Turkey

Istanbul is best explored on foot. Start with the Hagia Sophia, the center of Eastern Orthodox Christianity for nearly a millennium before becoming an Ottoman mosque in 1453. Continue to the Blue Mosque with its elegant courtyards and Iznik tiles, then descend into the 6th-century Basilica Cistern before browsing antique and spice shops at Kapalıçarşı — Istanbul’s 550-year-old Grand Bazaar. Ride along the waterfront past mosques, produce markets and fortresses, tracing the Theodosian walls – 5th-century Constantinople defenses that repelled sieges for nearly 1,000 years. Gray & Co.’s favorite hotels include the Four Seasons Sultanahmet or the new waterfront Peninsula.

A flight east brings you to Cappadocia, a landscape shaped by soft volcanic rock. Hidden underground cities dot the terrain. Cycle dirt roads linking rose-colored valleys and small farming hamlets – or trade your lycra & spandex for hiking boots and a camel. Early mornings include hot air ballooning over the otherworldly geography. Stay at the Museum Hotel, a boutique cave property perched above the valleys. From Cappadocia, fly west to Pamukkale, where mineral-rich terraces cascade down hillsides near ancient Hierapolis, once a Greco-Roman spa city.

Continue westwards to Izmir on the Turquoise Coast, a city best known for its proximity to Ephesus, one of the Mediterranean’s best-preserved Greco-Roman cities. Nearby sits the House of Mary, a modest hillside chapel believed by many to be her final residence. Cycle through vineyards and cypress groves. Continue on quiet coastal roads to harbors such as Bozburun, where wooden gulets – traditional Turkish wide-beamed yachts – are still built by hand. Pause in the village of Yukarı Mazıköy for Turkish coffee or apple tea alongside lokum (Turkish delight) and kunefe (shredded phyllo dough). Hike into the hills to Pedasa, a pre-Hellenic city accessible only by trail, then continue to Etrim village for a home-hosted lunch and a firsthand look at Anatolian carpet-weaving traditions. Bodrum, the region’s stylish port, lies just 30 minutes south. Stay in town at the waterfront METT Bodrum beneath the medieval Castle of St. Peter; retreat to the freshly renovated Amanruya on the peninsula’s quieter northern coast, just 20 minutes away; or opt for seclusion a further hour up the coast at Six Senses Kaplankaya.

While the Turquoise Coast offers up great hotels, it’s also an epic place to cruise via private yacht or local luxury gulets. From Bodrum, the options are myriad. Sail west to the Datça Peninsula, where the Aegean meets the Mediterranean. Step ashore at Knidos, a Hellenistic site famed for its Temple of Aphrodite and quiet even in peak season. Explore the theater with a local archaeologist before hopping back on the bike and cycling olive-lined roads to Datça, where your yacht awaits. Back onboard, cruise the wild coastline, pausing to walk short stretches of the Lycian Trail. Near Dalyan, switch to kayaks and paddle beneath the 8th-century rock tombs of Kaunos. Cap your journey off with a swim over submerged Roman ruins near Sedir (Cleopatra) Island, where legend holds Marc Antony imported sand from Egypt for his queen – a reminder that Turkey has long invited grand gestures.