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Turkey Highlights and Events

Travel in Turkey with Intrepid

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Cosmopolitan cities brimming with modern delights, archaeological sites filled with ancient splendour, curious landscapes straight out of a storybook and picture-perfect coastlines frequented by the jet set… this is tantalising Turkey! Visitors won't be able to forget travelling through this exotic land which sits at the crossroads of Asia and Europe, yet displays a fair bit of Middle Eastern flair.
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Experience Turkey's highlights on these trips

Tashkent to Istanbul

Mountain side Yurts
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39 days
Basix
  • USD $3,405
    CAD $3,430
    AUD $3,315
    EUR €2,655
    GBP £2,065
    NZD $4,245
    ZAR R26,480
    CHF FR3,070
    Trip Price tool tip
  • USD $1,540
    Kitty tool tip
  • USD $4,945*
    CAD $4,925*
    AUD $4,788*
    EUR €3,729*
    GBP £3,004*
    NZD $6,093*
    ZAR R37,190*
    CHF FR4,288*
    *     Total price tool tip

Istanbul In Depth

gold dinnerware silver platter dining set tea
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2 days
Original
  • USD $522
    CAD $497
    AUD $480
    EUR €365
    GBP £305
    NZD $615
    ZAR R3,980
    CHF FR450
    Total twin price tool tip
  • USD $585
    CAD $560
    AUD $540
    EUR €410
    GBP £340
    NZD $690
    ZAR R4,475
    CHF FR505
    Total single price tool tip

Cappadocia Explorer

turkey cappadocia ballooning hot air balloons travel
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4 days
Original
  • USD $625
    CAD $595
    AUD $575
    EUR €437
    GBP £365
    NZD $735
    ZAR R4,767
    CHF FR540
    Total twin price tool tip
  • USD $865
    CAD $825
    AUD $795
    EUR €605
    GBP £505
    NZD $1,020
    ZAR R6,590
    CHF FR745
    Total single price tool tip

Explore Eastern Europe

Wild horses, Romania
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18 days
Original
  • USD $2,405
    CAD $2,307
    AUD $2,227
    EUR €1,644
    GBP £1,411
    NZD $2,851
    ZAR R18,462
    CHF FR2,031
    *     Total price tool tip
* Refer to booking conditions

Highlights


Festivals and Events

Camel at Kirkpinar Oil Wrestling Championships

  • Kirkpinar Oil Wrestling Championships

  • Want to see thousands of oiled-up men wrestle and grapple with each other? Then this is the festival for you! This wrestling championship is held over several days where Turkey's national sport is celebrated with gusto and fanfare. Apart from the one-on-one wrestling bouts, gypsy bands, traditional food and belly dancers provide the perfect sideshow attractions.
* Disclaimer

Intrepid has no control over changes made to festival and event dates and activities. Note that some Intrepid trips which include an event as part of their itinerary, may be surcharged. Where festivals or events are not included as part of an Intrepid trip, all costs associated with the event will need to be paid for by the client. Please check before booking your Intrepid trip that it does match up with key festival or event dates.

Turkey's Top Picks

Blue mosque in Istanbul under blue skiesIntricate Interior of the Blue Mosque in IstanbulBeautiful Kocatepe mosque of Istanbul
 
Istanbul is the only city in the world which spans two continents (Asia and Europe)
 

Top 10 Magnificent Mosques of Turkey

  1. The Blue Mosque: The world famous Sultan Ahmet Camii in Istanbul is more commonly known as the Blue Mosque for the blue tiles that feature within. This spectacular building remains ever popular with tourists drawn in by its majestic domes and minarets, beautifully crafted interiors and calligraphy-adorned walls.
  2. Kocatepe Mosque: Holding the title of the largest mosque in Ankara, this modern-style mosque was built between 1967 and 1987. Capable of holding up to 100,000 worshippers, the interior is a stunning, golden triumph of craftsmanship.
  3. Bursa Grand Mosque: With 20 domes and two minarets, this recognisable landmark of Bursa radiates an aura of peace. Within lies 192 wall inscriptions by Ottoman calligraphers, considered one of the greatest examples of Islamic calligraphy in the world.
  4. Fatih Mosque: This fine example of Turkish-Islamic architecture located in Istanbul was built in the 1400s by the royal architect Atik Sinan. Over the years, the mosque has been rattled and damaged by several earthquakes, but repair work has ensured its grandeur lives on with columned courtyards, tiled domes and walls covered in baroque-style calligraphy.
  5. Selimiye Mosque: Edirne's Ottoman-style masterpiece was damaged by artillery in 1913 but went unrepaired as a reminder to future generations, and became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2011. Featuring exquisite tiled mosaics, grand arches and towering minarets, watching the tiled outer walls sparkle in the sunshine is a truly beautiful sight.
  6. Sehzade Mosque: This imperial mosque housed in Istanbul is sometimes referred to as the 'Prince's Mosque', named after the prince for whose memory it was built in. Featuring a massive colonnaded courtyard and a symmetrical yet simple interior, this design of this mosque is quite unique in comparison to many others in Turkey.
  7. Isabey Mosque: Located in Selcuk and built in 1375, this historic mosque was built using some of the columns and stones from the ruins of Ephesus which lay nearby. Time has given this mosque an air of faded beauty that renders it a true classic.
  8. Ortakoy Mosque: This waterside mosque has a prime position on Istanbul's shimmering Bosphorus. Its neo-Baroque style makes it a stand out and is a wondrous sight to behold at both night and day.
  9. Yeni Mosque: One of the most well-known mosques in Istanbul, the Yeni Mosque, is also known as the New Mosque. Featuring 66 domes, a huge courtyard and an ornamental ablution fountain, the rich, gilded interiors are a highlight.
  10. Rustem Pasha Mosque: This Ottoman style mosque was built in the 16th century and is celebrated for the high quality Iznik tiles that decorate the façade and interior walls with geometric and floral patterns.

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Turkey at a glance

  • 32
  • Ankara (population 2.9 million)
  • 78.7 million
  • Turkish
  • TRY
  • (GMT+02:00) Athens, Bucharest, Istanbul
  • Type C (European 2-pin), Type F (German 2-pin, side clip earth)
  • +90

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