The Quintessence of Turkey
Five days to explore the best of Turkey’s main attractions and historical sites including the Roman ruins of Ephesus, cotton cliffs of Pamukkale and the fairy chimney landscape of Cappadocia.
Small Group Tours
Boutique Hotels Only
Flights Only (No Overnight Buses)
Highlights
Five days to explore the best of Turkey’s main attractions and historical sites including the Roman ruins of Ephesus, cotton cliffs of Pamukkale and the fairy chimney landscape of Cappadocia.
Tour Itinerary
Day
Pick up from your Istanbul hotel & early morning airport transfer for your flight to Izmir. Then visit the ruins of the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven ancient wonders of the world. Then visit Ephesus Ancient City, the best-preserved Greco-Roman city in the world. Here you will explore the Agora, Odeon, Celsius Library, Hadrian Temple, Roman Baths, Grand Theatre & Marble Street. After a lunch break, visit the House of Virgin Mary, where she is thought to have spent her final years. Overnight stay in Kusadasi.
Morning drive (2.5 hours) to Pamukkale, then lunch. In the afternoon, tour the 'Cotton Castle.' Bring swimwear as you may have time to swim in the Antique Pool (extra fee applies.) Also visit the ancient ruins of the City of Hierapolis with its theatre and Necropolis. Overnight in Pamukkale.
Morning flight to Cappadocia (via Istanbul.) Free afternoon exploring the cave town of Goreme. Overnight in a cave hotel in Cappadocia.
05:00 Hot air balloon flight Drive to the take-off site and have a quick snack and safety briefing while 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 around 8.30am. Full Day Cappadocia Tour - (North) Visit Zelve open air museum, which once housed one of the largest communities in the region. Visit Devrent Valley to see the unique fairy-chimneys. Drive to Pasabag (Monks Valley) to see the most interesting mushroom-shaped pinnacles. Visit Goreme Open-Air Museum and the natural Castle at Uchisar. Overnight stay in Cappadocia.
Full Day Cappadocia Tour - (South). Visit Derinkuyu Underground City and the beautiful Valley of Ihlara, formerly known as Peristerema. Explore the famous rock-hewn churches and hike 4 km through the valley. On the way back, visit monasteries in Selime Village and a 13th century Caravansaray on the Silk Road. After the tour, transfer to airport for your flight back to Istanbul. On arrival, pick up from the airport and transfer to your hotel. END OF ARRANGEMENTS
You can customize this trip with additional days! Slow the pace with rest days in locations of your choice, or add additional sightseeing days along the route.
Tour Map
Tour Details
Gallery
Hotels
Departure Date
-
Start DateFinish DateDay / Days / Every Day
-
Start Date: 01.01.2018Finish Date: 31.12.2020Day / Days / Every Day: Every Day
Price List
-
StartFinishSingleDouble/Twin PPTriple PP
-
Start: 01.01.2018Finish: 31.12.2019Single: 1,744 AUD 1,657 AUDDouble/Twin PP: 1,504 AUD 1,429 AUDTriple PP: 1,368 AUD 1,300 AUD
Reviews
Mandy Mortlock
Australia
Hi Michael,
Just wanted to say thank you ,we really enjoyed our trip to Gallipoli. You and your team did not disappoint us. The driver ' Smiley' was punctual and well organized . Our guide was really informative and passionate about the history.The back up of your calls and a emergency contact was great.
Thank you very much for all your planning we really appreciate it.
Read MoreRandi Druzin
Toronto, Canada
Turkey Travel Centre planned a Turkey vacation for me and a friend in August 2011. It included stops in Istanbul, Ephesus, Pamukkale and Cappadocia. As you can imagine, the 10-day trip involved numerous flights, hotel stays and guided tours. We expected to encounter some problems along the way but, as it turned out, we didn't encounter any. The entire trip went off without a hitch.
Also, even though we cancelled our
hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia at the last minute due to illness,
the people at TTC were able to secure a full refund for us -- and they
delivered the euros to our hotel in Istanbul a few days later.
I would highly recommend working with this travel agency.
Read MoreBlogs
Hot Air Balloon Rides over Cappadocia
There is no doubt that the landscape of Cappadocia is unique. Cave houses and hotels dotted among the lunar rock formations have made it a top holiday destination in Turkey.
To fully explore the region on foot would take months. There are many valleys as well as separate towns and outdoor attractions such as the Goreme Open air museum. Indeed, the best way to see Cappadocia is from the air.
Hot Air Balloon Rides over Cappadocia
The balloons are the biggest attraction of Cappadocia. I remember my previous visits to the region when I would wake up early in the morning and sit on the balcony with a cup of coffee.
From there, I could see more than thirty hot air balloons floating across the horizon just as the sun was starting to rise. I could hear the rush of hot air flowing into the balloons and see miniature figures in the basket. One morning, someone even waved at me and shouted hello.
The scene is really quite unreal. Just as the sky starts to get rid of the darkness of the night, the hot air balloons come into sight with their colorful balloons and brown wicker baskets.
Read MoreThe Cave Churches of Cappadocia
Colourful balloons, fairytale chimneys, beautiful steeds, cave hotels and yet the land of Cappadoci offers even more surprises, with its fascinating churches.There are as many as 600 churches made out of the soft rock that dot the Cappadocia landscape, but there may well be many more yet to be unearthed.
Following the eruption of Mount Erciyes, the ash and lava formed soft rocks which eroded due to the elements. The region’s inhabitants came to realize they could carve into the rocks and soon turned them into houses, caves, and churches. The churches offered sanctuary to early Christians who then decorated them with art and symbols.
The churches flourished following the gathering of more communities under the guide of Saint Basil of Caesarea – one of the three renowned Cappadocian Fathers who advanced early Christian theology. The 4th century sanctuaries included many examples of Byzantine art, but later churches offer richer frescoes and images of the day.
The best churches are the ones at Goreme Village, but there are more with strong Egyptian influences with local names such as Sandal, Snake and Apple.
Read MoreBook Now / Enquiry
If you are traveling with children, please send us an enquiry through the below form for costing and further information.