Ancient and Classical Turkey

Location: Turkey. Holiday type: Guided walking, hotel-to-hotel. Groups of 6 to 16 people, no minimum group size on selected dates. Managed by Headwater appointed agent. Activity level: Lower 1 boot Duration: 11 days (10 nights) Hotels: A mix of mid range/good value, friendly/quirky. Meals: Continental breakfast, 3 lunches and 5 evening meals. Prices from: Please call. Departs: Selected Fridays from 27 Apr '12 to 12 Oct '12   JFMAMJJASOND

Highlights Turkey is where east meets west, and is a fascinating blend of glittering minarets, theatres, columns and churches all standing side by side. You'll explore the fascinating cities of Istanbul, Troy and Ephesus, and relax by the colorful harbours of Assos and Bodrum.

Day-by-day itinerary

Day 1 - Arrive in Istanbul

We take you to the hotel (20mins) in time for dinner. You spend three nights here.

Days 2 and 3 - Exploring Istanbul

First stop is the Blue Mosque and 1,500 year old Haghia Sophia church. After lunch by the Byzantine cistern, our guide leads us through the avenues of bales of silk, gold trinkets and colourful spices of the Grand Bazaar. The next day we visit Topkapi Palace - a real 'Arabian Night's Dream' with its harem and fabulous treasury. In the afternoon, we take a river cruise along the Bosphorous, lined with imposing 19C summer palaces. Returning, we admire the late Byzantine frescoes at Kariye church, before our final dinner in Istanbul.

Day 4 - Troy and the Gallipoli Peninsula 8km/5mi/2hr

By ferry boat across the Marmara Sea, and along to the Dardanelle strait (90mins). After lunch, we follow a rosemary-scented coastal path that overlooks the Gallipoli peninsula, site of the famous WW1 battle. Then on to Troy, immortalised by Homer for a more ancient battle. After visiting the site, we move to Assos, our base for the next two nights, and dinner at our harbour front hotel.

Day 5 - At Assos 9km/5.5mi/4hr

Gently ascending through olive and pistachio trees we reach Assos's ancient citadel with its theatre, gymnasium and bathhouse. Then an ancient paved way lined with sarcophagi affords stunning views over the watery remains of Assos's Greco-Roman harbour.

Day 6 - Pergamon

A brief stroll, this morning, to the Altar of Zeus for great Aegean coast views before arriving at Pergamon. This ancient Greek city's library was second only to that of Alexandria. Descending from the theatre we enjoy sweeping valley views as we reach the cobbled streets of the modern town where people still travel by horse and cart. Then on to Foca, where we spend one night.

Day 7 - Sardis and Bozdag 4km/3mi/2hr

Heading inland, we visit the imposing site of Sardis, then a scenic drive to lunch in a mountain restaurant above Bozdag. Afterwards, we descend along a panoramic forest trail bright with crocuses into the village itself. We then move on to Nilgan's friendly hotel at Selcuk (modern town of Ephesus) where we spend the next two nights.

Day 8 - Ephesus 4km/3mi/2hr

We dedicate the morning to Ephesus, whose marbled streets reveal agorae, bathhouses, a theatre and the Library of Celsus. After lunch in the whitewashed village of Sirince, our walk takes us through almond trees for incomparable views back over the village surrounded by olive studded hills.

Day 9 - Didyma and Lake Bafa 8km/5mi/3hr

Leaving Ephesus, we visit Didyma's Temple of Apollo before arriving at Lake Bafa for lunch. This afternoon's walk winds through the semi-ruined Greek city of Herakleia, built into ochre coloured limestone boulders, then drops down to the lakeshore where flamingos and herons fish. We reach coastal Bodrum, where we spend our final two nights, in time for dinner.

Day 10 - Exploring Bodrum

We explore Bodrum's cobbled backstreets that reveal a Greek theatre, city gate and the famous Mauseoleum of Halicarnassus, once one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. We then head down to the harbour and the Knights' Templar Castle. Lunch in the castle grounds, explore the old town, then back for an afternoon by the hotel's infinity pool before our farewell dinner.

Day 11 - Return home