Arrival in Istanbul - Airport Transfer

Istanbul - Welcome to Istanbul! Our driver will greet you at the airport and ensure your smooth transfer to the hotel.

Jewels of Istanbul

Dolmabahce Palace - Meet your guide at the hotel and embark on a visit to Dolmabahce Palace, a stunning 19th-century palace renowned for its opulence. It served as the administrative hub of the late Ottoman Empire, housing the last Ottoman Sultans.

Camlica Hill - Following your visit to Dolmabahce Palace, cross the Bosphorus by car to reach Camlica Hill on Istanbul’s Asian side. From here, enjoy views of the Bosphorus, the two bridges connecting Istanbul’s sides, the Old City, and more.

Bosphorus Strait - Embark on a 1.5-hour boat tour of the Bosphorus Strait. During the journey, admire additional palaces, mansions, and renowned restaurants lining the Bosphorus.

Pierre Loti Tepesi - Experience a cable car ride to Pierre Loti Hill for a breathtaking view of the Golden Horn.

Misir Carsisi (Spice Market) - Visit the Spice Bazaar, one of Istanbul’s largest bazaars, located in the Eminönü quarter of the Fatih district. It is the city’s most famous covered shopping complex after the Grand Bazaar.

Explore the Old City & Fly to Izmir

Hagia Sophia Mosque - Hagia Sophia, a Late Antique place of worship in Istanbul, was designed by Greek geometers Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles. Built in 537 as the patriarchal cathedral of Constantinople, it was the largest Christian church of the Byzantine Empire and the Eastern Orthodox Church, except during the Latin Empire from 1204 to 1261, when it served as the city’s Latin Catholic cathedral. In 1453, following the Ottoman Empire’s conquest of Constantinople, it was converted into a mosque. In 1935, the secular Turkish Republic designated it as a museum, and in 2020, it reopened as a mosque.

Topkapi Palace - Topkapı Palace, located in the eastern Fatih district of Istanbul, is a vast museum. During the 15th and 16th centuries, it was the primary residence and administrative center for the Ottoman sultans.

Blue Mosque - The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, also known as the Blue Mosque, is a historic Ottoman-era imperial mosque in Istanbul, Turkey. It remains a functioning mosque and a popular tourist attraction. Constructed between 1609 and 1616 during Ahmed I’s reign, its complex includes Ahmed’s tomb, a madrasah, and a hospice.

Hippodrome - The Hippodrome of Constantinople, now a square in Istanbul, Turkey, was once a circus and the social and sporting center of Constantinople, the Byzantine Empire’s capital. The term hippodrome derives from the Greek words hippos (horse) and dromos (path or way), and it is sometimes referred to as Atmeydanı (“Horse Square”) in Turkish. Horse and chariot racing were popular in the ancient world, and hippodromes were common in Greek cities during the Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine periods.

Grand Bazaar - Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar is one of the world’s largest and oldest covered markets, featuring 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops across 30,700 m2. It attracts between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily. In 2014, it was ranked as the world’s most-visited tourist attraction, with 91,250,000 annual visitors. The Grand Bazaar is often considered one of the first shopping malls globally.

Kusadasi - After exploring Istanbul’s old city, you will be transferred to the airport for a flight to Kusadasi.

Discover Pamukkale (Cotton Castle)

Pamukkale - Pamukkale, meaning “cotton castle” in Turkish, is a natural site in Denizli Province, southwestern Turkey. It is renowned for the carbonate mineral deposits left by thermal spring water. Situated in Turkey’s Inner Aegean region, in the River Menderes valley, it enjoys a temperate climate for most of the year.

Hierapolis & Pamukkale - Hierapolis, an ancient Greek city located on hot springs in classical Phrygia, southwestern Anatolia, is adjacent to modern Pamukkale in Turkey. Its ruins now form an archaeological museum, featuring the Tomb of Philip the Apostle.

Explore Ephesus - Departure from Turkey

Ancient City of Ephesus - Immerse yourself in history as you visit Ephesus, the Temple of Artemis, and the House of the Virgin Mary. Experience the mystical ambiance of ancient times. Ephesus is one of the world’s most significant ancient cities and was the capital of Asia Minor.

The Temple of Artemis - The Temple of Artemis, also known as the Temple of Diana, was a Greek temple dedicated to an ancient, local form of the goddess Artemis (associated with Diana, a Roman goddess). Located in Ephesus, it was rebuilt twice, once after a devastating flood and three hundred years later following an act of arson. In its final form, it was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. By 401 AD, it had been ruined or destroyed, with only foundations and fragments of the last temple remaining at the site.

Meryemana (The Virgin Mary’s House) - The House of the Virgin Mary is a Catholic shrine situated on Mt. Koressos near Ephesus, 7 kilometers (4.3 mi) from Selçuk in Turkey.

Izmir - As the tour concludes, bid farewell and transfer to Izmir airport for your return flight to Istanbul.

• All sightseeing tours of the places mentioned in the program
• Tours with English- or Spanish-speaking guides licensed by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism
• Lunch
• All entrance & parking fees, ferry, tolls and petrol
• Breakfast
• Domestic flight tickets
• All local taxes
• All accommodation
• All transport with new & AC vehicles

• International airfare to TURKEY
• Drinks, visas, personal expenses, porters, tips
• Optional tours
• Meals not listed

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.