7-Day Turkey Highlights Tour from Izmir to Istanbul

Welcome to Turkey! Upon arrival at Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport, our representative will greet you and assist with your transfer to your hotel in Selcuk or Kusadasi (approximately 1 hour drive). After check-in, the rest of the day is at leisure to recover from your journey.

Depending on your arrival time, you may wish to take a stroll along the Aegean coast, browse the charming streets near your hotel. The Selcuk and Kusadasi region is the perfect gateway to ancient Ionia, with a welcoming atmosphere, palm-lined promenades, and an array of local restaurants where you can sample fresh Aegean seafood and meze. Overnight in Kusadasi/Selcuk.

After an early breakfast, around 7:30 AM depart from your hotel for the scenic drive to Pamukkale (approximately 3 hours). Famously known as the “Cotton Castle,” Pamukkale is celebrated for its dazzling white travertine terraces formed by calcium-rich thermal waters cascading down the mountainside for thousands of years.

Upon arrival, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before exploring the Travertines of Pamukkale, where you can walk barefoot along the warm mineral pools. Continue to the adjoining ancient city of Hierapolis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site founded in the 2nd century BC. Walk through the impressive Necropolis of Hierapolis, admire the well-preserved Hierapolis Theatre, and learn about the legendary Cleopatra Antique Pool (optional swim, extra fee). By late afternoon, around 4:00 PM, begin the return drive to your hotel. Overnight in Kusadasi/Selcuk.

After breakfast, around 8:30 AM meet your guide for a full day exploring one of the world’s most remarkable archaeological sites. Begin at the House of the Virgin Mary, a peaceful mountain shrine believed to be the final residence of Mary, mother of Jesus, and a place of pilgrimage for Christians and Muslims alike.

Continue to the magnificent Ephesus Ancient City, once the second largest city of the Roman Empire. Walk along marble streets to admire the iconic Library of Celsus, the Great Theatre of Ephesus which once seated 25,000 spectators, the Temple of Hadrian, and the Trajan Fountain. After lunch at a local restaurant, visit the Isabey Mosque and stop at a traditional leather workshop. In the afternoon, you will be transferred to Izmir Airport for your flight to Kayseri via Istanbul. Upon arrival, our representative will meet you and transfer you to your hotel in Cappadocia. Overnight in Cappadocia.

Optional early morning hot air balloon ride over the fairy chimneys of Cappadocia (available at additional cost, must be pre-booked). After breakfast, around 9:30 AM meet your guide for the North Cappadocia tour.

Begin at Devrent Valley, also known as Imagination Valley, where erosion has sculpted volcanic ash into whimsical animal-shaped formations. Continue to Pasabag Monks Valley to see remarkable mushroom-shaped fairy chimneys that once sheltered hermit monks in carved cells. Stop at an Avanos pottery workshop for a demonstration of clay preparation and traditional wheel throwing along the red clay banks of the Kizilirmak River. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before exploring the Zelve Open Air Museum, a fascinating abandoned cave village carved into three valleys with churches, dwellings, and a rock-cut mosque. End the day with photo stops at the Goreme Panoramic Viewpoint and the exterior of Uchisar Castle. Around 4:00 PM, return to your hotel. Overnight in Cappadocia.

After breakfast and hotel check-out, around 9:30 AM begin the South Cappadocia tour. Start with a panoramic stop at Red Valley and Rose Valley, named for the soft pink and crimson hues that glow across the cliffs at sunset. A short walk along the trail leads to ancient rock-cut chapels with faded Byzantine frescoes.

Continue to Cavusin Village, where Byzantine-era cliff dwellings, an old church, and modern village houses sit side by side. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant in the area. Stop at Pigeon Valley to admire the thousands of carved pigeon houses dotting the cliff walls. Descend into Kaymakli Underground City or Ozkonak Underground City, one of the multi-level subterranean refuges where early Christians once hid from invading armies. After the tour, transfer to Kayseri or Nevsehir Airport for your evening flight to Istanbul. Upon arrival, our representative will meet you and transfer you to your hotel. Overnight in Istanbul.

After breakfast, around 9:00 AM meet your guide in the hotel lobby for a full day exploring the historic heart of Istanbul. Begin at the Hippodrome, the ancient Byzantine chariot-racing arena adorned with the Egyptian Obelisk and Serpentine Column.

Walk to the magnificent Blue Mosque, famed for its cascading domes and 20,000 hand-painted Iznik tiles. Cross the square to the awe-inspiring Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, a masterpiece of Byzantine architecture and one of the most significant monuments in the world. After lunch at a local restaurant, tour the opulent Topkapi Palace, the residence of Ottoman sultans for nearly 400 years, where you can view the imperial treasury, sacred relics, and lush courtyards overlooking the Bosphorus. Conclude with a stroll through the colorful Grand Bazaar, one of the world’s oldest covered markets. In the evening, enjoy an optional Bosphorus Dinner Cruise (extra cost) with Turkish music and traditional dance performances. Overnight in Istanbul.

After breakfast, you will check out from your hotel in Istanbul. Please note that the standard hotel check-out time is before 12:00 noon. Depending on your flight schedule, you will be transferred to Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW). This will be the end of our tour and services.