Istanbul, Trabzon, Ephesus & Pamukkale Tour: 3 Days by Air
Overview
Istanbul, Trabzon, Ephesus & Pamukkale Tour: 3 Days by Air
This 3-day tour packs four very different parts of Turkey into one short trip. You see the great monuments of Istanbul, the green, mountainous landscape around Trabzon, the ancient ruins of Ephesus and the warm, mineral-rich terraces of Pamukkale.
On day one you walk through Istanbul's old city and fly to Trabzon in the evening. The next day you visit Sumela Monastery on its cliff and the Ataturk Pavilion before flying to Izmir and staying in Kusadasi. Day three combines Ephesus in the morning with Pamukkale and Hierapolis in the afternoon, followed by a flight from Denizli back to Istanbul.
Included: accommodation with breakfast, a professional guide, all flights in the itinerary, air-conditioned vehicles and admission fees to the sites (optional sites excepted). Not included: international flights to Istanbul, lunch and dinner, and optional tours or activities in your free time.
Tour Info
Itinerary
Day 1 – Istanbul Old City Tour & Flight to Trabzon
At 09:00 AM your guide collects you from your hotel or from the airport for a full day on foot through the historic heart of Istanbul, where the Byzantine and Ottoman eras meet.
- Topkapi Palace (optional): Tour the former home of the Ottoman sultans and learn about its history and architecture.
- Blue Mosque: Visit one of the city's best-known landmarks, famous for its blue tiles and grand scale.
- Hagia Sophia (optional): Step inside this UNESCO World Heritage Site to see its Byzantine architecture and vast interior.
- Grand Bazaar: Browse the world's oldest covered market for spices, textiles and souvenirs.
After the tour we take you to the airport for your flight to Trabzon. On arrival you are driven to your hotel, with breakfast included.
Day 2 – Sumela Monastery & Ataturk Pavilion, Flight to Izmir
After breakfast you check out of your hotel and set off on your Trabzon tour.
- Sumela Monastery: See this striking monastery clinging to the side of a cliff.
- Ataturk Pavilion: Visit this elegant villa on a hillside, with wide views over Trabzon.
Then we take you to the airport for your flight to Izmir, and from there you are driven to your hotel in Kusadasi, with breakfast included. Overnight in Kusadasi.
Day 3 – Ephesus & Pamukkale, Flight to Istanbul
Today you go back in time at Ephesus, one of the best-preserved ancient cities in the world. Your guide shows you its main sites:
- Library of Celsus: Stand before the library's richly carved facade, the best-known landmark of Ephesus.
- Temple of Hadrian: Built for the Roman emperor Hadrian, it still shows fine columns and detailed reliefs.
- Terrace Houses (optional): Walk into the elegant homes where wealthy families of Ephesus once lived.
- Hercules Gate: This large gateway carries carved figures of the legendary hero.
- Grand Theatre: It once held as many as 25,000 people, and performances still take place here today.
- The Snake Cult of Asklepios: Hear about the followers of Asklepios, god of healing, and see what is left of his temple.
- Herm (Marker) of Hermes: These old stone markers once guided people and marked boundaries in the city.
- Artemission: Stand where the Temple of Artemis rose, one of the ancient world's Seven Wonders.
- Relief of the goddess Nike: A finely worked carving of Nike, the winged goddess of victory.
- Fountain of Trajan: The well-kept remains of a grand fountain raised in honour of Emperor Trajan.
- House of Virgin Mary (optional): The tour ends at the house many believe was the Virgin Mary's last home and resting place.
In the afternoon you travel on to Pamukkale to see its bright white terraces, formed by calcium deposits, and to visit the ancient city of Hierapolis.
After the tour we take you to Denizli Airport for your flight to Istanbul. Our representative then takes you to the airport for your flight home, or to your hotel, and this is where our services end.
Want more time in Istanbul? You can add extra nights to the end of your trip.
Important Notes
Optional extras
- House of Virgin Mary ticket: $55
- Hagia Sophia ticket: $40
- Ephesus Terrace Houses ticket: $25
Inclusions & Exclusions
- ✓Accommodations with breakfast
- ✓Professional guide
- ✓All flights in the itinerary
- ✓Air-conditioned vehicles
- ✓Admission Fees to enter sights (Except optionals)
- ✕International flights to Istanbul
- ✕Dinner and lunch
- ✕Optional additional tours or activities during free time
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Istanbul, Trabzon, Ephesus and Pamukkale in 3 days by air: the key facts
This 3-day, 2-night group package links three very different regions with three domestic flights. Day 1 is a walking tour of Istanbul's old city, with the Blue Mosque and the Grand Bazaar, and then an evening flight to Trabzon on the Black Sea. On Day 2 you visit Sumela Monastery and the Ataturk Pavilion, fly to Izmir and sleep in Kusadasi. Day 3 is Ephesus in the morning and Pamukkale with Hierapolis in the afternoon, then a flight from Denizli back to Istanbul.
It suits travellers with little time who want to see the Black Sea and the Aegean in one short trip. The pace is fast, and you change region every day. The price is from $1,315 per person.
| Quick facts | |
|---|---|
| Length | 3 days / 2 nights |
| Route | Istanbul – Trabzon – Izmir – Kusadasi – Ephesus – Pamukkale – Denizli – Istanbul |
| Style | Group tour |
| Start / end | 09:00 pick-up at your Istanbul hotel or the airport / flight from Denizli to Istanbul on Day 3 |
| Included | Hotels with breakfast (Trabzon and Kusadasi), professional guide, all flights in the itinerary, air-conditioned vehicles, entrance fees (except optional ones) |
| Extra | International flights, lunch and dinner, Hagia Sophia ticket ($40), House of the Virgin Mary ($55), Ephesus Terrace Houses ($25), Topkapi Palace |
How do the three flights fit into three days?
Flight one leaves Istanbul for Trabzon on the evening of Day 1, after the old city tour. Flight two goes from Trabzon to Izmir on Day 2, after Sumela and the Ataturk Pavilion, and you are then driven to Kusadasi. On Day 3 there is no morning flight: you drive from Kusadasi to Ephesus and then on to Pamukkale. Flight three, from Denizli to Istanbul, leaves after the Pamukkale tour. All three fares are included. The page gives no flight times, so ask for them in writing.
Can Day 1 be our arrival day in Istanbul?
The page says the guide collects you at 09:00 "from your hotel or from the airport". So in theory you could land in the morning and go straight into the tour. That only works with an early international flight and hand luggage you can carry all day. The package includes no Istanbul hotel, before or after. Most travellers book at least one night in Istanbul first. Our where to stay in Istanbul page can help you choose an area.
Which Istanbul sights are included, and which cost extra?
The Day 1 walking tour covers the Blue Mosque and the Grand Bazaar. Hagia Sophia is optional, with its ticket listed at $40. Topkapi Palace is also optional, but the page gives no price for it. Ask us to add the Topkapi price to your written plan. At the Blue Mosque, cover your shoulders and knees, and women should bring a scarf for their hair.
What do we see in Trabzon?
Day 2 starts with check-out after breakfast. The first stop is Sumela Monastery, which clings to the side of a cliff in the mountains. The second is the Ataturk Pavilion, a villa on a hillside with views over Trabzon. Then you go straight to the airport. There is no Uzungol and no tea country in this short version. If you want more of the region, see the 2-day Trabzon tour from Istanbul from $640, or the Black Sea Turkey guide.
How hard is Day 3?
Day 3 is the most demanding. The Ephesus tour covers the Library of Celsus, the Temple of Hadrian, the Hercules Gate, the Grand Theatre and the Fountain of Trajan, on marble streets with little shade. The Terrace Houses cost $25 extra and the House of the Virgin Mary $55. In the afternoon you drive to Pamukkale and walk the white terraces barefoot, so carry a bag for your shoes. Then you go to Denizli Airport. Bring water, a hat and good shoes.
Which hotels do we use?
You stay two nights: one in Trabzon and one in Kusadasi, both with breakfast. The page does not name the hotels or give a star rating. Ask for both names before you pay. Because you check out each morning, plan on light luggage, as you carry it through four airports. On Day 1 you go from the walking tour straight to the airport, so ask where your luggage is kept during the tour.
What will we pay on top of the price?
Lunch and dinner are not included on any of the three days. On Day 1 you have dinner in Trabzon, and on Day 2 in Kusadasi. The optional tickets add up if you take them all: Hagia Sophia $40, Mary's House $55 and the Terrace Houses $25, plus Topkapi if you choose it. Any extra Istanbul nights are separate. International flights to Istanbul are not included.
Can we add nights or compare other routes?
You can add extra Istanbul nights at the end of the trip. The page does not give a fixed price for these, so ask. For a similar 3-day route, see the Istanbul, Trabzon and Ephesus tour, also from $1,315. With one more day, the 4-day Istanbul and Trabzon tour is from $1,455, and the Istanbul, Antalya, Ephesus and Trabzon tour is from $1,860. All are in our multi-city packages.
How do I book this 3-day tour?
Choose your date and number of guests in the booking form on this page, or send us a WhatsApp message. Tell us whether you start from a hotel or the airport on Day 1. We check the three flights and both hotels for your date. Then we send the plan in writing, with flight times, hotel names and the optional ticket prices. You pay only after you have read and confirmed it. The tour is run by Get Turkey Tours, TÜRSAB licence A-15751.
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