Why a Week Across Turkey Is Worth the Extra Days
Most short trips to Turkey stop at Istanbul. This Turkey tour package from the UAE goes further, looping from the Bosphorus through the capital, Ankara, to the rock landscapes of Cappadocia and back along the Black Sea coast. A week on the road covers a great deal of the country’s history, from Byzantine churches to Ottoman towns, with the coach doing the hard work between stops.
Istanbul and Ankara
Istanbul sits on two continents, divided by the Bosphorus strait. It was the capital of the Byzantine Empire and then the Ottoman Empire, and the historic peninsula is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Süleymaniye Mosque, the great 16th-century work of the architect Sinan, crowns one of its hills, and Topkapi Palace, home of the Ottoman sultans from the 15th century, spreads across the tip of the old city above the water. Ankara, the modern capital, is home to Atatürk’s mausoleum and the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, which traces settlement in the region back thousands of years.
Cappadocia and Safranbolu
Cappadocia is unlike anywhere else. Ancient volcanic ash hardened into soft tuff, and wind and water carved it into the valleys, pinnacles and fairy chimneys that make the region famous. From the 4th century, monks cut cells and churches into the rock, and whole communities later went underground to shelter from raids. Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985.
On the way back towards Istanbul, Safranbolu is a well-preserved Ottoman trading town, also UNESCO-listed, where timber-framed houses and old caravanserais line the streets. The Black Sea coast beyond it is green and wooded, a contrast to the dry centre of the country.
Planning your Turkey trip
This Istanbul and Cappadocia tour suits travellers who enjoy a touring holiday with a new place most days, with a guide, hotels and several dinners arranged. Nights in Cappadocia can be cold in late November, so pack layers, a warm jacket and comfortable walking shoes, and dress modestly for mosque visits. The tour finishes before the UAE National Day break, which leaves the holiday itself free at home. Entry rules depend on your passport, so check the Visa Info section before you book.
Take a look at the full itinerary and inclusions on this page, then send us an enquiry to check availability on this departure.