6 Nights / 7 Days
From Fairy Chimneys to Mesopotamia
6 Nights | 3 Cappadocia · 1 Gaziantep · 1 Şanlıurfa · 1 Diyarbakır — surreal landscapes and the cradle of civilization.
Turkey / Region
Mediterranean Region
The long warm shore under the Taurus mountains, from Fethiye to the Syrian border.
Along Turkey's southern edge, the Mediterranean coast unfolds in a long procession of limestone headlands, sheltered coves, and alluvial plains where the sea has always been a way of life. The region stretches east from the Antalya plain toward Mersin, skirting the northern flank of the Taurus Mountains, which rise abruptly from the shoreline and shelter this coast from continental weather systems. The result is a climate of long, hot summers and mild, showery winters that has made the coastal belt one of Turkey's most productive agricultural areas for millennia.
Landscape and Character
The coastline alternates between broad sandy beaches and sheer cliffs that drop into deep blue water. Behind the shore, alluvial fans spread outward from mountain valleys, carpeted in greenhouses and orchards of citrus, olives, and bananas—unusual crops this far north in latitude, made possible by the climate. Higher up, pine forests climb into the Taurus, and stone villages dot the slopes where goat herding and seasonal agriculture continue much as they have for centuries. The light here is particular: flat and bright near the water, with a clarity that makes distant mountains look close enough to touch.
Layers of History
Ancient civilisations found this coast compelling. Greek settlers established cities at Side, Perge, and Aspendos; the Lycians left their distinctive carved tombs along the southwestern shore; Roman engineers built harbours and aqueducts that still stand. At Aspendos, a theatre from the second century holds its shape remarkably well, its acoustic design such that a performance at centre stage can still be heard clearly in the top row. Away from the coast, archaeological sites are less crowded than those in more famous destinations, and it is possible to walk among standing columns or explore half-excavated settlements where work has proceeded slowly over decades.
The Living Culture
The markets of provincial towns offer a more immediate experience than ancient stone. Stalls overflow with seasonal produce: pomegranates and grapes in autumn, strawberries and cherries in spring, peppers strung in ristras to dry in the sun. The food reflects the land and sea—grilled fish by the harbour, bowls of lentil or wheat soup at roadside lokantas, the flatbreads and spice-rubbed grills of Adana, a city whose culinary traditions have a reputation throughout Turkey. Tea is poured constantly, and the morning kahvaltı—a spread of cheese, olives, tomato, cucumber, honey, and fresh bread—bears little resemblance to a hurried Western breakfast. The pace here runs to the unhurried. Conversations pause for guests, and the act of sharing food carries genuine weight.
Places in Mediterranean Region
Tours that visit Mediterranean Region
3 Nights / 4 Days
Mesopotamia & Southeastern Turkey
3 Nights | 1 Gaziantep · 1 Şanlıurfa · 1 Diyarbakır — Göbeklitepe, Mount Nemrut and the cradle of civilization.
11 Nights / 12 Days
The Ultimate Eastern Turkey Expedition
11 Nights | 3 Cappadocia · 1 Gaziantep · 1 Şanlıurfa · 1 Diyarbakır · 3 Mardin · 1 Van · 1 Kars — fairy chimneys, Mount Nemrut, Mardin and the haunting ruins of Ani.
14 Nights / 15 Days
The Ultimate Journey Across Turkey
3 Nights Istanbul | 3 Nights Cappadocia | 1 Night Gaziantep | 1 Night Sanliurfa | 1 Night Diyarbakir | 3 Nights Mardin | 1 Night Van | 1 Night Kars
9 Nights / 10 Days
Turkey's Grand Cultural Journey
9 Nights | 3 Istanbul · 3 Cappadocia · 1 Gaziantep · 1 Şanlıurfa · 1 Diyarbakır — imperial capitals, surreal landscapes and the cradle of civilization.
Good to know
Before you book you should know
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Is this trip right for you?
Our groups are capped at eight travellers, which is about a third of what the industry calls a small group. Eight people share one vehicle, one table at dinner and one guide's attention, and the day can change on the road without anybody being left behind. If you are looking for a coach, a fixed script and a microphone, this is not that.
Most days involve real walking, often on ground that was laid two thousand years before walking shoes: marble worn smooth, cobbles, uneven steps and long site paths with little shade. Bring shoes you can spend a morning in.
Some days move between regions and are largely a drive, with stops along the way. Summers are hot — well over 35°C inland — and winters are colder than most people expect, so layers, a hat and sunscreen earn their place in the bag whatever the month.
How demanding a particular trip is, is written on the trip itself: the physical rating in the header, and the day-by-day itinerary above.
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Rooms, and travelling on your own
Trip prices are per person, sharing a twin room. Each traveller picks their own room while booking, so a party can mix the three:
- Twin share — two single beds, shared with someone you are travelling with or with a traveller of the same gender.
- Travelling as a couple — one double room.
- Individual room — a room of your own, for a single supplement on top of the trip price. Availability is limited, and the supplement for a given date is shown next to the option when you book.
Solo travellers are welcome on every departure, and most of our groups have one or two aboard.
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Accommodation
The hotels named in an itinerary are a guideline rather than a guarantee. Where one is full, or has dropped below the standard we booked it for, we substitute a property of a similar standard in the same area — we would rather change the hotel than the trip.
Check-in is usually mid-afternoon. If you arrive early we will ask for the room, but no hotel can promise one before its own check-in time; luggage can normally be left at reception in the meantime. If you want the room from the night before, ask us and we will add the extra night to your booking.
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Passports, visas and insurance
Entry requirements depend on your nationality and change without much notice, so the only reliable source is the official one: the government of the country you are travelling to, and your own foreign ministry's travel advice. Check both before you book a flight.
Many countries ask for a passport valid for at least six months beyond your travel dates, and for blank pages. It is worth looking at yours now rather than at the airport.
We ask every traveller to carry travel insurance covering medical treatment and repatriation, and we would strongly encourage cover for cancellation and for your luggage as well.
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Your departure is guaranteed — the day can change
Once a departure is on the calendar it runs. We do not cancel a trip for want of a minimum number of bookings, so a booked date is one you can plan flights and leave around.
What can move is the shape of a day. Museums and archaeological sites change their hours, roads close, weather turns, a local holiday lands in the middle of the week. Where that happens your guide reorders the day, or swaps a stop for one of the same weight, and tells you why. Changes to a booked itinerary are covered by our Booking Terms & Conditions.
