Tantalise Your tastebuds On This Turkey Real Food Adventure Tour

Take a flight from Istanbul to Bodrum (approximately 1 hour) which is located on a bay on the Aegean coast, and the area is all about hilly landscapes, beautiful coves and rustic villages.

Bodrum is a relaxing and a fantastic corner of Turkey, with charming resorts that are adored by sailors and beach-lovers alike. But don’t be fooled. While it may be a favourite among international visitors, the region keeps an authentic side, with traditional Turkish delicacies and magnificent ancient ruins.

Check in to the hotel and spend a while exploring Bodrum Town, then take a public dolmus (bus) to meet the local wine-making Yurut family who has been making wine for 20 years, and produces 12,000 bottles a year. Learn about their journey and perhaps find a new favourite drop.

• Breakfast
• Dinner
• Accommodation : Hotel in Bodrum.
• Flight : Flight to Bodrum

There is not a better way to discover the local produce then pick it yourself, and today you'll visit a local farm and join farmers in the fields and hothouses.

Forage for vegetables and put them all together to make a gozleme (Turkish pancake) using traditional techniques.

Remember to bring along some headwear and some sunscreen, in addition to your appetite, on this fun day out discovering regional produce.

• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Accommodation : Hotel in Bodrum.

Catch a dolmus (public bus) to Selcuk (approximately 3.5 hours) and when you arrive, take the time to explore this fascinating town.

On the slopes of Ayasoluk Hill lies some historical buildings, including the Grand Fortress and the Isa Bey Mosque.

Selcuk is the home to one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Temple of Artemis (though only a single pylon remains).

This evening you will visit Sirince, a local village steeped in Greek Ottoman tradition and a photographer's paradise.

Postwar settlers revived Selcuk's wine industry and make use of the local fruit.

Enjoy a tasting and buy a bottle to take on a walk up a gentle slope along cobbled streets and alleys to an atmospheric garden cafe where you'll discover how manti (Turkish stuffed dumplings) are made. After learning how to prepare them, feast on a serving for dinner.

• Breakfast
• Dinner
• Accommodation : Hotel in Selcuk.

Today you will have a tour of Ephesus, one of Turkey's most famous ancient sites and explore this spectacular preserved ancient city with your local guide who brings its colourful 1500-year history to life.

Watch in amazement as the sophistication of this former metropolis reveals itself. It once had running water, public toilets, a medical institute, Roman baths and a brothel.

The amphitheatre is well preserved and still regularly hosts concerts, but the marvellous library might be the main highlight.

Continue onto Izmir (approximately 1.5 hours) before heading back to Selcuk and hitting the local market where you can buy some vine leaves, and spend an hour or two adding rice and spices and rolling them into delicious morsels that are locally called sarma perfect for the train picnic tonight.

Board the overnight train, which features first-class cabins with twin beds, a fridge and a wash basin with all bedding provided. 

• Breakfast
• Dinner
• Accommodation : Overnight Train.

Arrive in Konya by early morning and take a private transfer to Goreme (approximately 3 hours) which is your gateway to the fairy chimneys of Capadoccia.

Stop for a snack of Etliekmek, a larger local variation of the traditional Turkish lahmacun (flatbread baked with ground meat, peppers, tomato, and onion).

Stop at Derinkuyu, an astounding old subterranean city that goes as deep as 60 metres underground and used to have wine and oil presses, cellars, stables, refectories, and chapels, not to mention 20,000 residents.

For lunch, you could go to a local pide saloon for Turkey's answer to the Italian pizza with toppings like grilled lamb, tender spinach, black pepper, fresh egg and Turkey’s famous peynir (cheese) which is made from sheep’s milk.

Over the next three nights, you'll stay in the village of Ortahisar, famous for its friendly inhabitants, narrow streets, picturesque stone houses, and lovely churches as well as the castle-like rock formation after which the town is named.

• Breakfast
• Accommodation : Hotel in Ortahisar.

For the early birds, you could try a hot air balloon ride over the majestic landscape at sunrise and is a highly recommended experience. The cost of this activity can vary depending on the type of flight you choose.

Walkthrough the Soganli Valley on a hiking trip, taking in the arid surroundings and towering vistas and take the opportunity to stop for lunch at a local restaurant in this beautiful place and savour the fresh local flavours next to the memorable landscapes.

Visit one of Cappadocia's famous wineries to learn about the areas 4000-year-old wine industry.

Afterwards, stroll through the stunning Red Valley to watch the sunset, enjoying a glass of the local wine.

For dinner, perhaps try the local speciality, testi kebab. Your guide will be able to recommend a restaurant dedicated to the perfection of this delicious clay pot dish.

• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Accommodation : Hotel in Ortahisar.

Enjoy a free morning at leisure to do as you please then later be welcomed into the home of a local Nuray, an award-winning regional cook.

Under her tuition, learn to prepare some classic central Anatolian dishes (the menu will depend on the season) then sit down to enjoy the results over lunch.

The rest of the afternoon, you are then free to visit the excellent Goreme Open Air Museum, or you could experience a Turkish hammam (bath).

In the evening, you could choose to dine in a restaurant set inside a 475-year-old building.

• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Accommodation : Hotel in Ortahisar.

This morning after breakfast, wave the fairy chimneys a fond goodbye and transfer to one of the region's airports for a flight back to Istanbul.

Your incredible Turkey trip will finish on arrival at the airport, and the guide will be available to assist you with your onward travel plans.

• Breakfast
• Flight : Flight to Istanbul.