Istanbul, Ephesus, Pamukkale & Cappadocia, 7 Nights

Met at the airport and driven to the hotel; allow an hour or more in traffic. This day is unplanned so a late arrival does not cost you anything. With time and energy, walk to Sultanahmet square at dusk, where Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque face one another across the gardens. With only two nights in Istanbul, sleep early. The next day starts at opening time, and the old city is much easier before the tour groups arrive.

A full day, early. Hagia Sophia at opening, covered shoulders and knees, since foreign visitors follow a ticketed upper-gallery route that pauses during prayers; then the Blue Mosque and the Basilica Cistern. After lunch, Topkapi Palace, shut on Tuesdays, so the day order may change. Evening is a Bosphorus cruise under the bridges as the lights come on. The Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays and is not part of this day, so shopping is left for a free hour if it is open.

A morning flight to Izmir, then about an hour by road to Selcuk, the small town beside Ephesus. After lunch, the guide takes you through the ruins: the marble-paved Curetes Street, the facade of the Library of Celsus, and the theatre that held thousands. The Terrace Houses, with their mosaics, cost extra and are worth it for those interested. The evening is free in Selcuk, where restaurants line the streets near the aqueduct.

A morning drive east into the Meander valley, about three hours (sources give 2.5 to 3.5), with a stop for the Temple of Artemis site if time allows. Pamukkale means cotton castle: the hillside terraces of white travertine are formed by mineral-rich spring water, and you walk the main slope barefoot. Above them lies Hierapolis, a Roman spa town with a long necropolis and a theatre. Late afternoon light is best, and a swim in the warm antique pool is optional, with a separate fee.

The longest day of the trip: about 530 km in total; allow about eight hours of driving plus stops, so an early start. The first stretch runs east across the plateau to Konya, about five hours, with a stop at the Mevlana museum, the shrine of the poet Rumi and the home of the whirling dervishes. From there, the Silk Road route via the caravanserai at Sultanhani, then on to Goreme, another three hours or so. You arrive in the evening. If this is too much, we can fly via Istanbul instead, which usually takes a similar total time.

A slower day in the valleys. Goreme Open Air Museum is open from about 8 am and closes earlier in winter (about 5 pm) than in summer (about 7 pm), so we confirm the hours when you book; its rock-cut churches have frescoes still bright in places. Then Uchisar for its rock fortress and views, and Pasabag's mushroom-shaped chimneys. The balloon flight is optional and is booked for dawn, subject to wind; if it is cancelled, you may be offered another morning of the stay. Afternoon at leisure.

An underground city, Kaymakli or Derinkuyu, a maze of narrow tunnels and rolling stone doors that once sheltered whole communities. The corridors are low and many steps, so those with knee trouble or claustrophobia can skip it. The rest of the day is Cappadocia's quieter side: a walk in a valley such as Love Valley or Red Valley, a pottery workshop in Avanos on request, and dinner in a cave restaurant. Evenings here are cool even in summer.

Breakfast and transfer to Kayseri or Nevsehir airport for the flight to Istanbul or to your connection. The day is a travel day with a connection through Istanbul, so do not plan anything tight on arrival at the final airport. A slow breakfast on a hotel terrace, if your flight is late in the day, is the last Cappadocian pleasure.