8-Day Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus, Pamukkale and Antalya Tour

Day 1: Arrival in Istanbul, Airport Transfer and Free Day

Arrive at any time. Upon your arrival at Istanbul New Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gökcen Airport (SAW), our team will be waiting for you at the exit of the international arrivals area, holding a sign with your name on it. You will then be transferred to your hotel for check-in.

The rest of the afternoon is free for you to explore the city at your leisure. Alternatively, you can opt to join the Night Cruise on the Bosphorus with Dinner & Show at an additional cost. This experience offers a memorable evening on the Bosphorus, complete with entertainment and a delicious dinner.

• Overnight in Istanbul
• Included Meal(s): No meals are included on this day
• Accommodation: Muyan Suites OR Antea Hotel Oldcity OR Deluxe Golden Horn Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 2: Istanbul Byzantine & Ottoman Relics Tour – Late Evening Flight to Cappadocia

After breakfast around 8:30 am, check out of the hotel and prepare for an exciting day ahead with the Byzantine & Ottoman Relics Tour. Istanbul, a city steeped in history and filled with remarkable cultural treasures, awaits to reveal its wonders.

Your tour begins with the Hagia Sophia, a masterpiece of Byzantine architecture, and continues to the iconic Blue Mosque, known for its stunning blue tilework. Next, explore the Topkapi Palace, the former residence of Ottoman sultans, where you can admire opulent rooms, historic artifacts, and sacred relics.

From there, you’ll visit the Hippodrome, once the center of Byzantine public life and a grand venue for chariot races and social events. Here, you’ll encounter key monuments, including the ancient Obelisk of Theodosius, the Serpent Column, and the German Fountain, each bearing historical significance and unique craftsmanship.

End the day with a visit to the bustling Grand Bazaar, one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, where you can shop for traditional goods, textiles, and souvenirs.

At the end of the tour, around 4:30 pm, you will be dropped back at your hotel to pick up your luggage and then transferred directly to Istanbul’s domestic airport for your late evening flight to Kayseri. Upon arrival in Kayseri, our representative will meet you and arrange your transfer to your hotel in Cappadocia.

• Overnight in Cappadocia
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch
• Accommodation: Heaven Cave House OR Dedeli Konak Cave Hotel OR Romantic Cave Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 3: Full-Day Cappadocia Tour – Fly to Izmir

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

After breakfast at the hotel around 9:30 am, you will be picked up to begin your full-day tour of Cappadocia. Your first stop will be Devrent Valley, located on the northern slopes of Aktepe, 1 km from Pasabaglari (Monks’ Valley) and 5 km from Avanos. Here, you will see the pointed fairy chimneys with large stems spread across three valleys. Next, you will visit Avanos, known for its terra cotta artwork since 3000 BC. You will explore a traditional pottery workshop and enjoy lunch at a local Turkish restaurant.

Following lunch, you will head to the Zelve Open Air Museum. This site, which started as a monastic settlement in the 9th century, showcases ancient cave dwellings and churches carved into iconic rock formations. Afterward, you will visit Uchisar, a troglodyte town named after a massive rock once used as a castle, offering panoramic views of Cappadocia and Erciyes (Argeus) Mountain. Please note that interior access to Uchisar Castle and its caves is restricted; however, you can take exterior panoramic photos.

The final stop will be Kaymakli Underground City, one of Cappadocia’s largest and deepest underground cities, with eight floors, although not all are open to the public. After the tour, you will be transferred to Kayseri or Nevsehir airport for your late evening flight to Antalya via Istanbul. Upon arrival at Antalya airport, a representative will meet you with a sign that displays your name and transfer you to your hotel.

• 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 4: Ephesus Tour

After breakfast, around 8:30 am, you will be picked up from your hotel and transferred to Selcuk, where you will meet your professional tour guide for a full-day tour of Ephesus, one of the most significant ancient cities from the Greek and Roman periods. As you explore the impressive ruins, you’ll encounter renowned landmarks such as the Temple of Hadrian, the grand Great Theater, and the Trajan Fountain, a monument dedicated to Emperor Trajan.

After a delightful lunch, you’ll visit the House of the Virgin Mary, a sacred site believed to be where Mary spent her final years. Next, you’ll stop by the remnants of the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, where only fragments remain of its once-grand structure.

The tour continues with a visit to the beautiful Isa Bey Mosque, a stunning example of Seljuk architecture.

After the tour ends, you will be transferred back to your hotel in Kusadasi around 4:00 pm. The rest of the day will be at your leisure.

• 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 5: Pamukkale and Hierapolis Tour – Transfer to Antalya by Local Bus (approximately 5 hours)

After breakfast around 7:30 am, check out from your hotel in Kusadasi. You will be picked up and taken to the meeting point in Selcuk, where the group will gather to begin the journey. From Selcuk, depart at approximately 8:30 am, for the scenic drive to Pamukkale, which takes about 3 hours. About halfway, there will be a brief 10-minute restroom stop. You’ll arrive in Pamukkale around 11:45 am, and lunch will be served upon arrival.

At approximately 1:00 pm, start your guided tour of Pamukkale and Hierapolis with a licensed professional guide. Discover the stunning Cotton Cliffs, a natural wonder formed by calcium-rich mineral deposits. You will also explore the ancient city of Hierapolis, where you’ll visit the Roman Baths, and the Pamukkale Theatre, all remarkable examples of ancient Roman architecture.

Following the guided tour, you’ll have some free time to explore the area on your own. As an option, you may choose to swim in the Pamukkale Antique Pools (entry at your own expense), which are said to have therapeutic properties.

At the end of the tour, around 4:00 pm, you will be transferred to the main bus station in Denizli. From there, you’ll board an intercity coach to Antalya, with an approximate duration of 5 hours. Upon arrival in Antalya, a representative will meet you at the bus terminal and transfer you to your hotel.

• Overnight in Antalya
• Meals included today: Breakfast and Lunch
• Accommodation: 1207 Boutique Hotel OR Kosa Boutique Hotel OR Alp Pasa Boutique Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 6: Full Day Tour to Perge, Aspendos, Side and Waterfall

After breakfast at the hotel, you will be picked up around 8:00 AM to begin your tour. The first stop is Perge, originally settled by the Hittites around 1500 BC and one of the largest ancient cities in the Pamphylia region. From there, you will depart for the Aspendos Ancient Theatre, an exceptionally well-preserved structure built in the 2nd century A.D. With a capacity of 15,000, the theater is still used for festivals and concerts today.

Afterwards, there will be a lunch break at a restaurant by a nearby river before heading to Side (pronounced “Seeday”). Side is one of Turkey’s best-preserved classical ancient cities, known as a port city that once hosted the largest slave market in the region. During Roman times, significant construction occurred here, including the large theater, Roman Baths, and the Temple of Apollo.

You will have 1 hour of free time in Side to explore the city and enjoy the sea. On the return trip to Antalya, there will be a stop at the Manavgat Waterfall. Afterward, you’ll be driven back to Antalya, where you will be transferred to your hotel.

• Overnight in Antalya
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch
• Accommodation: 1207 Boutique Hotel OR Kosa Boutique Hotel OR Alp Pasa Boutique Hotel OR Aspen Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 7: Fly back to Istanbul

After breakfast, check out of the hotel in Antalya before 12:00 noon. You will be picked up from your hotel and transferred to Antalya airport for your flight to Istanbul. Upon your arrival in Istanbul, you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. After checking in, the rest of the day is yours to enjoy and explore the city at your leisure.

• Overnight in Istanbul
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast
• Accommodation: Muyan Suites OR Antea Hotel Oldcity OR Deluxe Golden Horn Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 8: Departure from Istanbul – End of Tour Service.

After breakfast, you will check out from your hotel in Istanbul (hotel check-out is before 12:00 noon) and will then be transferred to the Istanbul International Airport according to your flight details. This will be the end of our tour and services.

• Included Meal(s): Breakfast

INCLUDED in the Tour Price:

• All transfers mentioned in this itinerary, including arrivals and departures.
• Domestic flight tickets (Istanbul to Kayseri, Kayseri to Izmir, and Antalya to Istanbul) as specified in the itinerary.
• Intercity bus ticket from Pamukkale to Antalya.
• 2 nights in Istanbul at special class or 4-star hotels, inclusive of breakfast.
• 1 night in Cappadocia at a cave hotel, inclusive of breakfast.
• 2 nights in Kusadasi at a 4-star hotel, inclusive of breakfast.
• 2 nights in Antalya at a boutique hotel, inclusive of breakfast.
• English-speaking guide during the tours.
• Meals as specified in the itinerary (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch).
• All entrance fees as indicated in the itinerary.
• Local taxes and service charges.

NOT INCLUDED:

• International Flight Tickets.
• Visa to enter Turkey.
• 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 and Dinner.
• 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.
• For 1 traveler: 1 Single Room Accommodation
• For 2 travelers: 1 Double/Twin Room Accommodation
• For 3 travelers: 1 Triple Room Accommodation
• For 4 travelers: 2 Double/Twin Rooms Accommodation
• For 5 travelers: 1 Double/Twin Room and 1 Triple Room Accommodation
• Please note that the Blue Mosque is not open for visitation on Fridays as it is closed for religious prayer services. You will only be able to visit the outside of the Blue Mosque area on tours operated on Fridays. No visitation will be allowed inside the Blue Mosque for tourists on Fridays.
• Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesday, it will be replaced with the Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnici).
• Grand Bazaar is closed on Sunday.
• During religious holidays, the spice market and Grand Bazaar are closed.
• On flights luggage allowance is 15 kg per person for checked in luggage. For carry-on, you can take up to 8 kg per person. One carry-on is allowed per person.