Private Best of Turkey Tour: 10 Days with Domestic Flights

On arrival at Istanbul airport, our driver picks you up and brings you directly to the hotel. There are no other activities today, so you are free to rest after your trip. The next morning at 09:30 AM, your guide comes to meet you.

Your guide collects you at the hotel at 09:30 AM for a full day on foot through the old core of the city, where Byzantine and Ottoman history sit side by side.

• Topkapi Palace (optional): home of the Ottoman sultans for centuries, with fine architecture and a long story to tell.
• Blue Mosque: one of the symbols of Istanbul, famous for its size and the blue tiles that line its interior.
• Hippodrome: the old chariot-racing ground of the city. Here you see the Egyptian Obelisk, brought to Istanbul from ancient Egypt; the Serpent Column, a relic of the ancient Greek world; and the German Fountain, a gift from the German Emperor Wilhelm II.
• Hagia Sophia (optional): a UNESCO World Heritage Site whose Byzantine architecture and vast interior impress every visitor.
• Grand Bazaar: the oldest covered market in the world, busy and colourful, and a good place to buy souvenirs, spices and textiles.

When the walk ends, you are driven back to your Istanbul hotel for the night. Breakfast is included.

Have breakfast at the hotel before the day begins.

• 10:30 AM – Egyptian Spice Bazaar: wander the crowded lanes of this lively market, full of the scent of exotic spices, Turkish delight and other local products.
• 12:30 PM – Lunch (not included): stop for a local meal at a restaurant close by.
• 1:30 PM – Bosphorus Cruise: sail on the strait that divides Europe from Asia and take in the mixed architecture of the city from the water. The route passes grand Ottoman palaces, including Dolmabahce Palace and Beylerbeyi Palace.
• 2:30 PM – Free time for shopping: pick up souvenirs or explore some of the fashionable districts of Istanbul, with cafes and markets where you can try local food and see daily life.
• 5:00 PM – Back to the hotel: return to freshen up and rest before dinner.

Hotel pick-up is at 7:00 AM (the exact time will be confirmed). An early direct flight takes you to Antalya, where your guide leads a full day among the ancient cities of the coast.

• 7:00 AM: pick-up at your hotel and drive to the airport.
• 8:00 AM: arrival at the airport and boarding for Antalya.
• 8:30 AM: direct flight to Antalya.
• 9:30 AM: transfer to Perge.
• 10:00 AM – Perge: walk through the large ruins of this ancient city. Its theatre held 12,000 spectators, and you also see a street lined with columns and the remains of the old baths. The history of Perge goes back to the Hellenistic period, and its ruins are well preserved.
• 11:30 AM: transfer to Aspendos.
• 12:00 PM – Aspendos Theater: built in the 2nd century AD, this is one of the best-preserved ancient theatres in Turkey and is still used for performances. Your guide explains its design, its fine acoustics and the role it played in the ancient world.
• 1:30 PM: transfer to Side.
• 2:00 PM – Side: stroll the old streets of a city that was a major trading centre in antiquity. You see its large amphitheater, the Temple of Apollo and a lovely stretch of coast, with ruins scattered all around.
• 3:30 PM: lunch break (lunch not included).
• 4:30 PM: transfer to Manavgat Waterfall.
• 5:00 PM – Manavgat Waterfall: a calm, green spot where the sound of falling water makes a good backdrop for photos and a short rest.
• 6:30 PM: departure for your accommodation.
• 7:30 PM: arrival at your accommodation in central Antalya.

After a long day of sightseeing, settle into your hotel and rest well before the next part of the trip.

Please note: boat trips depend on the weather and the season, so contact us before you book.

This optional day out on the water combines coastal scenery, a local lunch and plenty of time to relax along the Mediterranean shore of Antalya. Hotel pick-up is at 10:00 AM (the exact time will be confirmed).

• 11:00 AM – Setting sail: board a comfortable boat at the marina and cruise past cliffs, coves and golden beaches.
• 11:30 AM – Swimming and snorkelling: jump into the clear water for a swim or a snorkel among the colourful sea life, or simply enjoy the sun and the sound of the waves on board.
• 12:30 PM – Lunch on board: skilled chefs serve a tasty meal of local dishes while the coastline drifts past.
• 1:30 PM – Time on deck: spend the afternoon on the wide deck, taking photos and soaking up the quiet atmosphere of the sea.
• 3:30 PM – Back to shore: the boat returns to the marina.
• 4:00 PM – Hotel transfer: you are driven back to your hotel in Antalya.

A very early start: you are collected from your hotel at 04:00 AM and driven to the airport for the 06:55 AM flight to Cappadocia. On landing, your guide meets you and takes you to Goreme, where the tour begins.

At about 09:00 AM you set out among the fairy chimneys and rock churches that give Cappadocia its unusual look.

• Goreme Esentepe panoramic view: the day opens on a viewpoint between Uçhisar and Göreme, looking out over fairy chimneys and the small town of Esentepe.
• Zelve Open-Air Museum: once a monastic community and a centre of Christian learning, Zelve is full of old monasteries, churches and chapels whose frescoes have survived in good condition.
• Pasabag (Monks Valley): Paşabağ, also called “Pasha's Vineyard”, is known for fairy chimneys topped with three heads and for some of the most striking rock shapes in the region.
• Devrent Valley: a short drive away, small pointed chimneys create a moon-like scene, and many of the rocks look like animals or mythical creatures.
• Avanos Pottery Workshop: potters in Avanos have worked with clay from the Red River since 3000 BC. In a traditional workshop you watch local craftsmen at work.
• Love Valley: the last stop. Millions of years of erosion have left cone-shaped pillars, pinnacles and fairy chimneys, some as tall as 40 meters, making this one of the strangest and most photogenic corners of Cappadocia.

The tour wraps up around 16:00, when you are dropped at your hotel in Cappadocia for the night.

If you choose the optional hot air balloon flight, the day begins at sunrise in the sky above Cappadocia. You drift over rock formations and fairy chimneys as the sky changes colour, then raise a glass of champagne after landing before the transfer back to your hotel.

The guided tour usually runs from around 09:00 until 16:00 at the latest.

• Meskendir Valley (4.4 km trek): a 4.4 km walk near Ortahisar leads to Meskendir Church, decorated with red geometric patterns and a large cross carved into the chapel ceiling. You can go inside and enjoy the scenery of the valley.
• Rose Valley: behind Ürgüp, this quiet valley hides churches cut into the rock. Footpaths run through vineyards and gardens between small villages, and locals sometimes offer walkers fresh grapes, apples or apricots.
• Red Valley: like its neighbour, Red Valley has striking rock shapes and old cave churches. Its trails spread out like a spider's web, linking remote villages and farmland, and show off both the scenery and the history of the area.
• Cavusin Valley: Çavuşin is one of the oldest settlements in Cappadocia, a maze of houses carved into the rock. It is also home to the Church of John the Baptist, the largest cave church in the region, dating from the 5th century.
• Underground City: early Christians dug 36 underground cities in Cappadocia to escape persecution. You visit the largest and best known of them, which has eight levels, and walk through parts of it, including old wineries, kitchens and living areas.
• Pigeon Valley: on the edge of Göreme, the valley takes its name from the dovecotes cut into its cliffs over the centuries. Farmers once used the droppings to fertilise their fields. Today it is a fine spot for wide views and photos.
• Uchisar Castle Panorama: the final stop is Uçhisar, the highest point in Cappadocia. Its tall rock castle once served as a fortress, and from the top you can see the whole region, with Erciyes Mountain far in the distance.

After the hike and a full day of sights, you are back at your hotel around 16:00 for the night.

Pick-up at your hotel is early, at 05:00 AM, for the 08:00 AM flight to Izmir, which takes about one hour. From the airport we drive you straight to Ephesus, and at around 10:30 AM you enter the ancient city through the Magnesia Gate.

Sights on the tour:

• Library of Celsus: famous for its grand facade and fine architectural detail.
• Temple of Hadrian: the well-kept ruins of a temple built for the Roman emperor Hadrian.
• Hercules Gate: a monumental entrance decorated with reliefs and sculpture.
• Grand Theatre: a vast structure that once held thousands of spectators.
• The Snake Cult of Asklepios: hear about the ancient snake cult linked to healing and see the ruins of the Asklepion, a medical centre of the ancient world.
• Herm (Marker) of Hermes: a stone marker for Hermes, the Greek god of travellers and boundaries.
• Stone-carving of the goddess Nike: a detailed relief of Nike, the symbol of victory and triumph.
• Fountain of Trajan: an ancient fountain honouring the emperor Trajan, decorated with ornate sculpture.
• Ruins of Artemis Temple: what remains of the famous Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of antiquity.
• St. Mary's House (optional): if you wish, visit the holy site where the Virgin Mary is believed to have spent her last years.

At 3:00 PM, once the tour is over, you are taken to your hotel in Kusadasi for the night.

• 07:00 AM: early pick-up at your hotel in Kusadasi.
• 09:00 AM: arrival at Hierapolis. Walk through the Necropolis, see the ancient Theatre and visit the Cleopatra Pool (there is an admission charge if you want to swim in it).
• 11:00 AM: leave Hierapolis for Pamukkale.
• 11:30 AM: arrival at Pamukkale. The travertines here are a natural wonder of bright white terraces filled with mineral-rich pools. Take in the views and walk across the soft, cotton-like rock.
• 01:00 PM: visit Pamukkale Naturel Lake and Park, a calm and pretty spot.
• 02:00 PM: lunch break (lunch not included).
• 03:00 PM: leave Pamukkale for Denizli Airport.
• 04:00 PM: arrival at Denizli Airport for the flight back to Istanbul.
• 05:00 PM: flight to Istanbul.
• 06:30 PM: landing in Istanbul and transfer to your hotel for the last night of the trip, with breakfast included.

Enjoy breakfast, then check out of the hotel. Our representative takes care of your transfer to the airport, which brings our services to a close.

Would you like more time in the city? Extra nights in Istanbul can be added to your stay.

Optional add-ons

• Hot air balloon flight in Cappadocia (GOREME): $310
• Extra night at an Istanbul hotel, before or after the tour: $65
• Upgrade to a private tour: $500