4-Day Super Express Turkey Tour with Cappadocia, Ephesus & Pamukkale

We meet you at Istanbul Airport and drive you to your hotel. Nothing else is planned for today. Your guide will meet you the following day at 09:30 AM.

Today you check out of your hotel, see the best of Istanbul and then fly to Cappadocia.

Your guide leads a full-day tour through the heart of Byzantine and Ottoman Istanbul, starting at 09:30 AM. The day ends with a Bosphorus Cruise.

The plan for the day:

• Topkapi Palace (optional) – 09:30 AM – once the residence of the Ottoman sultans, the palace is known for its detailed architecture, fine artifacts and sweeping views of the Istanbul skyline.
• Blue Mosque – 11:00 AM – go inside the mosque named for its famous blue tiles and enjoy the calm of this architectural masterpiece.
• Hippodrome – 12:00 PM – this was the hub of Byzantine entertainment, where crowds watched the chariot races. Its ancient obelisks and monuments recall the city at its height.
• Hagia Sophia (optional) – 12:30 PM – a UNESCO World Heritage Site with soaring domes, fine mosaics and a striking mix of Byzantine and Islamic influences.
• Grand Bazaar – 13:30 – among the oldest and largest covered markets anywhere, its maze of lanes is packed with colourful stalls selling every kind of Turkish product.
• Lunch break – 14:30 – eat traditional Turkish food in a relaxed local restaurant (lunch is not included).
• Bosphorus Cruise – 16:00 – as the day winds down, board a cruise for wide views of the Istanbul skyline on both the European and Asian shores, a fitting end to your time in the city.

After the cruise you are driven to Istanbul Airport for your flight to Cappadocia.

On arrival we take you to your cave hotel, with breakfast included, for a quiet evening in this unusual region.

Today you check out of your hotel and explore Cappadocia before flying to Izmir.

Please note: on some days there is no direct flight between Cappadocia and Izmir, so the flight may include one stop.

The guided tour usually begins at about 09:00 and finishes by 16:00 at the latest.

Today you will see:

• Goreme Esentepe panoramic viewpoint – the day opens at Esentepe, a lookout between Uçhisar and Göreme with wide views over the fairy chimneys, the Cappadocian landscape and the town of Esentepe.
• Zelve Open-Air Museum – once a centre of monastic life and Christian learning, Zelve is full of old monasteries, churches and chapels whose frescoes have survived in good condition.
• Pasabag (Monks Valley) – Paşabağ is known for its three-headed fairy chimneys. It is also called "Pasha's Vineyard", and its rock shapes are among the most striking 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 shapes of animals and mythical creatures.
• Avanos Pottery Workshop – Avanos has made pottery since 3000 BC, and local craftsmen still turn clay from the Red River into ceramics. You watch them at work in a traditional workshop.
• Love Valley – the last stop. Millions of years of erosion have carved rock towers here up to 40 metres tall, along with cones, pinnacles and fairy chimneys. It is a favourite with photographers and one of the strangest landscapes in Cappadocia.

Flight to Izmir: after the tour you are taken to the airport for your flight to Izmir, which may include a connection depending on availability.

Transfer to Kusadasi: from Izmir we drive you to Kusadasi.

Overnight with breakfast: check in at your hotel in Kusadasi for the night. Breakfast the next morning is included.

Today you check out of the hotel and see both Ephesus and Pamukkale. If you want a transfer to another city after the tour, you can add it in the booking form.

Pick-up is at 07:00 am, and the drive to the Magnesia Gate of Ephesus Ancient City takes about 20 minutes.

Ephesus highlights:

• Library of Celsus – its grand facade is one of the best-known sights in Ephesus.
• Temple of Hadrian – built in honour of the Roman emperor Hadrian, it still has well-kept columns and finely carved reliefs.
• Terrace Houses (optional) – the luxurious homes where the wealthy families of Ephesus once lived.
• Hercules Gate – a monumental gateway decorated with carvings of the legendary hero.
• Grand Theatre – it once held up to 25,000 spectators and is still used for performances today.
• Herm (Marker) of Hermes – ancient markers that showed the way and marked boundaries in the city.
• Artemission – the site of the Temple of Artemis, counted among the ancient world's Seven Wonders.
• Stone-carving of the goddess Nike – a detailed relief of Nike, the winged goddess of victory.
• Fountain of Trajan – the well-preserved remains of a monumental fountain built for Emperor Trajan.
• House of Virgin Mary (optional) – the tour ends at the house which many believe was the Virgin Mary's final resting place.

After Ephesus you stop for lunch, then drive to Denizli to see Pamukkale and the ancient city of Hierapolis, known for its well-preserved ruins and its importance in history. You visit the Necropolis, the Theatre and the Cleopatra Pool, where swimming costs an extra entrance fee.

Pamukkale highlights:

• Hierapolis – the Necropolis, the Theatre and the Cleopatra Pool.
• Pamukkale – the high point of the day is the famous travertines, a natural wonder of bright white terraces filled with mineral-rich water. Take in the views and walk across the soft, cotton-white rock.
• Pamukkale Naturel Lake – you also visit Pamukkale Naturel Lake and its park, which round off the scenery of the area.

After the tour you can choose to be dropped in Fethiye, Bodrum or Antalya, or to fly to Istanbul (optional, selected in the booking form).

Optional extras

• Hot air balloon flight in Cappadocia (Goreme): $310
• Onward transfer to Fethiye: $165
• Onward transfer to Istanbul: $140