Classic Turkey
Sample Tailor-made tour
Marmara & the North Aegean
This tour starts from Istanbul and takes in some of Turkey’s most fascinating sites, across thousands of years of history, from Istanbul to Bursa, the first capital of the Ottoman Empire, from the battlefields of Gallipoli to the stunning ancient cities of Troy, Pergamum and Ephesus.
2 nights in Istanbul
1 night in Bursa
1 night in Çanakkale (for Gallipoli)
1 night in Assos (for Troy)
1 night in Bergama (for Pergamum)
1 night in Selçuk (for Ephesus)
1. UK to Istanbul
Fly to Istanbul with Turkish Airlines from London, Birmingham or Manchester where you will be collected by one of our drivers and taken to the hotel of your choice (
click here to view available hotels).
2. Istanbul
Choose whether to spend the day exploring independently or book a sight-seeing tour through our informative local representative, perhaps a city tour or a Bosphorus Cruise.
3. Bursa
Drive to Bursa, to visit the first capital of the Ottoman Empire, with its famous tombs and mosques and the fascinating, Kozahan, the silk bazaar which was at the heart of the ancient silk trade.
4. Gallipoli
Continue to Gallipoli to visit the profoundly moving site of the First World War battlefields and memorial. Visit the Anzak Cemetery and spend the night in nearby Çanakkale.
5. Troy
Visit the evocative site of the ancient city of Troy, a World Heritage Site, and scene of the famous legend, and surely one of the most famous ancient cities in the world. Head to the historic town off Assos to explore and stay overnight.
6. Pergamum
Visit the impressive ruins of this ancient city, its acropolis set high on a hillside, dominating the surrounding countryside, and its Asclepion, once a renowned centre of medicine. Stay overnight in Bergama, formerly Pergamum.
7. Ephesus
Visit this ancient Roman city, one of the best preserved and most visited in the world, with its grand marble streets and imposing library. Once home to one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, it was also here that St Paul preached some of his most famous sermons, and where the Virgin Mary spent her last days.
8. Izmir to UK
Continue to Izmir to take a flight back to the UK (via Istanbul).
Sample Tailor Made Tour with Self-drive: from £899 pp
Sample Tailor Made Tour with basic English Speaking driver: from £1389 pp
Sample Tailor Made Tour with with Professional Guide: from £1645 pp
Prices are per person (minimum 2 people sharing) and include 4* accommodation (some on BB, some on HB basis). Scheduled flights (inc. meals and drinks) from London, Manchester & Birmingham. Air-conditioned group C (please
click here to see details) or similar car included in price for self-drive. For escorted tours, group G or similar car is provided. Fuel, driver/guide and his/her daily expenses are also included in the escorted tour.
Call the Tailor-made team on 0845 365 1011 for prices and availability on your chosen dates
Highlights of the tour:
This tour of Turkey’s Marmara and Northern Aegean regions offers a stunning cross-section of the country’s rich and unique history; from the legends of Anatolian Civilisations to the splendours of the Roman Empire, from the early Christians to the Ottomans, leading up to the horrors of the First World War and the road to the foundation of the modern Turkish Republic. No one can fail to be impressed by the diversity and wealth of this fascinating region, and this tour offers the perfect introduction. The tour could be extended by spending a week in an Aegean coastal resort at its conclusion.