Treasures of Turkey: Istanbul, Ephesus & Bodrum

Your driver will be waiting as you land in Istanbul, ready to whisk you in air-conditioned comfort to the luxury hotel of your choice.

The rest of the day is yours to settle in at your own pace - perhaps a first stroll along the waterfront or a rooftop dinner overlooking the city where two continents meet.

With your licensed English-speaking guide leading the way, spend a full day among the icons of old Constantinople. Stand in the ancient Hippodrome, step inside the Blue Mosque with its cascade of Iznik tiles, and marvel at the vast dome of Hagia Sophia.

Continue to Topkapi Palace, home of the Ottoman sultans and their dazzling treasury, before diving into the labyrinth of the Grand Bazaar. You will pause the way locals have for centuries — over a strong Turkish coffee in one of the city's most storied coffee houses.

This morning a private motor yacht is yours for a leisurely cruise along the Bosphorus. Glide past waterfront palaces, wooden Ottoman mansions and medieval fortresses while tea and refreshments are served on deck.

Back on shore, follow your guide through the fragrant lanes of the 17th-century Spice Market — and treat yourself to a taste of authentic Turkish delight at the shop credited with inventing it.

Away from the crowds, the old Golden Horn quarters of Fener and Balat hide some of the city's most atmospheric corners. On this private half-day walk you will discover rare Byzantine churches, the remarkable cast-iron church of St. Stephen, and the Ecumenical Patriarchate — still the heart of Orthodox Christianity.

Finish among the antique shops and painted houses of Balat, one of Istanbul's most photogenic neighbourhoods. The evening is free for your farewell night in the city.

After breakfast your driver will transfer you to the airport for the short flight to Izmir, Turkey's sunny Aegean metropolis. On arrival you will be met and taken to your hotel.

Spend the afternoon as you please — the palm-lined Kordon promenade, the bustling Kemeralti bazaar and the city's relaxed seafront cafes are all wonderful introductions to Aegean life.

Few places bring antiquity to life like Ephesus. Walk its marble avenues with your private guide, from the magnificent facade of the Library of Celsus to the great theatre that once seated 24,000 spectators.

Afterwards, unwind at a boutique winery in the surrounding hills: tour the estate, learn how its wines are made, and linger over a guided tasting of local varieties before returning to Izmir.

Today your private tour climbs to the windswept acropolis of Pergamon, one of the great capitals of the Hellenistic world. Explore the Temple of Trajan, the site of the legendary Altar of Zeus, the remains of its famous library and a theatre carved dramatically into the hillside.

Below the citadel lies the Asklepion, the celebrated healing sanctuary of the ancient world - a fascinating end to a day two millennia deep in history.

Bid farewell to Izmir as your private driver takes you south along the Aegean coast to Bodrum, Turkey's most stylish seaside town.

Check in to your hotel and ease into holiday mode — beach clubs, the yacht-filled marina and whitewashed lanes full of restaurants are all waiting.

Food is the soul of the Aegean, and today you will experience it hands-on. With your English-speaking guide, browse a genuine farmers market and gather ingredients straight from local producers.

Then head to a restaurant set in an olive grove for a convivial cooking class, followed by a long family-style feast of the dishes you have prepared — a memory to savour long after the trip ends.

After a final breakfast, your driver will transfer you to Bodrum airport for your homeward flight — the end of ten days weaving together imperial Istanbul, ancient Ionia and the blue Bodrum coast.