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
Pick up from your hotel in Istanbul & morning flight 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. After the tour, transfer to your hotel in Kusadasi to visit Ephesus the next day. Overnight in Kusadasi.
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.
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.
05:00 Hot air balloon flight over Cappadocia (Optional extra - please contact us for price) Hotel pickup, then a quick snack 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 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
DAILY GUARANTEED DEPARTURES
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Start DateFinish DateDay / Days / Every Day
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Start Date: 01.01.2021Finish Date: 31.12.2023Day / Days / Every Day: Every Day
Price List
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StartFinishSingleDouble/Twin PPTriple PP
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Start: 01.01.2021Finish: 31.12.2023Single: 1.712 AUDDouble/Twin PP: 1.272 AUDTriple PP: 1.139 AUD
Book Now / Enquiry
If you are traveling with children, please send us an enquiry through the below form for costing and further information.
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Reviews
Anne Alex
Australia
Hi Michael, I've been home since the 1st August & l’m finding it pretty hard to adjust to the Adelaide weather & get back into the routine of everyday life! I really loved Turkey. I met some great people, saw awesome things & l really wished l had of been able to spend more time there. I would really love to return one day & travel at a slower pace. It was a pretty hectic 5 days, but awesome just the same!
Read MoreFiona Kennedy
Sydney
I highly recommend this organisation. Everything worked out perfectly for us and was better than expected.
Read MoreJac Davis
Sydney
It is my great pleasure to recommend TTC; actually it's more of a testimonial than a review. Ihsan, Robert and Michael, not to mention your chosen agents, drivers, guides etc have been second to none. Nothing was a problem, even last minute requests and alterations to plans. Prompt and thorough replies to enquiries, perhaps not the cheapest provider but certainly value for money.
Read MoreDavid Swan
Australia
Hi, Michae
Just a short note to thank you and your staff for all the arrangements made for our recent trip to Turkey.
We had a great time. We came away from this, our second visit, more fascinated by Turkey, with the intention of making Istanbul a standard stop-over whenever we fly to Europe. Where ever we went, the Turkish people were very friendly, good humoured and treated us with kindness.
Read MoreM. and K. O'Sullivan
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
We were so delighted with the service we received from the Turkey Travel Centre. Michael Altan was extremely quick in all his email replies to us and gave us detailed information which we found very helpful. We stayed at Sokullu Pasa hotel in Istanbul which was like home as the staff were so friendly, particularly Yusuf. The location of this hotel to all the historical sites in Istanbul was excellent as were the buffet breakfasts every day. We would highly recommend the Turkey Travel Centre, as well as the guides and companies mentioned.
Read MoreMichael W. Vavra
Canada
Dear Carolyn, don't know if you remember me , but I was the person with concerns about a walking tour in Istanbul and Ephesus. I was worried about excessive distances, heat etc. My concerns were unfounded. As you first stated, the historical Istanbul sites are so close together that walking between them is really the only way to see them. Your guide Eda was both extremely knowledgable and personable. I would not hesitate to recommend you or your services in the future. So glad I booked with you. Thank you for making our trip so memorable.
Read MoreBlogs
Exploring the Underground Cities of Cappadocia
Cappadocia is a fascinating journey through times gone by – but ultimately the major attraction to this Central Anatolia moonscape are the underground cities. Beneath the land of the living, are masses of sprawling tunnels and small cave rooms that are strangely quiet but their history is as the saving grace for civilizations that hid in fear of their lives.
About 35 underground cities stretch across the vast landscapes of Cappadocia, but new ones are being discovered all the time. Built with the intention of being hiding places for early citizens who could at any new day, find their way of life under threat from invading forces, they have also been the subject of conspiracy theories as certain parties debate whether they were built by aliens.
They are wrapped around vast defences and a massive network of traps, mainly to prevent the advance of the Roman Empire. You’ll be amazed at the technical brilliance of the tribes that once inhabited these vast canyons.
Cappadocia and it’s Underground Cities
Cappadocia was the confluence of influence. The Hattis, the Hittites, Phrygians, Persians, Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks and Ottomans have all put their own stamp on this area as it was the gateway to such important trade routes, like the illustrious Silk Road. In doing so, it became a much sought after area, culturally and politically, and hence the need for the many hideouts and cities for civilizations to exist.
Exploring Kaymakli Underground City
Kaymakli Underground City, previously called Enegup is just 19 kilometres from the centre of Nevsehir and since opening to tourists in 1964 has received hundreds of visitors every week. Estimated to have housed more than 3000 people, it was mainly used during Byzantine times for protection from invading Arabs, and some historians’ suspect Kaymakli was connected to the bigger underground city of Derinkuyu through a network of tunnels.
Even after an era of peace came to the region, locals still lived in the underground city until 1923, when the treaty population agreement between Turkey and Greece was signed.
Kaymakli consists of eight floors below ground, of which four are open to the public. The first floor of the underground city was used as a stable; the second floor contained a church, graves, and living quarters while the kitchens, wine making, oil presses, and storage areas were on the third floor.
Derinkuyu Underground City
Derinkuyu underground city Other underground cities such as Derinkuyu suggest a thriving and economically stable population in early times, while the Tatlarin Underground City has a ventilation system reaching to a depth of 80m. These chimneys were opened to meet the need of both the ventilation and water. The cities have locking stones which can be opened and closed only from inside against threats.
Toilets were being used in Anatolia around 3000 years ago, while there many food storage areas and churches within. All you can do is marvel at how our past ancestors were able to create a self-sufficient environment underground. The oldest written source about underground cities is the Anabasis named book of Xenophon (Written around B.C. 4) in which it is mentioned that the people living in Anatolia carved their houses underground.
These days, there is no much call for underground cities but naturally man has adapted. In places like Orthisar, due to the coolness of the cities, they are now used as storage area for fruits.
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