7 Days Ephesus, Priene, Miletus, Didyma, Pamukkale and Cappadocia, Budget Tour from Istanbul by Bus

Day 1: Overnight Bus to Selcuk/Kusadasi

Late evening you will be transferred to the bus station to take your overnight bus departing at 8.30 pm to Selcuk or Kusadasi. The total duration of travel will be 10 hours. There will be three breaks on the way to Selçuk/Kuşadası for your personal needs.

Note: During your transfer on the local bus, you will be unaccompanied and touring services will start once you have met your local tour guide upon arrival at the destination.

• Overnight Bus to Selçuk or Kuşadası
• Included Meal(s): No meals are included on this day

Day 2: Ephesus Tour with overnight in Kusadasi

Arrive at Selçuk Bus Station, where you will be met and transferred to our local office. You will have some free time before the tour begins. The full-day Ephesus tour will start from our office in Selçuk, and you will be picked up from outside the office.

Your first stop will be the Temple of Artemis, once one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Although only a few remnants remain today, it still holds great historical significance.

Next, visit the Ancient City of Ephesus, the most well-preserved Greco-Roman city in the world. Walk through its grand streets and admire impressive structures such as the Library of Celsus, Great Theater, and Temple of Hadrian.

After exploring Ephesus, enjoy a break for lunch at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, visit the House of the Virgin Mary, believed to be the final home of Mary, the mother of Jesus. This sacred site is an important pilgrimage destination for both Christians and Muslims.

Following this, explore the İsabey Mosque, a beautiful 14th-century Seljuk mosque, known for its intricate Islamic architecture.

At the end of the tour, you will be transferred to your hotel in Kuşadası for check-in.

• Overnight in Kusadasi
• Included Meal(s): Lunch

Day 3: Priene, Miletus & Didyma Tour

After breakfast, you will be picked up around 9:00 AM to begin your full-day tour of Priene, Miletus, and Didyma, three important ancient Ionian cities.

Your first stop will be Priene, known as the first grid-system planned city of the ancient world, built on a hillside. Explore significant landmarks such as the Theater, the Temple of Athena, the Bouleuterion, the Agora, and the Altar of Zeus and Cybele.

Next, continue to Miletus, the home of Thales, one of the Seven Sages of Greece, and a principal city of Ionia. Visit the Delphinium, the Nymphaeum, the Theater, and the Faustina Baths, named after the wife of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius.

After a lunch break at a local restaurant, you will proceed to Didyma, where you will visit the Temple of Apollo, famous for its gigantic columns and oracle center, which was one of the most important prophetic sites of the ancient world.

At the end of the tour, you will return to your hotel in Kuşadası.

• Overnight in Kusadasi
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch

Day 4: Pamukkale and Hierapolis Tour – Overnight Bus to Cappadocia

After breakfast at around 7:30 am, you will be picked up from your hotel in Kusadasi and transferred to the meeting point in Selçuk, where the full group will gather. From there, the journey to Pamukkale will begin at approximately 8:30 am, with a drive of about 3 hours. A brief 10-minute stop for a restroom break will be made halfway through the trip.

Upon arrival in Pamukkale around 11:45 am, the group will first enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, around 1:00 pm, your guided tour will begin with a professional licensed guide. You will explore the stunning Cotton Cliffs, a natural wonder formed by deposits of calcareous salts, and the ancient ruins of the City of Hierapolis. Key highlights include the theatre and the Roman Baths.

At the end of the guided tour, you will have 1 hour of free time to explore the area at your own pace. If you wish, you can opt to swim in the famous Pamukkale Antique Pools (optional and at your own expense). Your guide will provide the details of the exact meeting point and time.

Today’s tour will end around 4:00 pm, after which you will be transferred to the bus station for your overnight bus to Cappadocia. The bus departs at 9:00 pm, giving you free time before departure to relax and have dinner near the bus station. The bus ride to Cappadocia takes approximately 10 hours, with three stops for personal needs along the way.

• Overnight Bus to Cappadocia
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch

Day 5: North Cappadocia Tour

Upon arriving at the Goreme bus station in the morning, you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel in Cappadocia. After enjoying breakfast, you can relax in the hotel lobby until your pick-up at 9:30 am. At that time, you will begin your North Cappadocia tour, where you’ll meet your guide and start exploring the region.

The tour will start with a visit to the Devrent Valley, famous for its unique fairy chimneys shaped like animals. Next, you’ll explore Pasabag Valley (Monks Valley), known for its impressive mushroom-shaped rock formations.

After this, the tour continues to Avanos, a charming town renowned for its ancient pottery traditions. Following lunch in Avanos, you will visit the Zelve Open Air Museum, an extraordinary collection of carved caves and ancient churches, which gives a glimpse into the region’s early monastic life.

Towards the end of the day, you will stop for about 15 minutes to take panoramic photos of the stunning Uchisar Castle. While the interior of the castle is not open for visitors, the exterior provides breathtaking views over Cappadocia’s surreal landscape.

After the tour ends around 4:00 pm, you will be transferred to your hotel for check-in. The rest of the day is free for you to relax or explore the area at your leisure.

For extra activities, you can choose one from the following options: a traditional Turkish Night show with dinner, a 2-hour ATV tour, a 2-hour horseback riding tour through the valleys, or attend a 1-hour Whirling Dervish show. Please note that all activities are available at an additional cost, and you can join only one due to time constraints.

• Overnight in Cappadocia
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch

Day 6: South Cappadocia Tour – Overnight Bus to Istanbul

For an additional option, you can book an early morning hot air balloon ride to enjoy breathtaking aerial views of the valleys. Please note that this activity comes at an extra cost.

After breakfast at the hotel, you will check out and be picked up around 9:30 am to begin your full-day tour of South Cappadocia. Your first stop will be the breathtaking Red Valley, where you’ll explore the famous rock-cut churches and hike 5 km through the serene Rose Valley (Gulludere Vadisi), renowned for its stunning pink-hued rock formations.

Next, you’ll visit Cavusin Village, known for its ancient cave houses and churches once inhabited by Christian clergymen. Around noon, you’ll take a break for lunch at a local restaurant, savoring authentic Turkish flavors.

After lunch, the tour will continue to Pigeon Valley (Guvercinlik Vadisi), where you’ll witness the valley’s iconic pigeon houses carved into the cliffs. In the afternoon, you’ll explore either the Kaymakli Underground City or Ozkonak Underground City, both remarkable underground cities where early Christians took refuge.

After the tour, you will travel overnight to Istanbul in a non-smoking, fully air-conditioned local bus departing the bus station at approximately 8:30 pm. The total duration of travel will be 11 hours with arrival into Istanbul the next day. There will be three breaks on the way to Istanbul for your personal needs.

• Overnight Bus to Istanbul
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch

Day 7: Arrival in Istanbul

The local bus will arrive at the main Istanbul bus station between 7:30 – 9:30 am depending on traffic conditions. Upon your arrival at the main bus station in Istanbul, it will be the end of our service. You will need to arrange your own transportation from the bus station. End of our service.

• Included Meal(s): No meals are included on this day

INCLUDED in the Tour Price:

• All transfers mentioned in the itinerary
• Overnight intercity bus tickets as per the itinerary
• 2 nights in Kusadasi at a 4-star hotel including breakfast
• 1 night in Cappadocia at a cave 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:

• Transfer from Bus Station to Hotel in Istanbul at the End of the Tour
• Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon Ride.
• Optional tours mentioned in the program, they will be provided at an additional cost.
• Services not mentioned in the program.
• Drinks with meals.
• 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.
• As this is a group tour, there will be shopping stops included in the tours. If you do not wish to make shopping stops please request a private tour of Cappadocia and we can provide the additional cost separately.