Solo-ish Turkey
8 days, Istanbul to Selçuk
Itinerary
Day 1Istanbul
Welcome to Istanbul, the bridge between the East and the West and an incredible place to meet your new Solo-ish tour mates for a Turkish adventure. Catch an included arrival transfer to the hotel, then join your CEO for an evening welcome briefing before exploring Istanbul’s culinary scene. Connect with your group mates while wandering hidden lanes and stopping at street food stalls for samples along the way.
Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group
Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.
Dinner Party: Istanbul Street Food Crawl
Food is a universal language, and there’s no better way to get to know a new friend, or a new community, than by breaking bread together and digging in to a delicious meal. Join your fellow Solo-ish travellers and explore Istanbul’s hidden lanes and street food stalls together. Begin under the Galata bridge and sample Mezze, an assortment of small dishes eaten as appetizers. Next, cross the Golden Horn into the Karakoy District where your walking dinner party continues with stops at local eateries, enjoying traditional dishes, before finishing off with dessert and coffee. Learn the local flavours and witness how food has the power of speaking to the masses and bringing strangers together.
Accommodation
Below is an example of the hotel we may use in this city. For the actual hotel your specific departure will be using, please check your voucher.
Hotel Centrum Istanbul (or similar)
Meals included:
DinnerDay 2G Day: Istanbul
Set off on an unforgettable day seeing Istanbul’s iconic sites with a surprise G twist occurring somewhere along the way. Begin with a walk through the heart of the city, seeing the Topkapi Palace gardens, the Blue Mosque, the Hagia Sofia, and the Basilica Cistern - the largest underground wells in Istanbul. Later, wander through the Spice Bazaar, a bustling hub of activity for centuries, offering an array of exotic spices, herbs, traditional Turkish sweets, dried fruits, nuts, teas, and other unique culinary delights. Observe the traditional Turkish Coffee demo, prepared in a cezve- a symbol of hospitality and friendship. Enjoy the rest of the day free to continue exploring or to try out one of the many local restaurants or cafes in the area.
G Day: A Perfect Day in Istanbul
Set out on foot for a walk to visit the highlights of this vibrant, diverse and ancient city. See the Topkapi Palace gardens, the Blue Mosque, the Hagia Sofia and make a stop at the Basilica Cistern, the largest of the underground wells in Istanbul. Continue to the atmospheric Spice Bazaar, one of the most colorful, fragrant, and delicious markets which has been bustling for centuries, before returning to the hotel.
Accommodation
Hotel Centrum Istanbul (or similar)
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 3We Day: Istanbul to Cappadocia
Hop on a morning flight to the Cappadocia region and set off straight away to explore the fascinating Göreme Open Air Museum, with Byzantine-era churches and chapels caved directly out of the rock. Later in the afternoon, travel to the nearby town of Avanos for a pottery lesson with a local instructor for a hands-on introduction into this classic artform. In the evening, join a local family to prepare your own traditional Turkish pastry called gozleme using mince meat, cheese, potato, and spinach to create a special and delicious dinner.
Plane
Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.
Göreme Open Air Museum Visit
Explore the unique Open Air Museum, a site made up of a number of medieval painted cave churches. Carved out by Orthodox monks, many of the churches are up to 1,000 years old and still retain their amazing colour and vibrancy.
We Day: Landscapes and Community in Cappadocia
With your incredible CEO at the helm, get to know the local community and your Solo-ish travel mates on a day packed full of interesting and engaging adventures. Take a flight from Istanbul to the Cappadocia region and immerse yourself in its otherworldly landscapes. Visit the Göreme Open Air Museum and then visit a small community to try your hand at some traditional pottery-making. End the day by joining a local family and learn how to prepare a delicious local delicacy.
Pottery Class
Travel to the town of Avanos to visit a working ceramic atelier where you will get a hands-on introduction to this classic art form. Famous for the red clays found in the area, these traditional clay pottery designs date back to 2,000 BC, the time of the Hittites. Put on your apron and take your turn on the pottery wheel to create your own pottery!
Your Foodie Moment: Gozleme Cooking Class
Drive to Zelve for a Gozleme cooking class with different ingredients. We will learn how to prepare the dough while using the rolling pins. Choose what ingredients you want, like cheese, mince meat, potato and spinach. Fill your dough and cook it on a traditional iron plate on the fire.
Accommodation
Ciner Hotel Cappadocia (or similar)
Meals included:
Breakfast | DinnerDay 4Me Day: Cappadocia
The day is yours to do as much or as little as you please in the incredible region of Cappadocia. Choose to join your CEO on a walking exploration through one of the valleys of the iconic rock formations known as "fairy chimneys" or otherwise set off to explore on your own. Some of the many options include an early hot air balloon ride, renting a bike, or visit a traditional Turkish bath. In the evening, re-group with your travel mates for a light dinner and some great views over the landscape.
Me Day: Cappadocia Me Day
Traveling solo alongside your new Solo-ish travel mates means there's always something fun to do and new friends to explore with. But the joy of travel can also be about taking time to yourself to recharge, refresh and reflect on the journey. Today, choose to join your CEO for an incredible activity, or take the time to yourself to enjoy your own company in one of the most incredible places on our planet.
Optional Activities - Day 4 HideShow
Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon Ride
Cappadocia is captivating from the ground, but that’s just the half of it. See the seemingly hand-painted landscapes of Cappadocia as they deserve to be seen, from the air aboard a hot air balloon. Take to the skies in one of the most favoured places in the world to experience a hot air balloon ride.
Carpet Demonstration
FreeEnjoy an informative demonstration of one of the oldest art-forms in Turkish history. Gain a greater appreciation for the labour and workmanship involved in weaving rugs and carpets as you learn about the process.
Turkish Bath
75EUR per personTake along a towel, soap, and shampoo, and experience a bath like no other. Following your bath, you will enjoy a traditional foam massage, included in the entrance fee. Get some tips from the friendly locals – they’ll show you the correct protocol. Make sure to check the hours as the bathhouses are strictly segregated, usually being used by men in the morning and evenings, and women in the afternoons.
Accommodation
Ciner Hotel Cappadocia (or similar)
Meals included:
Breakfast | DinnerDay 5Cappadocia/İzmir
Drive to Kaymkali after breakfast to explore the underground city, an expansive Subterranean complex built between the 8th and 7th Centuries BC, then continue on to Konya with a lunch stop along the way. Upon arrival in Konya, check out the Mevlana Museum and the mausoleum of Mevlana Rumi, a Persian Sufi mystic, then explore on your own with some free time. Reconnect with your CEO before boarding an overnight train bound for Izmir.
Kaymakli Underground City
Visit the ancient and expansive subterranean complex of the Kaymakli Underground City. Thought to have been built between the 8th and 7th Century BC, Kaymakli was carved out of the rock and consists of nearly a hundred tunnels with vast amounts of storerooms, ventilation shafts and a church.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Mevlana Museum Visit
Visit the Mevlana Museum and mausoleum of Mevlana Rumi, a Persian Sufi mystic. Learn more about the mystic Islamic sect known as the Whirling Dervishes.
Free Time
Explore Konya on your own this afternoon. Perhaps grab some dinner or stock up on drinks and snacks before boarding the train.
Overnight Train (beds)
Experience overnight travel like a local. Sit back and get some well-earned (and likely much-needed) rest en route to your next stop.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 6İzmir/Selçuk
Wake up in the coastal city of Izmir and head to the Cornish Cordon area for breakfast at one of the many shops or quaint restaurants along this popular waterfront street. Next, wander through the Agora or “Gathering Place” with your CEO towards the Kemeralti Bazaar before taking a bus to Selçuk. Enjoy free time for the rest of the afternoon and evening with time to explore Selçuk or to relax at the hotel or nearby cafe. Head out with the group for an optional dinner in the evening at one of the many great local restaurants serving up fresh and delicious flavours.
Cornish Cordon Visit
Enjoy breakfast amongst cobbled streets with a backdrop of colourful homes and businesses.
Agora Walk
Join your CEO on a walk through Izmir's Agora. Explore the Kemeraltı, one of the world's largest open-air bazaar, boasting everything you could possibly need from local products to food, to high end wares. Gain greater insight into the Turkish culture and surround yourself with the vibrant colours, bustling sounds, and delicious aromas that intermingle here.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Free Time
Take some free time to explore this traditional country town. Later, join your CEO who'll point out the best places for a tasty local dinner.
Optional Activities - Day 6 HideShow
Şirince Village Visit
Head out to scenic Şirince, a Turkish-Greek village that was settled when Ephesus was abandoned; it’s now 600 strong. Wander the narrow village streets filled with people selling handicrafts, olive oil, and local wine.
Saint John's Basilica Visit
6EUR per personView St John's Basilica, once a grand basilica in Ephesus. Constructed by Justinian I in the 6th century, it was built in where John the Apostle is said to be buried.
Mosque of Isa Bey Visit
FreeVisit the centuries-old Isa Bey Mosque on the outskirts of Selçuk to see one of the oldest and most impressive works of art remaining in this region.
Accommodation
Hotel Akay Selcuk (or similar)
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 7Selçuk
Transfer to Ephesus this morning and enjoy a guided walking tour of the sprawling ancient Ruins. Witness the massive, well-preserved theatre and the two-story library before a stop at the Temple of Artemis, one of the last remaining wonders of the ancient world. In the afternoon, transfer to the village of Çile for a hike down to the coast to the village of Ahmetbet, passing by historical landmarks and taking in the views of the ocean. In the evening, finish off the day a with a fruit wine tasting and enjoy a final dinner with your CEO and fellow Solo-ish tour mates.
Ahmetbeyli Village Walk
Drive to a Çile where we start our walk down to Ahmetbeyli Village. During the walk we will be go through Claros, an ancient Greek Sanctuary and oracle from the 4th Century BC. Then we will continue to Notion which is an important coastal city know for its harbour and where many historical figures, like Pythagoras the mathematician, once lived here. We will take our time and enjoy these sites away from the throngs of visitors.
Ephesus Visit
Tour the ruins of ancient Ephesus to get a feeling of what life must have been like during Roman times. Take in its massive, well-preserved theatre, which dominates the view down Harbour Street. See the two-story library, whose façade has been carefully reconstructed from all original pieces. Built in AD 125, it once held nearly 12,000 scrolls.
Accommodation
Hotel Akay Selcuk (or similar)
Meals included:
Breakfast | DinnerDay 8Selçuk
You arrived a solo traveller and are leaving with many new friends. Say goodbye to your fellow Solo-ish travellers and depart at any time.
Departure Day
Not ready to leave? Your CEO can help with any onward travel arrangements you require.