Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Istanbul, Airport Pick-up
Stop At: Istanbul, Istanbul
Upon your arrival in Istanbul airport, a local representative will pick you up and drop you off at your hotel. After check in, please take a good rest and get ready for your adventure in Turkey!
Duration: 1 hour
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Yasmak Sultan (4 stars) or similar
Day 2: Istanbul Old City tour
Stop At: Istanbul, Istanbul
Today, your local guide will show you around the old city area. Firstly, visit the Blue Mosque, a Byzantium style building with round roofs and 6 minarets.
Then visit Hippodrome from the Roman Period. It is a square where many important monuments and buildings stand on or around, including the Knitted Obelisk, Serpent Column, a German pavilion and the Blue Mosque.
Afterwards, visit the Hagia Sophia Museum, a rare religious architecture dated to the Byzantium period.
After lunch, go to Topkapi Palace, the imperial palace of Ottoman Sultans for nearly 4 centuries. It is like a small city, made up of courtyards, gardens, libraries, schools, mosques and more. You will also see many treasured porcelains, weapons, paintings, jewelry and more inside.
Turn to Grand Bazaar, one of the largest fairs in the world. It is also a good place to look into the locals’ daily lives.
When today’s visits end, send you back to the hotel.
Duration: 8 hours
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Yasmak Sultan (4 stars) or similar
Day 3: Bosporus Cruise, Fly to Izmir & Transfer to Kusadasi
Stop At: Bosphorus Strait, Istanbul 34122 Turkiye
After breakfast, your guide will transfer you to the wharf for a two-hour Bosporus Cruise. It is a great way to enjoy the amazing views of Istanbul. You can see Dolmabahce Palace, Bosporus Bridge, Camlica Hill and many Ottoman-style buildings on two banks of Bosporus Strait during the cruise.
Duration: 3 hours
Stop At: Kusadasi, Kusadasi, Turkish Aegean Coast
After the cruise, send you to the airport and help you check into the afternoon flight to Izmir. On your arrival at Izmir Airport, your local driver will pick you up and transfer you to the hotel in Kusadasi. The rest of the day will be left for you to explore the beautiful and charming seaside town of Kusadasi.
Duration: 5 hours
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Ilayda Avantgarde Hotel (4 stars) or similar
Day 4: Full Day Ephesus Sightseeing
Stop At: Ancient City of Ephesus, Selcuk 35920 Turkiye
We will drive for about half an hour to visit Ephesus Ancient City after breakfast. It is currently world’s largest and most complete city ruins dated to Roman Empire. You will see Marble Street; Celsus Library, one of the three major libraries in the East Roman era; the Temple of Hadrian, which was named after the Roman Emperor Hadrian with the statue of snake-haired Madusa exquisitely carved on the front of the interior wall; the Trajan Fountain and Great Theater where Saint Paul preached.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Ephesus Museum, Selcuk Turkiye
After lunch, continue to visit the Ephesus Archeological Museum, where relics excavated from the Ephesus Ancient City are displayed, among which the most famous is the statue of the Goddess Artemis, who in Greek myth is in charge of hunting, vegetation and childbirth.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: The Temple of Artemis, Ataturk, Park Ici Yolu No:12, Selcuk Turkiye
After, have a look of Temple of Artemis, which is one of the seven ancient wonders of the world.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Meryemana (The Virgin Mary's House), Sultaniye Mahallesi, Selcuk 35100 Turkiye
Today’s guided sightseeing will be ended at the House of Virgin Mary, where the Virgin Mary spent her last 5 years. At last, escort you back to the hotel.
Duration: 1 hour
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Double Tree by Hilton Hotel (4 stars) or similar
Day 5: Drive to Pamukkale, Visit Hierapolis Ancient City
Stop At: Pamukkale, Pamukkale
Today, your guide will accompany you to the next destination, Pamukkale, literally “Cotton Castle”. It is about 2.5 hours’ drive away. There, hot springs gushes out from the 200-meter-high (655 feet) rock and flows down slowly. As the calcium contained in the springs settles year after year, many semi-circle ponds in milky white have been formed layer upon layer, which look from afar like white cottons scattering on the hillside, hence the name “Cotton Castle”. Prepare your swimsuit, because you will have the opportunity to swim in these hot springs pools upon arrival.
Duration: 3 hours
Stop At: Hierapolis & Pamukkale, Pamukkale 20280 Turkiye
In the afternoon, we will go on to visit Hierapolis Ancient City on the mountain top of Pamukkale, where you'll see a large number of cemeteries, beautifully carved Roman stone pillars, amphitheaters and city gates. At the end of the day, send you to the hotel in Pamukkale for overnight stay.
Duration: 3 hours
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Colossae Thermal Hotel (5 stars) or similar
Day 6: Drive to Konya for a Visit, then to Cappadocia
Stop At: Konya, Konya
Early this morning, we will leave for Konya. After arriving approximately 5 hours later, visit the Mausoleum of Mevlana. Mevlana is the most famous sage of Turkey, who was not only the founder of Whirling Dervishes but also the spiritual leader of Islam. Thus his mausoleum is a holy temple for all Muslim in Turley, too. Then continue to visit Sultanhani Caravanserai, a 13th-century caravan station survived and well protected on the ancient Silk Road.
Duration: 6 hours
Stop At: Cappadocia, Cappadocia
After lunch at a local Turkish restaurant, we'll continue driving to Cappadocia, taking about 2.5 hours on the way. After checking into the hotel and unpacking the luggage on arrival, the rest of the day will be given to you to explore the region featured by moon-like landscapes on your own.
Cappadocia is also one of the best places to ride hot air balloon on the earth. If you want to enjoy it, book a seat in advance as they are limited. We will also be glad to make a reservation for you. Just inform us in advance.
Duration: 3 hours
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Hera Cave or similar
Day 7: North Cappadocia tour
Stop At: Cappadocia, Cappadocia
After breakfast, we will set off to explore the north Cappadocia. your guide will firstly accompany you to Goreme Open Air Museum with more than 30 churches carved out in rocks, most of which are in Byzantine style with beautiful frescoes.
Then proceed to Avanos, a small town famous for pottery making. The potteries here are made of the clay from the Red River flowing by, very unique.
Lunch will be served at a local restaurant. After, go to the Devrent Valley famous for the lava rocks. There, you will see many peculiar rock formations, among which the most famous is the one shaped like a camel.
Next, go on to Pasabag Monks Valley, where many tall and natural stone pillars like chimneys in the fairy tales stand, hence it is also named Fairy Chimney Valley.
The last stop of today will be the Love Valley, where you can take in the stunning evening views of Cappadocia.
Duration: 8 hours
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Hera Cave or similar
Day 8: South Cappadocia Tour, Fly to Istanbul
Stop At: Cappadocia, Cappadocia
Today’s tour in south Cappadocia will begin with Uchisar Castle dug out on a 60-meter-high (200 feet) giant rock. It was used as a defensive fortress in ancient times. When invaders came, the dwellers can stay inside for months. Climb to its top, you can overlook the whole Cappadocia.
Then your guide will escort you to hike in the Red Valley noted for many churches carved in the rocks. After about 2 hours hike, arrive at Cavusin Village to visit two well-known churches, namely Great Basilica and Cavusin Church.
After lunch, we'll drive to visit Pigeon Valley rich in caves resembling pigeon nests and Kaymakli Underground City. With a depth of 40 meters (130 feet) and 8 levels, Kaymakli is the largest underground city in Cappadocia once dwelled by about 10,000 people. Going inside, you will find bedrooms, churches, meeting rooms, wells, washing rooms, wineries and more.
Duration: 6 hours
Stop At: Istanbul, Istanbul
At the end of the day, the guide will drop you off at the airport and help you board the flight back to Istanbul.
Duration: 2 hours
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Yasmak Sultan (4 stars) or similar
Day 9: Departure from Istanbul
Stop At: Istanbul, Istanbul
After breakfast, please check out the hotel before 12:00. Your driver will take you to the airport and see you off there.
Duration: 30 minutes
Meals included:
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No accommodation included on this day.