8 Days 4n MARMARIS 4* (AI) | 3n ISTANBUL 4* (BB)

About the destination: Marmaris is a town in Turkey, along the Mediterranean coast in the province of Muğla. Marmaris is renowned for its rich cultural heritage, ancient old town, magnificent natural surroundings, several modern marinas, many coves along its coast and a natural harbour surrounded by pine-clad hills. The old town is a labyrinth of winding little streets and lanes with whitewashed houses amid a top-notch shopping bazaar. The Castle boasts lovely views from its ramparts and is well worth a visit. The coastline is perfect for water sports, sailing, sunbathing, or strolling along the palm lined promenade. Marmaris is a stylish and cosmopolitan resort with numerous nightspots or restaurants. It's one of Turkey's largest tourist resorts but it has managed to maintain much of its charm. The hills running into the sea and the beautiful bays make Marmaris very special.

About the destination: Istanbul owes its historical significance and its incredible cultural and architectural heritage to its perfect strategic location, straddling the Bosphorus straits which separate Europe and Asia Minor. Throughout most of its 2,500-year-long history, the city (first known as Byzantium, then as Constantinople and since 1930 as Istanbul) was a cultural melting pot. Today, its population of over 13 million is almost exclusively Turkish, and many of its people are recent migrants from provincial Turkey, drawn by the promise of jobs and careers in this vibrant, rapidly growing city. Istanbul is no longer the nation's capital, but is Turkey's economic and cultural powerhouse - a status emphasised by its role as a European City of Culture in 2010 and the award of UNESCO World Heritage listing to many of its most important landmarks, which range from stunning Ottoman mosques and Byzantine churches and catacombs to the columns of Hellenistic temples and the remains of massive medieval city walls. But there's more to Istanbul than Byzantine and Ottoman heritage. A rapidly growing economy has contributed to a thriving arts and music scene, with a wealth of new bars, clubs, private art galleries, restaurants and designer fashion outlets.