B
★★★★★
Family tour to Turkey
A detailed itinerary, with all domestic bookings, transfers and guides arranged and regular updates through the trip.
Tour Overview
Discover the Ancient Soul of Turkey in 10 Days
This 10-day private Turkey tour takes you beyond the familiar routes into a landscape where ancient civilizations, living faiths and centuries-old traditions converge. It runs from the imperial grandeur of the Bosphorus to the ancient settlements of Upper Mesopotamia and the legendary cities of the eastern Mediterranean, a Turkey cultural and historical tour unlike any standard first visit.
Explore the chambers of Topkapı Palace, the dome of Hagia Sophia and the tiles of the Blue Mosque, then fly to Mardin, where honey-coloured stone streets look out over the Mesopotamian plain. In Şanlıurfa you meet traditions linked with the Prophet Abraham, and Harran adds beehive houses and a long scholarly past.
The journey’s most astonishing moment is Göbeklitepe, where carved pillars from around 9500 BCE reveal ritual life among prehistoric communities. Mount Nemrut then raises the colossal heads of King Antiochos I of Commagene, before Gaziantep adds Roman mosaics, pistachios and baklava, Antakya (ancient Antioch) brings Roman engineering and the gardens of Harbiye, and Adana ends the route with its riverside landmarks and famous kebab.
A private air-conditioned vehicle, a licensed guide in your language, two domestic flights and carefully chosen 3-, 4- or 5-star hotels keep the journey comfortable. Whether you love archaeology, biblical heritage, Islamic architecture or regional food, this is a private Southeastern Turkey tour built around depth rather than speed.
10-Day Private Turkey Itinerary: Istanbul, Mardin, Göbeklitepe, Nemrut & Antakya
This 10-day Turkey itinerary is a long arc east and south: three nights in Istanbul, one in Mardin, two in Şanlıurfa, one in Adıyaman and two in Antakya, with domestic flights saving days of driving. Open any day to read about the places you will visit and what is included. Timings are approximate and may be adjusted for flights, weather and opening hours.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Ten days, eight regions and two domestic flights. Every full sightseeing day includes at least four places, each described below so you know what to expect before you travel. Tap a day to read the places, the overnight stop and what is included. Timings are approximate and may be adjusted for traffic, weather, flights and opening hours.
1
Your journey begins in the city where Europe and Asia meet. The first day is deliberately light, so you can recover from your flight and arrive in Turkey relaxed and ready. Your guide will brief you on the route, the hotels and the days ahead.
Airport Welcome & Private Transfer
Your representative meets you after immigration and takes you by private vehicle to your hotel. The drive gives a first glimpse of Istanbul’s skyline, its bridges and the busy Bosphorus shoreline, while your driver answers early questions about the city and your programme.
Hotel Check-in & Rest
After check-in you can rest or take a gentle first walk through the neighbourhood. Your hotel team can recommend cafés, viewpoints and places to change money, and your guide confirms the pick-up time for the first sightseeing day.
Welcome Dinner
Your first evening is a relaxed introduction to Turkish hospitality: meze, grilled specialities and sweet desserts shared slowly. It is a good moment to meet your guide, discuss preferences and ask anything about the journey ahead.
Private transfer Welcome dinner
2
A full day in the old city covers the headline monuments of Byzantine and Ottoman Istanbul, then ends in two of the world’s most famous markets. Your guide plans the order around prayer times and queues so you spend more time inside and less time waiting.
Roman Hippodrome
Once the racetrack and public stage of Constantinople, the Hippodrome still holds three monuments: the Egyptian Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpent Column from Delphi and the stone Column of Constantine. Your guide explains how emperors, sport and politics met here.
Hagia Sophia
Completed in the sixth century under Justinian, Hagia Sophia was the largest enclosed space in the world for nearly a thousand years. Its immense dome, Byzantine mosaics and Islamic calligraphy show many centuries of history sharing one building. Visiting rules follow current arrangements.
Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque)
Built in the early seventeenth century, the Blue Mosque is known for the blue İznik tiles that glow inside, its cascading domes and six minarets. Modest dress is required, and your guide times the visit around prayer to keep it peaceful.
Topkapı Palace
For centuries the home of Ottoman sultans, Topkapı unfolds through a series of courtyards that mirror the structure of imperial power. Visit the Imperial Council, decorated pavilions and terraces over the Bosphorus. Entry to the Harem and Treasury may be separate.
Grand Bazaar
One of the world’s oldest and largest covered markets, the Grand Bazaar spreads through more than sixty streets of vaulted lanes and old hans. Look for ceramics, lamps, textiles, carpets, leather and jewellery, and learn from your guide how to bargain politely.
Spice Bazaar
Also called the Egyptian Bazaar, this historic market near the Golden Horn overflows with spices, teas, dried fruits, nuts and Turkish delight. Your guide helps you taste and choose quality products, and explains the spice routes that once made Istanbul rich.
6 places visited Private guide & vehicle Entrance fees
3
A morning flight carries you to Upper Mesopotamia, where limestone houses rise in terraces above a plain that stretches toward Syria. Mardin’s mix of faiths and cultures is visible in every street, and the afternoon light on the stone is unforgettable.
Deyrulzafaran Monastery
Also known as Mor Hananyo, this is one of the great centres of Syriac Orthodox Christianity, and for many centuries the seat of its patriarchs. Stone halls, chapels and courtyards reveal a tradition of Aramaic worship that continues today. Visiting hours are confirmed in advance.
Kasımiye Madrasah
A medieval Islamic school of carved stone, Kasımiye shows Mardin’s long role as a centre of learning. Calm courtyards, domed rooms and a rooftop terrace give sweeping views across the Mesopotamian plain, and the details of the stone carving reward a slow look.
Sultan İsa (Zinciriye) Madrasah
Founded in the fourteenth century, the Zinciriye Madrasah has a monumental entrance, an arched courtyard and tranquil terraces. Your guide explains how students lived and studied here, and the views over the old town make it one of the best photo stops of the day.
Mardin Ulu Mosque
The Great Mosque, dating to the Artuqid period, anchors the Islamic heritage of the old town. Its slender minaret and plain stone courtyard are typical of the Mesopotamian style, and its calm contrasts with the bustle of the surrounding bazaar lanes.
Forty Martyrs Church
Mardin’s Syriac Christian heritage is also visible in the Forty Martyrs Church, whose fine stonework, quiet interior and community history reflect centuries of coexistence in this city. Your guide explains the Syriac customs and why they remain important here.
Old Town Stone Mansions & Bazaar
Wander stepped alleys, carved doorways, shaded courtyards and workshops where local masons, coppersmiths and soap makers still work. The old bazaar is a fine place to try regional sweets, almonds and Mardin’s famous spiced dishes before dinner.
6 places visited Private guide & vehicle Entrance fees Domestic flight
4
Şanlıurfa, the ancient Edessa, is known as the City of Prophets. The day moves at a thoughtful pace through gardens, a cave, a citadel and covered markets, and your guide explains the traditions that make this a place of pilgrimage for many faiths.
Balıklıgöl (Pool of Abraham)
Gardens, arcades and mosques surround a sacred pool where carp are fed by visitors. Local tradition links the site with the Prophet Abraham, and families and pilgrims gather in the shade of old trees. Your guide shares the stories and the customs observed here.
Cave of Abraham’s Birth
A pilgrimage site near Balıklıgöl, this cave is traditionally identified as the place of Abraham’s birth. Visitors enter in a respectful, quiet manner, and your guide explains its meaning for Muslims, Christians and Jews so that you understand why people travel here.
Şanlıurfa Citadel
The citadel on its rocky hill has guarded the city across many periods. Two tall columns are the best-known landmarks, and the viewpoint rewards the short climb with panoramas of the old city, the pool and the surrounding plain.
Sipahi Covered Bazaar
Stone-vaulted lanes shelter coppersmiths, textile sellers, spice merchants and craftsmen. This is a good place to see traditional workshops, try regional specialities and buy isot pepper, local textiles or handmade copper souvenirs in a lively, authentic setting.
4 places visited Private guide & vehicle Entrance fees
5
Today travels from the Bronze Age crossroads of Harran back to the very beginnings of monumental building. The day includes some walking in open, sunny sites, so comfortable shoes, a hat and water are recommended.
Harran Beehive Houses
Conical mud-brick domes make Harran’s houses instantly recognisable. This design kept interiors cool in a hot climate, and some are open to visit. Your guide explains local building methods and family life in this part of Mesopotamia.
Harran Walls & Great Mosque Ruins
Harran was a trading and scholarly centre for thousands of years, linked to astronomy and learning. The surviving walls and the ruins of the Great Mosque show its importance in the early Islamic world, and the open landscape evokes ancient caravan routes.
Harran Castle
The castle stands among the ruins and shows how this crossroads city was defended. Your guide describes the successive rulers and the role of Harran in regional trade, and the stone structure adds an atmospheric end to the visit.
Göbeklitepe
Dated to around 9500 BCE, Göbeklitepe features T-shaped limestone pillars carved with foxes, snakes, boars and birds, raised by hunter-gatherers. It overturned the idea that monumental architecture followed farming. Raised walkways give excellent views, and the site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
4 places visited Private guide & vehicle Entrance fees
6
The kingdom of Commagene blended Greek, Persian and Anatolian traditions, and today’s route follows its monuments through rolling hills and river valleys. Four stops show how royal ambition shaped this landscape, and they prepare you for tomorrow’s summit.
Karakuş Tumulus
A burial mound for royal women of the Commagene dynasty, marked by tall stone columns, one topped with an eagle. The hilltop setting gives wide views and a sense of how the kings of Commagene wished to be remembered in their landscape.
Cendere Bridge
Traditionally dated to the late second century CE under Septimius Severus, this Roman bridge crosses the Cendere stream in a single graceful arch. Surviving columns and inscriptions show Roman engineering that has outlasted empires and still carries visitors.
Arsameia & Nymphaios
Arsameia was a royal city of Commagene, where rock-cut reliefs, a processional way and inscriptions survive on a hillside. Your guide explains the dynasty, its gods and the cult of King Mithridates, which sets the scene for Nemrut.
Kâhta Castle (Eski Kale)
Overlooking the Kahta valley, this medieval fortress has long guarded a route between Anatolia and Mesopotamia. Its stone walls and bridge-like approach give a sense of the region’s later history, and the viewpoint is a good place for photographs.
4 places visited Private guide & vehicle Entrance fees
7
This is the longest day of the tour, but also one of the most memorable. It combines a mountaintop sanctuary, a world-class mosaic museum and a taste of Turkey’s culinary capital before the long drive to Antakya.
Mount Nemrut
In the first century BCE, King Antiochos I built a mountaintop sanctuary and tomb, flanked by colossal statues of himself and the gods he claimed as kin. The fallen heads now stare across the terraces. It is a UNESCO site, and the summit is cold and windy.
Zeugma Mosaic Museum
Gaziantep’s museum holds one of the world’s great mosaic collections, rescued from the ancient city of Zeugma. Myths, daily life and expressive faces are shown on large floors, and the celebrated “Gypsy Girl” is the best-known piece.
Gaziantep Castle
Rising from the centre of the old city, the castle dates to Roman and Byzantine times and was rebuilt over the centuries. A short visit helps explain Gaziantep’s strategic position, and the area around it is a pleasant place to walk.
Coppersmiths’ Bazaar & Baklava Tasting
Gaziantep’s copper workshops and old market streets are as vivid as its food. Taste pistachio baklava and other local sweets where they are made, and watch craftsmen hammering copper trays and pots in a tradition that is centuries old.
4 places visited Private guide & vehicle Entrance fees
8
Antioch was one of the great cities of the Roman world, and Antakya still blends Arab, Turkish, Armenian, Greek and Jewish heritage. Because of the region’s earthquake recovery, we verify site access and restoration status before confirming this day.
Titus Tunnel
This enormous rock-cut channel was begun under the Flavian emperors to divert floodwater from the port of Seleucia Pieria. Walking through it shows the scale of Roman engineering, and your guide explains how it protected the harbour and the city.
Harbiye (Ancient Daphne)
Traditionally the site of ancient Daphne, Harbiye is a green retreat of waterfalls, running streams and shaded cafés. It makes a refreshing contrast with the stone landscapes of earlier days, and families have come here to escape the summer heat for centuries.
Antakya Old Bazaar
The old bazaar offers spices, olive-oil soap, dried herbs and sweets. Taste künefe, the region’s famous cheese dessert, and notice how local food reflects the city’s mixed heritage. Parts of the old town are recovering, which your guide will explain.
St Peter’s Cave Church
This early church is traditionally linked with the first Christian community of Antioch, where the followers of Jesus were first called Christians. Access depends on current restoration status, and we confirm it before your travel date.
4 places visited Private guide & vehicle Entrance fees
9
Adana lies on the fertile Çukurova plain and ends your sightseeing with river views, historic landmarks and the region’s best-known dish. A late flight returns you to Istanbul, so the pace is steady and the timing depends on your flight.
Sabancı Central Mosque
Beside the Seyhan River stands one of the largest mosques in Turkey, with a grand dome and slender minarets. Its calm, spacious interior and riverside setting make it a striking contrast to the ancient sites you have seen over the last days.
Taşköprü (Stone Bridge)
This Roman-era stone bridge across the Seyhan has been used for centuries and is among the oldest working bridges in the region. Your guide explains its history and role in connecting the city to trade routes across Cilicia.
Adana Ulu Mosque
Dating to the sixteenth century, the Great Mosque of Adana is known for its tilework, courtyard and mix of Ottoman, Mamluk and Seljuk styles. It is a quiet and elegant stop in the busy centre of the city.
Adana Kebab Lunch
Adana kebab is minced meat seasoned and grilled over charcoal on a flat skewer, served with onion, sumac and flatbread. It is the signature dish of the city, and your lunch is chosen at a well-regarded local restaurant.
4 places visited Private guide & vehicle Entrance fees Domestic flight
10
After ten days across empires, faiths and cuisines, your last morning is unhurried. You can pack, enjoy breakfast and take a final walk. A private transfer then takes you to the airport at the time that suits your flight.
Breakfast & Free Morning
Enjoy a relaxed breakfast, and use any extra time for last-minute shopping or a final stroll near the hotel. Your guide is available for questions and recommendations on souvenirs, gifts and places to eat before you leave.
Hotel Check-out
Check-out is arranged at the standard hotel time, and luggage can usually be stored if your flight is later in the day. Any extras at the hotel are settled directly, and your guide confirms the transfer time the evening before.
Private Airport Transfer
A private vehicle takes you to Istanbul Airport in good time for your flight. Please allow extra time for traffic and security checks. Your representative helps with luggage and wishes you a safe journey home, with a warm invitation to return.
Airport transfer Breakfast
Destination Guides
Eight Regions, One Ancient Journey
Read ahead about the history and culture behind each stop on this private Turkey tour. Each guide explains what makes the region significant, which highlights you will see and how the place fits into the story of the journey, from prehistoric temples and Roman engineering to Syriac monasteries and Ottoman palaces.
Days 1–2 & 9–10 · Istanbul
Istanbul: Where Constantinople Meets the Ottomans
Istanbul has been capital of Rome, Byzantium and the Ottomans, and it still behaves like one: loud, layered and impossible to rush. On this tour you open with the great monuments of Sultanahmet, then return at the end for a quieter farewell.
Topkapı’s courtyards explain how Ottoman power was organised, Hagia Sophia shows what Justinian’s engineers could achieve, and the Hippodrome reveals the stage of Byzantine public life.
Topkapı Palace and Hagia Sophia
Blue Mosque and the Hippodrome
Spice Bazaar
3 NightsByzantine · Ottoman
Day 3 · Mardin
Mardin: The Golden Stone City
Built in terraces above the Mesopotamian plain, Mardin glows in the afternoon light. Arabs, Kurds, Turks, Syriacs and Armenians have shared its streets for centuries, and the stonework in its madrasahs, mansions and churches shows it.
Deyrulzafaran Monastery keeps the Syriac Orthodox tradition alive, while Kasımiye and Zinciriye Madrasahs show why Mardin was a centre of learning.
Deyrulzafaran Monastery
Kasımiye and Zinciriye Madrasahs
Ulu Mosque and Forty Martyrs Church
1 NightSyriac · Artuqid
Days 4–5 · Şanlıurfa, Harran, Göbeklitepe
Şanlıurfa, Harran and Göbeklitepe: Faith and the First Monuments
Şanlıurfa, ancient Edessa, is a city of prophets, bazaars and quiet devotion. Nearby, Harran’s beehive houses recall caravan days, and Göbeklitepe takes you back to around 9500 BCE.
Göbeklitepe’s carved pillars were raised by hunter-gatherers, overturning the old idea that monumental building began only with farming. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Balıklıgöl, the Pool of Abraham
Harran’s beehive houses
Göbeklitepe
2 NightsPrehistoric · Abrahamic
Days 6–7 · Adıyaman, Kâhta, Mount Nemrut
Commagene and Mount Nemrut: A King Among the Gods
Commagene was a small kingdom whose rulers blended Greek, Persian and Anatolian traditions. Its crowning monument is Mount Nemrut, a first-century BCE mountaintop sanctuary of King Antiochos I.
The Karakuş Tumulus and the Roman Cendere Bridge prepare you for the summit, where enormous heads stare across the terraces.
Karakuş Tumulus
Cendere Bridge
Mount Nemrut summit
1 NightCommagene · UNESCO
Day 7 · Gaziantep
Gaziantep: Mosaics and Gastronomy
Gaziantep is a city of craftsmen and cooks. The Zeugma Mosaic Museum holds one of the world’s great mosaic collections, including the celebrated “Gypsy Girl”.
Pistachio baklava, copper workshops and old market streets make a short visit memorable before the long drive west.
Zeugma Mosaic Museum
Pistachio baklava
Old market streets
Day stopRoman · Culinary
Day 8 · Antakya and Harbiye
Antakya: Ancient Antioch
Antioch was one of the great cities of the Roman world, and Antakya still blends Arab, Turkish, Armenian, Greek and Jewish heritage in its food and customs.
The Titus Tunnel shows Roman engineering at monumental scale; Harbiye, ancient Daphne, offers waterfalls and shade. We verify site access and restoration status before confirming this day.
Titus Tunnel
Harbiye (ancient Daphne)
Old bazaar and künefe
2 NightsRoman · Multicultural
Day 9 · Adana
Adana: River, Bridge and Kebab
On the fertile Çukurova plain, Adana ends the route with the Sabancı Central Mosque beside the Seyhan River, the Roman-era Taşköprü and the city’s signature Adana kebab.
Flight times decide how much sightseeing fits before you return to Istanbul.
Sabancı Central Mosque
Taşköprü stone bridge
Adana kebab
Day stopArchitecture · Cuisine
Topic Highlights
What Makes This Turkey Tour Special
Every part of this route was chosen for its history, its atmosphere and its ability to surprise. From the palaces of Istanbul to the prehistoric pillars of Göbeklitepe, these highlights show why a private journey through southeastern Turkey offers more depth than a typical first itinerary. Read each highlight to see what makes the stop special.
Imperial Istanbul
Spend three nights in the city that ruled three empires. Walk through the Hippodrome, stand beneath Hagia Sophia’s dome, admire the Blue Mosque’s tiles and explore Topkapı Palace’s courtyards, then finish in the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar, where trade has continued for centuries.
Mardin’s Stone Skyline
Mardin rises in terraces above the Mesopotamian plain, its honey-coloured stone glowing in the afternoon sun. Visit madrasahs, mansions, mosques and churches, and the Deyrulzafaran Monastery, where Syriac Christian traditions and the Aramaic language remain part of daily life.
Şanlıurfa and Abraham
In ancient Edessa you will find Balıklıgöl, the sacred pool of carp, and the cave traditionally linked with Abraham’s birth. The citadel, the old mosques and the covered bazaar bring the city’s long layers of faith, craft and hospitality into one memorable day.
Harran’s Beehive Houses
Harran’s conical mud-brick houses are among the most distinctive homes in Turkey, designed to stay cool in the heat. Together with the old walls, castle and mosque ruins, they tell the story of a city of astronomers, traders and scholars on the edge of the desert.
Göbeklitepe
Carved T-shaped pillars, raised around 9500 BCE by hunter-gatherers, changed how we understand human history. Göbeklitepe is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a guided walk among its animal reliefs and stone circles is the most thought-provoking moment of the journey.
Mount Nemrut
On a high summit, colossal stone heads of gods and King Antiochos I of Commagene look out across the landscape. Built in the first century BCE, this royal sanctuary is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its scale, silence and remote setting make it unforgettable.
Zeugma Mosaics
Gaziantep’s museum holds spectacular Roman mosaics from the ancient city of Zeugma, showing myths, daily life and lifelike faces in tiny coloured stones. The famous “Gypsy Girl” is the most celebrated piece, and the displays reveal how sophisticated Roman art was on the Euphrates.
Antioch and Harbiye
Ancient Antioch was among the greatest cities of the Roman world. The Titus Tunnel shows Roman engineering on an enormous scale, while Harbiye’s waterfalls and gardens offer a cool, green contrast and the old bazaar delivers spices, olive-oil soap and the sweet, hot künefe.
Regional Cuisine
The cuisine of southeastern Turkey is among the richest in the country. Taste pistachio baklava in Gaziantep, künefe in Antakya, spiced dishes in Mardin and Adana kebab by the river, each served in the place where the recipe was born and refined over generations.
Services
What Is Included and Not Included
This private Turkey tour is designed to take care of the practical details so you can concentrate on the history. Below you can see exactly what the price covers and what you should budget for separately. If anything is unclear, ask us before booking and we will confirm it in writing in your quotation.
Included in the price
- Everything below is already covered by the tour price. Accommodation, flights, guiding, vehicles, entrance fees and most meals are organised for you in advance, so there are very few extra costs once you arrive in Turkey.
- 9 nights in 3-, 4- or 5-star hotels: Istanbul (3), Mardin (1), Şanlıurfa (2), Adıyaman (1), Antakya (2)
- 9 breakfasts, 8 lunches and 8 dinners
- Domestic flights Istanbul–Mardin and Adana–Istanbul
- Private air-conditioned vehicle for tours and transfers
- Licensed private guide in your language, subject to availability
- Entrance fees to the sites in the confirmed itinerary
- Airport transfers on arrival and departure
- Local taxes as specified in the quotation
Not included
- These items are not part of the tour price and should be budgeted separately. We are happy to advise on visas, insurance and typical costs so that nothing about your trip comes as a surprise.
- International flights to and from Turkey
- Turkish entry visa, where applicable
- Travel and personal insurance
- Drinks and meals not specifically listed
- Personal expenses such as laundry and telephone
- Tips and gratuities for guide and driver
Booking note: your written quotation states baggage allowances on domestic flights, hotel names, room arrangements, guide language, optional activities and the payment and cancellation terms.
Price & Booking
Tour Price and Accommodation
This is a private tour, priced per person in euros on the basis of two travellers sharing a double room. Because you travel with your own guide and vehicle, the experience is flexible and the price per person decreases as group size increases. Hotel category, season and room arrangements affect the final quotation, which is confirmed in writing before you pay.
Private Tour · 2 Travellers
€2,167
per person
Your own guide and vehicle make the pace flexible. The price is per person with two travellers sharing a double room, and it covers the main services in the programme.
- Private guide and vehicle
- 10 days, 9 nights
- Domestic flights included
- Entrance fees and transfers
Two Travellers
€4,334
total, sharing a double room
This is the combined price for two people sharing a room. You may choose 3-, 4- or 5-star hotels, and the hotel names and room types are confirmed in writing.
- Choose 3-, 4- or 5-star hotels
- Hotel names confirmed in your quotation
Larger Groups & Families
On request
per-person price falls with group size
Families and larger groups pay less per person. Tell us how many travellers are joining, the ages of any children and your preferred hotel category, and we will quote.
- Tell us ages and hotel category
- Quote within a few hours
How does this compare? In our estimate, private multi-region Turkey tours with domestic flights, guiding and entrances often cost roughly €1,800–3,500 per person depending on hotel category and season. This is an indicative estimate rather than a verified market survey, so compare what each operator lists as included.
AI-Powered Travel Recommendations
Smart Tips for Your 10 Days in Turkey
Practical suggestions based on the route, the season and the pace of the itinerary. These tips come from the way this journey is organised, the weather in each region and the questions travellers ask most often. Use them to choose your dates, pack sensibly and get the most from each day.
First time in Turkey?
Consider adding extra nights in Istanbul before this tour. It softens jet lag, lets you see more of the city and makes the early flight to Mardin easier. Your guide can also suggest a Bosphorus cruise or a Turkish bath if you want a restful extra day.
Photography lovers
Plan for Mardin at golden hour, Göbeklitepe’s pillars, Nemrut’s statues and the old bazaars of Gaziantep and Antakya. Bring spare batteries and a lens cloth, and always ask before photographing people. Some religious buildings restrict photography, and your guide will explain the rules.
History lovers
The route is a timeline of civilisation: prehistoric Göbeklitepe, Commagene’s royal monuments, Roman Zeugma and Antioch, Syriac Mardin and Ottoman Istanbul. Reading a short background before each region helps connect the sites, and your guide is happy to go deeper on any period.
Choose the right shoes
Expect cobbles in Mardin, uneven paths at Göbeklitepe and a windy summit at Nemrut. Broken-in walking shoes with good grip are the best choice, and sandals are not recommended. Pack light layers, sun protection and a refillable bottle for the hot days.
Travel season
Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons for this route. Summers are very hot in Şanlıurfa and Harran, while Nemrut can be cold at any time of year. Winter can bring snow to the mountain, so check conditions with us when choosing dates.
Eat the region
Come hungry. Try pistachio baklava in Gaziantep, künefe in Antakya, lahmacun in Şanlıurfa and Adana kebab by the river. Tell us about dietary needs, vegetarian preferences or allergies in advance, and we will arrange suitable meals wherever possible.
Guest Reviews
5 Stars Excellent Service · The History Travel Agency
Trust is built on what real travellers say. The History Travel holds a perfect 5.0 rating from 33 reviews on Tripadvisor, with guests praising detailed planning, knowledgeable guides, flexible service and warm hospitality. Below are summaries of recent reviews, and you can read every review on Tripadvisor using the link provided.
5.0
★★★★★
33 reviews on TripAdvisor
Summaries of guest reviews of The History Travel on TripAdvisor. Read all reviews on TripAdvisor.
S
★★★★★
10-day family holiday
Booked a 10-day family package: friendly, knowledgeable and very well organised.
H
★★★★★
Top tour operator
Bought a 7-day Cappadocia package as a gift and praised the amazing service from the owner and team.
C
★★★★★
A friendly host
Guides who felt like hosts. A full Istanbul day with a great lunch, the main mosques and Topkapı at a fair price.
N
★★★★★
A personalised itinerary
Knowledgeable English-speaking guides, quality transport and hotels, and prompt service throughout.
I
★★★★★
Perfect customised itinerary
A carefully sequenced Istanbul plan, adjusted quickly and kindly when a family member felt unwell.
FAQ
10-Day Turkey Tour: Frequently Asked Questions
Planning a journey through southeastern Turkey raises practical questions about price, season, hotels, flights, comfort and customisation. These answers cover the questions our guests ask most often before booking. If yours is not listed, send an inquiry and our team will reply within a few hours with clear, honest advice.