Arrival to 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 - Our tour begins at Hippodrome Square, once the site of chariot races and Byzantine riots during the Roman and Byzantine periods.

Hagia Sophia Mosque - A short walk brings us to Hagia Sophia, built 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 must use their smartphones and headphones during 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 the signs and information provided on them.

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

Topkapi Palace - We continue to Topkapi Palace, which served as the residence of Ottoman sultans and the administrative and educational center of the state. Constructed between 1460 and 1478 by Sultan Mehmed II, the conqueror of Constantinople, we will visit the palace, including the weapons section.

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

Drive back to our hotel.

Istanbul Tour with Bosphorus Cruise (Breakfast)

Basilica Cistern - Our tour starts with a visit to the Basilica Cistern, one of Istanbul’s magnificent historical structures located southwest of Hagia Sophia. Built by Byzantine Emperor Justinian I (527-565), it is also known as Yerebatan Palace due to the marble columns rising from the water.

Misir Carsisi (Spice Market) - Spend time at the Spice Bazaar, also known as the Egyptian Bazaar, with its domed and vaulted shops selling spices and herbs.

Bosphorus Strait - Head to the pier for a Bosphorus cruise on a public ferry. The trip starts from the Golden Horn, sailing through the waterway that separates Asia and Europe. You’ll have the opportunity to photograph marble palaces and old wooden villas of Ottoman architecture alongside modern residences. We disembark in the Sariyer district, which blends old and modern elements. Visit Ortakoy, a popular spot among locals, known for its trendy boutiques, cafes, and bistros.

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

Istanbul - Fly to Cappadocia & Tour (Breakfast)

Istanbul - Early morning pickup from your hotel and transfer to Istanbul airport for your flight to Kayseri.

Cappadocia - Upon arrival at Kayseri/Nevsehir airport, you will be welcomed and transferred to the Cappadocia region.

Fairy Chimneys - Begin your Cappadocia experience by visiting the Three Sisters Fairy Chimneys in Urgup, famous from advertisements. These formations include pigeon houses carved into the rocks.

Kaymakli Underground City - Descend into the Kaymakli Underground City, one of the largest and deepest of the 200 underground cities in Cappadocia.

Cappadocia - After the tour, transfer to your hotel for an overnight stay in Cappadocia.

Cappadocia Tour (Breakfast)

Devrent Valley - Start the day with a visit to Devrent Valley, known for its surreal rock formations and troglodyte houses. Visit Pasabag, where the sound of the wind mixes with the “songs of fairies” near Zelve.

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

Goreme Open-Air Museum - In the afternoon, visit the Goreme Open-Air Museum to see the best examples of Byzantine art in Cappadocia, including 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. After the tour, transfer to your hotel for an overnight stay in Cappadocia.

Cappadocia - Fly to Izmir & Kusadasi Overnight (Breakfast)

Cappadocia - After breakfast, check out from your hotel and drive to Kayseri/Nevsehir airport for your flight to Izmir.

Izmir - Upon arrival at Izmir Airport, our representative will greet you with a sign displaying your name and transfer you to Sirince Village for an overnight stay.

Kusadasi - Upon arrival in Kusadasi, check into your Ocean View room for an overnight stay.

Kusadasi – Ephesus - Kusadasi (Breakfast)

Kusadasi - After breakfast, drive to the Ephesus region, approximately 20 minutes away.

Ancient City of Ephesus - Explore Ephesus, walking along marble streets lined with historic public buildings, including The State Agora, Odeon, Memnius Monument, Temple of Domitian, Polio Fountain, Curetes Street, Trajan Fountain, Baths of Scholastica, Hadrian Temple, Latrina, Celcus Library, Gate of Mihridates and Mazues, Commercial Agora, and The Grand Theater, which was built in the 3rd century BC and expanded by the Romans in the 1st century AD to hold 24,000 spectators.

Meryemana (The Virgin Mary’s House) - Visit the House of Virgin Mary, located on the Aladag Mountains, 5 miles from Ephesus. According to the third Ecumenical Council of 431 in Ephesus, Mary came to Ephesus with St. John in 37 AD and lived there until her death in 48 AD. The house was declared a place of pilgrimage in 1892 by the Archbishop of Izmir. Pope Paul VI visited and prayed here on July 26, 1967.

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

Kusadasi – Pamukkale (Breakfast – Dinner)

Kusadasi - After breakfast, check out from your hotel and drive to Pamukkale, approximately 3 hours away.

Hierapolis & Pamukkale - Visit the ancient city of Hierapolis, including the Theatre, Apollo Temple, and Necropolis. The travertine terraces at Pamukkale, formed from mineral springs, resemble snow or cotton balls, giving the area its name “Pamukkale” (cotton castle).

Pamukkale - After the tour, check into your thermal hotel in Pamukkale. You can use the thermal pool until 22:00.

Pamukkale - Bodrum (Breakfast)

Pamukkale - After breakfast, check out from your hotel and drive to Bodrum, approximately 3.5 hours away.

Bodrum City - Upon arrival in Bodrum in the afternoon, check into your hotel for an overnight stay.

Bodrum Castle - Visit St. Peter’s Castle, which includes an underwater archaeology museum. Built by the Knights of St. John in 1402, the castle is one of the last and finest examples of Crusader architecture in the east.

Mausoleum of Halicarnassus - Visit the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, once one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Next, explore the ancient theater of Halicarnassus, dating back to the 4th century BC with a capacity of 5,000.

Bodrum Tour (Breakfast)

Bodrum City - Enjoy a free day in Bodrum.

Bodrum – Istanbul by flight (Breakfast)

Bodrum City - After breakfast, you will be picked up from your hotel and transferred to Bodrum Airport for your flight back to Istanbul.

Istanbul - Upon arrival in Istanbul, our representative will greet you with a sign displaying your name and transfer you to your hotel for an overnight stay.

Home (Breakfast)

Istanbul - Our driver will pick you up from your hotel at your departure flight time and transfer you to the airport for your flight back home. End of our services.

• Cave Hotel in Cappadocia: Yunak Evleri or Gamirasu Cave Hotel or similar
• Professional licensed tour guide
• Hotels in Kusadasi: La Vista Boutique Hotel or Charisma Deluxe Hotel or similar
• Transportation with brand new air-conditioned minivan/minibus
• Hotels in Pamukkale: Colossae Thermal or Pam Thermal Hotel or similar
• Entrance fees (pre-paid tickets to skip the line)
• 11 nights accommodation in given hotels
• Domestic flights (Istanbul - Cappadocia - Izmir, Bodrum - Istanbul) 15 kilos check-in & 8 kilos cabin
• Hotels in Bodrum: The Marmara Bodrum or similar
• Boutique Hotels in Istanbul: Yasmak Sultan or Dosso Dossi Old City or similar
• 11 Breakfasts

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