Best of Turkey Tour

Pick up from the airport (or cruise port) and transfer to your hotel by private car. Overnight stay in Istanbul.

• Destination: Istanbul
• Legend:

Pick up from your hotel & visit Hagia Sophia*, Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome, Grand Bazaar and Topkapi Palace. Overnight stay in Istanbul. * Hagia Sophia was reconverted to a mosque in 2020 and remains a functioning house of worship. Our commentary will be provided from outside in order to respect its religious status and daily practices.

• Destination: Istanbul
• Legend: B, L

The day begins with hotel pick-up and transfer to Ortakoy, where guests visit the iconic Ortakoy Mosque along the Bosphorus. The tour continues to Ayios Dimitrios Greek Orthodox Church, one of the oldest active Greek churches in Istanbul. Guests then enjoy a scenic drive along the Bosphorus before visiting Rumeli Fortress and crossing the Bosphorus Bridge to the Asian side. A stop at Otagtepe Hill offers panoramic views, followed by lunch at a restaurant serving traditional Turkish cuisine. After lunch, the tour visits Camlica Mosque, the largest mosque in Turkey, known for its impressive architecture and views over the city.Guests may optionally visit Camlica Tower with its 360 degree observation deck (entrance fee not included). The tour then continues to the Maiden’s Tower via Salacak, where it is viewed from land only, along with its history and legends. The experience concludes with a 1 hour Bosphorus cruise. Overnight in Istanbul.

• Destination: Istanbul
• Legend: B, L

Pick up from your hotel in Istanbul & morning flight to Pamukkale, often referred to as Turkey’s “Cotton Castle,” famous for its striking white travertine terraces formed by mineral-rich thermal waters. Here you will have time to walk along the terraces and enjoy the natural pools, so comfortable footwear and swimwear are recommended. You will also visit the ancient city of Hierapolis, located above the terraces, where you will explore its well-preserved ruins, including streets, ancient baths, and other significant remains from its Roman past. After the tour, transfer to your hotel in Kusadasi to visit Ephesus the next day. Overnight in Kusadasi.

• Destination: Pamukkale
• Legend: B, L

You will be picked up from your hotel in the morning and begin with a visit to the House of the Virgin Mary, located on a peaceful mountainside near Ephesus, believed to be where she spent her final years, while Saint John lived and later passed away in Ephesus. Continue to Temple of Artemis & onto the Ancient City of Ephesus, one of the best-preserved Greco-Roman cities in the world. Entering through the Magnesia Gate, you will explore its remarkable monuments including the Commercial Agora, Roman Baths, Basilica, Odeon (Bouleuterion), Domitian Square, Nike Relief, Gate of Heracles, the colonnaded streets including Marble Street, Trajan Fountain, Temple of Hadrian, Latrines, Terrace Houses (from outside), the iconic Library of Celsus, and the impressive Grand Theatre, along with other significant ruins that illustrate the city’s long and layered history. After the tour, you will be transferred back to your hotel. Overnight stay in Kusadasi.

• Destination: Ephesus
• Legend: B, L

Pick up from your hotel & transfer to the airport & flight to Cappadocia (maybe via Istanbul). Transfer to your hotel on arrival to Cappadocia. Overnight in a cave hotel in Cappadocia.

• Destination: Cappadocia
• Legend: B

Hot air balloon flight over Cappadocia (Optional Extra - please contact us for price) Hotel pickup and safety briefing. Watching the balloon inflate, then you're off! Soaring over fairy chimneys, and dipping low to skim cave dwellings. This may be your favourite part of your Turkey trip - it will certainly be unforgettable. Celebrate a soft landing with a quick drink, and return to your hotel for breakfast. Full Day Cappadocia Tour - (North) Morning pick up from your and start the day visiting Devrent Valley, also known as "Imagination Valley", this is the most surreal-looking landscape. Your next stop will be Pashabagi called also the Monks Valley because Christian hermits chose to locate hermit cells and churches in these three-headed pinnacles symbolic of the Holy Trinity, it´s possible to see all the stages in the formation of fairy chimneys at this spot. Proceed to Avanos (Vanessa) the pottery center of Cappadocia, this village is set on the banks of the Kizilirmak/Red River. The river gets its name from the red clay it deposits. After lunch, continue to Goreme Open Air Museum. The world's most important Byzantine cave churches are found in these once remote valleys where monks and nuns pursued monastic life from the 3rd century on. Here you can see the best-preserved Byzantine cave wall paintings and frescos from the Iconoclastic period through to the end of Seljuk rule. Icons with scenes from the Old Testament and the New Testament above portraits of Church Fathers and saints depict the structure of the Byzantine universe. Panoramic viewpoint Esentepe. With a spectacular view over Goreme from Esentepe see the complete view of Goreme valley and Goreme village: fairy chimneys, rock formations, and cave houses. After the tour, you will be transferred to your hotel. Overnight in Cappadocia.

• Destination: Cappadocia
• Legend: B, L

Full Day Cappadocia Tour - (South) You will be picked up from your hotel in the morning and begin the day with a scenic walk through Red Valley, known for its colourful rock formations, local village life, and historic landscapes. Depending on the season, you may encounter locals tending gardens or harvesting crops. The walk takes approximately 2 hours and finishes at Cavusin Village, where you will explore the impressive rock castle that once housed the entire village, along with the ruins of Saint John the Baptist Church, one of the largest Byzantine churches in the region. Lunch follows. In the afternoon, continue to Kaymakli Underground City, one of Cappadocia’s best-preserved underground settlements, descending through its tunnels, chambers, and communal spaces carved deep into the earth. The day concludes with a visit to Pigeon Valley, offering panoramic views of abandoned cave homes and historic Greek houses around Uchisar. After the tour, transfer to airport for your flight back to Istanbul. Overnight stay in Istanbul.

• Destination: Cappadocia
• Legend: B, L

Pick up from the hotel according to your flight (or cruise) schedule and transfer to the airport (or cruise port).

• Destination: Istanbul
• Legend: B