TURKEY’S GOLDEN CIRCLE TOUR – 10 DAYS (FLIGHT OPTION–ISTANBUL-GALLIPOLI-TROY-EPHESUS-PAMUKKALE-CAPPADOCIA)

This tour visits the most popular places of Turkey located on West and Central Turkey. You start exploring Turkey with Istanbul and drive to South by visiting Gallipoli, Troy, Pergamum and Ephesus on West coast. The tour continue to inland of Asia Minor b

This tour visits the most popular places of Turkey located on West and Central Turkey. You start exploring Turkey with Istanbul and drive to South by visiting Gallipoli, Troy, Pergamum and Ephesus on West coast. The tour continue to inland of Asia Minor by visiting Pamukkale and Cappadocia at the end. This is a combined tour with land transport provided by local buses and flights on daily short drives. The tour has a guarantee departure.

Day 1: Arrival to Istanbul: One of our colleagues will be waiting for you at the arrival hall bearing a sign of Efendi Travel. He/she will accompany you to our vehicle and you will be transferred directly to your hotel. Accommodation in Istanbul.

Day 2: Istanbul City Tour: You will be picked up from your hotel at around 08:30. You will visit: Hagia Sophia , Blue Mosque, Roman Hippodrome Grand Bazaar After lunch you will see: Topkapi Palace , Hagia Irene   and the tour ends about 16:30 and back to hotel Accommodation in Istanbul. (breakfast at hotel, lunch on the tour)

Please note that Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays and Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays. Blue Mosque will not be visited on Fridays.

Day 3: Dolmabahce Palace Tour & Bosphorus Cruise: (check out from hotel in the morning) You will be picked up from your hotel at around 08:00-08:30 for Dolmabahce Palace & Bezmi Alem Mosque Tour. We firstly visit Dolmabahce Palace, recent residence for Ottoman Sultans. Famous with great collection of European antiquity, furniture and 4.5 tons chandelier, the palace has 285 rooms of 46 halls. After palace the next stop is Bezmi Alem Mosque. Then you will drive to the restaurant for lunch break. After lunch, you will first drive by Golden Horn shores viewing the City Walls, dating back to the Byzantine Era. Then  you will get on the vehicle and drive to Eminonu, where you will get on the boat for a 2-hour Bosphorus Cruise. You will see the most impressive sights along the shores of the Bosphorus including Dolmabahce Palace, Ciragan Palace, Maiden´s Tower, Bosphorus bridges, Rumeli and Anadolu fortresses and Ottoman Residences. After the cruise, you will be dropped off back at your hotel at around 17:00.

Day 4: Departure from Istanbul and Gallipoli Trip: (check out from hotel in the morning) You will be picked up from your hotel at around 06:30-07:00, then drive to Eceabat which takes around 5 hours for full day Gallipoli Tour. You will visit: Kabatepe War Museum, Beach Cemetery (John Simpson´s Grave), ANZAC Cove, Ari Burnu (First ANZAC landing place), Lone Pine Cemetery (Australian memorial), Johnston´s Jolly (Walk in the ANZAC trenches), View Shrapnel Valley, Turkish Memorial, The Nek and Walker´s Ridge, Chunuk Bair (Main New Zealand memorial). After the tour, you will be transferred to your hotel in Canakkale. Accommodation in Canakkale. (lunch on the tour)

Day 5: Troy and Pergamum Tour: (check out from hotel in the morning) You will be picked up from your hotel at around 08:30 for the tour of Ancient Troy. It is one of the most important ancient cities in the world and very popular by the book of Homer´s Iliad. A great mythological and historical background attracted many scientist, archeologists, adventurers and treasure hunters. You will be served a lunch pack and then drive to Pergamum, once the ancient world´s major power and center of learning and the arts. Visit the ancient Library, once held 200.000 books, Temple of Athena, Temple of Trojan, Altar of Zeus and the Gymnasium situated on terraces and the lower Agora. After the tour, you will be dropped off at your hotel in Kusadasi. Accommodation in Kusadasi.(breakfast at hotel and lunch on the tour).

Day 6: Ephesus and Virgin Mary’s House Tour: You will be picked up from your hotel at around 09:00 for full day Ephesus Ancient City and Virgin Mary’s House Tour. You will visit Ephesus which is known to be the Commercial, the Religious and the Social Center of Antiquity, and one of the Highlights of any Visit in Turkey. After the lunch, you will drive to Temple of Artemis (Diana), the site of one of the seven wonders of the ancient world; House of Virgin Mary, probably where She spent recent years of Her life; Isa Bey Mosque, this impressive mosque from XIV. Century A.D. is unlike any other you will see in this country. After the tour, you will be transferred back to your hotel. Accommodation in Kusadasi. (breakfast at hotel, lunch on the tour).

Day 7: Pamukkale Travertines and Hierapolis Ancient City: You will be picked up from your hotel at around 08:15 for the tour of Pamukkale, which is the center of natural thermal spring waters with healing properties. Due to the chemical properties in the water, pure white colored travertine and stepped water terraces have been created on the mountain slope. It is for its resemblance to cotton piles that it is called ´Cotton Castle´ in Turkish. Visit the travertine and the ancient city of Hierapolis which has the biggest Necropolis with 1200 gravestones in Anatolia. The sacred pool also is one of the highlights of the site. There shallow thermal waters ripple over a wonderful scattering of ancient roman ruins that lie beneath. After the tour, you will be transferred back to your hotel. Accommodation in Kusadasi (breakfast at hotel, lunch on the tour)

Day 8: Free day & Flight to Cappadocia : (check out from hotel until noon) You will be picked up from your hotel and transfer to airport to take a day flight to Kayseri. Upon your arrival, you will be met at the airport and transfer to your hotel in Cappadocia. Free day. Accommodation in Cappadocia. (breakfast at hotel)

Please note that there are limited direct flights between Kayseri and Izmir. In case there would not be suitable flight for your travel dates, a connecting flight will be arranged for you, which might incur extra costs.

Day 9: First day in Cappadocia: You will be picked up at around 09:00, then you will drive to Devrent Valley where the geographical formations remind a place of another planet. Then in Pasabagi, you will take a stroll between the amazing fairy chimneys of Cappadocia. From there, driving to Avanos to have lunch. After having the lunch you leave from Avanos to see the most beautiful examples of Byzantine art in Goreme Open Air Museum. Then you will drive to Uchisar Castle, the highest point of the region, where you will have a fabulous panoramic view over Cappadocia. You will return back to your hotel at around 17:00. Accommodation in Cappadocia. (lunch on the tour)

Day 10: Second day in Cappadocia and flight to Istanbul: (check out from your hotel before the tour) You will be picked up from your hotel at around 09:00 for a tour on a 4 km hike through the Rose Valley visiting the churches. Afterwards visit the old Christian village of Cavusin. Stop for lunch in Pigeons Valley and then continue to see the marvel of construction that is the Kaymakli Underground City. You will also visit the Ortahisar Natural Rock Castle. After the tour, you will be transferred to Kayseri Airport to take 19:30 flight to Istanbul. Upon your arrival at around 21:00, you will be greeted and transferred to your hotel. Accommodation in Istanbul. (breakfast at hotel, lunch on the tour)

Day 11: You will be picked up from your hotel depending on your flight time and transferred to the airport directly for your departure flight home.

Price:

1700  EUR per person in double/twin room. If you are a single traveler, there will be a 25% single supplement surcharge.

We offer a 5% discount for cash payments over balance payment at our office.

Tour Price Includes

    Accommodation in 3* hotels or similar boutique hotels

    Meal services during the tour noted in the itinerary above

    Transportation by major companies with A/C buses

    Professional licensed guiding services

    Entrance fees to the museums during guided tours

    The local tours may include some shopping facilities if the timing will be available

Tour Price Excludes

    Personal expenses

    Dinners

    Tips (optional)