TURKEY EXCLUSIVE TOUR – 11 DAYS (ISTANBUL-PAMUKKALE-EPHESUS-CAPPADOCIA-KONYA-APHRODISIAS-TROY)

Turkey Exclusive Tour Package includes the most popular destinations in Western and Central Turkey — Istanbul, Troy, Ephesus, Pamukkale, Aphrodisias, Konya and Pamukkale. Transportation on the tour will be provided by bus as the sights are close to each other.

1st Day – Arrival to Istanbul
You will be met at the airport by our meet&greet staff and transfer to your hotel with a private van. Stay in Istanbul.

2nd Day – Istanbul Old City Tour
You will be picked up from your hotel by your guide at around 09:00 to visit the Byzantine and Ottoman Relics found in Sultanahmet area. The tour is on foot as the places of visit are walking distance to each other. You will visit Hagia Sophia Museum, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Harem of the Palace and Basilica Cistern. The lunch will be served at a local restaurant. The tour ends with Grand Bazaar tour, the most popular historical shopping center of Istanbul. Stay in Istanbul. (breakfast at hotel, lunch on the tour)

3rd Day – Dolmabahce Palace & Bosphorus & Pera Tour

Departure from your hotel at around 09:00 and start the day by visiting Dolmabahce Palace, the last residence of Ottoman Sultans located on the shores of Bosphorus.  It was home to six sultans from 1856, when it was first inhabited, until 1922. The construction of the palace cost five million Ottoman Mecidiye gold coins, the equivalent of 35 tons of gold. The design contains eclectic elements from Baroque, Rococo and Neoclassical styles. The Museum-Palace has golden gilded ceilings, crystal staircases and the largest Bohemian and Baccarat Crystal Chandelier collection in the world. After visiting this magnificent palace, you will get on a public boat for your Bosphorus tour of about 2 hours. Bosphorus is a 33 km long strait and is a natural border between Asia and Europe. The boat will go up to the narrowest part where Rumeli and Anatolian Fortresses are. During the cruise, you will see the most impressive sights along the shores of the Bosphorus including Ciragan Palace, Maiden´s Tower, Bosphorus bridges, Rumeli and Anadolu fortresses and million dollars seaside mansions. The lunch is served at a nice local restaurant. In the afternoon, you will visit Istiklal Street and Pera District packed with music shops, bookstores, movie theaters, cafes, restaurants and bars. You will also visit Galata Tower offering a gorgeous view of Old City and Pera districts. At the end of the tour, you will be dropped of at your hotel. Accommodation in Istanbul. (breakfast at hotel, lunch on the tour)

Please note that Dolmabahce Palace is closed on Mondays and Thursdays.

4th Day – Golden Horn Tour
Departure from your hotel at around 08:30 and drive to Suleymaniye Mosque, the imperial mosque of Ottoman Empire constructed by Architect Sinan. The next visit is to Chora Church Museum, a small but impressive building dating to 11th century and unique with Christian frescoes and mosaics inside. The best spot looking over the Golden Horn is Pierre Loti Hill where there is a tea house today for breaks. The tour will go on with a short boat tour in Golden Horn to see the site from the sea. After the lunch, the tour ends with shopping at Egyptian Market (Spice Bazaar), the most popular place in the city for spices, Turkish delights and coffee. You will be transferred to the bus station for the bus to Canakkale departing at 16:00. Upon your arrival to Canakkale at around 21:30, you will be greeted and transferred to your hotel. Stay in Canakkale. (breakfast at hotel, lunch on the tour)

5th Day – Troy Tour
You will be picked up from your hotel at around 08:30 and start driving for Troy Ancient City for 25-30 mins. You will be greeted by the model of Trojan Horse, stands as a symbol of the famous wooden horse used at the time. Then you will see the Sacrificial Altars, 3700-year-old city walls, Houses of Troy I (3000 BC-2500 BC), The Bouleuterion (Senate Building), The Odeon (Concert Hall), current excavations in progress and the remains of various cities from Troy I to Troy IX. After your visit, you will continue driving for Bergama Town, where you will have lunch. After lunch break, you will visit the Ancient City of Pergamum, one of the most famous cities of the ancient times and the 400-year capital city of Pergamum Kingdom. You will see The Acropolis, The Library (once held 200.000 books and scripts), Temple of Athena, Temple of Trajan, The Gymnasium, Lower Agora, The Hellenistic Theater (had a capacity of 10.000 people) and Temple of Dionysus. After your visits, you will drive to Ephesus area. Drop off at your hotel in Selcuk and Kusadasi, (breakfast at hotel, lunch on the tour)

6th Day – Ephesus Tour
You will be picked up from your hotel at around 09:00 by your private guide and drive to Ephesus, the most splendid ancient city in Turkey and requires about 2 hours to visit. The next visit is to Virgin Mary’s House where it is believed she spent the last years of her life and buried. After the lunch, you will visit the remaining important places to see in the area: Ephesus Museum where the objects discovered in Ephesus are exhibited, Diana Temple which was one of the 7 wonders of ancient world, St. John Castle and the remains of Church situated at the top of Ayasoluk Hill and Isa Bey Mosque being the most important structure belonging to Turkish heritage. Stay in Kusadasi. (breakfast at hotel, lunch on the tour )

7th Day – Aphrodisias Ancient City, Hierapolis and Pamukkale Tour
Departure from the hotel at around 08:30 and drive to Aphrodisias ancient city, the famous sculpture school and center of ancient Asia Minor. Aphrodisias Museum keeps some of the best examples of Greek and Roman sculpture works. We arrive to Pamukkale about lunch time famous with white colored rocks formed by thermal waters containing calcium bicarbonate. The ancient city Hierapolis at site was a famous healing center and the hotels at site are still booked for their thermal water pools in present day. The Roman Pool (Cleopatra Pool) at site is still in use. You may use the ancient pool by paying the entrance fee at site on your own. (It is about 10 Euro per person. Please have your towels and slippers with you)  You will be guested in one of the thermal & spa hotels at night to enjoy the hot water pools. Stay in Pamukkale. (breakfast at hotel, lunch on the tour)

8th Day – Konya and Rumi Museum Tour
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the bus station to take a morning bus to Konya. Upon your arrival at Konya after a 6 hrs’ bus ride, you will be greeted and meet your guide for the tour of Konya city, which was the capital city of Seljuk Empire founded by Turks and has been the residence of Rumi Dervishes. Mevlana Rumi spent his life in Konya where he wrote his famous books about Sufi and his ideas spread over the world after his death from here. Following transfer from the bus station to Konya city center, you will make a guided tour in Konya to visit Mevlana Museum and his tomb, Karatay Madrasah, Aladdin Hill, the old bazaar and the other remnants belonging to Seljuk architecture. Stay in Konya. (breakfast at hotel, lunch on the tour)

9th Day – Bus to Cappadocia
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the bus station for a day bus to Cappadocia. Upon your arrival at Cappadocia after a 4 hrs’ bus ride, you will be met at the bus station and transferred to your hotel. Free time at leisure. Stay in Cappadocia. (breakfast at hotel)

10th Day – Northern Cappadocia Tour
The tour starts at around 09:00 from your hotel in the morning, you will drive to Devrent Valley where the geographical formations remind a place of another planet. Then in Pasabagi, you’ll take a stroll among the amazing fairy chimneys of Cappadocia. From there driving to Avanos to have lunch. Cappadocia is also famous with traditional pottery production where you will also attend a workshop. The next visit is to Goreme Open Air Museum keeping the best preserved Byzantine cave churches in the area. Then return to the hotel about 17.30. Stay in Cappadocia. (breakfast at hotel, lunch on the tour)

11th Day – Southern Cappadocia Tour
Depart from your hotel at around 09:00 and the day starts with a 4km hike through the Rose Valley visiting the churches. The next visit is to Christian & Greek village of Cavusin. We will have the lunch in Pigeons Valley unique with small niches curved in the rocks. Cappadocia has several underground cities used by the residents to escape from their enemies and Kaymakli Underground City is among the famous ones being on our visiting list. You will also visit the Ortahisar Natural Rock Castle offering a beautiful view over the valley. After the tour, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Istanbul in the evening. Upon your arrival, you will be met and transfer to your hotel. Stay in Istanbul. (breakfast at hotel, lunch on the tour)

The tour ends with the last night accommodation in Istanbul. Further arrangements can be provided upon request.

The tour cost is as follows :

All prices are per person including taxes.

You will be requested a down payment to confirm the tour. There is 5% discount over the balance payment if you pay it in cash.

The hotel information on the tour as follows :

All hotels are subject to availability at the time of definite confirmation and may changed with a similiar one with advance notive.