Travel Tips
Turkey: Turkey is a nation straddling eastern Europe and western Asia with cultural connections to ancient Greek, Persian, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires. Cosmopolitan Istanbul, on the Bosphorus Strait, is home to the iconic Hagia Sophia, with its soaring dome and Christian mosaics, the massive 17th-century Blue Mosque and the circa-1460 Topkapı Palace, former home of sultans. Ankara is Turkey’s modern capital.
Trip Planning: The planning stage of your trip can be instrumental in its success and an enjoyable part of the experience itself. You have a world of options...and plenty to consider.
Entry and Exit formalities: Visitors must hold a passport valid for at least six months & beyond at the time of entering the country. Some nationalities can obtain visa on arrival and for nationalities who requires visa please refer to the Turkey consulate website:
Transportation: Figuring out how to get around is one of your biggest pre-trip decisions. Get our holiday expert best advice on deciding between your options.
Based on your trip itinerary, our experts will help you choose wisely. You'll also find a wealth of practical travel tips.
Money: Use your money wisely. Know the best time to use cash or card — and how to avoid unnecessary fees either way — as well as tipping etiquette.
Phones and Technology: Phones and other smart devices can be huge time-savers...or expensive distractions. Get our tips for making the best use of technology during your trip, and for calling home with or without your own phone.
Packing Light: On your trip you'll meet two kinds of travelers: those who pack light and those who wish they had.
Sleeping and Eating: Your hotel and restaurant choices can be a matter-of-face chore…or they can provide rich opportunities to connect with locals and their culture.
Health & Hygiene: Take comfort: Doctors, hospitals, launderettes, and bathrooms aren’t that different. Dealing with them can even be part of the fun of travel.
Sightseeing & Activities: Once you're on the ground, the real fun begins…but it pays to have a thoughtful plan. Our experts will help you get oriented to your surroundings, use your sightseeing hours wisely, and find your way off the beaten path.
Things to see & do:
ANZAC Day Memorial Tour- With symbolic links to the dawn landing at Gallipoli, stand in the morning breeze and pay respect to the fallen on ANZAC Day at a dawn vigil. This special three-day trip includes a private bus along the Dardanelles, from Istanbul to the memorial site commemorating the common sacrifice for all of the nations involved.
Topkapi Palace and Hagia Sophia- The historical Sultanahmet neighborhood where many of the city’s finest architectural legacies and landmarks are found. Visit the Blue Mosque and museums of Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace, as well as Istanbul Hippodrome, the sunken palace of Basilica Cistern and the dazzling Grand Bazaar.
Kusadasi-Ephesusi-Explore Ephesus, the best-preserved ancient city in Turkey, on this shore excursion from Kusadasi. A commercial, religious and social center during ancient Greek and Roman times, Ephesus is full of spectacular ruins. While your ship waits in the Kusadasi port, you can discover ancient sights like the Fountains of Trajan, the Temple of Hadrian, the Library of Celsius and the Great Theater.
Izmir-Ephesus and St. Mary's House-No trip to Turkey is complete without exploring the ancient ruins of Ephesus - the best-preserved classical city in the eastern Mediterranean. You will also visit the final resting place of the Virgin Mary on this day trip from Izmir.
Bosphorus Cruise and Istanbul's Egyptian Bazaar-Explore the aromatic maze of stalls that make up Istanbul’s Spice Bazaar, and then hop aboard a sightseeing boat for a jaunt along the famous Bosphorus Strait! After traveling to the bazaar by coach and learning about the city from an onboard guide, enjoy some free time to explore and browse stalls selling fresh mint, cardamom, cinnamon and more. Follow up the market visit with a Bosphorus sightseeing cruise and see a collection of sights including the decadent Dolmabahçe Palace and Rumeli Hisarı Fortress.
Gallipoli-Explore Gallipoli’s World War I battlefields on a day trip from Istanbul, and visit the poignant memorial sites dedicated to fallen Australian, New Zealand and Turkish soldiers. With an expert guide at your side, learn all about the brutal WWI campaign that took place on the Gallipoli peninsula and hear lesser-known tales about soldiers who lost their lives. Lunch, plus visits to key historical sites such as ANZAC Cove, Lone Pine, the Nek and Ari Burnu Cemetrart are included.
Turkish Dinner and Show-Istanbul by night means floodlit mosques, a fabulous Turkish dinner and a spectacular floorshow with bejeweled belly dancers. It's the ultimate Turkish experience!
Cappadocia-Rose Valley, Ortahisar, Kaymakli Underground City and Pigeon Valley. Explore this strange-but-beautiful UNESCO-listed region with its ‘fairy chimney’ rock pillars, cave villages and subterranean cities. Walk through stunning Rose Valley; Zelve into Kaymakli Underground City; see the abandoned village of Çavuşin, and ogle Ortahisar Castle and Pigeon Valley, with its rock dovecotes.
Istanbul Tour with Cruise and Dolmabahce Palace-See Istanbul’s ornate palaces and architecture from land and water on this exciting full-day tour! From the comfort of a coach, you'll see top Istanbul attractions like the Golden Horn and Walls of Constantinople, and then soak up the colorful chaos of Istanbul’s Spice Bazaar on a stroll. Enjoy a Bosphorus Strait sightseeing cruise, and then head inside Dolmabahçe Palace to discover the extravagance of Istanbul’s bygone sultans.
Troy-Visit the ancient city of Troy and learn about its significance in Greek mythology as the main battlefield in the Trojan War. On the journey from Istanbul, stop for lunch in the coastal town of Eceabat, and then enjoy a walking tour around the archaeological site of Troy. Learn about the different eras that stamped their mark on the fascinating settlement and see the famous Trojan Horse statue.
Kusadasi-Explore the spectacular ancient city of Ephesus on a private shore excursion from the Kusadasi port. Learn about the rich history of this ancient city and visit the House of Virgin Mary, the Basilica of St John and the Temple or Artemis (also known as Temple of Diana). At the Ephesus Museum, see excavations from Ephesus, as well as frescoes, mosaics and the two famous statues of the Artemis of Ephesus. A private guided tour ensures you make the most of your brief time in port.
Pamukkale and Hierapolis- a unique natural wonder with dazzling white petrified lime cascades. At the ancient city of Hierapolis explore its Theater, a 2nd century AD building in Roman style. You'll also see the exceptional Necropolis, the largest ancient cemetery in Anatolia.
Hagia Sophia, Basillica Cistern and Grand Bazaar-Get a glimpse of Istanbul's fascinating Imperial legacies on this half-day sightseeing tour with an expert local guide. First visit Hagia Sophia, once one of the largest basilicas in the world and now the second-most visited museum in Turkey. Venture below ground to the ancient Basilica Cistern, which once supported the Great Palace of Constantinople, and hone your haggling skills at the bustling Grand Bazaar, one of the world's largest and oldest covered markets where you can shop for jewelry, spices, leather goods and souvenirs galore.
Pergamum and Asklepion from Izmir-Visit Pergamum, an ancient city dating before the 4th century BC. It's home to the second largest library in the ancient world, the steepest Theatre of Anatolia, the monumental Altar of Zeus and the Roman Medical Center ruins of Asklepion, work site of the great physician, Galen.
