8 Days Istanbul, Cappadocia, Pamukkale, and Ephesus Tour

Meal: No Meal

When you arrive in Istanbul, our team will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel. After a long journey, you can relax and enjoy the rest of the day at your own pace. We recommend taking it easy and resting for the adventures ahead.

Stay overnight in Istanbul.

Meal: Breakfast

08:30 ─ After breakfast, you will be picked up from your hotel to begin the Half Day Morning Istanbul City Tour.

1. Blue Mosque: Visit the iconic Sultan Ahmed Mosque, famous for its striking blue İznik tiles and impressive domes.
2. Hagia Sophia: Explore this former basilica and mosque, now a museum, showcasing stunning Byzantine mosaics and grand architecture.
3. Hippodrome: Walk through the historic square that once hosted chariot races and political events during the Byzantine Empire.
4. Grand Bazaar (Free Time): End the tour at the vibrant Grand Bazaar, where you’ll have free time to explore the shops and lively corridors of one of the oldest covered markets in the world.

13:00 ─ The tour ends at Grand Bazaar. Return to your hotel is on your own.

Stay overnight in Istanbul.

Meal: Breakfast and Lunch

14:00 ─ You will be picked up from your hotel and transferred to the pier to join the Bosphorus Lunch Cruise.

1. Bosphorus Cruise: Enjoy a relaxing cruise along the Bosphorus, the natural strait that separates Europe and Asia. Take in views of historic palaces, grand mansions, mosques, and bridges lining both sides of Istanbul.
2. Lunch on Board: Savor a delicious lunch served on the boat as you glide past iconic landmarks, including the Dolmabahçe Palace, Ortaköy Mosque, Rumeli Fortress, and Bosphorus Bridge.
3. Panoramic Experience: Capture breathtaking views and unique photo opportunities while enjoying the refreshing breeze of the Bosphorus.

17:00 ─ The cruise ends and you will be transferred back to your hotel.

Stay overnight in Istanbul.

Meal: Lunch

05:00 ─ You will be picked up from your hotel in Istanbul.
Transfer to the airport.
06:40 ─ Flight to Cappadocia. (Flight time may vary depending on seasonal availability.)
08:00 ─ Arrival at Kayseri or Nevşehir Airport.
You will be transferred to the first stop of the tour.

1. Devrent Valley: Start your day in the surreal Devrent Valley, known for its animal-shaped fairy chimneys formed by nature.
2. Pasabag Valley: Discover Pasabag, or Monks Valley, home to striking mushroom-shaped rock formations and spiritual legends.
3. Goreme Panoramic View: Take in a sweeping view of the Göreme region with its cave dwellings and unique rock landscape.
4. Avanos Pottery Workshop: Visit Avanos, a town famed for its pottery tradition dating back to the Hittites, and watch a live demonstration.
5. Zelve Open Air Museum: Explore this fascinating site filled with abandoned cave homes and churches carved into volcanic rock.
6. Uchisar Castle (Panoramic): End the tour with a panoramic view of Cappadocia’s highest point, Uchisar Castle, offering unforgettable photo opportunities.

16:00 ─ The tour ends.
You will be transferred to your hotel.

Stay overnight in Cappadocia.

Meal: Breakfast and Lunch

09:30 ─ After breakfast and hotel checkout, you will be picked up and transferred to the meeting point for the start of the South Cappadocia (Yellow) Tour. Your guide will give a brief introduction about the itinerary.

1. Rose Valley: Explore one of Cappadocia’s most colorful and scenic valleys, known for its pink-hued rock formations and hidden cave churches.
2. Özkonak Underground City: Discover a fascinating multi-level underground city used for centuries as a shelter during invasions.
3. Pigeon Valley: Enjoy the stunning view of this peaceful valley, dotted with ancient pigeon houses carved into the cliffs.
4. Güllüdere Valley: Hike through this quiet and beautiful valley filled with unique fairy chimneys, tunnels, and old chapels.
5. Çavuşin Village: Visit this abandoned Greek village, famous for its cave dwellings and panoramic location below a cliff.

16:00 ─ The Cappadocia tour ends.
You will be transferred to Nevşehir or Kayseri Airport.

Generally there is no direct flight to Izmir from Cappadocia.
If there is a direct flight on your travel date, we will book it for you.
If there is no direct flight, you will fly to Izmir via Istanbul and arrive at Izmir Airport around midnight.

Upon your arrival at Izmir Airport, you will be welcomed with a name sign and transferred to your hotel in Kuşadası.

Stay overnight in Kuşadası.

Meal: Breakfast and Lunch

08:00 ─ You will be picked up from your hotel in Kuşadası and transferred to the meeting point in Selçuk where the full group will gather.
08:30 ─ The journey to Pamukkale begins, with a short break en route for personal needs.
11:45 ─ Arrival in Pamukkale and lunch at a local restaurant.

13:00 ─ The guided tour of Pamukkale and Hierapolis starts.

1. White Travertine Terraces: Admire the surreal, snowy-white calcium deposits formed by centuries of mineral-rich thermal spring waters cascading down the mountainside.
2. Hierapolis Ancient City: Explore the ruins of this Greco-Roman spa town, including its colonnaded streets, Byzantine gates, and bathhouses once frequented by ancient visitors seeking healing.
3. Theatre of Hierapolis: Visit the remarkably well-preserved Roman theater with a capacity of over 10,000 people, offering panoramic views over the valley.
4. Temple of Apollo: See the remains of this sacred temple dedicated to the god Apollo, located near the city’s Plutonium — an ancient cave believed to be an entrance to the underworld.
5. Necropolis of Hierapolis: Walk through one of the largest ancient cemeteries in Anatolia, showcasing a range of burial practices and sarcophagi from Roman and early Christian times.

After the guided section, your tour guide will give you 1 hour of free time to explore the travertines on your own. You may also choose to swim in the Antique Cleopatra Pool at your own expense — a thermal pool filled with submerged Roman columns said to have therapeutic properties.

16:00 ─ The Pamukkale tour ends.
Transfer back to your hotel in Kuşadası.
Arrival in Kuşadası in the evening.

Stay overnight in Kuşadası.

Meal: Breakfast and Lunch

08:30 ─ After breakfast and hotel checkout, you will be picked up and met by your professional tour guide to begin your full-day tour of Ephesus Ancient City. The guide will brief you on the day’s program.

1. 1. Temple of Artemis: Begin your day with a visit to one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Once the largest temple on earth, only a few columns remain today, yet its historical significance is immense.
   2. Ephesus Ancient City: Walk the marble-paved streets of this remarkably preserved classical city, considered the best example of Roman architecture in the eastern Mediterranean.
   3. Celsus Library: Marvel at the magnificent façade of the ancient library, once housing over 12,000 scrolls and standing as one of the most iconic ruins in Turkey.
   4. Great Theatre: Visit the massive theater that could hold up to 25,000 spectators and still hosts performances today.
   5. Hadrian Temple: Admire this elegant Roman temple dedicated to Emperor Hadrian, known for its detailed friezes and arches.
   6. Marble Street & Curetes Street: Stroll through streets lined with ancient shops, fountains, and bathhouses, witnessing the vibrant city life of ancient Ephesus.

After the extensive Ephesus tour, you will enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.

1. House of the Virgin Mary: Visit the peaceful sanctuary believed to be the last residence of Mary, mother of Jesus, nestled atop Mount Koressos in a tranquil forest setting.

17:00 ─ The Ephesus tour ends.
Transfer to Izmir Airport.
19:30 ─ Flight to Istanbul. Flight times may vary depending on season and availability.
20:30 ─ Arrival at Istanbul Airport.
You will be transferred to your hotel.

Stay overnight in Istanbul.

Meal: Breakfast

According to your flight time, you will be transferred to the airport in Istanbul for your departure. Your 8 Days Turkey Tour ends here.

Thank you for choosing the best tour company in Turkey! We hope to welcome you again on another unforgettable journey.