Turkey: Off the Beaten Path

A 12-day journey through Ottoman heritage towns, Cappadocian valleys, highland archaeology and the Turquoise Coast.

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Istanbul

Arrive in Istanbul, the legendary city bridging Europe and Asia and layered with two millennia of imperial history. Meet your representative and enjoy a comfortable transfer to your hotel.

The rest of the day is at leisure to rest after your journey, take a gentle walk in your neighborhood, and begin soaking up the rhythm of the city.

Return to your hotel for an overnight stay.

Meals: None (0) | Overnight: Istanbul

Day 2: Old City of Istanbul, the Bosphorus and the Grand Bazaar

After breakfast, begin in the historic heart of Sultanahmet. Visit the Hippodrome, once the ceremonial and sporting center of Constantinople, where monumental columns and obelisks still mark the former chariot racing arena.

Continue to the Blue Mosque, officially the Sultanahmet Mosque, celebrated for its harmonious courtyard and luminous Iznik tile work. Then visit Hagia Sophia, a world defining monument whose vast dome and interior scale reflect centuries of imperial ambition and faith.

Take a cruise along the Bosphorus to see palaces, waterfront mansions and fortifications from the water, with views that reveal Istanbul’s maritime geography.

Proceed to the Grand Bazaar, a living maze of covered streets and workshops where textiles, ceramics, jewelry and traditional crafts evoke centuries of trade.

Meals: Breakfast (1)| Overnight: Istanbul

Day 3: Topkapi Palace, the Spice Market, Fener and Balat

After breakfast, visit Topkapi Palace, the former residence and administrative center of the Ottoman sultans. Explore its ceremonial courtyards, and learn how palace life shaped politics, art and diplomacy across the empire.

Continue to the Spice Market, also known as the Egyptian Bazaar, where fragrant stalls of teas, herbs, saffron, dried fruits and confections reflect Istanbul’s commercial connections across the Mediterranean and beyond.

In the afternoon, explore the historic neighborhoods of Fener and Balat. This area is known for its colorful streets, layered architecture and multicultural heritage, where Greek Orthodox, Jewish and Ottoman legacies intersect through churches, synagogues, schools and daily life.

Meals: Breakfast (1) | Overnight: Istanbul

Day 4: Safranbolu, Tokatli Canyon and Ottoman heritage houses

After breakfast, depart for Safranbolu, a UNESCO listed Ottoman town renowned for its preserved wooden mansions, cobbled lanes and artisan culture.

Visit the Crystal Terrace overlooking Tokatli Canyon to take in sweeping views of the gorge and surrounding forested landscape, an impressive contrast to the town’s intimate streets.

Visit the 17th-century caravanserai of Cinci Han, built to host merchants and travelers along historic trade routes, and admire its stone architecture and courtyard layout.

Continue to the Kaymakamlar Museum House, a carefully preserved Safranbolu mansion that illustrates domestic life, furniture, textiles and spatial organization in an Ottoman household.

Tour the Safranbolu bazaar, where small shops highlight regional products and crafts that maintain the town’s trading traditions.

Return to your hotel in Safranbolu for dinner and overnight stay.

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner (2) | Overnight: Safranbolu

Day 5: Yoruk Village and onward to Cappadocia

After breakfast, drive to Yoruk Village, a small settlement known for its traditional Ottoman era wooden houses and preserved village atmosphere. Walk among the historic homes to observe architectural details, carved timber elements and the way households adapted to local climate and terrain.

As you approach the region, the landscape gradually transforms into volcanic plateaus and sculpted valleys.

Arrive in Cappadocia and enjoy a glass of wine against the backdrop of one of Cappadocia’s valleys, where soft tuff formations create a dramatic, otherworldly horizon.

Drive to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay in Cappadocia.

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner (2)| Overnight: Cappadocia

Day 6: Goreme, Avanos Pottery and the Pasabag Valley

After breakfast, visit the Goreme Open Air Museum, a UNESCO listed complex of rock cut churches and monastic spaces. Inside, frescoes and carved interiors reveal early Christian art and community life shaped by the region’s soft volcanic stone.

Drive to Avanos and visit a local pottery shop. Avanos has long been associated with clay work from the Kizilirmak River, and you will see how traditional methods and modern designs meet in the workshop.

Proceed to Pasabag Valley, also known as Monks Valley, famous for its fairy chimney formations and rock cut hermit cells.

Return to Cappadocia for leisure time. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Cappadocia.

Optional: Balloon ride in the morning, depending on weather and availability. ($300 per person.)

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner (2) | Overnight: Cappadocia

Day 7: A Day of The Kaymakli Underground City and Turkish Carpets

After breakfast, visit a local carpet atelier to learn how materials, natural dyes and motifs shape Anatolian weaving traditions. This is an opportunity to understand how patterns can carry memory, geography and identity.

Proceed to Kaymakli Underground City, a multi level subterranean settlement carved into soft rock, designed for storage, ventilation and protection. Walk through tunnels and chambers that reveal the engineering logic of hidden community life.

Continue to Pigeon Valley, named for the dovecotes carved into cliffs. The viewpoint offers a scenic walk and a sense of the valley’s role in local agriculture and daily routines.

Visit Cemil Village, a quieter stop that highlights rural Cappadocia’s stone architecture and landscapes.

Return to your hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner (2) | Overnight: Cappadocia

Day 8: Konya and the Mevlana Museum, Then Onward to Sagalassos

After breakfast, depart for Sagalassos. Stop in Konya to visit the Mevlana Museum, the mausoleum and lodge associated with Jalal al Din Rumi and the Mevlevi order. The museum offers insight into spirituality, poetry and the historical world that shaped Sufi culture in Anatolia.

Continue toward Sagalassos, climbing into the highlands of the Taurus range where ancient cities sit amid wide mountain views.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Sagalassos.

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner (2) | Overnight: Sagalassos

Day 9: The Sagalassos Ruins and Onward to Fethiye via Isparta 

After breakfast, visit the Ancient City of Sagalassos, dramatically set on the slopes of the Taurus mountain range. Admire the great theater and other monumental remains that demonstrate the city’s scale and civic ambition in the Roman period.

Afterward, proceed to Fethiye. On the way, stop at the lavender, lily and rose fields of Isparta when in season, where color and fragrance define the rural landscape and local agriculture.

Overnight stay at the hotel in Fethiye.

Meals: Breakfast (1) | Overnight: Fethiye

Day 10: A Fethiye Islands Cruise

After breakfast, visit the Fethiye Marina and embark on a cruise to the Fethiye Islands. The cruise stops at several locations, giving you time to swim and relax in crystal clear Mediterranean waters.

Have lunch on deck and enjoy the views as you sail between islands, coves and sheltered bays.

On the return journey, take in views of ancient ruins along the shoreline, visible from the sea as you cruise back through turquoise waters to Fethiye.

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch (2)| Overnight: Fethiye

Day 11: Flight to Istanbul and a Free Afternoon

After breakfast, transfer to Dalaman Airport for your flight to Istanbul. Arrive in the afternoon and enjoy free time to rest, shop or explore a neighborhood at your own pace.

Return to your hotel for an overnight stay in Istanbul.

Meals: Breakfast (1)| Overnight: Istanbul

Day 12: Departure

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your return flight.

Meals: Breakfast (1)| Overnight: None

Hotels

The following hotels are planned for this tour. Please note that accommodations may be subject to change depending on availability and specific client requests. In all cases, hotels of equal or higher category will be provided.