Itinerary

1. Arrival Istanboul

   • Arrival in Istanbul and assistance and transfer to your hotel; rest of the day is yours. 

   Overnight in Istanbul.  

2. Istanbul Old City Tour

   Istanbul is a city where the east meets the west, and today will be your first day of discovering why. 

   • Set off to see a few of the major attractions of this magical city, including a visit to Hagia Sophia, the famous Blue Mosque, and Topkapi, the ancient Sultan’s Palace. See the gardens and discover many types of ancient gems.
   • And do not forget the shopping! If you’re looking for some quality souvenirs to bring home, the Grand Bazaar is exactly where you should go. With dozens of sections, you can spend hours here in the largest indoor market on earth, browsing everything from hand-painted plates to Turkish towels and even antiques.

   (Note that Topkapı Palace is closed Tuesday, and Hagia Sophia is closed Monday).

   Meals: Breakfast-lunch

3. Cruise on the Bosphorus and Asia (Full day)

   • Private transfer from your hotel to the famed Dolmabahce Palace, where you will spend approximately one and a half hours visiting it’s 285 rooms, more than 40 halls, and hundreds of oil paintings. 
   • After the palace tour, you will board a Bosphorus Cruise, which will take you up and down the Bosphorus Strait for 2.5 hours. The boat will make a stop for you to get off on the Asian side of the city.
   • Visit the Kucuksu Palace and the surrounding area. 
   • Continue for the second half of the cruise back to Europe, where you will then hop on for a bus tour of the city. 
   • Get the chance marvel at some of the best views in the city from on top of Pierre Loti Hill, above the Golden Horn. Drink Turkish coffee and stop for lunch and then ride back down on the cable car. 
   • Take a drive around the old city walls and then end in Sultan Ahmet.

   Meals: Breakfast-lunch

4. Transfer From Istanbul to Gallipoli

   • Start the day bright and early with a drive down to the famous area of Gallipoli. The first stop is in Ecabat where you will prepare for a guided tour full of history. You’ll see both the cemeteries and war memorials where New Zealand, Australia, British and Turkish soldiers are buried and you will actually walk on some of the former battle sites and trenches where they fought. Important Note The journey between Istanbul and Gallipoli is approximately 5 and a half hours
   • Visit the museum to marvel at war artefacts and reflect on the tragedy and heroism of the past that resulted in friendships between nations fighting for control of this peninsula.

   Stay overnight near Gallipoli.

   Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

5. Transfer From Gallipoli To Troy

   • Rise and shine early in the morning for your journey toTroy and Pergamon. Start with the most iconic site of the region, the Trojan Horse. You will then tour Troy's Houses, which were built between 3,000 B.C. and 2,500 B.C, and see the Sacrificial Altars. Visit the Senate Building, known as the “Bouleuterion”, and the concert hall known as the “Odeon”. See what is left of the different cities from Troy I to Troy IX.
   • Transfer From Troy To Pergamon
   • Take a break for lunch before continuing to ancient Pergamon.
   • Here you will visit the Acropolis, the Temple of Athena, the Library, Gymnasium, and the Temple of Trajan. Other highlights include the Hellenistic Theater, an amphitheatre that holds up to 10,000 people and the Temple of Dionysus in the Lower Agora.
   • Transfer From Pergamon To Ephesus
   • Once this tour is finished, you will start your journey towards Ephesus arriving late evening and taken to your accommodation near tEphesus's ancient city

   Overnight in the Ephesus region. (Selcuk or Kusadasi)

6. Ephesus Day Tour

   • Be picked up from your hotel in the Ephesus region. (Selcuk or Kusadasi). 
   • Start the day with a bit of walking in the pleasant region of Ephesus one of the most well preserved, ancient cities on the planet. Ephesus was once the largest city of multiple major civilizations including the Roman, Persian, and Ionian empires. At its height, 3,000 years ago the population swelled to 200,000 people! 
   • Visit an array of locations within the ancient city, including but not limited to the House of the Virgin Mary, which is where it is estimated that the Virgin Mary lived in her final years and of course.
   • See the Temple of Artemis, which is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

   Spend the night in the Ephesus region. (Selcuk or Kusadasi)

   Meals: Breakfast-lunch

7. Transfer From Ephesus To Pamukkale

   • Enjoy the morning in Ephesus region before hitting the road for Pamukkale where the natural calcite deposits on a mountainside are quite the sight to see! 
   • Upon arrival to the town of Pamukkale you will stop for lunch, and then take a guided tour up the “cotton castle” that makes up the travertines. 
   • At the top, you will be able to explore the ancient city of Hierapolis and even have the option to add on a swim in the ancient pools where Cleopatra was said to have bathed. OPTIONAL TOUR: PAMUKKALE PARAGLIDING
   • Pamukkale’s vistas are stunningly unforgettable, however, the contrast between the natural wonders and ancient ruins are spectacular when laid out beneath you. Paragliding offers a fantastic way to view the region from above while indulging in a heart-racing activity.
   • Transfer From Pamukkale To Cappadocia
   • Once your day in Pamukkale is finished, you will begin an overnight journey by bus to Cappadocia,
     IMPORTANT NOTE: The journey between Pamukkale and Cappadocia will take approximately 8-10 hours

   Meals: Breakfast-lunch

8. South Cappadocia

   • This morning you will wake up in the magical land, full of unique rock formations and Cappadocia scenery. 
   • Drop your luggage at your accommodation, and then begin your South Cappadocia Tour. 
   • After your hotel pick-up, you will visit the main sights of Cappadocia, including the nearby Uchisar Castle, Kaymakli Underground City, and the chance to see Meskendir Valley. 
   • Have an action-packed day, viewing these unique points of interest that you can only find in this region!

   OPTIONAL TOUR: ATV (QUAD) BIKE SAFARI.

   • If you want to see Cappadocia from a different angle, our fully guided Quad Safari is suited to you. Ride on a sturdy ATV (quad) bike and experience this lunar landscape in a completely different way. Our Safari starts at approximately at 5:00 pm; this is an excellent opportunity to see this fantastic place.

9. North Cappadocia Tour

   • OPTIONAL TOUR: CAPPADOCIA HOT AIR BALLOON FLIGHT
     Although it is also optional, we highly recommend adding this activity to your tour. Hot Air Balloon Flight is famous in Cappadocia and is the perfect way to start the day by seeing the awesome views of the mountains from high in the sky. Tours start early in the morning, but we promise that it’s worth the view!  This tour will cost extra.
   • Enjoy this last day visiting the amazing highlights of the region including some of the oldest settlements in North Cappadocia, the fairy houses. 
   • Visit local villages and buy handmade crafts of all types from pottery to textiles. Enjoy the bizarre landscape of Monks Valley, Devrent Valley, and see the Three Beauties.
   • In the evening, transfer to Kayseri airport, to your flight to Istanbul. 
   • Arrival and transfer to hotel. 

   Overnight in Istanbul.

10. Istanbul- Fly Back Home

    • After breakfast, check out of the hotel. You will have free time until transfer to the airport for your flight home.
      Meals: Breakfast