Aegean Turkey Tour 4 Days: Gallipoli, Troy, Ephesus & Pamukkale

Aegean Discovery tour in 4 days, from Gallipoli to Pamukkale: the key facts

This group package covers the main sites of Turkey's Aegean side in 4 days and 3 nights. It starts with an early pick-up from your Istanbul hotel and a drive to the Gallipoli battlefields. Day 2 covers Troy and Pergamon, with a long drive south to Kusadasi. Day 3 is spent at Ephesus and the sites around Selcuk. On Day 4 you visit Pamukkale and Hierapolis, then fly from Denizli back to Istanbul in the evening.

It suits travellers with limited time who want the First World War sites and the big ancient cities in one trip, and who are fine with early starts and long road days. The price is from $1,290 per person. Transport, a professional English-speaking guide, three hotel nights with breakfast, admission fees and the domestic flight are included.

Do we sleep in Canakkale or in Eceabat on the first night?

The page says both, so ask us to confirm in writing. The overview and the inclusions list "1 night accommodation in Canakkale". The Day 1 timetable says you check in for the night in Eceabat, on the Gallipoli side of the Dardanelles, at about 18:00. The two towns face each other across the strait, so either can work for a Troy start next morning. It matters if you want to walk around Canakkale in the evening or need a particular hotel standard. Ask for the hotel name for night one before you pay.

How early does it start, and how long is Day 2?

Day 1 starts very early. Pick-up is 06:00–06:30 in the Taksim area and 06:30–07:00 in Sultanahmet. There is a breakfast stop at 09:00, you arrive in Eceabat at 12:20, and the guided Gallipoli tour runs from 13:00 to 18:00. Day 2 is the hardest day. The Troy tour runs from 08:30 to 10:30. You have lunch in Bergama at 13:30, then visit the Pergamon Acropolis until 17:30. After that you drive south and reach Kusadasi at about 21:30. Bring snacks and water for that evening drive.

How does the flight back to Istanbul work?

The only flight on this trip is at the end, and it is included. On Day 4 you leave Pamukkale at 16:30 and reach Denizli Cardak Airport at about 18:00. You board the flight there and land in Istanbul at about 19:30. A transfer takes you to your hotel, and services end there. That hotel night is not part of the package, so book your own Istanbul hotel for Day 4. You also need one for the night before Day 1, because the tour starts with a hotel pick-up. The overview also mentions Izmir, but the day plan does not use it.

Is this a group tour, and what is the guiding like?

Yes, it is sold as a group tour. Pick-ups are from hotels and hostels in Taksim and Sultanahmet, so you share a non-smoking, air-conditioned minibus with other travellers. The guide speaks English and is with you at every site. At Gallipoli you follow a fixed route: Brighton Beach, Beach Cemetery, ANZAC Cove, Lone Pine, Johnston's Jolly, the 57th Regiment cemetery, the Nek and Chunuk Bair. If you want your own vehicle and a slower pace at Gallipoli and Troy, compare the private Gallipoli and Troy tour over 2 days from $235. Read our Gallipoli tours from Istanbul guide too.

Which meals and tickets are in the price?

Breakfast is included at both hotels. The day plans also mention lunch in Bergama on Day 2, a local restaurant near Ephesus on Day 3 and a lunch break at Pamukkale on Day 4. However, lunch does not appear in the inclusions list, so ask whether it is covered. Admission fees are included, but two stops are marked optional. These are the House of the Virgin Mary on Day 3 and a swim in Cleopatra's Pool on Day 4. Ask us which of these tickets you pay yourself, so you can budget cash for the day.

What should we wear and pack?

You walk a lot on this trip, on stone streets at Ephesus and Pergamon and on paths between the Gallipoli memorials, so wear comfortable shoes. Shoes are not allowed on the white terraces at Pamukkale and Hierapolis, so you walk them barefoot and carry your shoes in a bag. If you plan to swim in Cleopatra's Pool, bring swimwear and a small towel. At Gallipoli you are visiting war cemeteries, so dress and behave as you would at any memorial. Pack a light jacket for the early morning starts.

Can we add nights or slow the trip down?

The page lists no add-on prices for this package. It does say services end at your Istanbul hotel on Day 4. You can ask us to add a night in Kusadasi, which would give you a free day at the coast between Ephesus and Pamukkale. Ask before booking, because it changes the flight date. If you want the same sites at a different price or pace, look at the 4-day Gallipoli, Troy, Pamukkale and Ephesus tour from $889. You can also browse our multi-city packages. For the Ephesus base, see Kusadasi hotels for Ephesus.

How do I book this 4-day Aegean tour?

Choose your date and the number of guests in the booking form on this page and send it, or message us on WhatsApp. We confirm the group departure and pick-up point, and send you the full plan in writing. It includes the hotel for night one (Canakkale or Eceabat), the Denizli flight time and the list of meals and tickets that are included. You pay only after you have read and confirmed it. The tour is run by Get Turkey Tours, TÜRSAB licence A-15751.