Experiences

Istanbul is the only city in the world to sit across 2 continents, and the result is magical. Here you'll find the Aya Sofya, the Blue Mosque and the Topkapi Palace.

But there is so much MORE to Istanbul. Get lost in the famous Grand Bazaar, head over to Beyoglu for rooftop bars - and take a ferry trip up the Bosphorous too.

The Temple of Artemis was the biggest on Earth at the time, and one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Today, Ephesus is considered the best-preserved Roman city in the Mediterranean region. It was added as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015.

We recommend day trips from the southern coastal regions, or even better, overnight stops in one of the nearby towns or villages.

Translating as "cotton castle’, Pamukkale is a stunning natural site of thermal springs in the south-west. 

Since becoming a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the 1980’s, this area is more carefully protected and hotels built on the ruins have been demolished, helping to return the site to its naturally beautiful state.

The Lycian Way is a 540 km footpath from Fethiye to Antalya - the full stretch takes around a month to hike. Along the way you’ll find Roman roads, old footpaths and mule trails, and you’ll pass over 20 historical sites too remote to reach easily by car or public transport.

February-May or September-November are perfect weather to hike this region.

Meandering down the river in a traditional Turkish boat makes for a delightful day trip.

You’ll pass the Lycian Rock Tombs and the ruins of ancient Kaunos, once an important sea port. As you go, look out for the nesting turtles that are a protected species on Iztuzu beach. Stop and enjoy a rejuvenating mud bath. Shop in the Dalyan village.

Over the years, Marmaris has become a busy and developed beachside resort town - but head a short distance further west onto the Datca peninsula or the Bozburun peninsula slightly to the south and it’s another world. Calm fishing villages, undeveloped beach coves, little mountain towns with stone houses, ruins, and of course the ocean on all sides.

You can’t visit Turkey without experiencing a Hammam. This cleansing, exfoliating and intense massage experience leaves skin fresh and glowing and is oddly relaxing.

The unique natural caves and ‘fairy chimneys’ in Cappadocia would be beautiful on their own, but they’ve been rendered even more interesting by their history as a refuge for Christians looking to escape Islamic armies. The result is fascinating carvings, frescoes and churches deep in caves. It’s easy to see why drifting over this region on a hot air balloon has become popular, and even just watching the balloons is a spectacular site in itself.

Haggling is part and parcel of a visit to the Bazaars (markets) and can be exhilarating. Even if you don’t have room in your bag for a traditional carpet, the experience alone is great fun and the markets are stunning - ottomon tiles, lights and lanterns everywhere, the smell of the spices.

Turkey has an abundance of wine-bearing vines and an ancient history of wine production, but the modern Turkish wine industry is quite young and not as well known as other European producers - yet.