Arrival in Istanbul

Istanbul - Welcome to Turkey! Arrive at Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW). Our representative will greet you at the airport with a sign displaying your name and provide a private transfer to your hotel for an overnight stay in Istanbul.

Full Day Istanbul Tour (Breakfast)

Hippodrome - The tour begins at Hippodrome Square, historically used for chariot races and Byzantine riots during the Roman and Byzantine eras.

Hagia Sophia Mosque - A short walk leads to Hagia Sophia, constructed in 532 AD by Roman Emperor Justinian I.

Update for St. Sophia interior visit:
Live guiding is not permitted in St. Sophia after January 15, 2024. Guests should bring smartphones and headphones for their visit. Headphones can be purchased at the entrance for 3.5 USD if needed. The system is similar to an audio guide. Guests without smartphones can follow signs and information provided on them.

Blue Mosque - Visit the Blue Mosque, renowned for its stunning blue Iznik tiles.

Topkapi Palace - Continue to Topkapi Palace, which served as the residence of Ottoman sultans and the state’s administrative and educational center. Built between 1460 and 1478 by Sultan Mehmed II, the conqueror of Constantinople, the tour includes the weapons section.

Grand Bazaar - Explore the Grand Bazaar, one of the world’s largest and oldest covered markets, featuring over 58 covered streets and more than 1,200 shops, attracting 250,000 to 400,000 visitors daily. Opened in 1461, it is famous for its jewelry, pottery, spices, and carpets. Return to the hotel.

Istanbul Tour (Breakfast)

Misir Carsisi (Spice Market) - Your guide will meet you at your hotel lobby at 09:00. Begin with a visit to the Spice Bazaar (Egyptian Bazaar), where the air is filled with the enticing aromas of cinnamon, caraway, saffron, mint, thyme, and every conceivable herb and spice.

Bosphorus Strait - After the Spice Market, enjoy a boat trip on the Bosphorus: a traditional excursion along the waterway separating Europe and Asia. The shores are lined with old wooden villas, marble palaces, fortresses, and small fishing villages.

Basilica Cistern - In the afternoon, visit the Basilica Cistern, one of Istanbul’s magnificent historical buildings, located southwest of Hagia Sophia. Built by Byzantine Emperor Justinian I (527-565), it is known as Yerebatan Palace due to the marble columns rising from the water. It is also called Basilica Cistern because of the basilica that once stood there.

Istanbul - After the tour, return to your hotel for an overnight stay in Istanbul.

Istanbul - Fly to Izmir & Ephesus Tour (Breakfast, Dinner)

Istanbul - Our driver will pick you up from your hotel in the morning and transfer you to the airport for your flight to Izmir.

Izmir - Upon arrival, your guide will meet you at Izmir Airport. After greetings, continue to the Ephesus region, a drive of approximately 50 minutes.

Ancient City of Ephesus - Begin your tour with a visit to Ephesus, one of the 12 cities of Ionia, located near Izmir. As a port city at the mouth of the Cayster (modern Küçükmenderes) River, it was a major departure point for trade routes into Asia Minor. Known for its sacred shrines, including a famous temple to the goddess Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the city was also an important center of early Christianity.

Selcuk - After visiting Ephesus, enjoy lunch in the garden of a local handicrafts center. Here, you can observe traditional carpet weaving techniques and view splendid displays of beautiful carpets.

Meryemana (The Virgin Mary’s House) - After lunch, visit the House of Virgin Mary, located on the Aladag Mountains, 5 miles from Ephesus. At the third Ecumenical Council of 431 in Ephesus, it was claimed that Mary came to Ephesus with St. John in 37 A.D. and lived there until her death in 48 A.D. After the house’s discovery, the Archbishop of Izmir declared it a pilgrimage site in 1892. On July 26, 1967, Pope Paul VI visited and prayed here.

Kusadasi - At the end of the tour, continue to Kusadasi, approximately 25 minutes from the Virgin Mary’s House. Upon arrival, check into your hotel for an overnight stay.

Kusadasi – Pamukkale (Breakfast, Dinner)

Kusadasi - After breakfast, check out from your hotel and drive to Pamukkale, a journey of about 3 hours.

Hierapolis & Pamukkale - Visit the ancient city of Hierapolis, featuring the Theatre, Apollo Temple, and magnificent Necropolis, the graveyard. The travertine terraces at Pamukkale are one of the most spectacular natural wonders, formed from various mineral springs on a vast white cliffside. Resembling snow or cotton balls, this scenery is known as Pamukkale (cotton castle) in Turkish.

Pamukkale - At the end of the tour, check into your thermal hotel for an overnight stay. Enjoy swimming in the thermal pools until 22:30.

Pamukkale - Konya (Breakfast)

Pamukkale - After breakfast, check out from the hotel and drive to Konya, a journey of approximately 4.5 hours.

Mevlana Muzesi - First, visit the Mevlana Sufi temple. Mevlana is the founder of Sufism and the whirling Dervishes. Visit the Mausoleum of Mevlana, the world-famous mystic, and proceed to the Karatay Theological School, where beautiful tiles are on display.

Konya - After the tour, check into your hotel in Konya for an overnight stay.

Konya – Cappadocia Tour (Breakfast)

Konya - After breakfast, drive to the Cappadocia region, a journey of about 4 hours.

Sultanhani Kervansarayi - On the way to Cappadocia, visit Sultanhani Caravanserai, a roadside inn where travelers could rest and recover from the day’s journey. Caravanserais supported the flow of commerce, information, and people across a network of trade routes in Asia, North Africa, and Southeastern Europe on the legendary Silk Road and Spice Road.

Cappadocia - Continue to Cappadocia after the visit. Upon arrival, check into your hotel for an overnight stay.

Cappadocia Tour (Breakfast)

Cappadocia - After breakfast, begin your first tour day in Cappadocia.

Kaymakli Underground City - Tour the Kaymaklı Underground City, one of the most fascinating underground settlements in Cappadocia.

Soganli Valley - Visit Soğanlı Valley, an open-air museum in a wild natural setting near a typical Cappadocian village, featuring unique rock-cut churches and frescoes. The villages in the valleys, surrounded by “tabletop” mountains, are spectacular.

Keslik Monastery - Enjoy lunch and visit Sahinefendi, a newly discovered (May 1, 2002) mosaic houses and archaeological excavation site. Continue to Keslik Monastery near Cemil, where frescoes are hidden behind a thin smoke layer, visible only by torchlight.

Mustafapaşa - The tour concludes with a visit to Mustafapaşa (Sinasos), an old Greek town with spectacular old Greek houses, showcasing fine examples of late Greek settlements and architecture.

Cappadocia - At the end of the tour, return to your hotel for an overnight stay.

Cappadocia Tour (Breakfast)

Devrent Valley - After breakfast, explore the lunar landscape of Cappadocia: rock formations beyond belief in Devrent Valley, a journey into the past with its troglodyte houses. Visit Pasabag “fairy chimneys,” where the wind’s voice mixes with the “songs of fairies” near Zelve.

Avanos - Enjoy lunch in Avanos, a center of terra cotta art since 3000 BC, and watch a demonstration in a traditional pottery workshop.

Goreme Open-Air Museum - In the afternoon, visit the famous Goreme Open-Air Museum to see the best examples of Byzantine art in Cappadocia, featuring rock-cut churches with frescoes and paintings from the 10th to 13th centuries.

Uchisar Castle - Continue to Uchisar Rock-Castle for a panoramic view of Cappadocia’s valleys. Overnight in Cappadocia.

Cappadocia - Fly to Istanbul (Breakfast)

Cappadocia - After breakfast, check out from the hotel and receive a private transfer to Kayseri/Nevsehir Airport for your flight back to Istanbul.

Istanbul - Upon arrival in Istanbul, our representative will meet you at the airport with a sign displaying your name. You will be transferred to your hotel in Istanbul for an overnight stay.

Home (Breakfast)

Istanbul - After breakfast, check out from the hotel and receive a private transfer to Istanbul Airport for your flight home or to the Istanbul cruise port for your ship. This concludes our services.

• Professional licensed tour guide
• 10 nights accommodation in selected hotels
• Boutique Hotels in Istanbul: Yasmak Sultan or Dosso Dossi Old City or similar
• Cave Hotel in Cappadocia: Melekler evi cave hotel or Zeydem Suits or similar
• Hotels in Kusadasi: Efe Boutique or similar
• Hotels in Pamukkale: Colossae Thermal or Pam Thermal Hotel or similar
• Hotels in Konya: Anemon Hotel or Ramada Plaza By Wyndham or similar
• Transportation with brand new air-conditioned minivan/minibus
• Domestic flights: Istanbul to Izmir and Cappadocia to Istanbul (15 kg check-in & 8 kg cabin)
• 10 Breakfasts and 2 Dinners
• Entrance fees with pre-paid tickets to skip the lines

• International flight tickets
• Any drinks and the meals not mentioned in including section
• Personal expenses
• Gratuities

This private land tour showcases Turkey’s most popular highlights. Immerse yourself in world-renowned attractions on an 11-day fully guided journey.
Istanbul, a stunning and enigmatic city, straddles two continents: Europe and Asia.
Cappadocia, known for its mysterious landscapes, features incredible rock formations, underground cities, and valleys, making it the ideal spot for hot air ballooning.
Ephesus offers a walk through history with its marble streets, the Baths of Scholastica, the Library of Celsus, and more.
Pamukkale invites you to discover the travertine terraces and the ancient city of Hierapolis.
This tour is perfect for travelers with limited time or those who prefer not to plan, as all logistical details, including domestic flights, accommodation, and most meals, are organized and included.
Enjoy stays in selected centrally located boutique, cave, and 4-star hotels.
A private tour ensures personalized service with an informative, friendly, and professional guide.
Domestic flights are included.
Experience a private tour tailored for your family.

If you cancel at least 6 full day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a full refund.
If you cancel between 2 and 6 day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a 50% refund.
If you cancel within 2 day(s) of the scheduled departure, you will receive a 0% refund.