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A History of Medicine in Turkey and the Greek Islands

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Tour leader
Matt Young
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Dates
7 Oct
19 Oct
2025

History, medicine and culture intertwine on this journey through Turkey and the Greek Islands. It would be hard to find such a concentration of important medical historical sites anywhere else, amidst some of the richest culture and history in the world.

Travel from Istanbul to the beaches of Gallipoli and onto Pergamum, Kos and Rhodes. Your journey encompasses thousands of years of medical history, including Florence Nightingale, the Gallipoli beach hospitals, Hippocrates, Galen and the Knights of St John.

Gain unparalleled insight as you travel along the western coast of Turkey and to Rhodes, with a range of expert talks and specialist visits throughout the tour, in the company of experience tour leader, GP and archaeologist, Dr Matt Young.

Cuisine is an important part of travel and we have included a number of local restaurants and culinary experiences that highlight the delicious flavours of Turkey and Greece. There is an optional extension to Athens and Epidaurus after the tour.

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Price (room to yourself)
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Reference:
TUR1025-1
At a glance
What you need to know
Type of tour
Cultural
Profession
Medical History
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Nights
12
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Countries
2
Tour grade
Moderate
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Remaining places
0
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Dates and places

Itinerary at a glance

1
Istanbul
Tuesday
,
7
October
Arrive Istanbul and transfer to hotel. Enjoy a welcome dinner in the evening.
2
Istanbul
Wednesday
,
8
October
Visit the beautiful Blue Mosque. Continue to Scutari Barracks, where Florence Nightingale tended thousands of Turkish and Allied soldiers during the Crimean War, and visit the museum dedicated to her. Talk by Professor Yesim Isil Ulman on the history of nursing in Turkey. Visit Hagia Sophia, one of Byzantine Istanbul’s most imposing sights. Explore the Grand Bazaar followed by dinner.
3
Istanbul
Thursday
,
9
October
Visit Scutari Barracks and the Florence Nightingale Museum and learn of Nightingale’s legacy in Scutari and of medicine during the Crimean War. Visit the magnificent Hagia Sophia and explore the labyrinthine Grand Bazaar.
4
Istanbul / Gallipoli
Friday
,
10
October
Depart from Istanbul and drive to Gallipoli. Transfer to the hotel. Visit the battlefields of Gallipoli, including Anzac Cove and the Australian cemetery.
5
Gallipoli / Izmir
Saturday
,
11
October
Visit Gallipoli beach and walk to the site of Number 1 Casualty Clearing Station. Visit the UNESCO-listed World Heritage site of Troy, the site of the legendary Trojan horse. Drive to the spectacular ruins of Pergamum, once a great Greek city, which tower one thousand feet above the city with superb views in all directions. Continue to Izmir.
6
Izmir / Seljuk
Sunday
,
12
October
Visit a local doctor in Izmir to learn about medical practice and healthcare in Turkey. Drive to Seljuk.
7
Seljuk
Monday
,
13
October
Full day visit in Ephesus, the best-preserved classical city in the Eastern Mediterranean and unmatched in its sheer magnitude. Ephesus’ history stretches back thousands of years and it possessed one of the Wonders of the Ancient World in its magnificent Temple to Artemis. Dinner in a village restaurant.
8
Seljuk / Bodrum
Tuesday
,
14
October
Drive to Bodrum and explore this lovely port town.
9
Bodrum / Kos / Bodrum
Wednesday
,
15
October
Take the morning ferry to Kos and visit Hippocrates’ plane tree, the Asclepium and the International Hippocratic Institute of Kos. Lunch at a taverna before visiting the Museum of Medicine. Take the afternoon ferry back to Bodrum.
10
Bodrum / Rhodes
Thursday
,
16
October
Drive to Marmaris to take the ferry to Rhodes. Arrive and transfer to the hotel take a walking tour of the stunning old town. Dinner in a taverna.
11
Rhodes
Friday
,
17
October
Visit a Greek hospital and meet with the local doctors and nurses. Enjoy a delicious lunch with fresh ingredients at a local taverna. Take a half day tour of Rhodes including the Street of the Knights, the Grand Master’s Palace and the hospital of St John, now a museum.
12
Rhodes
Saturday
,
18
October
Drive to Butterfly Valley. Continue to the lovely town of Lindos. Visit the Acropolis and the medieval village. Time at leisure in the town, returning to Rhodes late afternoon. Enjoy a farewell dinner in the evening.
13
Rhodes
Sunday
,
19
October
Morning at leisure and depart Rhodes after breakfast OR join the extension to Athens and Epidaurus.
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Tour map

Plot your journey

Travel from Istanbul to the beaches of Gallipoli and on to Pergamum, Izmir, Seljuk and the Greek island of Rhodes.

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What to expect

Tour highlights

Scutari Barracks
Istanbul

Visit Scutari Barracks, where Florence Nightingale tended thousands of soldiers during the Crimean War. Hear a talk on her work by an expert.

Culinary tour
Istanbul

Enjoy a culinary tour in Istanbul.

Medieval hospital of the Knights of St John
Rhodes

On the Greek Island of Rhodes, visit the medieval hospital of the Knights of St John, the Street of the Knights and the Grand Master’s Palace.

Anzac Cove
Gallipoli

Explore the beaches of Gallipoli in the company of a specialist guide including Anzac Cove and the site of Number 1 Casualty Clearing Station.

Ancient medical history
Kos

Travel to the Greek Island of Kos and the International Hippocrates’ plane tree, the shrine of Asclepius and the International Hippocratic Institute.

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Beautiful landscapes

Tour gallery

Enrich your experience

Extend your tour

Optional post-tour extension

Athens and Epidaurus
19 - 23 October 2025

Extend your tour to visit Naupflon, the ancient site of Mycenae, Epidaurus and the Sanctuary of Asclepius, and the great city of Athens.

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Tour exertion grading

Is this tour right for me?

Moderate
Level 3

Some walking between destinations, more time spent standing, and increased travel distances. Requires a reasonable level of fitness.

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Your expert companions

Tour leaders

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Ask us anything

If you have some questions about this particular tour, you can contact the Jon Baines Tours team by phone or email.

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020 7223 9485
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