Inspiration for your own tailor-made trip
Turkey – Urla – Bodrum – Datca – Fethiye – Olympus – Konya – Goreme
100% customisable for you
Your grand tour of Turkey kicks off today with a flight to Izmir – typically taking around four hours – where you’ll pick up your rental car and drive west to Urla, around 45 minutes away.
Check into your hotel and take your first wander through the charming seaside town, perhaps along Sanat Sokagi, where cafés and small galleries spill onto the street. Ease into the coastal rhythm with a relaxed dinner, the Aegean air doing its job from the outset.
Spend the morning exploring Urla’s dual personality: inland, olive groves and vineyards surround the pedestrianised Sanat Sokagi and the historic Malgaca Pazari market, while on the coast, Urla Iskele opens onto the Aegean Sea. Pleasingly, the town remains away from the usual tourist trail, attracting locals and food-lovers alike.
Later in the day, discover Izmir, Turkey’s third-largest city, with a knowledgeable guide. Led by conversation and curiosity, stroll the waterfront promenade, wander the bustling streets and pause for a strong cup of cay (Turkish tea).
For those interested in drinks of the grape variety, the afternoon can also include a wine tasting in Urla’s nearby vineyards, where you can sample local blends and learn about the region’s wine-making traditions.
Today, drive south along the Aegean coast, taking in some of the region’s highlights. Stop at Priene, an ancient city that showcases remarkable urban planning, then pause at Lake Bafa, a tranquil spot where nature steals the show. Continue to Didyma to admire the almost 2,700-year-old Hellenistic Temple of Apollo.
Resume the drive (totalling around four hours from Urla) through fertile plains until Bodrum appears on the horizon, its turquoise waters meeting the peninsula’s rocky coastline, and your home for the next two nights.
Spend the day exploring Bodrum, once ancient Halicarnassus and now a vibrant Aegean seaside town.
Begin at St. Peter’s Castle, built by the Knights of St. John, and visit its underwater archaeology museum. Stop by the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus and the Hellenistic theatre for sweeping views of the city. Later, venture into the surrounding hills, passing olive groves and mandarin orchards, before driving along the coast to Turgutreis and Turkbuku, the so-called ‘Turkish Saint-Tropez'.
Today, drive to the Bodrum ferry port and cross the 21 miles to the Datca Peninsula.
Upon arrival, settle into your accommodation in the heart of the small coastal town. The rest of the day is yours: explore the town’s narrow streets, enjoy the calm waters of its secluded bays or simply take in the peaceful rhythm of life along this quiet stretch of the Turquoise Coast – also known as the Turkish Riviera.
Today, take your time discovering Datca. A town said to be conducive to a long life, according to the Greek geographer Strabo, life on this peninsula – nestled between Kos and Symi – moves at a gentle pace.
Inland, crystal-clear waterfalls and winding roads shaded by cypress and pine trees invite exploration, and in the heart of Eski Datca, the old town, stone houses, quaint shops and a picturesque harbour await.
An optional guided hike to the ancient city ruins of Knidos at sunset takes you to the tip of the headland, where the golden hour transforms the landscape. From this vantage point, the Aegean and Mediterranean meet spectacularly, while the stone remains stand quietly as witnesses to centuries of history.
Drive southeast (for roughly three hours) along the coast to Fethiye, a lively harbour town framed by turquoise waters and rugged mountains, where you’ll check into your hotel for two nights.
Stretch your legs after the journey with a wander along the marina and sate appetites with some local cuisine – we recommend trying balik ekmek (fish sandwiches), fresh from the harbour.
Spend today exploring Fethiye, framed by its bay, islands and charming marina. Wander through the historic streets of Paspatur, where traditional shops and cafés reveal the city’s authentic character. Look out for the Lycian rock-cut tombs scattered across the hillsides, including the tomb of Amyntas, a fourth-century structure resembling an Ionian temple. Along the coast, beaches such as Calis, Kidrak and Belcegiz provide peaceful spots to relax, swim or simply take in the shimmering view.
This morning, drive the 90-minute journey southeast along the coast to Kas, with plenty to see and do along the way.
Shortly after leaving Fethiye, pause at the ghost village of Kayakoy, its 500 abandoned stone houses evoking a poignant history. Continue to the ruins of Letoon, with its theatre and stone temples, and Xanthos, once the capital of Lycia and perched dramatically on a rocky headland. Stop in the small port of Kalkan before arriving in Kas and settling in for the next two nights.
Spend today exploring Kas, a small seaside town nestled among the mountains. Its cobbled streets and Ottoman-style houses give the town a distinct charm, while fishing boat trips provide access to hidden coves and refreshing swims in turquoise waters.
The ancient Antiphellos Theatre overlooks the sea and Hellenistic stone tombs hint at the region’s rich past. Nearby is the picturesque island of Kekova, where submerged ruins of an ancient Lycian city, and other long-gone metropolises – Ucagiz, Simena, Apollonia and Aperlai – await exploration.
For an optional activity, discover Kekova’s secluded coves by private gulet (traditional wooden boat), keeping your eyes peeled for any treasures along the way.
Drive two hours east along the coast, hugging the shoreline as the sea sparkles to your right and the mountains rise on your left. Stop in Ucagiz, a picturesque village with Lycian and Roman remains, where the narrow streets and stone houses reveal centuries of history. Continue to Olympos, settling in for two nights in a lodge tucked into the hills. Surrounded by olive groves and forests of pine, juniper and cedar, the setting is tranquil and naturally beautiful, perfect for unwinding before the adventures ahead.
Today, take your time to explore Olympos. South of Antalya Bay, it preserves the ruins of a once-thriving Hellenistic city that later fell under Roman rule before declining in the third century due to repeated pirate raids. Wander along winding paths through the hills to discover its baths, agora (public square) and ancient streets, then continue down to Cirali Beach. Nearby, the eternal flames of Mount Chimera are a striking natural phenomenon, where gas vents ignite continuously from the earth, blending history and legend in a single landscape.
This morning, drive to Konya, in the heart of Central Anatolia. The journey takes around five hours along winding roads, climbing through alpine landscapes and past small rural villages. Konya is a holy city and the cradle of Sufism, a mystical current of Islam, and was a major cultural centre in the 12th and 13th centuries.
Upon arrival, head to your home for the night in the historic Asmali district. Once refreshed, take the rest of the day to discover the city’s spiritual and cultural landmarks – you’ll be spoilt for choice – with a bounty of rich Islamic art and architecture, including the famous Mevlana Museum, burial site of the poet Rumi.
This morning, head northeast on a five-hour drive toward the arid landscapes of mythical Cappadocia, arriving in the Goreme Valley. On the way, stop for a camera snap in Aksaray, southeast of Tuz Lake, whose Seljuk-era architecture and atmospheric old town provide a glimpse of Anatolia’s rich past.
Once you’ve arrived in Goreme and checked into your hotel, it’s time to explore. Wander through the dreamlike valley – complete with fairy chimneys that have to be seen to be believed – and watch as the sky fills with hot-air balloons at sunset (particularly perfect with a glass of local volcanic wine, we think).
Today, explore the extraordinary landscapes of the Goreme Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Over the years, erosion has shaped pinnacles, cones, needles and fairy chimneys, all threaded by valleys and canyons. Ancient communities carved homes, monasteries and churches into the rock, captivating all who visit.
From Goreme, it’s easy to visit a succession of wonders: the underground cities of Derinkuyu and Kaymakli, the dramatic valleys of Pasabag, Ihlara and Soganli and countless rock-hewn chapels and monasteries that reveal Cappadocia’s layered history.
The next day, head to the Ihlara Valley, a verdant canyon carved by the Melendiz River. Once a refuge for Byzantine monks in the seventh and eighth centuries, it’s dotted with cave sanctuaries and frescoed churches. Accompanied by a guide, explore these remarkable sites before continuing to the village of Selime to visit a volcanic monastic complex. On the way to Guzelyurt, pause at the Nargolu crater lake for panoramic views, then admire the 13th-century Seljuk caravanserai (roadside inn) of Agzikarahan. Finish the tour with a break near the extraordinary fairy chimneys of Pasabag in the Pasha vineyard valley. It’s a busy day, but a rewarding one.
This morning, savour a final Cappadocian sunrise before the drive to Kayseri Airport. Return your rental car and board your flight back home – with direct journeys taking less than five hours in the air – carrying the extraordinary landscapes and history of this otherworldly region with you.
Everything in this itinerary is entirely customisable, down to the smallest details. Here are some more suggestions of what could be included
Each of our trips is entirely tailor-made with originality, quality and cultural immersion in mind. Our team of destination specialists will craft itineraries based on your tastes, using their first-hand knowledge and the help of our in-country team of Concierges and guides. All trips are accompanied by a wide range of additional services, including a 24-hour helpline, the Original Travel app, fast-track airport services and much more.
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