5-Day Istanbul and Ankara Highlights Tour

When you arrive at Istanbul New Airport or Sabiha Gökçen Airport, a team member will meet you at the international-arrivals exit with a sign bearing your name. You will then travel to your hotel in Istanbul for check-in and time to settle in after your flight.

The rest of the day is free. Keep plans simple if you have arrived after a long journey, or use the afternoon to get your bearings, have a meal nearby, and adjust to the pace of the city. If you prefer a structured evening, an optional dinner cruise on the Bosphorus with entertainment may be arranged separately.

Your arrival transfer is handled according to your flight details, so there is no need to make your own way from the airport. Overnight in Istanbul.

After breakfast, around 8:30 am, you will be picked up from your hotel. Begin in Istanbul‘s old center with your guide, visiting Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, and the Hippodrome, where the layout of the former Roman chariot-racing arena still shapes the square.

After lunch, continue to Topkapi Palace, the main residence of Ottoman sultans for centuries, before heading to the Grand Bazaar. This is a working covered market rather than a museum, so expect narrow passages, busy shopfronts, and time to browse before the return transfer.

The order of visits may change with opening days and religious services. On Fridays, the Blue Mosque is visited from outside only. If Topkapi Palace is closed on a Tuesday, the visit is replaced by the Basilica Cistern. The Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays. After the tour, return to your hotel and keep the evening open. Overnight in Istanbul.

After breakfast, around 8:30 am, you will be picked up from your hotel. Travel to the pier at Eminönü and make a short stop at the Spice Market, also known as the Egyptian Bazaar. Then board a shared boat for a morning cruise on the Bosphorus, the waterway between Europe and Asia.

From the boat, you will pass views of Dolmabahçe Palace, Beylerbeyi Palace, the Bosphorus Bridge, waterfront mansions, and the fortifications along the strait. This part of the day is about seeing Istanbul from the water, where the city’s hills, ferry routes, and shorelines make more sense than they do from street level.

After the cruise, return to your hotel to collect your luggage, then transfer to Istanbul Airport for your domestic flight to Ankara. On arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the evening is free for an easy dinner or rest before the following day’s sightseeing. Overnight in Ankara.

After breakfast, around 8:30 am, you will be picked up from your hotel. Start your visit to Ankara at the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, where the collections trace Anatolia through early settlements, Bronze Age kingdoms, and later civilizations. The Hittite material is a key part of the visit and gives useful context for central Turkey’s ancient past.

After lunch, continue to Anıtkabir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of the Republic of Turkey. The setting combines a ceremonial approach, museum displays, and a formal memorial complex. Allow time to take in the scale of the site and the way it remains part of modern Ankara’s public life.

At the end of the tour, transfer to Ankara Airport for your flight back to Istanbul. After landing, an airport representative will meet you and arrange your transfer to the hotel. You will have the evening free in Istanbul, with time for dinner nearby or a final walk at your own pace. Overnight in Istanbul.

After breakfast, check out of your hotel in Istanbul and prepare for your departure transfer. We will arrange pickup according to your flight details, allowing you to travel to Istanbul Airport or Sabiha Gökçen Airport for your onward flight.

Keep your passport, travel documents, and any items needed during the flight in your carry-on bag before leaving the hotel. If your departure is later in the day, you can use any remaining time independently, subject to your hotel’s check-out arrangements and the timing of your airport transfer.

Your transfer marks the end of the tour services. No accommodation is included on this day.