Turkey
Browse our Turkey holidays - expert tour managers, ABTA & ATOL protected, tips included.
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Why Choose an Escorted Holiday to Turkey?
Turkey sits at one of the world's great crossroads - the meeting point of Europe and Asia, the place where Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman civilisations layered over one another across three thousand years of continuous habitation. Istanbul alone holds more significant history within its city limits than most entire countries. The advantage of a guided tour here is not just logistical convenience; it is that Turkey's complexity of heritage becomes comprehensible when explained by someone who understands it.
Beyond Istanbul, the range of landscapes and experiences is remarkable. Cappadocia's surreal volcanic landscape with its fairy chimneys and underground cities. The Aegean and Mediterranean coastlines with Roman ruins at Ephesus and Hierapolis. The cotton travertine pools of Pamukkale. Turkey is a country where the ancient and the natural come together constantly, and where the warm hospitality of the people - and the extraordinary quality of Turkish food - makes every day genuinely enjoyable. For British-Indian travellers, Turkey is an excellent destination: halal food is available everywhere, vegetarian options are plentiful, and the historical connections between the Ottoman world and the Indian subcontinent are real and interesting.
Indian-Friendly Features on Our Turkey Tours
- Indian dinners included on most multi-day tours, alongside excellent local Turkish meals
- Vegetarian options plentiful throughout Turkey, which has a rich tradition of vegetable and pulse-based cuisine
- Halal food widely available at all included meals and restaurants
- No compulsory pork in any included meals
- Midlands, Leicester and London pick-up points for all UK departures
- India departure add-on available on some itineraries - contact our India team on 1800 123 181 181
Best Time to Visit Turkey
April and May are ideal for most of Turkey: pleasant temperatures, wildflowers across the Aegean hillsides and manageable crowds at Istanbul, Ephesus and Cappadocia.
June to August is peak season. The Turquoise Coast is hot and busy; Istanbul is warm and full of visitors. Cappadocia in summer requires early morning balloon flights to catch the best conditions.
September and October are arguably the best months of the year: still warm enough for the coast, less crowded at the archaeological sites and the Cappadocian landscape turning dramatic autumn colours.
November to March is quieter and much less expensive. Istanbul's cultural attractions are accessible all year, and Cappadocia has its own winter magic - occasionally dusted in snow, which makes the landscape even more surreal.
Popular Destinations Within Turkey
Istanbul - the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Topkapi Palace, the Grand Bazaar, the Bosphorus strait and the neighbourhoods of Beyoglu and Sultanahmet. The only city in the world that spans two continents.
Cappadocia - the volcanic landscape of central Anatolia, with its distinctive rock formations, cave churches, underground cities at Derinkuyu and Kaymakli, and the hot-air balloon flights over the Gรถreme valley at dawn.
Ephesus - one of the best-preserved Roman cities in the world. The Library of Celsus, the Great Theatre and the Sacred Way are among the finest Roman remains anywhere in the Mediterranean.
Pamukkale and Hierapolis - the white travertine terraces of Pamukkale (Cotton Castle), filled with warm mineral water, alongside the ancient Greco-Roman spa city of Hierapolis. A combination found nowhere else on earth.
The Turquoise Coast - the Aegean and Mediterranean coastline from Bodrum to Antalya, with clear waters, ancient Lycian ruins and the gulet sailing culture that defines Turkish coastal holidays.
Ankara - Turkey's capital, less visited but home to the excellent Museum of Anatolian Civilisations and the mausoleum of Atatรผrk.
Practical Information
- Currency: Turkish Lira (TRY)
- Language: Turkish; English spoken in tourist areas, hotels and coastal resorts
- Time zone: Turkey Time (GMT+3, no daylight saving)
- Electricity: Type F plugs (230V). A European adapter is needed for UK devices.
- Tipping: Included in your Star Tours holiday price
- India bookings: Call our India line free on 1800 123 181 181 (10am-7pm)
- ABTA & ATOL: All our Turkey holidays are fully protected