Western Turkey Tour: Istanbul, Troy, Ephesus, Bodrum & Antalya 8 Days
Overview
Western Turkey Tour: Istanbul, Troy, Ephesus, Bodrum & Antalya 8 Days
This 8-day, 7-night tour combines history, culture and coastline across Western Turkey. It begins in Istanbul, the city where East meets West, with a guided walk through its Byzantine and Ottoman landmarks.
From there you head to the legendary ruins of Troy, then on to Ephesus, one of the best-preserved ancient cities in the world. Pamukkale follows, with its white travertine terraces and the ruins of Hierapolis. The second half of the trip follows the coast: Bodrum with its castle and marina, Fethiye with the Oludeniz lagoon and the ghost town of Kayakoy, and finally Antalya, where Roman gates and Ottoman lanes meet the Mediterranean.
Hotels with breakfast, a professional guide, all flights in the itinerary, air-conditioned vehicles and admission fees (except optional visits) are included. International flights to Istanbul, lunches, dinners and optional activities in your free time are not.
Tour Info
Itinerary
Day 1 – Arrival in Istanbul and Hotel Transfer
Your driver is waiting when you land at Istanbul airport and brings you to the hotel. The day is free from then on. At 09:30 AM the next morning your guide meets you.
Day 2 – Istanbul Old City Tour
Your guide meets you at the hotel at 09:30 AM, and the rest of the day is spent on foot in the old city, where Byzantine and Ottoman history stand side by side.
Highlights of the day
- Topkapi Palace (optional): For centuries this was home to the Ottoman sultans. Walk through its courtyards and rooms and hear the story behind its fine architecture.
- Blue Mosque: One of the city's best-known landmarks, admired for its grand scale and the blue tiles that line its interior.
- Hippodrome: Chariot races were once held on this square. Today you can see the Egyptian Obelisk, the Serpent Column and the German Fountain here.
- Hagia Sophia (optional): Go inside this UNESCO World Heritage Site to see Byzantine building skill at its height and a vast, richly decorated interior.
- Grand Bazaar: End in the world's oldest covered market, a lively maze of stalls where you can shop for souvenirs, spices and textiles.
When the tour is over, you are driven back to your Istanbul hotel for the night, with breakfast included.
Day 3 – Troy and Drive to Kusadasi
Check out of your hotel this morning and travel by bus to Troy. The tour normally begins at around 09:00.
Highlights of the day
- Troy: Walk through the ruins of the city described in Homer's Iliad and see the famous wooden horse.
From Troy the road continues to Kusadasi. Once you have checked in to your hotel, the evening is yours.
Overnight: Kusadasi
Day 4 – Ephesus and Pamukkale
Today is given over to Ephesus, an ancient city that survives in remarkably good condition and ranks among the best preserved anywhere. As you walk its old streets, the past feels very close.
Highlights of the day
- Library of Celsus: Its tall, decorated facade is one of the best-known sights in Ephesus.
- Temple of Hadrian: Built in honour of the Roman emperor Hadrian, it still shows well-kept columns and fine carved reliefs.
- Terrace Houses (optional): Look inside the luxurious homes where the wealthy families of Ephesus once lived.
- Hercules Gate: A grand gateway decorated with carvings of the legendary hero.
- Grand Theatre: This huge theatre once seated up to 25,000 people, and performances are still staged here today.
- The Snake Cult of Asklepios: Hear about the ancient cult of Asklepios, god of healing, and see what is left of his temple.
- Herm (Marker) of Hermes: These old markers once guided travellers and marked boundaries in the city.
- Artemission: Stand where the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, used to rise.
- Stone-carving of the goddess Nike: A finely detailed relief of Nike, the winged goddess of victory.
- Fountain of Trajan: The remains of a monumental fountain built to honour Emperor Trajan.
- House of Virgin Mary (optional): The tour can end at the house believed to be the Virgin Mary's final home.
In the afternoon you travel on to Pamukkale to see its white terraces, built up over time by calcium deposits, and to visit the ancient city of Hierapolis.
Overnight: Pamukkale
Day 5 – Drive to Bodrum and Bodrum Tour
After breakfast you leave Pamukkale and drive to Bodrum, which usually takes about 3 hours.
Highlights of the day
- Bodrum Castle: This medieval fortress gives wide views over the harbour.
- Mausoleum of Halicarnassus: Walk among the remains of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
- Bodrum Marina: Take time on the busy waterfront to shop or sit down for a coffee at a café by the water.
After the tour you are taken to your hotel in Bodrum for the evening.
Overnight: Bodrum
Day 6 – Fethiye, Oludeniz and Kayakoy
After breakfast it is a short drive of about 2 hours from Bodrum to Fethiye.
Highlights of the day
- Fethiye Museum: See ancient finds from the area and learn about its history.
- Oludeniz: Spend time at the blue lagoon and its beach, which many people rate among the most beautiful in Turkey.
- Kayakoy: Walk through the stone houses of this ghost town, left empty in the 1920s, and hear its story.
Once the tour is over, check in to your hotel and spend the evening as you like.
Overnight: Fethiye
Day 7 – Antalya Tour and Flight to Istanbul
After breakfast you leave Fethiye and drive to Antalya, a trip of about 3 hours.
Highlights of the day
- Kaleici (Old Town): Stroll the cobbled lanes, lined with Ottoman houses and busy little shops.
- Hadrian's Gate: This well-kept Roman gate once marked the way into the old city.
- Duden Waterfalls: Enjoy the calm setting of the falls, just outside the city centre.
After the tour you fly back to Istanbul. Once you arrive, the time is yours to rest or do some last-minute shopping.
Overnight: Istanbul
Day 8 – Departure from Istanbul
Enjoy breakfast, then check out of the hotel. Our representative will see you to your airport transfer for your departure flight, and this is where our services end.
Would you like more time in Istanbul? Extra nights can be added to your stay.
Important Notes
Optional extras
- Cappadocia hot air balloon (Goreme): $310
- One extra hotel night in Istanbul, before or after the tour: $65
- Upgrade to a private tour: $400
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
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Western Turkey in 8 days, from Istanbul to Antalya: the key facts
This is an 8-day, 7-night group tour that starts and ends in Istanbul and runs down the whole west coast by road. After a day on foot in Istanbul's old city, you travel to Troy and Kusadasi, see Ephesus and the white terraces of Pamukkale, then drive on to Bodrum, Fethiye with Oludeniz and Kayakoy, and Antalya, from where you fly back to Istanbul for the last night. Hotels with breakfast, a professional guide, the flight in the itinerary and admission fees (except optional sites) are included.
It suits first-time visitors who want Istanbul plus the Aegean and Mediterranean sights in one week and do not mind a different hotel almost every night. Cappadocia is not on this route. The price is from $2,620 per person.
| Quick facts | |
|---|---|
| Length | 8 days / 7 nights |
| Route | Istanbul - Troy - Kusadasi - Ephesus - Pamukkale - Bodrum - Fethiye - Antalya - Istanbul |
| Style | Group tour, private upgrade available for $400 |
| Start / end | Airport pick-up in Istanbul on Day 1 / airport transfer in Istanbul on Day 8 |
| Included | Hotels with breakfast, professional guide, flights in the itinerary, air-conditioned vehicles, admission fees except optional sites, airport transfers |
| Extra | International flights to Istanbul, lunches and dinners, optional sites and activities |
What do we see in Istanbul?
Day 1 is arrival only: a driver meets you at the airport and takes you to your hotel, and the rest of the day is free. On Day 2 your guide meets you at the hotel at 09:30 for a walking tour of the old city: the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome and the Grand Bazaar, with Topkapi Palace and Hagia Sophia marked as optional. Optional sites are not covered by the included admission fees, so check current prices in our Hagia Sophia ticket price guide. You come back to Istanbul on Day 7.
What should we wear in the mosques and at Pamukkale?
In mosques, everyone covers shoulders and knees, women cover their hair, and shoes come off at the door. Scarves and cover-ups are usually lent at the Blue Mosque entrance, and mosques close to visitors around the daily prayers, for longer at Friday midday. At Pamukkale you walk on the travertine terraces barefoot, so carry a bag for your shoes; shoes are fine on the paths and in Hierapolis. Our what to wear in Istanbul page has more detail.
How does the Troy day work?
On Day 3 you check out of your Istanbul hotel and travel by bus to Troy to see the ruins and the wooden horse, then continue to Kusadasi, where the evening is free. The page says the Troy tour "normally begins at around 09:00", but it also has you leaving Istanbul that same morning, and it gives no departure time or drive length. Troy is a long way from Istanbul, so ask us in writing what time you will be collected. Expect a full day on the road.
What does the Ephesus and Pamukkale day include?
Day 4 is the busiest sightseeing day. At Ephesus the itinerary lists the Library of Celsus, the Temple of Hadrian, Hercules Gate, the Grand Theatre, the Fountain of Trajan, the Nike relief and other stops, with the Terrace Houses and the House of the Virgin Mary as optional extras. In the afternoon you travel to Pamukkale for the travertines and the ancient city of Hierapolis, and you sleep in Pamukkale. Lunch and dinner are not included, so keep some cash for the day.
How long are the drives along the coast?
The page gives the times. Day 5 is about three hours from Pamukkale to Bodrum, for Bodrum Castle, the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus and free time at the marina. Day 6 is about two hours to Fethiye, for the Fethiye Museum, Oludeniz beach and lagoon, and the abandoned village of Kayakoy. Day 7 is about three hours to Antalya, for Kaleici, Hadrian's Gate and the Duden Waterfalls, before the flight to Istanbul. Bring swimwear for Oludeniz.
Which hotels do we stay in?
The page only says "accommodations with breakfast" and names no hotels or star ratings. From the itinerary, you sleep in Istanbul (Nights 1 and 2), Kusadasi (Night 3), Pamukkale (Night 4), Bodrum (Night 5), Fethiye (Night 6) and Istanbul again (Night 7). Ask us for the hotel names and categories before you pay, and whether you can keep your Istanbul room on Night 7. You can add an extra Istanbul night before or after the tour for $65.
Can we go private or add Cappadocia?
Yes to a private tour: the page lists an upgrade for $400; ask whether that is per person or per booking. A Cappadocia balloon flight is listed as an extra for $310, but Cappadocia is not in this itinerary, so it would need extra days and travel. For a shorter version of the coast, see the 5-day Troy, Ephesus, Pamukkale, Bodrum, Fethiye and Antalya tour from $1,595 per person. More routes are on our multi-city packages page.
How do we book this tour?
Choose your date and number of guests in the booking form on this page and add any extras, such as an extra Istanbul night or the private upgrade. You can also message us on WhatsApp at +90 545 307 67 88. We confirm the hotels, the Day 3 departure time, the flight from Antalya and the final price, and send the full plan in writing before you make any payment. Get Turkey Tours is a TÜRSAB-licensed agency (A-15751).
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