6-Day Ephesus, Pamukkale, Antalya and Cappadocia Tour

You will be picked up from your hotel in Istanbul around 4:15 AM and transferred to the domestic airport for your flight to Izmir, scheduled between 6:00 – 8:00 AM (subject to availability). Upon arrival in Izmir, you’ll be greeted and transferred to Selçuk, where you’ll meet your professional tour guide to begin your full-day exploration of Ephesus.

Your first stop is the Greco-Roman City of Ephesus, one of the best-preserved ancient cities in the world. As you explore the ruins, you’ll encounter notable landmarks such as the Temple of Hadrian, the magnificent Ephesus Ancient Greek Theatre, and the impressive Trajan Fountain.

After exploring Ephesus, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. Next, visit the House of the Virgin Mary, a revered site where Mary is believed to have spent her final years. Following this, you’ll pass by the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, though only a few remnants remain today. The tour continues to the Isa Bey Mosque, an exquisite example of Seljuk architecture.

After the tour ends around 4:00 PM, you will be transferred to your hotel in Kusadasi for an overnight stay.

After breakfast at 7:30 AM, you will need to check out of your Kusadasi hotel. You will then be picked up and taken to the meeting point in Selcuk to join the full group. The Pamukkale tour begins with a drive from Selcuk at 8:30 AM, approximately a 3-hour journey. A 10-minute restroom break will be provided halfway, around 1.5 hours into the trip.

Upon arrival in Pamukkale around 11:45 AM, the group will first have lunch at a local restaurant. At 1:00 PM, start your guided tour of the Pamukkale and Hierapolis area with a professional licensed tour guide. Visit the stunning Cotton Cliffs, a natural wonder formed by deposits of calcareous salts. Explore the ancient ruins of the City of Hierapolis, including its basilica, theater, and Roman Baths. Other key sites you will explore in Hierapolis include the Necropolis, Domitian Gate, and the Temple of Apollo.

After the guided tour, enjoy some free time to explore the area on your own. During this time, you may opt to swim in the Pamukkale Antique Pools (at your own expense). Your tour guide will provide details about the exact meeting point and time for the group.

At the end of the tour, around approximately 4:00 PM, you will be transferred to the main bus station in Denizli. From there, board an intercity coach to Antalya (duration: 5 hours). Upon arrival in Antalya, our representative will meet you at the bus terminal and transfer you to your hotel. Overnight in Antalya.

After breakfast at the hotel, you will be picked up around 8:00 AM for a full-day 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.

Next, visit the Aspendos Ancient Theater, an incredibly well-preserved theater built in the 2nd century A.D. It has a capacity of 15,000 people and is still used today for festivals and music concerts.

After visiting Aspendos, enjoy a lunch break at a restaurant on a nearby river. Following lunch, depart for Side (pronounced Seeday), one of the best classical ancient cities in Turkey. Side was a port city that served as the largest slave market in the region. During Roman times, significant construction took place here, including a large Side Ancient Theater, Roman Baths, and the Temple of Apollo.

Guests will have 1 hour of free time to explore the city and enjoy the sea. On the way back, you will stop at the Manavgat Waterfall before returning to Antalya, where you will be transferred back to your hotel. Overnight in Antalya.

After breakfast, check out of the hotel in Antalya. You will be picked up and transferred to Antalya airport for your flight to Kayseri or Nevsehir (subject to availability, either in the morning or afternoon, through Istanbul). Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel in Cappadocia. Check into your hotel in Cappadocia, and the rest of the day is free. Overnight in Cappadocia.

For an optional extra to start your day, consider booking an early morning hot air balloon ride over Cappadocia’s extraordinary valleys. Drifting above the fairy chimneys and rock-cut settlements as the sun rises is a truly spectacular experience. Please note that this activity comes at an additional cost and is subject to weather conditions.

After breakfast at your hotel, your guide will gather the group at approximately 9:30 AM for a full-day exploration of North Cappadocia’s most remarkable landscapes. The first stop is Devrent Valley, where wind-sculpted rock formations take on the shapes of animals and mythical figures — a striking introduction to the region’s extraordinary geology that sets the tone for the day ahead.

By 10:15 AM, the group continues to Pasabag Valley, famous for its towering mushroom-shaped fairy chimneys. Some of these remarkable formations were hollowed out and used as hermit shelters by early monks, and their unusual multi-capped silhouettes make them among the most photographed sights in all of Cappadocia.

Around 11:00 AM, the group arrives in Avanos, where you’ll visit a traditional pottery workshop. Artisans demonstrate techniques passed down through generations, shaping clay drawn from the banks of the Red River — a craft that has defined this town for centuries.

At approximately 12:00 PM, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant in Avanos with your fellow travelers. After the meal, the group sets off for the afternoon’s explorations.

By 1:15 PM, join fellow travelers at a panoramic viewpoint overlooking Göreme, where a sweeping vista reveals the valley’s cave dwellings and rock-cut churches from above, offering a sense of just how deeply human history is carved into this landscape.

Around 1:45 PM, your guide will lead the group to the Zelve Open Air Museum, an abandoned rock-cut village that once supported a thriving community. Wander through ancient cave dwellings, churches adorned with faded frescoes, and a mosque carved directly into the stone — all offering a vivid picture of daily life in Cappadocia’s volcanic terrain.

By 3:00 PM, the group makes a final stop at Uchisar Castle, the tallest point in Cappadocia. Admire this towering rock fortress from the outside, its honeycomb surface riddled with rooms and tunnels that once served as both homes and defensive lookouts. By 3:30 PM, your guide will return the group to the hotel by approximately 4:00 PM, leaving the rest of the evening free to relax. Overnight in Cappadocia.

After breakfast at the hotel, around 9:30 AM, you will be picked up to begin your full-day tour of South Cappadocia. Your tour guide will provide a brief overview of the day’s activities. The tour starts with a visit to the Red Valley, where you can explore the famous rock-cut churches and hike approximately 5 km through the Rose Valley (Gulludere Vadisi).

Next, visit Cavusin Village, known for its historic houses and churches of Christian clergymen. A lunch break will be taken around noon. After lunch, continue to Pigeon Valley (Guvercinlik Vadisi). In the afternoon, visit either the Kaymakli Underground City or Ozkonak Underground City, where early Christians once lived.

At the end of the tour, around 4:00 PM, you will be transferred to Kayseri or Nevsehir airport for your late evening flight to Istanbul, subject to availability between 7:00 – 10:00 PM (flight duration is approximately 1 hour 30 minutes).

Please Note: Drop-off transportation service from Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW) to your hotel in Istanbul is not included in the price.

END OF OUR SERVICES AND TOURS.