Absolute Turkey: Winter

This two-week tour by G Adventures begins in Istanbul, where you’ll have time to walk through the city’s palaces and mosques and take a boat ride on the Bosphorus. The pace is leisurely but packed with varied sights, such as the elaborate mosaics in the Göreme Open Air Museum and walks through Cappadocia’s valleys with an exploration of its underground cities.

Further south, the journey leads to the thermal terraces of Pamukkale and the nearby ruins of Hierapolis, where the ancient world still feels close enough to touch. Between these encounters with history, local experiences are woven in, including a cooking class near Selçuk and dinner with a family in a Cappadocian village — occasions that might reveal more about Turkey’s regional rhythms than a guidebook.

The tour rounds off with visits to Troy and the Gallipoli battlefields, casting a different light on the region’s heritage. Throughout, travel is primarily by comfortable private van and public coaches, with small family-run hotels anchoring your nights. A knowledgeable group leader accompanies the party, helping navigate both the familiar and the unexpected dimensions of Turkey in winter.