Straddling the Bosphorus and with a skyline pierced by minarets and ancient domes, an Istanbul itinerary is a fine place to start. It’s a city that’s more akin to an open-air museum with its palaces, mosques and spice markets, all of which are an end product of the many dynasties that have ruled this great metropolis, from the Byzantines to the Ottomans.
During your three days we’ll not only make sure you see the key sights like the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, cobbled Balat’s colourful houses and the Hagia Sophia but add our own SevenTravel twist to your time there. Explore the Grand Bazaar from its rooftops, enjoy a private cruise along the Bosphorus and peel back Istanbul’s Roman past with an expert historian.
After the buzz of your luxury holiday in Istanbul, you’ll swap it for the serene cerulean glow of the Aegean Sea in Bodrum. Located along the Turquoise Coast, Bodrum’s sun-soaked glamour has led to comparisons to the French Riviera. We’ll give you plenty of time to lap up the shimmering waters from your base at Macakizi, a resort that has become one of Turkey’s premiere hangouts for a Turquoise Coast holiday. It’s also a great base for exploring the sleepy whitewashed villages and towns that are scattered along the coast.
But Bodrum and the Aegean fringes around it have, in a sense, experienced tourism for longer than anywhere else in Turkey, with ancient Greeks, Hellenists and Romans all drawn to its dreamy fringes. As a result, there is a treasure trove of heritage readymade for a Turquoise Coast itinerary that will tempt you away from the sunbed. Visit the quirky Museum of Underwater Archaeology and pore over the limestone ruins of Halicarnassus, whose legendary Mausoleum was one of the seven ancient wonders of the world. We’ll leave the balance of chill and exploration in Bodrum to you, but if you fancied seeing more of it on this tailor-made holiday to Turkey we have plenty ideas to share: sail the Turquoise Coast aboard a wooden gulet, try wine at Karnas Vineyards or wander the UNESCO-listed Temple of Ephesus. An Istanbul and beach holiday really is a Turkish delight.
Converted from an Ottoman-era prison, these days the neoclassical Four Seasons Istanbul at Sultanahmet is somewhere you wouldn’t actually mind being locked up in. The mustard-yellow façade hides a no-expenses-spared approach inside, where glittering Murano chandeliers, hand-woven carpets, tiled designs and marble floors have transformed this building from prison-like to palatial. Once an exercise yard for inmates, the courtyard is now a tranquil garden, while Istanbul’s big hitters like the Hagia Sofia and Blue Mosque are a short stroll away.
Prepare to feel indulged like a sun-kissed goddess at Macakizi. Away from the buzz of Bodrum and hugging a prime slice of the Turquoise Coast, Macakizi really lets you live your best life in this dreamy Turkish corner, from its oleander-perfumed stone gardens to the expansive wooden sundeck loitering over the Aegean, where you can laze languidly with the celebrity elite. Macakizi knows it has a five-star location so chooses to embrace it, with its restaurant and breakfast pavilion both open-air. Dining with a view has never looked so good.
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Rich in history and folklore, Istanbul straddles Europe and Asia has much to offer. Couple this with the fabulous Cappadocia region, renowned for its quirky rock formations, this is the perfect introduction to the best of Turkey.
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