Highlights of Turkey & the Greek Islands

Hos geldin! Welcome to Turkey. Your adventure begins in Istanbul – the continent-straddling metropolis that the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines and Ottomans have all once called home – with a welcome meeting at 1 pm. After you’ve met your local leader and group, you’ll head out for a guided tour of the Old City. Visit the ancient hippodrome, the Blue Mosque, the Grand Bazaar and the Suleymaniye Cami. This evening, maybe join your fellow travellers for dinner and dig into an authentic Turkish kebab.

After breakfast, hit the road to Canakkale – a port city on the southern shore of the Dardanelles. On the way, you’ll stop for a guided tour of Gallipoli to learn about the significant events that took place here during WWI. Your guide will take you to ANZAC Cove and major memorial sites like Brighton Beach and the ANZAC Commemorative Site. Make sure your camera is charged – the views of the Dardanelles Strait and the Gallipoli Peninsula here are gorgeous. This evening, you’ll spend the night in Canakkale with free time to grab dinner and recharge for tomorrow’s adventures.

This morning, drive to the ancient city of Troy. Explore the ruins with your leader, snap a photo with a replica Trojan Horse and learn about how this place has confounded historians and archaeologists for centuries. Then, continue to Selcuk which sits on the slopes of Ayasoluk Hill. Head out with your leader for an orientation walk, passing Isa Bey Mosque and the imposing Byzantine citadel of the Grand Fortress. Enjoy some free time afterwards.

This morning, take a private minivan to the ancient city of Ephesus – one of the world’s best-preserved Greco-Roman classical cities. Once the capital of Roman Asia Minor, Ephesus has a fascinating history that really comes alive with a local guide to show you around. Considering their age, the ruins are in incredible shape, and it’s not difficult to imagine them in their full glory over 2000 years ago with running water, public toilets, a medical institute and Roman baths. The Great Theatre is well-preserved and regularly hosts concerts, but the Library of Celsus is the most striking. Then, have lunch and maybe watch the local ladies make gozleme. You'll have some free time this evening before transferring to Izmir to board an overnight train to Konya.

Wake up in Konya, a historic Turkish city closely linked with the whirling dervish sect of Islam developed by Rumi, a famous Sufi mystic in the 13th century. Visit the Mevlana Museum, maybe watching an optional whirling dervish dance, and stretch your legs in town before hitting the road to Cappadocia. Look out for the fairy chimneys, the hallmark of the region's otherworldly landscape, as you drive across the Anatolian plains and stop at an underground city used as a safe haven during wartimes. Arrive in the town of Urgup in the late afternoon in time for a sunset walk in the valley. Your accommodation tonight is a traditional cave style hotel that overlooks the valley.

This morning, take an optional hot air balloon flight over Cappadocia at sunrise. If you don’t fancy it, you’ll still have an amazing view of the skyline dotted with balloons from the ground. Later this morning, enjoy a scenic walk through the valleys with your leader, featuring fairy chimneys, deserted rock-cut homes and cave churches. In your free time today, maybe visit the UNESCO-listed Goreme Open Air Museum, a monastic complex composed of churches, rectories and dwellings cut into the cliff. This evening, you’ll be warmly welcomed into a local home where you'll share a special home-cooked dinner with the family.

Say goodbye to Cappadocia and transfer to the airport for a flight back to Istanbul (expect to arrive between 1 pm and 4 pm). After checking in to your hotel, take an evening stroll to one of the city's trendiest neighbourhoods – a place where tool-selling tradesmen share space with cool cafes and galleries. For dinner, perhaps try a local street food favourite, balik ekmek (fish sandwich) and cleanse the palate with a baklava. Maybe check out a few bars with your group to say serefe (cheers) to your time in Turkey, or enjoy a farewell cay (Turkish tea) overlooking the Bosphorus.

This morning, travel to Istanbul Airport, where you'll board a flight to Athens. When you arrive, enjoy a free day at your own pace in Athens. Maybe explore the Archaeological Museum of Athens, walk through the National Gardens or visit the original Olympic Stadium. Tonight, you’ll have another welcome meeting at your hotel at 6 pm to meet your new leader and any new travellers joining you for the next part of your adventure. After, head out for dinner with the group at a local restaurant in the Psiri neighbourhood.

Today travel by metro to the port of Piraeus, then catch a relaxing scenic ferry to Syros (approximately 4 hours). In the heart of the Cyclades, Syros offers a rare opportunity to see the islands as the Greeks do. One of the Aegean's most underrated islands, the island features typical whitewashed houses, farms, terraced fields and gorgeous sandy beaches. Your leader will take you on a wander through the main town of Ermoupolis, home to well preserved neoclassical mansions and 19th-century tenement blocks. Syros is also home to delicious sweets. Stop at a family run traditional loukoumi workshop where you will be shown the procedure of how these multi-coloured fruit-flavoured jellies (also called Greek Delight) and chalvadopita (hazelnut, almond or honey-filled wafers) are made - make sure you try some of them. You'll have plenty of time to explore tomorrow, so perhaps kick up your feet at a waterfront cafe and watch the setting sun turn the houses pink.

Take a walk through the fortress-like town of Ano Syros, which offers great views of the Aegean Sea. Wander the narrow alleyways, pass handmade-souvenir shops and keep an ear open for traditional Rembetiko music floating out of the family-run tavernas. Enjoy free time to further explore Syros at your own pace. Discover abandoned windmills, ancient ruins and charming villages on a network of stone-paved tracks that crisscross the island. Perhaps head to the various archaeological sites on the island, or you might prefer to simply hole up on a beach for the afternoon. Outside of Ermoupolis are many small tranquil coves, while the most popular beaches are on the southern side of the island. While some are sandy and others pebbly, all boast crystal clear waters for swimming in. In the evening, take taxis to a taverna to a remotely located village in the rugged northern part of the island to sample delicious local specialities during an included meal, all while watching the sun set over the Aegean Sea.

Today board a two-hour ferry to Mykonos, a beautiful island named in honour of Apollo's grandson. Known in ancient Greek mythology as the battlefield where Zeus fought the Gigantes, today the island is best known for its decadence, style, and nightlife. Join your leader for a walk through the maze-like old town and be captivated by the quintessential Greek Isles vista of squat white houses brightly juxtaposed against the cerulean sea. Browse the chic galleries and boutiques, follow flower-lined paths past age-old churches and tiny restaurants to secluded, sandy beaches, and spend the afternoon soaking up the rays and splashing in the water. Settle into your lovely room at the hotel. As the sun sets, maybe join Europe's party crowd at one of the many bars and clubs on Mykonos, or take a more traditional approach with a meal at a delightful backstreet restaurant.

This morning you will take a half-day trip out to the nearby island of Delos. One of the most important archaeological and mythological sites in the Greek Islands, a sacred area that was once the political and religious centre of the Aegean, Delos is considered to be the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis. A living museum, the wealthy built mansions in the town that developed around Apollo’s sanctuary, decorating them with luxurious frescoes, mosaics and statues. The island is overflowing with archaeological finds like the Terrace of the Lions and the Sacred Precinct, with many more still being uncovered. Later on today you might like to head to one of Mykonos' many beaches, which are some of the nicest in Europe. Take a short bus ride to the pumping Paradise or Super Paradise beach bars, or perhaps find a quieter spot to relax along the beautiful coastline. You could also check out the 19th-century House of Lena or the Aegean Maritime Museum in town. This evening you could make your way to the village of Ano Mera and seek out a tavern for a seafood dinner or perhaps wander down to Little Venice, where colourful balconies hang precariously over the sea.

Take another ferry and arrive on the spectacular southern island of Santorini (approximately 2.5hrs hours). Renowned for its amazing natural beauty, Santorini is one of Europe's tourist hotspots, the home of the iconic image of the Greek islands – whitewashed, blue-domed buildings clinging to the cliff face with sparkling water in the background. Discover the hilltop ruins of Ancient Thira and its fascinating Prehistoric Museum, as well as the archaeological site of Akrotiri, a Minoan Bronze Age settlement that gives an insight into how the people here lived before the eruption. Check out the range of restaurants and shops in the island's capital, interchangeably called Thira or Fira. If you have time while you're here, perhaps head to one of Santorini's volcanic beaches, such as Red Beach or the black beaches of Perissa, Vlhada, Perivolos or Agios Georgios. Be sure to try some of the island’s delicious food – the nutrient-filled volcanic soil makes the ingredients grown here full of flavour.

In 1500 BC a volcanic eruption sank the center of Santorini, forming one of the most significant geological formations on the planet – the awe-inspiring caldera. The spectacular natural beauty of this caldera is what makes Santorini such a special place. Today make an excursion along the crater rim, starting in Thira town and walking through little villages all the way to Oia, passing steep cliff faces and experiencing breathtaking views along the way. If you have time, you might also like to take a half-day trip to the island's volcano and hot springs in the centre of the lagoon. Or perhaps visit one of the island’s wineries – the vines here are cultivated in a very unusual way, with the plants being pruned to form a low basket shape that sits on top of the volcanic soil to protect the grapes from strong winds. On the last evening of your adventure, rub shoulders with friendly locals in packed pubs and cafes, sipping a cocktail as you witness a magnificent Santorini sunset.