14-Day Mega Turkey Tour Package: Guided Aegean & Self-Drive Coast

Transfers included. Free time.

Plan to be at the airport at least 1.5 hours before your domestic flight. It may leave from Sabiha Gokcen Airport or Istanbul Airport; if you prefer one of them or have a special request, tell us when you book.

At 15:00 you fly from Istanbul to Izmir (flight time may change), landing at Izmir Airport at 16:20 (arrival airport and time depend on availability). A transfer then takes you to Kusadasi/Selcuk for hotel check-in.

The rest of the day is free to settle in and slow down to the Aegean rhythm of the trip. Ideas: Ladies Beach, the old town bazaar and the marina, or a short ride to Sirince village.

Overnight in Kusadasi/Selcuk.

Meals: breakfast and lunch. Transfers included.

At 09:00 you are collected from your Kusadasi/Selcuk hotel for a full guided day at Ephesus.

• Ephesus Ancient City – Late in the day, as the sun sinks toward the Aegean, long shadows stretch across the marble columns and the stone turns a warm orange. Many people who arrive mid-morning end up staying longer than planned, drawn from one monument to the next. Comfortable walking shoes and a good guide matter more than anything else you bring.
• House of Virgin Mary – On a pine-covered mountain above Ephesus, the shrine feels far removed from the crowded city below. In the small stone chapel, candles burn beside the altar, and the size of the room invites quiet thought rather than sightseeing. Many visitors find it the most moving part of the day.
• Temple of Artemis – Close to Selcuk, the site lies on low ground that is sometimes waterlogged, an odd setting for such a famous building. Archaeologists think the marshy spot near the coast was chosen on purpose, to tie the temple to the sea and to Artemis as a goddess of nature. Seen that way, even the empty field around the single column makes sense.

At 16:00 you return to your Kusadasi/Selcuk hotel.

Overnight in Kusadasi/Selcuk.

Meals: breakfast and lunch.

At 08:30 you check out in Kusadasi/Selcuk and set off with your guide on the Ionian archaeology route.

• Priene Ancient City – Priene is the finest surviving example of a Hellenistic grid plan, its streets set at right angles on a mountain slope above the Buyuk Menderes plain. The compact site holds a well-kept theatre, a council hall, a gymnasium and the columns of the Temple of Athena, which Alexander the Great paid for himself.
• Miletos Ancient City – One of the leading cities of the Greek world, Miletos was a centre of trade and philosophy whose thinkers helped start rational enquiry into nature. Its huge Roman theatre, the harbour monument and the agora show how it stayed important through Greek, Hellenistic and Roman times.
• Didyma Temple of Apollon – Among the largest temples of the ancient world, Didyma was never finished despite centuries of work. Its standing columns, threshold slabs and oracle chamber walls make the scale of ancient building easier to read here than at any similar site.

At 17:00, when the programme ends, you continue to your hotel in Kusadasi/Selcuk.

Overnight in Kusadasi/Selcuk.

Meals: breakfast. Free time.

Spend the day as you like: walk the marina, visit the medieval Genoese castle on the island, take time on the beach or browse the bazaar district. Other ideas are a coastal boat trip, Pigeon Island and its castle, or a seafood dinner at the harbour.

Overnight in Kusadasi/Selcuk.

Meals: breakfast and lunch. Transfers included.

At 08:00 you are picked up at your Kusadasi/Selcuk hotel for the guided Pamukkale tour.

• Pamukkale – Most people stop in their tracks at the first sight of the hillside. Sheets of white travertine reflect the sun so brightly they look like snow in midsummer. This UNESCO World Heritage Site in Denizli province is one of the few places that looks even better than its photos.
• White Calcium Terraces – Sunrise here is worth an early start: the travertine glows orange and pink before the heat builds, and the terraces are nearly empty in the first hour after opening. By midday the light is hard and flat, so morning shows the formation at its best.
• Hierapolis Ancient City – Over several centuries Hierapolis became a major city, taking in Greek, Roman and later Byzantine influences. Its colonnaded main street, paved by the Romans, still carries ruts from cart wheels, and at the far northern edge thousands of tombs mark where the city of the living met the city of the dead.
• Cleopatra Antique Thermal Pool – Centuries ago an earthquake knocked marble columns and stone pieces into this Roman pool, where they still lie under the water. You can swim among them at 36 degrees if you wish. Swimming is optional, is not part of the tour price and is paid on site.

After the tour you pick up your economy-class rental car at the designated point, and the trip moves from guided touring to self-drive. Drive on your own to your hotel in Bodrum.

Overnight in Bodrum.

Meals: breakfast. Free time.

Your self-drive stretch of coast starts in earnest today. The marina, the Castle of St. Peter, the local beaches and the Museum of Underwater Archaeology are all close by. Other ideas: Bodrum Castle, the marina and the bays around the peninsula.

Overnight in Bodrum.

Meals: breakfast. Free time.

A second open day before the longer drives. Try the beach clubs in the south of the peninsula, a boat trip you book yourself, or an easy morning by the harbour. You could also visit Gumbet or Bitez beach, the windmills above town, or take a boat to Black Island.

Overnight in Bodrum.

Meals: breakfast.

Head south from Bodrum along the Aegean coast toward Fethiye. Marmaris lies on the way if you want a break, and the drive takes roughly three to four hours depending on your pace.

The afternoon is free in Fethiye: explore the harbour, the Lycian rock tombs above the old town or the market quarter.

Overnight in Fethiye.

Meals: breakfast. Free time.

Use the day for a boat trip to the Oludeniz Blue Lagoon (booked by you), a drive to Saklikent Gorge or a lazy day on Calis Beach. Fethiye repays those with time to go beyond the harbour. More ideas: the Oludeniz lagoon, Calis beach at sunset or the Fethiye fish market.

Overnight in Fethiye.

Meals: breakfast.

Follow the D400 coastal road from Fethiye to Kas, among the most scenic drives in Turkey. It passes Patara Beach, the Lycian ruins of Letoon and Xanthos, and the turquoise bays near Kalkan.

In Kas, explore the small stone town, the café terraces on the harbour and the little ancient theatre at your own pace.

Overnight in Kas.

Meals: breakfast.

Today is the last long driving day: the coastal highway from Kas to Antalya. If you want to stop, the road passes the ruins of Myra, the sunken city at Kekova and the medieval harbour town of Ucagiz.

Check in to your Antalya hotel on arrival. From most central hotels, Kaleici old town is a short walk away for an evening stroll.

Overnight in Antalya.

Meals: breakfast and lunch. Transfers included.

At 08:00 our representative meets you in Antalya and the guided day of classical sites starts.

• Perge – Among the richest Pamphylian cities of antiquity, Perge had a colonnaded main street, grand gates, a large bath complex and a stadium for about 12,000 spectators. The original street layout is still clear, which makes a guided visit especially worthwhile.
• Aspendos – Built around 155 AD, its theatre is one of the best-preserved Roman theatres anywhere, with the stage building standing near its first height. The acoustics and size reflect the confidence of Roman engineers in Pamphylia.
• Side – A small ancient port joined to a lively seaside town. The Temple of Apollon at the water's edge, the Roman gate and the colonnaded street give it a feel unlike the inland ruins.
• Manavgat Waterfall – A wide, low fall on the Manavgat River, known for its strong flow and cool riverside air rather than its height. It is a natural pause in a day full of archaeology before you head back to Antalya.

At 17:00 the tour finishes and you return to your Antalya hotel.

Overnight in Antalya.

Meals: breakfast.

The final day is yours to plan in Antalya. Visit Kaleici old town, the Antalya Museum or the Duden Waterfalls in your own time.

At 20:00 you hand the rental car back at the hotel at the agreed time, which closes the self-drive part of the trip.

Overnight in Antalya.

Meals: breakfast. Transfers included.

You transfer to Antalya Airport for your domestic flight to Istanbul (flight time may change). The arrival airport and time in Istanbul depend on availability.

This is where your 14-day Mega Turkey Tour Package comes to an end.