6-Day Turkey Tour from Istanbul: Gallipoli, Troy, Ephesus, Pamukkale and Cappadocia

Starting at 6:30 AM you will be picked up from your hotel in Istanbul and begin the drive down to Gallipoli peninsula! Relax and take in the view of the Sea of Marmara from the comfort of the bus. Around 12:00 PM you will arrive in the charming seaside town of Eceabat and stop for lunch. Your guide will take you up the hauntingly beautiful coast of Gallipoli. You will follow in the footsteps of the ANZAC and Ottoman forces, walking the now deserted battlefields and trenches and pay respects at the many memorials for all of the fallen soldiers. You will learn of the maneuvers of both sides, successful and failed and hear stories of the bright young Colonel of the Ottoman forces, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. At the end of the tour you will be transferred to your hotel in Canakkale where you will have the rest of the evening to shop and explore.

You will be picked up from your hotel at 8:30 AM and begin the day visiting the ancient city of Troy. During the tour, you can explore the remains of Troy I through Troy IX, The Odeon, The Bouleuterion, the houses of Troy I, The 3,700 year old city walls, Sacrificial Altars and a life size replica of the Trojan Horse of which you can enter and take photos.

At 10:30 AM you will finish the tour of Troy and continue on to Pergamon. At 1:30 PM you will stop for lunch and then begin the tour. You will visit The Acropolis, The Library, The Temple of Athena, the Temple of Trajan, the Altar of Zeus, The Gymnasium, The Lower Agora, The Hellenistic Theater and the Temple of Dionysus. Around 5:30 PM you will finish the tour and depart for your hotel in Kusadasi.

Following breakfast at your hotel, we will pick you up at 8:30 AM and begin the 3-hour journey. Around 12:00 PM you will arrive in the small but friendly town of Pamukkale and stop for lunch. Then, you will be taken to the ancient city of Hierapolis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Your guide will show you how the citizens lived, worked and enjoyed themselves back when the city was a thriving metropolis. Highlights include the Temple of Apollo, the Roman Theater and the Martyrion of St. Philip. From there, you will move on to the main attraction, the travertines. You will have free time to explore and relax in the travertines and have a rejuvenating swim in Cleopatra’s Pool. At 4:00 PM we will depart for Kusadasi and drop you back at your hotel.

After breakfast at your hotel, you will be picked up at 9:00 AM and you will depart for the Ephesus Tour. When you arrive, you will have a fully guided tour of the ruins. During the tour you will see the Temple of Artemis (one of the 7 Ancient Wonders of the World), the Amphitheater, the Celsius Library, which is still active, ruins left from the ancient city, and the House of the Virgin Mary, her last dwelling place. At the end of tour, you will be transferred to the airport for a one-hour flight from Izmir to Cappadocia. Upon arriving in Cappadocia, we will meet you at the airport with your name and transfer you to your hotel.

You will be picked up at 9:30 AM for a tour of Southern Cappadocia. You will explore the Underground City of Derinkuyu, stroll through the scenic Ilhara Valley and stop for lunch at a restaurant near the river. After lunch, you will continue to Selime Monastery and then Pigeon Valley for some breathtaking views and great photo ops! At the end of your tour you will be taken back to your hotel and you’ll have the rest of the night free.

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before being picked up at 9:30 AM for your tour of Northern Cappadocia. The first stop will be a vista point overlooking Goreme where you will see Uchisar Castle. From there you will go to the Goreme Open Air Museum and then stop for lunch is Avanos. Next, you will see a kick-wheel pottery demonstration and then get the chance to try yourself! On the way back to your hotel you will stop at photo points such as Cavusin, the animal shaped rock formations of Devrent, the mushroom shaped fairy chimneys in St. Monk’s Valley and St. Simeon’s monk cell. At 6:00 PM you will be picked up from your hotel and taken to the airport for your flight back to Istanbul. When you arrive, we will meet you at the airport with your name and take you to your hotel.