Tour Highlights : Istanbul, Cappadocia, Antalya, Hierapolis, Pamukkale, Aphrodisias, Ephesus

Day 1 - Arrival in Istanbul

Welcome to Turkey, arrival into Istanbul. Our driver will pick you up from airport and transfer you to hotel on your arrival. During your your stay ; You will visit the following sights with an experienced and licensed professional tour guide. You will be picked up from hotel and drop of back to hotel for the tours listed below. Remainder of your day at leisure.
Overnight Istanbul.

Day 2 – Istanbul (B - L)
Byzantine & Otoman Relics Tour

Visit to Topkapi Palace, which was used by the Ottoman Sultans from the 15th to 19th centuries. We will also see the impressive collection of priceless jewels, crystal, silver and porcelain, robes worn by the sultans and relics of the prophet Mohammed.(Entrance to the Harem is extra). After lunch break we will see the Blue Mosque, built for Sultan Ahmet I, which is a unique piece of architecture with its six minarets and features 20,000 beautiful Iznik tiles. Visit the ancient Hippodrome with Obelisk of Theodosius, Snake Pillar and German Fountain of Wilhelm II. Walk through the back streets of Old Istanbul and visit the Yerebatan underground Cistern. At the end of the tour, at request, free time to see the Grand Covered Bazaar (except Sundays). *May be done as a walking tour if your hotel is centrally located.
Overnight Istanbul.

Day 3 – Istanbul (B - L) :
Bosphorus Cruise with St. (Haghia) Sophia & Beylerbeyi

Visit the exotic Egyptian Spice Market on the Golden Horn. Board your cruise of the Bosphorus, the waterway, which separates the continents of Europe and Asia. Pass Rumeli fortress, built by Mehmet the Conqueror in 1452 to prepare for his conquest of Istanbul. Cross over the Bosphorus Bridge to Asia and visit Beylerbeyi Palace, which was the summer residence of the Ottoman Sultans, then on to Camlica Hill for a magnificent view of Istanbul. Time for lunch in a seaside fish restaurant. Cruise is done by public boat unless other arrangements are made. Visit The St. (Haghia) Sophia, which was built by the Emperor Justinian. It was the largest building in the world for over 1000 years. See its intricate mosaics and huge central dome. Order of visits may be reversed.. Return to Hotel around 17:00pm (Option to fly to Cappadocia in the evening, please request!)

Day 4- Istanbul- Cappadocia (B - L) :
North Cappadocia Tour Goreme and Fairy Chimneys

Take the early morning flight from Ataturk Airport in Istanbul to Cappadocia. Arrival at the airport and meeting just outside the arrival’s gate with a sign bearing your name with your driver. Transfer to Cappadocia.
Exploring the spectacular natural valleys and rock formations of northern Cappadocia, together with some of its most important historic sites, the North Cappadocia Red tour covers the highlights of this famous region. Accompanied by an expert, local guide, you will have time to wander through its magnificent landscapes and witness ancient frescoes that combine to make Cappadocia a UNESCO World Heritage listed destination. Combined with the South Cappadocia tour, this day trip is ideal for those wanting to experience the best Cappadocia has to offer.
Overnight Cappadocia

Day 5 - Cappadocia (B - L) :
South Cappadocia Tour Underground City & Traditional Villages

From ancient underground cities to spectacular viewpoints, the South Cappadocia & Green tour takes in the highlights of Cappadocia’s southern landscapes. Embark on scenic walks through unusual, towering rock formations and take in the sweeping views from the comfort of your vehicle, all accompanied by an expert, local guide. Combined with the North Cappadocia Red tour, this day trip allows you to see the region’s most impressive sights which have made Cappadocia known throughout the world.
Overnight Cappadocia

Day 6 - Cappadocia –Antalya (B - L) :
Mysterious underground city & Ihlara Canyon trek

Today you will visit another Underground City called Derinkuyu. This is largest underground City in the region with over 7 floors of houses, cellars, schools and halls. It will blow your mind at how they managed to do this for their time. You will then get your chance to get back all that fresh air with a trek through the Ihlara Valley. There are some beautiful look out stops today for you to make sure you’ve got your everlasting memories of Cappaodcia, when you make stops at Pigeon Valley and also Goreme Esentepe. The one other highlight of your day today is a stop at the Selime Monastery, which has always been rumoured to have appeared in Star Wars films. Looking at the landscape it is easy enough to imagine.

At the end of the day, transfer to airport for a direct flight to Antalya ( or via Istanbul ).
Arrival and meeting at the airport with your name sign. Transfer to your hotel in Antalya, Overnight Antalya.

Day 7 – Antalya (B - L) :
Perge-Side-Aspendos-Kursunlu Waterfalls Tour

Meeting at the hotel reception at 08:30am
PERGE: Which is the second biggest ancient city in Anatolia. The ruins of the city, although not on the scale of Ephesus, Pergamon, are neverless vast. Most of today's Perge however, belongs to the Pax Romana - the theatre, stadium, baths and colonaded street. The stadiun is one of the best preserved of the ancient world.
SlDE: Is anyone of the best classical sites in Turkey. This was an ancient harbour whose name meant "Pomegranate" and today, it is a pretty resort town. It is very popular because of it's ancient ruins, two sandy beaches, many shops, and plantiful tourist accomodation. Many constructions such as Roman theatre, Agora, Apollon Temple, Bath now used as archeological museum atracts the attention of the visitors.
ASPENDOS: Some 45 km. east of Antalya and 6 km. of the main road lines Aspendos, graced with a theatre that rivals any single adifice on the Turkish coast Built on the second centry and seating 15.000 the sturucture is nearly entire except for part of the upper cornice. it is architect was Xenon a local lad, vvhose secret formula for creating such perfect acoustics has not yet been discovered.
KURSUNLU WATERFALLS: The Kursunlu Waterfalls 18 km. along the Antalya-Alanya highway, which is a fascinnating national park of Antalya.
Overnight Antalya

Day 8 – Antalya – Ephesus (B - L - D)
Full Day Ephesus Tour

Pick-up from hotel 2 hours before flight departure.
Take the morning flight from Antalya to Izmir (direct). Arrival and meeting at the airport and Visit to the ancient city of Ephesus. First visit the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Ephesus was undoubtedly one of the most important cultural centers of the ancient world. Impressive structures we will see include the Library of Celsus, Temple of Hadrian, Theatre and Odeon. We also visit the House of the Virgin Mary and church of St. John.
Overnight Kusadasi near Ephesus.

Day 9 – Pamukkale (B - L - D)
Full Day Pamukkale - Hierapolis- Laodicea Tour

Meeting at the hotel reception at 08:30am
Drive to Pamukkale, on the way, visit to Laodicea (present name Denizli) yet one of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor. Excavations still going on and an ancient city as beautiful as Ephesus will be uncovered soon. We see the ancient theatres, the remains of basilica which was recently uncovered, ancient stone water pipes, Temple A, agora, monumental fountain. After Laodicea, Discovery of Travertine terraces and Hierapolis. The travertine terraces at Pamukkale are one of the most spectacular natural wonders that you can see from various mineral springs in a vast white cliff side. About 200 m overlooking the plain, calcite-laden waters have dripped down over a series of terraced levels and created a fairyland of bizarre solidified cascades and shell-shaped basins. It looks like creations from snow or like balls from cotton, which gave the scenery the Turkish name Pamukkale (cotton castle): “pamuk” for cotton and “kale” for castle. Moreover the water in the basins is changing its color according to how the light enters.
Overnight Pamukkale.

Day 10 – Pamukkale – Istanbul (B) :
Free Day

Day 11 - Istanbul (B)
Pick-up from hotel 3 hours before flight departure

After breakfast check out from the hotel. We hope your tour was a memorable one and we look forward to seeing you in the future on another Istanbul Travel Group tour. Have a safe trip back home and thank you for choosing Istanbul Travel Group.

We can custom design your itinerary to create a touring program that most ideally suits your personal, educational, cultural, and budgetary requirements. Please contact us for details and we will design your dream tour…