Upgraded - Discover Turkey

Our tour starts in Antalya, Turkey's main gateway to the Mediterranean. This lively city on the Turquoise Coast makes a perfect starting point for our journey. For those arriving in time today, our tour leader will meet you in the hotel reception at 7pm and there'll be the chance to go out to dinner. Due to the number of flights arriving late into Antalya, it's likely that we'll wait until tomorrow morning for our welcome meeting. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to arrive at any time.

If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Antalya Airport (AYT), which is around a 20 minute drive from our hotel. If you are arriving in the International arrivals (terminal 2), turn left as you exit the terminal building. Your transfer driver will be waiting at meeting point E (outside the terminal building), look for AYD 07 Aydas Travel sign where a representative will take you to transfer vehicle. As part of our Upgraded range, we also offer a complimentary transfer to those who have made pre-tour accommodation arrangements through us, regardless of your arrival day, provided we receive your flight details no later than 14 days prior to departure.

For those arriving earlier in the day, you might like to visit Kaleici - the atmospheric old quarter and ancient port of Antalya - made up of narrow cobbled streets and lined with Ottoman-era houses that open out onto pretty courtyards. Parts of the defensive walls remain along with the impressive sight of Hadrian's Gate, a preserved Roman entrance to the old town. Some of the city's best restaurants and bars are found in this area, perfect for your first night relaxing in the Mediterranean.

The 4-star La Boutique Hotel & Suites is set on the coast between Antalya airport and the city, making it an ideal location to base ourselves at the start of our trip. The hotel offers well appointed rooms, a private beach was well as an infinity pool and terrace. There are cafes and bars within walking distance and the old town is around 15 minutes' drive away. We have decided against a property in the old quarter due to concerns about quality, noise late at night from the bars and restaurants as well as comfort, especially in the colder and hotter times of the year.

This morning we can get our first taste of a traditional Turkish breakfast, which usually consists of yogurts, cheese, and breads along with cucumbers, tomatoes, eggs, olives and fruits. The buffet will also have some international options.

Beyond its golden coastline and picturesque old town, the area surrounding Antalya is home to plenty of iconic sites and the ancient city of Aspendos is one of its most impressive, just 45 kilometres away. The highlight here is the enormous Roman theatre, built in the reign of Marcus Aurelius in the 2nd century AD. Arguably the best-preserved example to be found in any corner of the Roman Empire, the intact theatre holds approximately 15,000 spectators and still hosts performances to this day - although without the gladiators. The surrounding mountains add a sense of majesty to the setting. We'll also stop at the nearby Roman aqueduct, an impressive feat of engineering that brought fresh water into the city from the mountains.

After a break for lunch, we'll continue with a visit to the ancient Roman city of Perge, known for its well preserved theatre which once seated upto 12,000 people and its baths, streets and Roman gates. If you prefer to skip the visit to Perge, you might like to just relax or visit one of the nearby Turkish baths.

Today we'll start our journey through Turkey with a scenic drive to Kas, along the coastal road where the Taurus mountains meet the Mediterranean Sea. Our first stop is at Camyuva to walk along part of the Lycian Way long-distance footpath. The trail is through pine trees with coastal scenery bringing us to the little-visited site of Phaselis. This harbour town began life as a colony of Rhodes in about 690BC, quickly grew to become an important trading centre, and was visited by Alexander the Great. The walk is around 3.5 kilometres/2 miles and should take us about one and a half hours, generally undulating with one longer steep ascent but only 175 metres/575 feet up and down in total. Don't forget to bring your swimwear and a towel if you want to have a dip in the sea here.

For our next stop we'll visit the eternal flame of Chimaera. The natural flames that emerge from the mountainside here have been a sacred place since time began, inspiring locals in nearby Olympus to worship the god of fire Hephaestus (Vulcan). It is generally believed that this is where the Olympic flame as lit for the first time. There is a short but steep walk uphill through the pine forest to reach the flames. If you'd prefer not to join the walk, you can relax in the cafe at the bottom of the hill.

Finally, we reach the laid-back fishing village and charming resort town of Kas - our base for the next two nights. With its old Greek houses and their quaint balconies, the tiny seaport of Kas is one of the most picturesque on the Turkish Riviera.

We've chosen the comfortable Hotel Kayahan as we believe your experience will be enhanced by staying in Kas itself rather than a premium resort nearby. Conveniently located and close to the sea front, the Kayahan offers a warm welcome and there is a small swimming pool. The ensuite rooms are relatively simple but perfectly comfortable, and there are great sea views from the lounge and breakfast area on the top floor. Dinner this evening is included and we want to introduce the delicious Turkish cuisine. Our tour leader will order a number of hot and cold dishes - or mezze - for us to share and try a variety of dishes, just as the locals do. Don't worry, there will be plenty to eat and vegetarians and vegans will be catered for. Drinks are not included.

After a leisurely breakfast this morning, we'll drive to nearby Ucagiz and board our traditional wooden Gulet. We've planned a relaxed day cruising around the bay, landing at places of interest, stopping to swim and there will be a BBQ lunch on board. The sea temperature will be warmer for swimming from May through to October, and while it's fine for swimming earlier and later in the year, the water will be cooler. The deserted island of Kekova is surrounded by crystal clear waters and at Simena we can see submerged streets and Lycian sarcophagi (tombs) that have been pushed under water over time by tectonic movements. We'll walk up the hill to explore Simena's medieval castle for great views. Kalekoy is on the mainland but only accessible by boat and on our exploration of this charming village you may want to visit the Crusader fortress or try its famous peach ice cream! Back in Kas by the late afternoon, there's some free time to explore the town.

This morning we'll continue our journey along the Turquoise Coast with a scenic three hour drive to Dalyan. We'll start our walk near the walls of ancient Caunos and, after admiring views of the delta and beach in the distance, the footpath meanders downhill through the pine trees towards the ruins. The path is rocky, but not too rugged, and after an hour or so Caunos appears. This ancient Lycian settlement dates back to 400 BC and hidden in the ruins are some fascinating features that span many civilisations from the Persians through to the Romans. After exploring the site, we'll continue walking downhill along a quiet road to Candir and cross in a little rowing boat to Dalyan town. In total we walk for about 4 kilometres/2.5 miles with 180 metres/590 feet in descent and it should take us about two hours.

In the afternoon we'll travel by small boat downriver on gentle waters to Iztuzu Beach, looking out for loggerhead turtles and kingfishers amongst the reeds. We recommend packing your swimming costume and a towel today, as there'll be the opportunity to take a dip in the sea at Iztuzu Beach. There are changing rooms, showers and a café here. Later we return to Dalyan by boat and finally check in to our hotel in the late afternoon.

We'll leave after breakfast and drive three hours inland to the very impressive Greco-Roman site of Aphrodisias, where the goddess of love once bestowed her sensual favours on her willing devotees. This site is in many ways as spectacular as Ephesus, but far quieter by comparison, and there's also an excellent museum on site that you may like to visit. Aphrodisias is well known for the beautiful intricacy and artistic detail of the sculptures.

The tetrapylon is a wonderfully ornate example of a huge gateway which would have once welcomed you into the main street leading to the Temple of Aphrodite. The well-preserved odeon and theatre are also well worth seeing, as is the Sebasteion, which is carved with reliefs depicting Aphrodite and her worshippers. The highlight has to be the stadium which measures 270 metre long by 60 metres wide and would have held 30,000 spectators which means it was an important venue for people throughout the region. On the seats you'll find carvings into the rock, which have been graffitied during the athletic events that took place here.

Finally we drive to on Pamukkale and arrive at our hotel in the afternoon. The rest of the day is free for you to relax and enjoy the hotel facilities. The Doga Thermal is a large 5-star resort style hotel with indoor and outdoor pools, a spa, sauna and gym. We recommend a bathe in the hot spring waters. Dinner is included at our hotel tonight.

This morning we'll explore one of Turkey's most amazing natural wonders, the 'cotton castle'. The castle takes its name from the white calcareous concretions deposited by mineral springs. Above the natural terraced pools you'll find the ancient spa town of Hierapolis where the ruins date back to the 2nd century BC and the time of Eumenes II. Earthquakes have struck here throughout history and the site was finally abandoned in 1334 following a particularly strong and damaging one. As recently as the mid-20th century, hotels were constructed on top of its priceless ruins, but UNESCO World Heritage status has saved it from further damage. We'll visit the theatre, Temple of Apollo, Frontinus Gate and see a number of sarcophagi as well as having the chance to go into the Archaeology Museum housed in the former Roman baths.

We'll move on to the 'frozen waterfall' where stalactites of bright white petrified waterfalls cascade from basin to basin. Situated on a high escarpment overlooking the Menderes Valley, Pamukkale has been an attraction since Roman times. We'll visit the incredible travertine pools, where you can opt to get your feet wet and enjoy the views.

Later today we'll drive for around three hours to Selcuk - our base for the next two nights.

Today we visit Selcuk's historic neighbour, the great Greco-Roman city of Ephesus. We aim to get there in time for the site opening and before it becomes overly crowded with visitors.

Once visited by Mark Anthony and Cleopatra, and also by St. Paul, inspiring the Epistle to the Ephesians, this famous Asia Minor seaport reached its zenith in the 2nd century AD, becoming one of the main cultural and economic centres of the ancient world until it went into decline after the 7th century. It boasted an excellent gymnasia and a stadium with seating for 70,000 spectators. Other highlights include the Baths of Constantine, the brothel, the Temple of Hadrian with its beautiful facade, the theatre (a giant with 24,000 seats) and the odeon (a 2000 seat music and poetry centre), the Arcadian Way (where Cleopatra entered from the harbour) and the Marble Avenue featuring the 2-storey Library of Celsus, which is one of the most photographed Greco-Roman buildings in the world. There is the option to visit the Roman Houses exhibition where they have restored living quarters.

The visit usually lasts around three hours and afterwards we'll drive the short distance back to Selcuk to visit the scattered remains of the Temple of Artemis.

The rest of the afternoon is free. Saturday is market day when the local bazaar fills the town with market traders and locals from all around, so it's well worth a wander to people watch and soak up the atmosphere. Alternatively you can visit the Turkish Baths, Ephesus Museum, Isa Bey Mosque or St.John's Basilica.

This morning we'll have a slightly earlier start as we leave our hotel at about 8 am. We continue our journey north past endless olive groves and pomegranate trees, to the Greco-Roman remains of Pergamon, set impressively on the hill overlooking the modern-day town of Bergama.

We'll visit the ancient Acropolis here. Pergamon gave its name to the word 'parchment', the material the town was well-known for throughout the Middle East. This afternoon, we'll continue driving and in the later afternoon reach the lively town of Canakkale on the Dardanelles.

Today is one of our longest driving days and we'll travel for approximately seven hours.

We'll have an early start this morning to board the 30-minute ferry crossing from the Dardanelles Straits to the Gallipoli Peninsula on the European side of the waters.

It was here in 1916 that, after much bloody hand-to-hand fighting and loss of life, the ill-fated Allied campaign was forced to concede victory to the Turks and withdraw. At Anzac Cove - a 600 metre beach that was the famous site of the Anzac landing - we will visit the Anzac Commemorative site and Ari Burnu Cemetery. We continue inland slightly to visit the Lone Pine Australian Memorial and Cemetery before following the shoreline of the Sea of Marmara to Istanbul for our final two nights.

The drive to Istanbul will take around five hours, arriving in the late afternoon. Once known as Constantinople, the city has been the capital of both the Byzantine and Ottoman empires and today, its historic riches are evident at every turn. Straddling Europe and Asia, Istanbul was an important stop on the old Silk Road. This resulted in the city forming a patchwork of cultures that makes up modern-day Istanbul (and its mouthwatering cuisine).

The Erboy Hotel is a premium hotel that has a great location within easy walking distance of some of the main attractions of this superb city. There are great views of Istanbul's skyline from the hotel rooftop bar and restaurant (please note that it is closed in low season).

We'll head out on foot this morning, firstly towards the Sultanahmet Square. Also known as the Hippodrome of Constantinople, the square was used for chariot racing in the Roman era. Today it's much more sedate but houses iconic landmarks such as the Byzantine Hagia Sophia, the Serpentine Column, Obelisk of Theodosius and the Walled Obelisk. We'll have a guided tour of the square, ending at its most famous building, the Sultanahmet Blue Mosque.

Next we visit the grand old cisterns, built by Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian I (527-565 AD), it is sometimes nicknamed the sunken palace, due to its numerous marble columns rising from the water.

Finally we end our walking tour at the Spice Bazaar where there is an endless choice of traders under the ornate vaulted ceilings selling spices, dried fruit, cheese, cured meats, jam, nuts, seeds, tea, Turkish delight as well as handicrafts. There are plenty of traditional restaurants and cafes here if you wanted to try homecooked dishes for lunch.

The afternoon has been left free for you to explore the city. Our tour leader will be able to help with suggestions and your options include a visit to the Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace Museum and Gardens or you could walk across the river to visit another neighbourhood and the Galata Tower. With so much to see in Istanbul you may choose to spend additional nights after the trip.

The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Istanbul. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart at any time. If your flight leaves later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel.

If you'd like an airport transfer today, you need to depart from Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (SAW). Depending on traffic, IST is a ninety-minute drive from the hotel, or SAW is a two-hour drive from the hotel. As part of our Upgraded range, we also offer a complimentary transfer to those who have made post-tour accommodation arrangements through Explore, regardless of your departure day provided we receive your flight details no later than 14 days prior to your tour departing.