pine-shaded gorge running down to the Mediterranean, while nearby Mount Chimaera hosts natural gas vents that have burned continuously for millennia — the mythological inspiration for the fire-breathing Chimaera slain by Bellerophon. Together they offer one of the coast's most atmospheric evening excursions.
Kaş & the Lycian Rock Tombs
This laid-back harbor town is built directly above and around monumental Lycian rock tombs carved into the cliffs, offering an evocative blend of ancient funerary architecture and relaxed Mediterranean charm found nowhere else on the coast.
Fethiye, Ölüdeniz & Butterfly Valley
Fethiye's turquoise coastline combines Ölüdeniz's iconic lagoon, cliff-ringed Butterfly Valley, the sunken ruins of St. Nicholas Island and the abandoned Greek village of Kayaköy — a rich mix of natural beauty, adventure and haunting 20th-century history in a single stretch of coast.
Konya — Home of Rumi & the Whirling Dervishes
Once the capital of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum, Konya is Türkiye's spiritual heartland. The Mevlana Museum houses the tomb of Jalal ad-Din Rumi, the 13th-century poet and mystic whose teachings inspired the Mevlevi Sufi order and its famous Whirling Dervish ceremony — a deeply significant stop for travelers interested in Islamic mysticism and Seljuk history.
Cappadocia — A Landscape Like No Other
Millions of years of volcanic activity carved Cappadocia's fairy chimneys, cave dwellings and canyon valleys into one of the most surreal landscapes on Earth. Byzantine rock-cut churches at Göreme, the underground city of Derinkuyu and the traditional pottery town of Avanos reveal centuries of history carved directly into volcanic stone.
Kayseri — At the Foot of Mount Erciyes
Overlooked by the snow-capped volcanic cone of Mount Erciyes, Kayseri blends a formidable Byzantine-Seljuk castle, an atmospheric grand bazaar and the Seljuk Civilization Museum into a rewarding stop between Cappadocia and Türkiye's Seljuk heartland further east.
Sivas — Seljuk Architectural Treasures
Sivas preserves some of the finest Seljuk-era religious architecture in Anatolia, including the Gök Madrasa and Twin Minaret Madrasa, alongside its significance as the site of the 1919 Sivas Congress, a pivotal early moment in the founding of the modern Turkish Republic.
Erzurum — Gateway to Eastern Anatolia
Set at over 1,900 meters, Erzurum's Twin Minaret Madrasa and Üç Kümbetler (Three Tombs) reflect its long role as a fortified Seljuk and Ottoman frontier city, while its 1919 Congress Museum marks another key milestone in Türkiye's path to independence.
Kars & the Ruins of Ani
Once known as the "City of a Thousand and One Churches," medieval Ani was a flourishing Armenian-Byzantine capital of some 100,000 people. Today its haunting ruins stand nearly abandoned on the closed Turkish-Armenian border — one of the most atmospheric and least-visited UNESCO-caliber sites in the country, paired with the Russian-era architecture of nearby Kars.
Service Inclusions & Exclusions
Full transparency on what's covered by the package price.
Included in Your Package
- Airport & hotel transfers
- Accommodation for the duration of the tour
- Daily breakfast
- Licensed English-speaking guide, every day
- Entrance & museum fees for every listed site
- Lunch on every full sightseeing day
- Air-conditioned private or group transport between destinations
- Domestic flights/transfers between regions as required by the route
- Local taxes and service charges
Not Included
- International flights to/from Turkey
- Personal expenses
- Optional activities (hot air balloon, Turkish bath, dinner cruise, etc.)
- Dinners (unless noted) & beverages
- Tips and gratuities
- Visa fees (if applicable)
- Travel insurance
Optional add-ons commonly requested alongside this tour: Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon, Turkish Bath (Hamam), Whirling Dervish Ceremony, Turkish Night, Jeep Safari, Bosphorus Dinner Cruise — ask your The History Travel guide to arrange any of these locally.
AI Travel Recommendations
Smart, practical tips for getting the most out of Türkiye's longest guided itinerary.
Pace Yourself Early
With 28 consecutive touring days, pace yourself early — there is a great deal to see, and the itinerary keeps up a steady rhythm throughout.
Pack for Altitude & Cold
Eastern Anatolia (Erzurum, Kars, Ağrı, Van) sits at high altitude and can be significantly cooler than the Aegean or Mediterranean coast, even in summer.
Check Border-Region Advisories
Kars and the Ani ruins sit near the Armenian border. Confirm current travel guidance for your nationality before departure.
Save Memory Card Space
Ani, Mount Ararat, Lake Van and Hasankeyf are among the least-photographed landscapes in most travelers' Turkey albums — budget extra storage.
Choose Your Tier by Priority
If comfort after long driving days matters most to you, the Superior or Deluxe tier is worth the difference on this particular itinerary.
Consider Splitting the Trip
Travelers who want to go further can review our longer itineraries, which continue this same route into Cappadocia and beyond.
Who Is This 37-Day Turkey Tour For?
- Travelers with a full month or more available who want to see Türkiye as completely as possible in a single trip.
- Repeat visitors to Türkiye who have already covered Istanbul and the Aegean and want to reach eastern Anatolia.
- History and archaeology enthusiasts, given the sheer density of Byzantine, Roman, Seljuk, Armenian and Ottoman sites on this route.
- Travelers who prefer zero unscheduled time and want every day of a long trip pre-planned and guided.
- Photographers and documentary-style travelers drawn to Türkiye's less-visited eastern regions.
- Private groups and educational tours wanting the most comprehensive itinerary available.
Best Time for This 37-Day Turkey Tour
Because this route reaches high-altitude eastern Anatolia, timing matters more here than on shorter, coastal-only itineraries.
Travel Suggestions & What to Bring
Why Book With The History Travel Agency?
Local knowledge. Historical expertise. Zero unscheduled days.
Zero Free Days, By Design
Every one of the 28 days is planned and guided — you are never left to figure out sightseeing on your own.
Unmatched Regional Coverage
No other itinerary in our catalogue reaches this far into eastern Anatolia while still covering the western highlights.
Three Comfort Tiers
Choose Standard, Superior or Deluxe hotels on the identical itinerary — the same journey, your preferred comfort level.
Licensed Guides, Every Day
A professional, TÜRSAB-licensed English-speaking guide accompanies you for the entire 37-day journey.
28-Day Tour Price
Because final pricing depends on your travel dates, hotel category, group size and private/group arrangement, The History Travel prepares a personalized quotation rather than publishing a single fixed rate.
Ideal for solo travelers, friends, families and organized groups seeking excellent value.
Ideal for couples, families and private groups who want full control over pacing, timing and meals.
Adjust hotel category, activities, transportation and destinations to your needs.
What Does a Tour Like This Typically Cost?
As general market context only (not a quoted price for this specific tour): comparable 28-day, professionally guided Turkey itineraries typically range from around €5,400–€9,000 per person on a mid-range, twin-share basis, rising toward €8,350–€13,950+ per person for a fully private tour with superior hotels throughout. Group departures are generally priced lower per person than private tours of the same length. International airfare, most dinners, tips and personal spending are additional in all cases.
Request your personalized quotation below or via WhatsApp — pricing is confirmed once we know your travel dates, party size and preferred hotel category.
Your Questions, Answered
Book Your 28-Day Tour
- Hotel accommodation per itinerary
- Licensed English-speaking local guides
- Transfers per itinerary
- Entrance fees where included
- Airport & city transfers
- Secure payment options
- Free cancellation (48 hrs prior)
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Cancellation Policy
Free cancellation up to 48 hours before the tour date. Cancellations within 48 hours are non-refundable. Date changes are accommodated subject to availability.