Istanbul Ephesus Pamukkale Cappadocia Journey

On arrival at Istanbul Airport, you will be met by your driver and transferred to your hotel. After check-in, you have the rest of the day at your leisure to begin exploring the city at your own pace. Overnight in Istanbul.

After breakfast, meet your guide to begin a full-day tour of Istanbul’s most iconic sites. Start with Hagia Sophia, once the largest building in the world and the religious heart of the Byzantine Empire. Next, visit Topkapi Palace, the former imperial residence and administrative centre of the Ottoman sultans for nearly 400 years. Continue to the Hippodrome, built in 203 AD by Roman Emperor Septimius Severus, which was the city’s social and sporting hub, capable of holding up to 100,000 spectators. Then explore the Blue Mosque, completed in 1616 under Sultan Ahmet I, renowned for its six minarets and impressive dome. Finish the day at the Grand Bazaar, one of the world’s largest covered markets with over 4,000 shops and 18 entrances. After the tour, we will return you to your hotel for an overnight stay in Istanbul.

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and leave your luggage at reception. Meet your guide for a half-day tour beginning with the Spice Bazaar, historically known as the Egyptian Bazaar due to its trade in herbs and spices from Egypt and Asia. Next, enjoy a scenic cruise along the Bosphorus, where you’ll take in views of the shoreline dotted with traditional wooden villas, marble palaces, fortresses, and fishing villages. Highlights include passing Dolmabahce Palace, Rustem Pasa Mosque, Rumeli Fortress, and the parks and pavilions of Yildiz Palace. After the cruise, return to your hotel to collect your luggage before transferring to the airport for your flight to Izmir. Upon arrival, your driver will meet you and transfer you to your hotel in Kusadasi for your overnight stay.

After breakfast, meet your guide for a full-day tour to Pamukkale, often called the Pools of Heaven on Earth. This site has long been valued for its hot springs, believed to have healing properties, making it one of the earliest known spa locations. The striking white terraces are formed by warm spring water rich in calcium bicarbonate, flowing at around 35°C. Pamukkale is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will also explore the ancient city of Hierapolis, notable for its extensive Necropolis—the largest in Anatolia with around 1,200 gravestones. A highlight is the Sacred Pool, where thermal waters gently ripple over submerged Roman ruins. After the tour, return to your hotel in Kusadasi for the evening.

After breakfast, meet your guide for a full-day tour of Ancient Ephesus. Begin with a visit to the House of the Virgin Mary, where a church now stands. Continue to the ancient city of Ephesus, one of the best-preserved classical cities in the Eastern Mediterranean. In the 1st century AD, Ephesus was the second-largest city in the world after Rome, home to over 250,000 people. Walking along its ancient streets, you will see remarkable monuments such as the third-largest library of the ancient world and the largest Roman theatre in Asia. Next, visit the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, which made Ephesus a significant pilgrimage site in antiquity. After the tour, transfer to Izmir Airport for your flight to Kayseri. Upon arrival, your driver will take you to your hotel in Cappadocia for your overnight stay.

After breakfast, meet your guide and set off on a full-day tour of Cappadocia’s remarkable Fairy Chimneys. Begin at the Göreme Open-Air Museum, home to numerous rock-cut churches from the late 9th century, adorned with vivid frescoes. Next, visit Devrent Valley, known for its unusual rock formations resembling various animals—a natural sculpture gallery. Continue to Paşabağ, also called Monks Valley, where the hermitage of Simeon monks once stood amid striking fairy chimneys. Afterwards, drive to Avanos for a traditional Turkish lunch followed by a hands-on pottery workshop with local artisans. Then, enjoy panoramic views of the fairy chimneys from Göreme Panorama. Finally, visit Uçhisar Castle, the highest natural rock fortress in the region, offering sweeping views before returning to your hotel for check-in. Overnight in Cappadocia.

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and meet your guide for a full-day tour. Begin with Rose Valley, known for its striking pink-hued ridges. Then travel to Cavusin, a village nestled by the Red Valley, where homes are carved into vast rock formations and notable for its rock churches. Next, visit Pigeon Valley, named for the numerous man-made dovecotes carved into the soft volcanic tuff—this is one of the best walking areas in Cappadocia. Continue to the Underground Cities, once a refuge for up to 15,000 early Christians. Explore the extensive eight-storey network of rooms, including bedrooms, a church, meeting halls and food storage, connected by 30 kilometres of tunnels. The tour concludes in Ortahisar, a charming town known for its welcoming locals, stone houses, narrow streets and the imposing rock castle that gives the town its name. After the tour, transfer to Kayseri Airport for your domestic flight to Istanbul. Upon arrival, your driver will take you to your hotel for overnight.

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and, depending on your flight schedule, transfer to Istanbul Airport for your departure.