Premium Turkey & The Cyclades Islands




Overview
Highlights
- Feast your eyes on the best of Turkey and Greece's otherworldly sights, from the marble streets of ancient Ephesus to the psychedelic rockscapes of Cappadocia and the legendary caldera of Santorini.
- Get to know the real Turkey during Exclusive Experiences, including a cooking class with a local chef, visit to an empowering carpet weaving cooperative, and traditional dinner at a locals home in Cappadocia.
- Understand the dazzling variety of Greek produce during Exclusive Experiences, including a kitron tasting, an afternoon of wine tasting in Santorini and a hands-on cooking class with a local in Naxos.
- Join experienced local leaders as you stroll the ancient streets of Ephesus, explore the legendary ruins of Pergamon and discover the history and charming villages of Paros.
- By travelling on this trip, you’ll directly support our Intrepid Foundation partner, CYDD (Çağdaş Yaşamı Destekleme Derneği). Donations help them provide scholarships and educational programs for economically disadvantaged youth in Turkey.
What's this trip about?
Details
Travel Themes
Destinations
Attractions
Max Group Size
Trip includes
- Istanbul - Welcome Dinner
- Istanbul - Welcome Meeting
- Istanbul - Blue Mosque Visit
- Istanbul - Orientation Walk
- Istanbul - Private Bosphorus Cruise
- Pergamon - Ancient City Visit & Cable Car
- Ephesus - Archaeological site visit
- Selcuk - Sultanköy Carpet Demonstration & Picnic Lunch
- Sirince - Cooking Class
- Izmir - Flight to Kayseri
- Cappadocia - Home-cooked lunch
- Cappadocia - Goreme Open Air Museum
- Cappadocia - Panoramic Sights Tour
- Cappadocia - Kaymakli Underground City
- Cappadocia - Pottery demonstration
- Cappadocia - Red Valley Hike
- Istanbul - Farewell Dinner
- Athens - Welcome Dinner at Local Restaurant
- Complimentary Arrival Transfer
- Paros - Highlights of Paros Half Day Island Tour with Local Guide
- Naxos - Old Town Walk & Portara Guided Tour
- Naxos - Cooking Class at a Local Farm
- Naxos - Kaloxylos Olive Oil Press
- Santorini - Caldera Hike
- Santorini - Winery visit
- Santorini - Mythology and Wine experience
Itinerary

Hos geldin! Welcome to Turkey. Your adventure begins in Istanbul – the largest city in all of Europe. When you arrive, you’ll be met at the airport and transferred to your boutique hotel in the heart of the Old City. From the magnificent mosques to the bustling bazaar...
After breakfast, join your leader to explore Sultan Ahmet I’s Blue Mosque. With six minarets, 260 windows and it’s iconic, blue-tiled walls (made up of more than 20,000 Iznik ceramic tiles), the Blue Mosque is known as one of the most magnificent in all of Istanbul. T...
After breakfast, it’s time to bid farewell to Istanbul and journey to Kusadasi, with a stop in Pergamon along the way. The ancient city of Pergamon, sitting high above the Bakircay Plain in Turkey’s Aegean region, is easily accessible by cable car. At the top of the h...
After breakfast today, you’ll explore the ancient city ruins of Ephesus. This is one of the best-preserved cities in the Eastern Mediterranean and arguably the greatest Greco-Roman site in the world. As you walk in the footsteps of Cleopatra and Mark Antony, you’ll ge...
Wake up without an alarm today and enjoy this coastal paradise with a free morning. Kusadasi is the perfect springboard to see some Turkey’s most incredible ruins and natural wonders, so why not take advantage and book an optional tour to explore Pamukkale and the Hie...
Today, catch a flight to Kayseri and be swept away by the mystery of Cappadocia, where you’ll stay in specially restored cave suites in the Old City centre. After checking in, you’ll be welcomed into a local home for home-cooked Turkish lunch. Next, it's time to explo...
After breakfast, we make our way to yet another out-of-this-world location to explore the underground cities beneath Cappadocia. It’s believed that these intricate subterranean homes were created in the 8th and 7th centuries BCE. Amazingly, there are roughly 200 them ...
This morning, say goodbye to Cappadocia and return to where it all began – Istanbul. When you arrive, you may wish to explore the European side of the city or perhaps take trip across the Bosphorus to the Asian side of the city. Either way, you’ll find lively, close-k...
Kalimera! Welcome to Greece. Your adventure begins in Athens, Greece’s capital. There’s a lot to experience in this ancient city, so arriving a few days early is highly recommended. When you arrive at the airport, you’ll be met by a local representative and transferre...
This morning, you’ll be transported to Athens' port at Piraeus, where you’ll board a ferry to Paros – a beautiful and relaxed island with a layered history. Ferries are a great way to travel between the islands and are essential to many remote islands in Greece's arch...
The day is yours to uncover more of Paros’ charms. There’s certainly no shortage of things to see and do on the island. You might like to take a guided morning hike along the coast – starting off at a fishing village and weaving through some of the island’s best beach...
Say goodbye to Paros this morning and catch a short ferry to Naxos. The largest of the Cyclades islands, Naxos has something for everyone – from beaches to an Old Town and hundreds of years of Venetian history. Take some time to settle in, then regroup in the late aft...
Drive to Kaloxylos in the heart of the island’s biggest olive grove and one of the oldest in the world. Here, tour an olive oil press museum to learn about the importance of olive oil to Greek culture and traditional extraction methods. After your visit, you’ll put yo...
Today is free to explore more of Naxos as you wish. You may like to head to one of the island’s beaches or discover more of its history at a local museum. The Archaeological Museum of Naxos in Chora Naxos dates back to the 17th century and houses artefacts from the Ne...
Depart Naxos in the morning and catch a ferry to Santorini. When you arrive in Santorini's capital, Fira, you’ll be met and transferred to your Feature Stay hotel – a whitewashed building in traditional Cycladic style, El Greco Resort wraps around the year-round swimm...
In the morning, embark on a hike along Santorini’s legendary caldera. The island you see today is what remains from a huge volcanic explosion that destroyed the early settlements and created a geographical caldera. The natural beauty of this caldera is what makes Sant...
Your adventure comes to an end after breakfast this morning. If you want to spend some more time in Santorini, just speak to your booking agent to organise additional accommodation.
Want a tailor-made trip instead?
Your trip, your way, planned by an expert:
- You choose budget, destinations, activities, transport & lodging type
- Expert designs the itinerary for you, and once approved, takes care of logistics
Dates & Availability
Check current availability, prices, specials & more.
The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

Intrepid Travel Reviews & Ratings
Other Intrepid Travel Reviews
Michelle Middleton is an asset to the…
Michelle Middleton is an asset to the customer care team. Easy and honest communication throughout!
Travel The Intrepid Way
I’ve taken two vacations with Intrepid Travel so far, and I have nothing but positive perspectives about the company. Intrepid Travel has a wide range of itineraries...
The best people and itineraries.
I cannot overstate what an outstanding organization Intrepid has been to deal with. My husband had health issues on our last trip (Spain/Portugal) and they were noth...
Tour Operator
About Travelstride
Find your perfect trip
Save time
Save money
Travel confidently
Logistics
Accommodation
Transportation & Flights
Transportation & flights
Become a member
- Save up to $700 per person
- Access members-only specials
- Personalize trip recommendations