Best of Turkey Tour 11 Days: Istanbul, Antalya, Cappadocia & Ephesus

A driver meets you at Istanbul airport and brings you to your hotel.

Nothing is planned for the rest of the day, so you are free to settle in. Your guide will see you the following morning at 09:30 AM.

Today is a full day on foot through the Byzantine and Ottoman heart of Istanbul.

• 09:30 AM – Hotel pick-up: Your guide collects you from the hotel.
• 10:00 AM – Topkapi Palace (optional): See where the Ottoman sultans lived, a palace famous for its history and fine architecture.
• 11:30 AM – Blue Mosque: Step inside the city's best-known mosque, admired for its delicate blue tiles and grand scale.
• 12:30 PM – Lunch break (not included): Time to eat at a local restaurant.
• 1:30 PM – Hippodrome: Chariots once raced on this ancient track. Today it holds the Egyptian Obelisk, the Serpent Column and the German Fountain.
• 2:30 PM – Hagia Sophia (optional): Visit this UNESCO World Heritage Site and its vast Byzantine interior.
• 3:30 PM – Grand Bazaar: Browse the oldest covered market in the world for souvenirs, spices and textiles.
• 5:00 PM – Hotel drop-off: Return to your Istanbul hotel for the night, with breakfast included.

• 08:30 AM – Breakfast: Start with breakfast at your hotel.
• 09:30 AM – Egyptian Spice Bazaar: Wander between stalls piled with spices, Turkish delight and local produce, and take in the scents and noise of this old market.
• 11:00 AM – Bosphorus cruise: Board a boat and sail the strait that divides Europe from Asia, with the city's mix of architecture lining both shores.
• 12:30 PM – Lunch break (not included): Stop for lunch at a local restaurant.
• 2:00 PM – Cruise continues: Back on the water, you pass Ottoman palaces such as Dolmabahce Palace and Beylerbeyi Palace.
• 4:00 PM – Transfer to the hotel: After the cruise you return to your hotel for the night, with breakfast included.

An early start takes you from Istanbul to the Mediterranean coast.

• 05:30 AM – Hotel pick-up: A transfer brings you to the airport for an early direct flight to Antalya.
• 08:00 AM – Arrival in Antalya: Your guide is waiting, and the tour of the region's history and scenery begins.
• 09:00 AM – Perge: Walk the ruins of this ancient city, including its large theatre and colonnaded street.
• 11:00 AM – Aspendos Theater: One of the best-preserved ancient theatres in Turkey, known for its design and its acoustics.
• 12:30 PM – Lunch break (not included): Try regional dishes at a local restaurant.
• 2:00 PM – Side: Explore the old town of Side, with its amphitheater, the well-known Temple of Apollo and its ancient streets.
• 4:00 PM – Manavgat Waterfall: Relax by the falls and enjoy the green surroundings.
• 6:00 PM – Return to the hotel: A transfer takes you to your hotel in central Antalya to rest.

Overnight in Antalya.

Today you can spend the day at sea on an optional boat trip along Antalya's Mediterranean coast, with lunch served on board.

• 09:00 AM – Hotel pick-up: Transfer from your hotel to the boat dock.
• 09:30 AM – Set sail: Cruise along the coast on a comfortable boat, past cliffs, small coves and golden beaches.
• 10:30 AM – Swim and snorkel stop: Jump into the clear water for a swim, or snorkel to see the sea life.
• 12:00 PM – Lunch on board (included): Chefs serve a meal of local dishes while you relax on the wide deck.
• 1:30 PM – Free time on deck: Sunbathe, rest and take photos of the coastline.
• 3:30 PM – Back to the dock: The boat returns to the dock and a transfer takes you back to your hotel.

• 06:00 AM – Leave Antalya: Set off early by private vehicle or guided transfer. You can stop for breakfast on the way if you wish (optional).
• 10:30 AM – Arrival in Konya: The first visit is the Mevlana Museum.
• 12:15 PM – Alaeddin Mosque and Hill: See this historic mosque, then enjoy the calm views from the hill around it.
• 01:00 PM – Lunch at a local restaurant: Try Konya specialities such as etli ekmek or fırın kebabı.
• 02:15 PM – Karatay Madras: Look closely at the fine Seljuk tiles and learn how this building reflects the region's architecture.
• 04:00 PM – Hotel check-in: Rest and freshen up at your hotel in Konya.
• 06:30 PM – Evening choices: Watch a Whirling Dervishes ceremony when one is available, or take a walk around Konya city centre.

Overnight in Konya.

After leaving Konya by transfer, you reach Cappadocia. The guided day usually begins at about 09:00 and ends by 16:00 at the latest.

• Goreme Esentepe viewpoint: The first stop sits between Uçhisar and Göreme and looks out over fairy chimneys, the wider Cappadocian scenery and the small town of Esentepe.
• Zelve Open-Air Museum: Once a monastic community and a centre of Christian learning, Zelve still holds old monasteries, churches and chapels whose frescoes have survived in good condition.
• Pasabag (Monks Valley): Paşabağ, sometimes called Pasha's Vineyard, is known for its fairy chimneys with three heads and some of the most dramatic rock shapes in the region.
• Devrent Valley: A short drive away, this valley looks almost like the surface of the moon. Its small, pointed chimneys invite you to spot animals and mythical creatures in the stone.
• Avanos pottery workshop: Potters have worked in Avanos since 3000 BC, shaping clay taken from the Red River. In a traditional workshop you watch the craft up close.
• Love Valley: The last stop shows what millions of years of erosion can do. Cone-shaped pillars, pinnacles and fairy chimneys, some up to 40 meters tall, make it one of the best places in Cappadocia for photos.

You then return to your cave hotel for the night, with breakfast included.

• 05:00 AM – Hot air balloon flight (optional): Drift over the fairy chimneys and rock formations of Cappadocia as the sun comes up.
• 07:00 AM – Champagne toast and return: Raise a glass of champagne after landing, then transfer back to your hotel.

The guided day usually begins at about 09:00 and ends by 16:00 at the latest.

• Meskendir Valley (4.4 km trek): The day opens with a 4.4 km walk through this valley near Ortahisar. On the way you can step inside Meskendir Church, decorated with bold red geometric patterns and a large cross carved into the chapel ceiling.
• Rose Valley: Behind Ürgüp, this quiet valley hides churches cut into the rock among its unusual formations. Footpaths run through vineyards and gardens between small villages and towns, and local people sometimes offer fresh grapes, apples or apricots.
• Red Valley: Much like its neighbour, Red Valley combines striking rock shapes with old cave churches. Its trails twist like a spider's web, joining remote villages and farmland.
• Cavusin Valley: Çavuşin Village is among the oldest settlements in Cappadocia, a warren of houses carved out of the rock. It is also where you find the biggest cave church in Cappadocia, the 5th-century Church of John the Baptist.
• Underground City: Early Christians dug 36 underground cities here to escape persecution. You visit the largest and best known of them, spread over eight levels, and walk through old wineries, kitchens and living areas.
• Pigeon Valley: On the edge of Göreme, the cliffs are dotted with pigeon houses carved over the centuries. Farmers once used the droppings to fertilise their fields. Today the valley is a favourite photo spot with wide views.
• Uchisar Castle panorama: The tour ends in Uçhisar, the highest point in Cappadocia. Its castle, a tall rock that once served as a fortress, looks out over the whole region as far as Erciyes Mountain.

After a day of walking and sightseeing, you are back at your hotel for the night at around 16:00.

Your hotel pick-up is at 05:00 AM. The 08:00 AM flight to Izmir takes about one hour, and from the airport you drive straight to Ephesus, entering the ancient city through the Magnesia Gate at around 10:30 AM.

Your guide then leads you past the main monuments:

• Library of Celsus: Its tall facade and detailed carving make it the most famous building in Ephesus.
• Temple of Hadrian: A well-kept temple raised in honour of the Roman emperor Hadrian.
• Hercules Gate: A monumental entrance decorated with reliefs and sculpture.
• Grand Theatre: A huge theatre that once seated thousands of people.
• The Snake Cult of Asklepios: Hear about the old snake cult linked to healing and see the ruins of the Asklepion, a medical centre of the ancient world.
• Herm (Marker) of Hermes: A stone marker devoted to Hermes, the Greek god of travellers and boundaries.
• Stone-carving of the goddess Nike: A detailed relief of Nike, the symbol of victory.
• Fountain of Trajan: An ancient fountain built for Emperor Trajan and decorated with sculptures.
• Ruins of Artemis Temple: What remains of the famous Temple of Artemis, counted among the ancient world's Seven Wonders.
• St. Mary's House (optional): If you like, visit the holy site held to be the home where the Virgin Mary lived out her last years.

03:30 PM – Return to the hotel: At the end of the day a transfer brings you back to your hotel.

• 05:00 AM – Hotel pick-up: An early transfer heads for Pamukkale and the ancient city of Hierapolis.
• 09:00 AM – Hierapolis: See the Necropolis, the Theatre and the famous Cleopatra Pool. A separate admission fee applies if you want to swim in the pool.
• 11:30 AM – Pamukkale travertines: Walk across the white terraces, where mineral-rich water fills shallow pools and the rock looks like cotton.
• 01:00 PM – Lunch (not included): Eat at a local restaurant.
• 02:30 PM – Pamukkale Naturel Lake and Park: End the visit with the lake and the park around it.
• 04:30 PM – Transfer to Denizli Airport: Head to the airport for your flight back to Istanbul.
• Evening – Arrival in Istanbul: A transfer takes you to your hotel for the last night of the tour, with breakfast included.

Check out of your hotel after breakfast. Our representative arranges your transfer to the airport for your departure, and this is where our services end.

Want more time in Istanbul? Extra nights can be added to your booking.

Optional extras

• Hot air balloon flight in Cappadocia (Goreme): $310
• One extra hotel night in Istanbul, before or after the tour: $65
• Upgrade to a private tour: $550