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Suleymaniye Mosque in Istanbul

Things to do in Turkey

Offering colourful bazaars and ornate churches as well as soaring mountains and a beautiful coastline, Turkey provides ample choice for things to see and do. The country's history and scenery are incredibly varied and we can arrange anything from culture-focused activities to coastal exploration and authentic, local experiences. Try your hand at haggling in Istanbul's Grand Bazaar, learn how to make traditional mezze with a local family or witness a whirling dervish ceremony at the grand Surahan Caravanserai in Cappadocia. This dramatic region is also the place to explore rock-cut churches.

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who's been there

Audley Travel specialist Millie

Start planning your tailor-made trip by contacting one of our Turkey specialists

Ideas for experiencing Turkey

Experiences you have as you travel often hold the longest memories. As part of their research trips, our specialists seek out authentic ways to get to know Turkey, and the best local guides. These activities reflect some of their best-loved experiences.

  • Basilica Cistern

    Private tour of the Basilica Cistern

    Istanbul

    Visit the Basilica Cistern’s underground cavern. Descending beneath the streets, you’ll be met with the sight of hundreds of columns rising from the waters, with towering, arched brick ceilings overhead.

  • Dolmabahce Palace

    Shared tour of Dolmabahce Palace

    Istanbul

    Take a guided tour of the interior of the Dolmabahce Palace, which is sumptuously decorated from floor to ceiling with gold and crystal.

  • Karatay Madressah

    Visit to the Mevlana Museum and Karatay Madressah

    Konya

    Visit Konya’s Mevlana Museum with its mausoleum of the famous Sufi mystic, Rumi, and a dervish lodge of the Mevlevi.Then head to the Karatay Madressah to view its archaeological finds from Kubadabad Palace.

  • The Spice Market, Istanbul

    Spice Market tour

    Istanbul

    Experience the smells and sounds of the Spice Market with this guided tour through its narrow streets and stalls selling herbs and spices, Turkish delight, tea and other delicacies.

  • Dolmabahce Palace seen from the Bosphorus, Istanbul

    Bosphorus cruise

    Istanbul

    Starting from the marina just in front of the Spice Market, your cruise will take you out onto the Bosphorus to view many of Istanbul's different architectural styles.

  • Cappadocia

    Jeep safari

    Cappadocia

    Taking a jeep safari through the Cappadocian landscape is one of the best ways to see some of its most spectacular scenery and formations.

  • Temple of Hadrian, Ephesus, Turkey

    Explore ancient Ephesus

    Alacati

    Enjoy a guided tour of ancient Ephesus, which takes in the Library of Celsus, Curetes Street and the Great Theatre.

  • Blue Mosque interior, Istanbul

    Blue Mosque guided tour

    Istanbul

    Take a guided tour of the Blue Mosque, perhaps the most photographed site in Istanbul with its distinctive shape dominating the Sultanahmet skyline.

  • Aphrodisias

    Aphrodisias and its ancient ruins tour

    Pamukkale

    Aphrodisias is a remarkable and vast site, which is mostly un-excavated. Its ruins are to be found amid the natural landscape, springing up from the greenery or half-buried in the dust,

  • Suleymaniye Mosque

    Guided tour of Suleymaniye Mosque

    Istanbul

    This excursion will take you to the Suleymaniye Mosque, which dominates Istanbul's skyline, to see its Iznik tiles, mother of pearl inlays and stained glass windows.

  • Termessos

    Guided excursion to Termessos

    Antalya

    Explore the ancient and well-preserved ruins at Termessos, an extensive site, spread across a rocky mountain valley in the Gulluk Dagi National Park.

  • Topkapi Palace

    Trip to the Topkapi Palace

    Istanbul

    Learn about life in the imperial household of the Ottoman sultans with this guided excursion of the Topkapi Palace’s buildings and Treasury.

  • Cookery course in a local home

    Cookery course at a local home

    Cappadocia

    Spend time in the home of a local family in Cappadocia learning how to cook traditional meals from the area.

  • Pergamon Asclepion

    Private tour of Pergamon Acropolis and Asclepion

    Canakkale

    Take in what was once one of the most powerful settlements in the Middle East. Pergamon’s beauty and cultural importance is still evident today in the impressive mountainside Acropolis and the Asclepion.

  • Aspendos

    Guided tour of Antalya Museum, Perge and Aspendos

    Antalya

    Learn about Turkey’s long history with this trip that takes in the archaeological displays at the Antalya Museum, the ancient city of Perge and Turkey’s most complete theatre at Aspendos.

  • Goreme Open Air Museum, Cappadocia

    Trip to the Göreme Open Air Museum

    Cappadocia

    Visit the Göreme Open Air Museum with its well-preserved selection of cave houses, monasteries and churches, which date back to the 10th century.

  • Chez Galip pottery workshop

    Chez Galip pottery workshop

    Cappadocia

    Visit the workshop of one of the finest pottery masters in Turkey and watch him at work, or take part in a workshop yourself.

  • The Grand Bazaar, Istanbul

    Tour of the Grand Bazaar

    Istanbul

    This privately guided tour will take you beneath the domed roof of the Grand Bazaar to explore its labyrinthine alleys and stalls.