Turkey Trips

Once the capital of the Christian and Islamic empires, Istanbul spans two continents. Crammed with dazzling historic buildings, museums and art galleries, one of the main highlights is Topkapi Palace; the main residence of the Ottoman sultans for 400 years. And don’t forget our cruise along the Bosphorus; the strait which separates Europe and Asia. From your vantage point on the ocean, you’ll be able to take in views that encompass everything from mosques and palaces to parks and old villas.

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Ephesus, or Efes in Turkish, was built in the 10th century BC and was the Roman Empire’s Asian capital. One of the world’s best surviving Greco-Roman classical cities, its magnificent buildings are largely intact. There you’ll be able to explore the Temple of Hadrian, the Great Theatre, which originally entertained 24,000 people; and the Library of Celsus, home in its day to 12,000 scrolls.

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A place of pilgrimage throughout the Muslim world, Konya was the adopted home of Rumi, the Islamic theologian whose writings helped reshape Islamic thought. After Rumi died here in 1273, his son Sultan Walad and his followers founded the Order of the Whirling Dervishes. His memorial was once the base for the Order and is now the Mevlana Museum, displaying objects from Rumi’s life and time. Here you can immerse yourself in old manuscripts, handwritten copies of the Koran, 13th-century musical instruments and ancient artwork.

View our Turkey tours featuring Konya