Day 1 Istanbul-Arrival
Welcome to Istanbul! Upon arrival, you will be greeted by our representative and transferred to your hotel. After check-in and freshening up, you will have some free time to explore the city on your own or rest.
Day 2 Byzantine & Ottoman Relics Tour
Our staff will pick you up from the hotel after breakfast. We will visit the “Old City,” where you will see historical highlights such as the Basilica Cistern, Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and Topkapi Palace (the Harem is included). Lunch will be served in a traditional Turkish Group Restaurant (drinks are not included). We will visit Gülhane Park (Refreshment Time) in the early evening. After that, our tour guide will drop you off at your hotel.
Day 3 Full Day Pamukkale Cotton CastleTour
We will depart from Istanbul at early morning and travel to Denizli Airport by plane. This tour starts in the village of Karahayit and a visit to its red, green, and white travertines and thermal pools of red water. Then we will go to Pamukkale for visiting the expensive and magnificent ruins of the ancient city of Hierapolis which was founded in the 2nd century BC. The strange “white waterfall” in Pamukkale mostly just something that happens in nature. Even in Roman times, people took baths in these big basins. Hierapolis sits atop a hill and features an enormous necropolis, baths, theatre, temples, an agora, and an antique pool. You will have time to yourself to wander the site before walking down the hill on the sparkling white travertine and enjoying lunch at a local restaurant. After the tour, we will drive to Kusadasi and check into hotel.
Day 4 Full-Day Ephesus Tour
First, we will visit the House of the Virgin Mary, a sacred site for Christians and Muslims alike. This small stone house is believed to be where the Virgin Mary spent her last days and is now a place of pilgrimage for many. Then we will drive to the ancient city of Ephesus. We will walk through the well-preserved ruins, including the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the Celsus Library, one of the most impressive buildings in the ancient city. You will also have the opportunity to visit Isa bey mosque which is built in 1375 by Anatolian Seljuks. In between exploring the city, we will take a break for lunch at a local restaurant where you will have the opportunity to try traditional Turkish cuisine. In the evening we will have our flight to Istanbul.
Day 5 Bosphorus & Two Continents Tour
Our staff will pick you up from the hotel after breakfast. We will visit Galata Tower and the Spice Bazaar (Egyptian Bazaar). After visiting Dolmabahçe Palace (Dolmabahçe Saray), lunch will be in a traditional Turkish group restaurant (drinks are extra). In the early evening, we will have the Bosphorus Cruise (You can enjoy the view of Ciragan Palace, Ortakoy Mosque, Military High School, and Rumeli Fortress from the strait). After that, our tour guide will drop you off at your hotel.
Day 6
Check out from the hotel before 12:00 p.m. Depending on your flight time, we can arrange a pick-up from your hotel and a ride to Istanbul’s airport.
Included:
- 2 full-day Istanbul tours & Museums entry fees, parking, and road tolls
- Bosphorus cruise
- 1 full-day Pamukkale tour & Museums entry fees, parking, and road tolls
- 1 full-day Ephesus tour & Museums entry fees, parking, and road tolls
- Pick up and drop off at your accommodations
- Transportation in A/C non-smoking car or bus with a professional English-speaking guide and driver and their daily expenses
- Meals as mentioned in the above itinerary day by day
- 4 nights’ accommodation in Istanbul (Options of Golden Horn Hotel, Skalion Hotel, Centrum Hotel, Artika Hotel & Orient Express Hotel)
- 1-night accommodation in Kusadasi (Options of Ilayda Hotel, Sozer Hotel, Derici Hotel)
- Airport transfers
- Domestic flight tickets
- Small group tours
- Step back in time on a history tour
- All taxes, fees, and handling charges
