Walkabout Gourmet Adventures

 

Walking Tour Fethiye Turkey
14 days walking tour Discover Asia Minor  new tour

Turkey


Walking holiday from Istanbul to Antalya, Turkey - Gallipoli Peninsula, Ephesus, Troy, Aphrodisias, Bafa Lake, Pamukkale, Simena and Antalya


Our walk begins in Istanbul, the only city in the world, which embraces two continents, one arm reaching out into Asia, the other into Europe.

The museums, churches, palaces, mosques, bazaars and the sight of natural beauty seem inexhaustible. As you recline on the shores of the Bosporus at sunset contemplating the red evening light reflected in the windows and on the slender minarets on the opposite shore, you understand why so many centuries ago settlers chose to build on this remarkable site.

We leave the city along the shoreline of the Marmara Sea and visit Gallipoli. From here we continue south and visit ancient Troy, a 5,000 years old legend, the archaeological ruins of Ephesus and the rock pools of Pamukkale.

The shores along the Aegean region are among the loveliest landscapes in the country. The magnificent coastline, lapped by the clear water of the Aegean Sea, is abundant with vast and pristine beaches, surrounded by olive groves, rocky crags and pinewoods.

We trek in the most beautiful coastal area of the Turkish Mediterranean. Known in the past as Lycia, this fabled coast of clear turquoise blue water is rich with archaeological sites. Fragrant pine forests tumble down a slope to end abruptly in red cliff secret coves and sandy beaches.



We visit splendid Greco - Roman ruins of the Lycian period: Caunos, Letoon, Pinara, Xanthos and our walk ends in Antalya. From here you can return to Istanbul or take an international flight to many destinations in Europe and Asia!



Our Hotels and Cuisine

On our one night in Canakkale, our hotel is only a stone’s throw away from the ferry that crosses the Dardanelles strait and is surrounded by boutiques and restaurants.

The next three nights we stay in Selcuk in a vineyard, which is in an idyllic location.

We spend one night in Pamukkale, at the foot of the snow-white “travertines”. Our new hotel has a fantastic spa centre - a Turkish bath with marble and tiles from Kutahya, Sauna, Jacuzzi and several swimming pools.

Our hotel in Dalyan is right on the bank of the Calbis River and only 3 minutes from the town centre. During our two-night stay you can enjoy a lovely pool, Turkish bath or even a massage.

On our two night stay in Fethiye our hotel offers magnificent views across the bay and is very centrally located. It also has a Turkish bath house and a Finnish sauna.

The next two nights are in Kas where our hotel is close to the beach and the Amphitheatre.

For the final two nights our hotel in Cirali is near the ancient city of Olympos and the eternal flames of Mount Chimaera. Cirali Beach is very close by and has a WWF protected area - a breeding ground for loggerhead turtles.

The dinners during our 14 days through Asia Minor will either be in our hotels or in cosy, small local restaurants. Here we can discover one of the greatest cuisines in the world.

While influencing plenty of other cuisines in the countries the Ottoman Empire formerly occupied, Turkish cuisine reflects the country’s history. The varied climate allows for almost everything to be grown within the country.

Contrary to what you might have experienced, Turkish cuisine is not spicy, except for the Southern part of the country, which has a strong Middle Eastern influence. Lamb used to be the most important meat eaten, but now it’s too expensive. The eggplant remains the most popular vegetable, enjoyed in various forms.

Turks don’t eat pork, because of their religion. But we find beef, lamb, fish and poultry in a lot of dishes, although the vegetarian specialties are incredible!! There are also many excellent local wines.



Highlights
highlight Begin your tour in one the world's most vibrant and colourful cities - Istanbul
highlight Travel the Gallipoli Peninsula with an opportunity to visit the famous battlefields
highlight Visit historic Ephesus, Troy and Aphrodisias
highlight Discover the ancient ruins of the Greco-Roman period and the Lycians
highlight Experience the natural wonders of the Pamukkale frozen waterfall
highlight Stay in boutique style and Spa hotels
highlight Dine in authentic restaurants showcasing the delicious Turkish cuisine

Featured hotel


Featured hotel Turkey   Vinifera Vineyards Hotel » Selçuk, Turkey
Set among the vineyards, this winery hotel features a unique stone-built structure constructed by an Austrian architect.


Walking Tour Combination
Departure dates have been arranged to allow the "Discover Asia Minor" and "A Taste of Europe" walks to be combined.

Tour departure dates
Dates and Price to be confirmed

2024 tour price
  Tour   Discover Asia Minor [14 days]
  Begins   15 September 2024 | Istanbul, Turkey   Walking Tour Turkey
  Ends   28 September 2024 | Antalya, Turkey   Walking Tour Turkey
  Price   AUD TBC




2025 tour price
  Tour   Discover Asia Minor [14 days]
  Begins   03 May 2025 | Istanbul, Turkey   Walking Tour Turkey
  Ends   16 May 2025 | Antalya, Turkey   Walking Tour Turkey
  Price   AUD TBC



 

Feedback from previous guests

Guided Walking HolidaysAn excellent itinerary and interesting hotels. Fatih grew in stature as a guide during the tour and was excellent company along with our accomplished driver. Turkey is an interesting country to visit and walk in. There was no sense of security threat and I venture to suggest that going to Brazil would be a lot riskier."
Jeff from Sydney, NSW, Australia
Guided Walking HolidaysWhat a great trip! It was loaded with history and beautiful scenery. A great start was the afternoon at Gallipoli, in particular setting the context of Australians in Turkey with the moving quote from Attaturk. Our wonderful guide Fatih took us to wonderful places of ancient, Greek and Roman history as well as places of 20th century significance. The walks were beautiful and the food and accommodation was extremely good. Fatih and our driver Ozkan made the trip particularly special. Fatih's commentary on Turkish history, current affairs and each locality were terrific. Meeting Fatih's family was a bonus, and typical of Turkish hospitality and generosity. Highly recommended!"
Julie from Wollongong, NSW, Australia
Guided Walking HolidaysThe warmth and friendliness of the Turkish people everywhere made this such a memorable walk. Knowledgeable guides, cooks providing hands on help, head-scarfed farmer's wives scurrying across the fields to sell us their handicrafts, gifts of home-made marmalade and even the iman's ever present calls to prayer were all welcomed as part of the enriching blend of rural Antolian culture. Dramatic olive covered rocky crags, intensively farmed fertile valleys, turquoise coloured seas with marble ruins everywhere, show how long these parts of Turkey have been settled by wealthy civilizations that have shaped both European and Western Asian history."
Euan, Adelaide, SA, Australia
Guided Walking HolidaysThis trip covered a huge range of experiences - Istanbul (fantastic) / Gallipoli / splendid historical ruins / great geographical sights / reasonable to good food & wine / some good challenging walks & nature experiences. The accommodation was of good to very acceptable standard right throughout. The Turkish bus driver and guide were both fantastic and could not have been more helpful, they made the trip very relaxed for all guests. The midsized bus (~30 seats) was very ample for the number of people on board; air conditioning was very welcome as was the always available water. There were some great 'add-ons' - e.g. rural cooking class, boat trips, Istanbul 'must sees'. And the vast majority of the Roman ruins were particularly spectacular, especially Ephesus & Aphrodisiac. But not Troy. I anticipate this tour will be further fine-tuned and future versions will be improved even further. I am already recommending this tour to others now that I have returned home."
Denis, St Leonards, NSW, Australia

Turkey walking itinerary

 

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Best for
Walking Holiday
Gastronomy Holiday
Culture Traditions Holiday
Mountain Holiday
Flora Fauna Holiday
Historic sites Holiday
 
Walk Grading Easy

 

Settlement of Kayakoy in Turkey

 

ntering the ancient city of Hierapolis near Pamukkale in Turkey

 

Ancient Rock Tombe in Fethiye Turkey

 

Lycian Tomb in Turkey

 

Oezkan and Janie on the way to the Blue Lagoon Turkey

 

Travel story Greece


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