Turkey with the Womens Travel Network

Turkey, the gateway to Asia and heart of the great Ottoman Empire, is home to some of the most spectacular archaeological sites in the Western world — and their settings are equally breathtaking. Whether on coast, mountain, or plateau, the landscapes provide a stunning backdrop for this tour of extraordinary beauty. Turkey’s remarkable diversity is sure to appeal to lovers of both world-class historic sites and unforgettable landscapes.

Istanbul offers up Roman remains, Byzantine churches, monuments, museums, and great mosques lifting their minarets to the sky, but best of all, it delights visitors with the friendly activity of its streets and its colourful bazaars. Marvel at the thrilling Byzantine masterpiece of the Hagia Sofia, the unexpectedly romantic Basilica Cistern, and the grand Topkapi Palace; wander lively neighbourhoods on delightful walking tours; admire the views over the Bosphorus from the enchanting waterfront terrace of the Istanbul Modern Museum and the bird’s-eye vantage point of the Galata Tower.

We get to explore the wild lunar landscapes of Cappadocia, hiking through the Ihlara Valley and admiring the tumble-down villages, decorated rock-cut churches, the splendid Byzantine Eski Gümüşler Monastery, and the spectacular open-air museum at Göreme. Our tour continues along the Turkish coast as we journey from Antalya to the iconic ruins at Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Turkey has always been marked by contrasts and contradictions: old and new, East and West, secular and sacred, familiar and exotic. The one constant is the genuine hospitality we can expect to find throughout the country.