5-Day Ancient Turkey Tour: Ephesus, Pamukkale, Pergamon, Troy & Gallipoli

Upon your arrival at Izmir Airport, Izmir city center, or Kuşadası Port, our representative will meet you and arrange your transfer to your hotel in Kuşadası. After check-in, the rest of the day is yours to relax at the hotel or explore Kuşadası at your own pace. Overnight in Kuşadası.

After breakfast at around 7:30 AM, you will be picked up from your hotel in Kuşadası and taken to the meeting point in Selçuk, where the full group will gather. Your Pamukkale tour will begin with an 8:30 AM departure from Selçuk. The drive to Pamukkale takes approximately 3 hours, including a 10-minute restroom break after 1.5 hours. Upon arriving in Pamukkale around 11:45 AM, you will first enjoy lunch. After lunch, at approximately 1:00 PM, your guided tour of Pamukkale and the Hierapolis area will begin, led by a professional licensed tour guide. In Pamukkale, you will witness the breathtaking Cotton Cliffs, a natural wonder formed by calcareous salt deposits.

You will also explore the ancient ruins of Hierapolis, including its Basilica, Theatre, and Roman Baths. At the end of the guided tour, you will have some free time to explore on your own. As an optional activity, you may choose to swim in the Pamukkale Antique Pools (at your own expense) during this free time. Your tour guide will inform you of the exact meeting point and time. At the end of the tour, around 4:00 PM, you will be transferred back to your hotel in Kuşadası, arriving at approximately 7:30 PM. Overnight in Kuşadası.

After breakfast at your hotel, you will be picked up around 8:30 AM to begin your full-day tour of Ephesus, one of the most important cities of the ancient world. Highlights of your visit include the Temple of Hadrian, the impressive Ephesus Ancient Greek Theatre, and the Trajan Fountain. After lunch at a local restaurant, the tour continues to the House of the Virgin Mary, a sacred site believed to be where Mary, the mother of Jesus, spent her final years. You’ll also visit the site of the once-majestic Temple of Artemis—one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World—of which only a few columns and ruins remain today. Your final stop will be the elegant Isabey Mosque, a beautiful 14th-century structure that reflects the grandeur of Seljuk architecture. At the end of the tour, around 4:00 PM, you will be transferred back to your hotel in Kuşadası for the evening. Overnight in Kuşadası.

After breakfast, check out from your hotel. At approximately 10:30 AM, you will be picked up for your transfer to Pergamon, with an additional pick-up in Selçuk at 11:00 AM. Upon arrival in Bergama around 1:00 PM, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before beginning your guided tour at 1:45 PM. Your visit begins at the Pergamon Acropolis, the hilltop stronghold that once served as the cultural and political heart of this powerful ancient city. There, you will explore the Temple of Athena and the monumental Temple of Trajan, both showcasing the grandeur of Greco-Roman architecture.

You will continue to the iconic Altar of Zeus, often referred to as the “Throne of Satan,” whose remains are now preserved in the Berlin Museum. The tour proceeds to the breathtaking Theater of Pergamon, one of the steepest theaters in the ancient world, with a capacity of 10,000. You’ll also visit the Great Library, which once held over 200,000 scrolls and rivaled the famed Library of Alexandria. Additional highlights include the Temple of Dionysus and the Lower Agora, an important commercial and civic space during the Hellenistic and Roman periods. At approximately 6:00 PM, depart for Çanakkale. Upon arrival, check in to your hotel and enjoy a restful evening. Overnight in Çanakkale.

After breakfast, you will check out of your hotel in Çanakkale and be picked up around 8:30 AM. Your morning will begin with an exciting tour of the Troy Ancient City, where you will explore iconic historical sites including the famous Trojan Horse, a replica symbolizing the legendary trick used during the Trojan War, and the Sacrificial Altars, ancient ceremonial sites that date back thousands of years. The 3700-year-old City Walls will provide a glimpse into the ancient fortifications of the city. You will also visit the Houses of Troy I, dating from 3000 B.C. to 2500 B.C., the Bouleuterion (Senate Building) where councils and meetings took place, and the Odeon, an ancient concert hall. Finally, you will witness the remains of cities from Troy I through Troy IX, offering a fascinating look at the layers of history spanning different eras.

The Troy tour will conclude around 11:30 AM, after which you will be transferred to Eceabat. Here, you will have some free time until 1:00 PM to explore at your leisure. Lunch will then be provided at a local restaurant in Eceabat, giving you the opportunity to enjoy regional flavors.

In the afternoon, the Gallipoli Tour will commence. You will visit several significant sites, starting with Brighton Beach, the intended landing site during the Gallipoli campaign, followed by Beach Cemetery located at ANZAC Cove, the resting place of many soldiers from the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC). Continuing on, you will see Ariburnu Cemetery, situated near the landing place of the first ANZAC wave, and the ANZAC Commemorative Site, which honors the soldiers who fought in this historic campaign.

The tour will then proceed to the Lone Pine Monument, which commemorates the capture of Turkish trenches by Australian forces during the August offensive. You will explore Johnston’s Jolly, where the preserved trenches and tunnels used by both Allied and Turkish troops can still be seen. The journey continues to the Turkish 57th Infantry Regiment Cemetery, a tribute to the heroic Turkish soldiers who fought valiantly, followed by a visit to The Nek, a narrow ridge that became the site of a tragic battle for ANZAC forces. The tour will conclude at the Chunuk Bair New Zealand Memorial, dedicated to the New Zealand soldiers who participated in one of the campaign’s most critical battles. At around 6:00 PM, the tour will end, and you will begin your journey back to Istanbul. The expected arrival in Istanbul is around 11:00 PM, at which point you will be dropped off at your hotel. This will be the end of our tour and services.