Two continents, three empires and the world's only city that straddles East and West — plus Cappadocia's fairy chimneys and the Mediterranean's Turquoise Coast.
The only city in the world. The Bosphorus separates Europe from Asia. Hagia Sophia (1,500 years), Blue Mosque, Topkapı Palace, the Grand Bazaar, ferry rides between continents.
Volcanic rock formations carved into underground cities and cave hotels. Hot-air balloon at sunrise over the valleys — one of the world’s iconic travel images.
Ephesus is one of the best-preserved Roman cities anywhere. Pamukkale’s white travertine terraces look like sculpted ice.
500 km of Mediterranean coast — Antalya, Kaş, Bodrum. Sailing on a traditional gulet is the way to see it.
Mezze, kebabs, baklava, börek, fresh fish on the Aegean, Anatolian slow cooking. The country eats well, often, and at every meal.
Turkish Airlines flies direct to Istanbul. No layovers, plus excellent connections onwards across Europe and Asia.
Mild, dry, perfect for Istanbul walking and the coast. Cappadocia balloons fly almost daily.
Cooler shoulders. July is hot but tolerable on the coast. November is excellent for Istanbul before winter rains.
Genuinely too hot inland — and the Aegean coast becomes packed with European holidaymakers.
Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapı, Grand Bazaar, Bosphorus.
Fairy chimneys, cave hotels, hot-air balloons at dawn.
Roman city — Library of Celsus, the Great Theatre.
White travertine terraces and Hierapolis ruins.
Antalya, Kaş, Fethiye. Gulet sailing.
Capital with the Anatolian Civilisations Museum.
Aegean resort town with the Castle of St Peter.
Giant stone heads on a mountaintop. Sunset is iconic.
Classic 10-day circuit (Istanbul + Cappadocia + Ephesus + Pamukkale + a coast extension). Or pure Istanbul long weekend. Or gulet sailing on the Turquoise Coast.
Roman (as Byzantium), Byzantine (as Constantinople), and Ottoman (as İstanbul). 1,600 years as a capital city — only Rome comes close.
335+ destinations across 130+ countries. Istanbul is one of the world’s most-connected hubs. Most South Africans use it as a stopover.
Atatürk banned the Sufi orders in 1925 as part of modernisation. The whirling ceremony was preserved as ‘cultural performance’ and the order revived in 1954. You can still see it in Konya.
Direct flights from SA. Visa on arrival. A week in Turkey rewards every traveller — tell us when and we'll design it.