Put on some comfortable shoes and get ready to see a magnificent city. After breakfast at the hotel, go on a guided city tour in Istanbul. First, you will go to the Roman Hippodrome, an ancient racetrack turned open-air park, where you will see the Egyptian Obelisk, the Serpentine’s Column and the Column of Constantine. Everything in this zone is truly magnificent.

Next up is the regal Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Camii), with its beautiful blue Iznik tiles and grand façade. Its six minarets and domed ceilings are real marvels.

Afterwards, you will witness one of the wonders of the world, the Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya). Originally built by Constantine, then expanded by Justinian, the Hagia Sophia is a marvel that encapsulates both Christian and Muslim faiths within.

After lunch, you will be taken to see the Ottoman magnificence in Topkapi Palace. Today, Topkapi Palace offers its visitors magnificent displays of the 86-carat Spoonmaker's (Kasikci) Diamond, Topkapi Dagger, Golden Throne, Sacred Relics and many more Ottoman Family Dynasty Collections.

Dinner, then overnight at the hotel.

After a delicious breakfast at the hotel, meet your guide in the lobby and set off for Canakkale.

While on your journey, experience lunch at a local restaurant. Then, with a 20-minute ferry ride, cross the Dardanelles and reach Canakkale and Gallipoli. Gallipoli has great significance to this day for Australians and New Zealanders, and for the Turkish people as well. We will visit the memorial sites at Anzac cove and Chunuk Bair and Lone Pine.

End the day with a comfortable stay after dinner.

Breakfast at the hotel, then go and see the large wooden horse in Troy. Spend some time looking at the multi-layered walls of the city, and a replica of the horse that got inside it. You will not see any USC students lingering inside.

Afterwards, we drive to the seaside of Kusadasi, where you will stay the evening after a wonderful dinner.

After a delicious Turkish breakfast, we make our way to the grand, spectacular and well-preserved city of Ephesus. This is a city that was important for the Greeks, the Romans and the Christians who spread the gospel here. One of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World, the Temple of Artemis, is here, along with the Library of Celsus, which was built by the Romans. Ephesus is also one of the seven cities mentioned in the book of Revelations. You will walk the marbled streets and gaze upon the same timeless hills as the apostle John and the early Christian missionaries. Ephesus is both a layered historical city, and an unforgettable place.

After Ephesus, we travel to Fethiye, and spend the rest of the day enjoying the beautiful Turquoise Coast of the Mediterranean.

Dinner, then overnight at hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel, then we depart for Saklikent National Park, which has one of the deepest canyons in all of Europe and Asia. Saklikent means “hidden city” in Turkish. Get ready to be amazed.

Afterwards we go to Oludeniz, which has one of the most beautiful beaches and a blue lagoon. The water is turquoise, aquamarine, and hosts many water sports in the local area. Scuba diving is also very popular here. Great food, great beauty, and another fantastic, picturesque resort town along the Turquoise Coast to enjoy.

We leave late to return to Fethiye and the hotel for overnight stay.

After breakfast, we head in the other direction along the coast to Daylan, and then take a boat to Iztuzu Beach, which is one of the most crucial nesting sites for loggerhead sea turtles (caretta caretta) in the Mediterranean. The surrounding area is a combination of stunning white sand dunes, crystal-clear turquoise waters, and lush greenery, making it a visually captivating spot for nature lovers and photographers. Afterwards we go to Sultaniye, which is renowned for its famous mud baths, where we will stop and enjoy the scenery. You will take massive amounts of pictures on this day.

Return to hotel in Fethiye, then overnight.

After breakfast at the hotel, we drive off to Pamukkale, to the white-cotton-candy hills of this famed location. Pamukkale is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a natural phenomenon. Here you will see the thermal baths along the white hills and Hierapolis in the background. Hierapolis is another ancient well-preserved city that has stunning views along its high, rolling hills. Hierapolis was an important spa and healing center, thanks to its proximity to the hot springs of Pamukkale. Here, we will explore the well-preserved ruins of this ancient city, including the Roman theater, the necropolis (ancient cemetery), the Roman baths, and the Temple of Apollo.

We have dinner, then overnight at hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel, then we depart to Cappadocia. We will trek across Turkey, and stop by some interesting places along the way. Some of the best food is found in the smaller villages where everything is usually grown in the local area.

One of the places we will stop by is the Sultanhani Caravanserai. You will visit this wonderfully restored 13th century Seljuk Caravanserai, which was used as a luxury hotel by merchants for nearly 500 years. The caravanserai was constructed along the Silk Road, which was a major trade route connecting the East and West, and facilitated the exchange of goods, culture, and ideas between different regions. This location was also built for defense to protect the vulnerable merchant travelers. Not only was it built for strength, but for beauty as well. Get your camera ready.

Afterwards we arrive at Cappadocia, where you will have dinner and overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast, we have a full day exploring Cappadocia. First, we will visit Goreme Open Air Museum, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where towering fairy chimneys are on display. We will step inside the rock-cut churches and chapels to admire fresco decorations from early Christian and Byzantine era.

Cappadocia's incredible Underground Cities will amaze you. In these huge underground caves, you will discover how the ancient Christian people survived persecution from the Arabs and Sassanids.

After tasting local delicacies at a local restaurant for lunch, you will discover Pigeons' (Guvercinlik) Valley. The 2-mile-long Pigeons' Valley, stretching from Uchisar to Goreme, takes its name from the pigeon nests carved into the rocks. The local people fed these pigeons until the 9th century and used their manure in the vineyards, and their eggs in the plaster of the frescos.

Afterwards, you will visit Uchisar Castle and Avanos. Uchisar, is the highest point of the region that draws the magnificent borders of the volcanic landscape and cave houses. Next will be a great artisan experience as we head to the master potters’ workshops in Avanos Village, where you will witness and partake in Turkish Ceramic and world famous Iznik Tiles’ making.

Finally, you will learn about the making of unique carpets in the place where Turkish Weaving Art was born. You will admire the artistic creations, which include flying international award-winning carpets, rugs, strings and more, which will all take your breath away with their beauties and craftmanships.

Dinner, then overnight at hotel.

If weather permits, we have optional rides on the hot-air balloons early in the morning for those that want to partake in this amazing experience.

Breakfast at hotel, then transport to airport to fly to Istanbul.

Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Alas, today we say goodbye. We take you to the airport, hoping that you return to this beautiful land of culture, history and mystery.