Istanbul to Ephesus Cultural Odyssey

Welcome to Istanbul. On arrival, we’ll transfer you to your hotel.You’ll have free time to relax or explore at your own pace. Later this afternoon, please check the information boards at the hotel reception – they’ll display details about the start of your tour.
Please note: This tour may have travellers joining or departing at various points along the route, meaning group composition can change during the tour. Please also be aware that depending on group composition, guiding may be in additional languages as well as English.

This morning we set out on a city tour that includes entry to the Süleymaniye Mosque – the largest in Istanbul. We explore the ancient walls, the Golden Horn and the bustling fishing district, and pause to admire the exterior of Hagia Sophia. Our visit also includes tickets for Topkapi Palace – once the administrative heart of the Ottoman Empire – with time to see its courtyards and pavilions. The afternoon is free for you to continue exploring this city that spans two continents. As the day winds down, we arrange a transfer to Taksim – the city’s most vibrant commercial district – where you can choose a restaurant for dinner and see the charming historic tram, or head to the nearby Galata Tower.

We’ll embark on a two hour cruise along the Bosphorus – tickets included – on a private boat reserved for our group, gliding through the strait that links the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara and separates Istanbul’s European and Asian shores. We’ll take in the busy waterway, pass beneath the two bridges that join the continents, and view the Sultan’s palaces, traditional wooden houses and fine Ottoman architecture along the banks. After we return to central Istanbul, you’ll have free time to explore at your own pace.

We leave Istanbul early and travel south to reach Ephesus around lunchtime – one of the best‑preserved ancient cities of Asia Minor. We visit the Basilica of St John, the House of the Virgin Mary and the main archaeological site – entrance included. Afterwards, we continue to Kusadasi, a coastal town with a lively atmosphere, busy shopping and a small castle. Dinner is included and we stay overnight in Kusadasi.Note: From May–October, accommodation is in Izmir. In this case, after visiting Ephesus we head directly to Izmir on the Aegean coast for a brief panoramic tour, without stopping in Kusadasi. The following day, en route to Istanbul, we make an additional stop in Balikesir for lunch.

We leave Kusadasi for Izmir, Turkey’s third most populous city, where our guide leads a brief tour of this vibrant metropolis – known as the country’s most westernised and modern. We then head inland, pausing for lunch along the way, before arriving in Bursa, Turkey’s fourth largest city. Its centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with traditional commercial districts, mosques, religious schools and public baths – we also see the renowned Green Mosque. We continue to Istanbul, arriving by the end of the day.

After breakfast, we conclude the tour in Istanbul. Check-out follows, and you can depart at a time that suits your plans – we hope you leave with lasting memories.