4-Day Gallipoli, Troy, Pergamon, Pamukkale and Ephesus Tour from Istanbul

Day 1: Gallipoli Tour – Stay overnight in Çanakkale

You will be picked up from your hotel in the city center on the European side of Istanbul between 6:00 – 7:00 am to depart for Eceabat and the historic Gallipoli Peninsula. The scenic drive takes about 4.5 hours, with a brief stop along the way for personal needs. Upon arrival in Eceabat, you’ll enjoy a lunch around noon before beginning your afternoon tour.

The fully guided Gallipoli tour starts at approximately 1:00 pm and includes several sites commemorating the soldiers who served here. First, you’ll visit Brighton Beach and Beach Cemetery, key landing points for ANZAC troops. The journey continues to ANZAC Cove and Ari Burnu Cemetery, where poignant memorials stand, along with the ANZAC Commemorative Site, offering a quiet place for reflection.

The tour also includes a visit to the Respect to Mehmetçik Statue, symbolizing the valor of both sides during the conflict. You will then head to Lone Pine Australian Memorial and Johnston’s Jolly, where you can see preserved Turkish and Allied trenches and tunnels. Continuing on, you’ll visit The Nek, another significant battlefield, and end the tour at the Chunuk Bair New Zealand Memorial.

After the tour, you’ll transfer to Çanakkale to check in at your hotel and relax after a day full of powerful historical experiences.

• Overnight in Çanakkale
• Included Meal(s): Lunch
• Accommodation: Grand Anzac Hotel OR Helen Hotel OR Akol Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 2: Troy and Pergamon Tour – Selçuk/Kuşadası

After breakfast, you will be picked up from your hotel around 8:30 am for a fully guided Troy and Pergamon Tour.

The tour begins with a visit to the Trojan Horse, followed by stops at the Sacrificial Altars and the 3,700-year-old city walls. You will explore the Houses of Troy I (3000 B.C. – 2500 B.C.), the Bouleuterion (Senate Building), and the Odeon (Concert Hall). The remains of various cities from Troy I through to Troy IX will also be part of the visit.

After concluding the Troy tour around 10:30 am, you will depart for Bergama. Upon arrival at 1:30 pm, lunch will be served before starting the fully guided Pergamon Acropolis tour.

In Pergamon, you will visit the ancient Acropolis, Library, which once held 200,000 books, Temple of Athena, Temple of Trajan, and the famous Altar of Zeus, now located in Berlin. You will also see the Gymnasium situated on terraces, Lower Agora, Hellenistic Theater with a seating capacity of 10,000, and Temple of Dionysus.

After the tour ends around 5:30 pm, you will depart for Selçuk, arriving at 8:00 pm, and then continue to Kuşadası, arriving by 8:30 pm. Upon arrival, you will check in to your hotel in Kuşadası

• Overnight in Kusadasi.
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch
• Accommodation: Efe Boutique Hotel OR Neopol Hotel Deluxe OR Derici Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 3: Pamukkale and Hierapolis ancient city Tour

After breakfast, you will be picked up from your hotel in Kusadasi at around 7:30 am and taken to Selçuk, where you will meet the rest of the group. From Selçuk, the journey to Pamukkale begins at 8:30 am, with an approximately 3-hour scenic drive. After 1.5 hours on the road, there will be a brief stop for a restroom break.

Upon arrival in Pamukkale around 11:45 am, the group will enjoy lunch together. Following lunch, at approximately 1:00 pm, your guided exploration of Pamukkale and the ancient City of Hierapolis will begin. A licensed professional guide will take you through the stunning Cotton Cliffs of Pamukkale, a unique natural formation created by deposits of calcareous salts, which has made the area a famous natural wonder.

Continuing on, you will explore the ancient Hierapolis, including its well-preserved Roman Baths and magnificent theatre. At the end of the guided tour, you will have free time to explore the area at your own pace. If you wish, you may also choose to swim in Cleopatra’s Antique Pools, a mineral-rich pool known for its historical significance (optional and at your own expense).

The guide will inform you of the exact meeting point and time for the group. At around 4:00 pm, you will begin the journey back to Kuşadası, arriving at your hotel at approximately 7:30 pm.

• Overnight in Kuşadası
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch
• Accommodation: Efe Boutique Hotel OR Neopol Hotel Deluxe OR Derici Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 4: Ephesus Tour – Fly from Izmir to Istanbul

After breakfast, check out of your hotel around 8:30 am. You’ll be picked up for an enriching full-day tour of Ephesus, one of the best-preserved ancient cities and once a major Greek port and cultural center.

Your tour begins with a walk along the Curetes Street, the main avenue of Ephesus, leading you to some of its most remarkable sites. One of the first stops is the Temple of Hadrian, a beautifully preserved structure with intricate reliefs depicting the city’s founding myths. Continuing on, you’ll reach the impressive Great Theater, which could seat up to 25,000 people and is still known for its acoustics. Here, your guide will share stories about the theater’s role in hosting gatherings, dramas, and even gladiatorial contests.

Next, you’ll see the Trajan Fountain, where you can admire its detailed carvings and learn about its significance in the city’s water supply system.

After lunch at a local restaurant, the tour continues to the House of the Virgin Mary, a sacred site nestled on a hillside. This modest stone house is believed to be the place where Mary, mother of Jesus, spent her final years. It remains a pilgrimage site and a place for quiet reflection.

The journey then takes you to the Temple of Artemis. Although only a few columns remain, this once-grand temple was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and a powerful symbol of the city’s importance in ancient times.

Your final stop will be the Isa Bey Mosque, a stunning example of Seljuk architecture from the 14th century, with beautiful courtyards and intricate tile work that reflect the blend of cultures in the region.

At the end of the tour, you’ll be transferred to Izmir Airport for your late evening flight to Istanbul, departing between 7:00 – 10:00 pm. The flight to Istanbul takes approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. END OF OUR SERVICE AND TOURS.

Please note that transportation from Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW) to your hotel in Istanbul is not included in the tour price.

• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch

INCLUDED in the Tour Price:

• Pick up from Istanbul hotel and transfer to Istanbul Airport (on the European side of Istanbul only)
• Domestic flight and bus tickets as per the itinerary
• 1 night in Canakkale at a 3-star hotel including breakfast
• 2 nights in Kusadasi at a 4-star hotel including breakfast
• English-speaking guide during the tours
• Meals as mentioned in the itinerary: (B) breakfast, (L) lunch
• Entrance fees mentioned by the itinerary
• Local taxes and service charges

NOT INCLUDED:

• Drop off transportation service from Istanbul (IST) Airport OR Sabiha Gökçen Airport to Istanbul Hotel upon returning to Istanbul
• Optional tours mentioned in the program, they will be provided at an additional cost.
• Drinks with meals.
• Services not mentioned in the program.
• Travel insurance (recommended).

IMPORTANT INFO:

• The order of the itinerary is indicative and subject to change, but all visits described will take place.
• This is a regular group tour, but if requested at cost can be provided as a private tour.
• The regular group tour has shopping stops included in the tour.
• Vegetarian lunch option available upon request.
• You can swim in the Antique pool in Pamukkale. However, please note that there is an extra charge that you will have to pay directly at your own expense before entry to the pools. This entrance fee to the pools is not covered as part of your tour. Please note that you must bring your own towel, swimsuit etc. if you need to use the pools.
• The normal arrival time in Istanbul is between 8:00 – 10:00 pm. If you are planning on reserving your plane back home that same day, we recommend you book a plane ticket from 12:30 am onwards, to avoid missing your flight.

WHEN TO BOOK?

• Book as soon as possible to guarantee availability, especially during public holidays and festivities.
• You can book up to 2 days before (Istanbul local time) if there are still places available. If less than 2 days before start of your requested tour date, please contact us by email or phone as it would be a last-minute booking that will need to be checked for availability before your tour reservation is confirmed.