Antalya, Ephesus & Cappadocia Tour: 3 Days with Flights
Overview
Antalya, Ephesus & Cappadocia Tour: 3 Days with Flights
This short tour packs three of Turkey's great landscapes into three days. You walk through the ancient ruins of Ephesus, spend a day on the Mediterranean coast around Antalya and explore the strange rock formations of Cappadocia, taking in history, culture and scenery along the way.
An early flight from Istanbul brings you to Antalya for Perge, Aspendos, the Kursunlu Waterfall and the old town of Kaleici. That evening you fly to Izmir and stay in Kusadasi, then tour Ephesus the next day before flying on to Cappadocia. The final morning starts with an optional balloon flight, followed by a guided tour and a flight back to Istanbul.
Hotels with breakfast, a professional guide, all flights in the itinerary, air-conditioned vehicles and entrance fees (except optional sites) are included. International flights to Istanbul, lunches, dinners and optional activities in free time are not.
Tour Info
Itinerary
Day 1 – Flight to Antalya, Antalya Tour and Flight to Izmir
Your flight to Antalya leaves at 7:15 AM, so we collect you from your hotel very early. If you like, you can meet our guide at the airport instead.
- Perge Ancient City: walk among the remains of this Roman city.
- Aspendos Theatre: one of the best-preserved Roman theatres anywhere.
- Kursunlu Waterfall: a quiet, green spot to relax.
- Kaleici (Old Town): cobbled lanes lined with Ottoman houses and busy shops.
- Hadrian's Gate: the well-kept Roman gateway that once led into the old city.
After the tour, a transfer takes you to the airport for your flight to Izmir. Overnight in Kusadasi.
Day 2 – Ephesus Tour and Flight to Cappadocia
Today is about Ephesus, one of the best-preserved ancient cities in the world. Walking its streets is like stepping back through the centuries.
- Library of Celsus: the striking facade of the ancient library, one of the best-known buildings in Ephesus.
- Temple of Hadrian: a grand temple built for the Roman emperor Hadrian, with well-kept columns and detailed reliefs.
- Terrace Houses (optional): the luxurious homes where the wealthy families of Ephesus once lived.
- Hercules Gate: a monumental gateway carved with scenes of the legendary hero.
- Grand Theatre: a vast theatre that once seated up to 25,000 people and is still used for performances today.
- The Snake Cult of Asklepios: learn about the ancient cult of Asklepios, god of healing, and see what is left of his temple.
- Herm (Marker) of Hermes: ancient marker stones that guided people and set boundaries in the city.
- Artemission: the site of the Temple of Artemis, which was counted among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
- Stone-carving of the goddess Nike: a finely carved relief of Nike, the winged goddess of victory.
- Fountain of Trajan: the well-preserved remains of a monumental fountain built in honour of Emperor Trajan.
- House of Virgin Mary (optional): the tour can end at the house that tradition holds to be the last resting place of the Virgin Mary.
After the tour, you are taken to the airport for your flight to Cappadocia.
Overnight in Cappadocia.
Day 3 – Cappadocia Tour and Flight Back to Istanbul
- 05:00 AM – Hot air balloon ride (optional): float over Cappadocia's rock formations and fairy chimneys at sunrise.
- 07:00 AM – Champagne toast and return to the hotel: a glass of champagne after landing, then the transfer back.
- 09:00 AM – Pick-up for the Cappadocia tour: your guide collects you to explore the region's lesser-known corners.
The tour route:
- Goreme Esentepe – panoramic view: we start at the Esentepe viewpoint between Uçhisar and Göreme, looking out over the fairy chimneys, the unusual Cappadocian scenery and the small town of Esentepe.
- Zelve Open-Air Museum: once a centre for monks and Christian learning, Zelve has old monasteries, churches and chapels with well-preserved frescoes that show the region's past.
- Pasabag (Monks Valley): Paşabağ, also called Pasha's Vineyard, is known for its fairy chimneys with three heads and for some of the region's most striking rocks.
- Devrent Valley: a short drive away, this valley looks almost like the surface of the moon, with small pointed fairy chimneys, some shaped like animals and mythical creatures.
- Avanos Pottery Workshop: Avanos has made pottery since 3000 BC, and its craftsmen still shape clay from the Red River. You watch them at work in a traditional workshop.
- Love Valley: the last stop, where millions of years of erosion have carved cones, pinnacles and fairy chimneys up to 40 meters tall, a strange and very photogenic corner of Cappadocia.
After the tour, a transfer takes you to the airport for the flight back to Istanbul. Our representative then helps with your departure transfer, either to your flight home or to your hotel, which completes our services.
Extra nights can be added if you would like to stay longer.
Important Notes
Optional extras
- Extend the tour by 1 day: $115
- Ephesus Terrace Houses: $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
Write a review
Been on a trip with us? Tell other travelers how it went.
Travel guides
- Antalya Day Trips: How to Choose the Right One from Your Hotel
- Side and Manavgat Waterfall Day Trip from Antalya: Route and Tickets
- Köprülü Canyon Rafting from Antalya: Distance, Season and Age Limits
- Kekova Sunken City Boat Trip from Antalya: Route, Timing and Rules
- Antalya Jeep Safari and ATV Quad Safari: Routes, Ages and Licence
- Things to Do in Antalya: Kaleiçi, Waterfalls, Roman Ruins and Boats
- Istanbul and Antalya Holiday 2027: How to Split a Week
- Antalya in 5 Days for Gulf Families: Daily Plan and Real Prices
- Antalya in 3 Days: Day-by-Day Plan, Tour Costs and Where to Stay
- Antalya Airport Transfer: Drive Times to Lara, Belek, Side and Kemer
Antalya, Ephesus and Cappadocia in 3 days: the key facts
This 3-day, 2-night group tour links the Mediterranean coast, the ruins of Ephesus and Cappadocia with four flights. Day 1 starts with an early flight from Istanbul to Antalya for Perge, Aspendos, the Kurşunlu Waterfall and Kaleiçi, then a flight to Izmir and a night in Kusadasi. Day 2 is a guided tour of Ephesus and a flight to Cappadocia. Day 3 begins with an optional sunrise balloon flight, followed by a tour of the valleys and a flight back to Istanbul.
It suits travellers who have seen Istanbul and want Roman sites and the fairy chimneys in one short trip, without long bus rides. The price is from $1,315 per person.
| Quick facts | |
|---|---|
| Length | 3 days / 2 nights |
| Route | Istanbul - Antalya - Izmir/Kusadasi (Ephesus) - Cappadocia - Istanbul |
| Style | Group tour with four domestic flights |
| Start / end | Very early pick-up at your Istanbul hotel for the 07:15 flight (or meet the guide at the airport) / transfer to Istanbul airport or your hotel on Day 3 |
| Included | Hotels with breakfast (Kusadasi, Cappadocia), professional guide, all flights in the itinerary, air-conditioned vehicles, admission fees except optional sites |
| Extra | International flights, lunch and dinner, Terrace Houses ($25), one extra day ($115), balloon flight |
How early does Day 1 start?
Very early. The flight to Antalya leaves Istanbul at 07:15, so we collect you from your hotel very early in the morning, or you can meet the guide at the airport. Day 1 is the busiest of the three: a morning flight, a full Antalya tour, then a second flight to Izmir and a transfer to Kusadasi for the night. Pack a small day bag with water, a hat and sun cream, and keep your main luggage easy to move between vehicles.
What do we see around Antalya?
The Day 1 tour covers Perge, the remains of a Roman city; the Aspendos Theatre, one of the best-preserved Roman theatres; the Kurşunlu Waterfall, a quiet green stop; and Kaleiçi, Antalya's old town with Hadrian's Gate. There is no beach time on this plan. Our Antalya guide covers the area in more detail if you want to come back for a longer stay.
What do we see in Ephesus, and what costs extra?
Day 2 is a full walk through the ancient city: the Library of Celsus, the Temple of Hadrian, Hercules Gate, the Grand Theatre that once seated up to 25,000 people, the Fountain of Trajan, the Nike relief and the site of the Temple of Artemis. The Terrace Houses are optional at $25. The tour can end at the House of the Virgin Mary, also optional, but this page gives no ticket price for it, so ask us.
Where do we stay?
Night 1 is in Kusadasi, after the evening flight to Izmir, and Night 2 is in Cappadocia, both with breakfast. The page does not name the hotels, give a star rating or say whether the Cappadocia hotel is a cave hotel. If any of this matters to you, write it in the booking form and ask which hotels are planned for your dates. Our pages on Kusadasi hotels for Ephesus and Cappadocia cave hotels explain the choices.
Is the hot air balloon included?
No. Day 3 shows an optional balloon flight at 05:00, with a champagne toast at about 07:00 and a return to the hotel before the 09:00 tour pick-up. This page lists no price for the balloon, so ask us for the current price for your date and get it in writing. With one night in Cappadocia, Day 3 is your only balloon morning, and flights depend on the weather that day. Our balloon price guide explains what affects the cost.
What does the Cappadocia day include?
Your guide collects you at 09:00 for the northern route: the Esentepe viewpoint between Uçhisar and Göreme, the Zelve Open-Air Museum, Paşabağ, Devrent Valley, a pottery workshop in Avanos and Love Valley. The page gives no finishing time for this day. After the tour you transfer to the airport for the flight back to Istanbul, and our representative helps with your transfer to your flight home or your hotel.
Can we add days or include Istanbul?
You can extend the tour by one day for $115, and the page says extra nights can be added. If you want a guided day in Istanbul as well, our 4-day tour of Istanbul, Antalya, Ephesus and Cappadocia costs from $1,860 per person. Our Istanbul, Antalya and Cappadocia tour costs the same as this one, from $1,315 per person, and swaps Ephesus for the Istanbul old city.
How do we book this tour?
Choose your date and number of guests in the booking form on this page, and tell us whether you want hotel pick-up for the 07:15 flight or to meet the guide at Istanbul airport. You can also message us on WhatsApp at +90 545 307 67 88. We confirm the four flights, both hotels and any extras, then send you the full plan in writing before you make any payment. Get Turkey Tours is a TÜRSAB-licensed agency (A-15751).
Similar tours
Antalya City Tour: Kaleici, Duden Waterfalls & Boat Trip with Lunch
A full day with a guided group in Antalya, from Kaleici Old Town to the Duden Waterfalls and a coastal boat trip, with lunch and transfers.
Suluada Island Boat Tour from Antalya: Adrasan, Blue Cave & Lunch
Take a boat from Adrasan Harbor to Suluada Island, the 'Turkish Maldives', for a day of swimming, the Blue Cave and a fresh lunch on board.