Itinerary
- Day 1
Kusadasi
You'll be picked up from Izmir Airport and driven to your hotel in Kusadasi, a nice harbor-side resort town along the coast. After checking in, the rest of the day is yours to wander around town and get oriented. This evening you'll meet your tour guide and the other travelers in your group.
- Meals
- Dinner
Optional Activities
- Explore Kusadasi harbour-side resort town
- Day 2
Kusadasi
Today you're checking out Ephesus with a guide who'll take you through the Temple of Artemis site and the ancient theatre to see how people lived back then. You'll also go through the Ephesus Archaeology Museum to look at artifacts from the area. Later on, you're heading to a carpet village where you can watch weavers at work and learn why Turkish carpets are so valued.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Ephesus
- Visit Temple of Artemis site
- Explore ancient Ephesus theatre
- Tour Ephesus Archaeology Museum
- Visit carpet village to observe traditional hand-weaving
Landmarks/POIs Ephesus Temple of Artemis Ephesus Archaeology Museum - Day 3
Kusadasi to Pamukkale
This morning starts with a look at locally made leather goods. From there, you're heading to Pamukkale with its striking white calcium terraces, and you'll tour the ancient city of Hierapolis built above them. The real highlight here is soaking in the hot springs with the thermal waters that have been used since Roman times, and you'll actually be bathing around ancient columns still standing in the pools.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- View locally handcrafted leather goods display
- Visit Pamukkale white calcium terraces (Travertines)
- Tour ancient city of Hierapolis
- Bathe in Roman hot springs
Optional Activities
- Hot Air Ballooning - Short Flight 45 Minutes (EUR 20 surcharge for credit card payments; longer flights available on request)
- Cleopatra's Pool - Swim amongst the ruins in this thermal spring pool
- Whirling Dervish Show
Landmarks/POIs Pamukkale Hierapolis - Day 4
Pamukkale to Cappadocia
You're traveling along the old Silk Road route, stopping at the historic Sultanhani Caravansary and the Mevlana museum in Konya to see how trade worked centuries ago. By evening you'll reach Cappadocia. There's an optional traditional Turkish folklore night with dinner, drinks, and entertainment if you want to join in.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Sultanhani Caravansary
- Visit Mevlana museum in Konya
Optional Activities
- Traditional Turkish Folklore Evening - Dinner, unlimited beer, wine, Turkish Raki, soft drinks and entertainment included; features belly dancers, traditional folk dancers and traditional Turkish musicians; only show without dinner option available
Landmarks/POIs Sultanhani Caravansary Mevlana Museum - Day 5
Cappadocia
Cappadocia's unusual lunar landscape is the focus today, and you'll walk through the Goreme Valley Open Air Museum to see the distinctive fairy chimneys carved from volcanic rock. You'll also go down into an underground city carved deep into the soft stone, exploring the different levels carved out centuries ago.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Goreme Valley Open Air Museum
- View fairy chimneys
- Explore underground city
Optional Activities
- Hot Air Ballooning - EUR 20 surcharge for credit card payments; experienced pilots take you deep into valleys and rise as high as 2000 feet; longer flights available on request; prices subject to change; guide recommends booking as soon as possible
- Turkish Bath - Traditional bath experience approximately 1 hour; includes sauna, marble slab massage with exfoliating glove treatment
Landmarks/POIs Goreme Valley Open Air Museum - Day 6
Cappadocia to Istanbul
Early morning you're heading to Ankara, Turkey's capital, where you'll visit Anitkabir, an impressive mausoleum dedicated to Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. After that visit, you'll head back toward Istanbul for the journey home.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Anitkabir mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk
Landmarks/POIs Anitkabir - Day 7
Istanbul
After breakfast, your tour wraps up and you'll say goodbye to the friends you've made over the past week. You'll be driven to Istanbul Airport to catch your flight back home.
- Meals
- Breakfast
