Turkey Coast & Ruins Tour: Troy, Ephesus, Bodrum, Antalya 5 Days
Overview
Turkey Coast & Ruins Tour: Troy, Ephesus, Bodrum, Antalya 5 Days
This 5-day, 4-night tour links Turkey's great ancient sites with its finest stretches of coast. You start at the legendary city of Troy and the vast ruins of Ephesus, then see the thermal terraces of Pamukkale.
The second half of the trip is about the sea. Bodrum offers its medieval castle and a busy marina, Fethiye brings the blue lagoon of Oludeniz and the ghost town of Kayakoy, and in Antalya the old town and Roman gate sit beside the Mediterranean. The tour ends with a flight back to Istanbul.
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 – 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 2 – 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 3 – 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 4 – 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 5 – 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 are taken to the airport for your flight back to Istanbul.
Our representative will then help with your transfer, either to the airport for your flight home or to your hotel. This is where our services end.
Extra nights can be added if you would like to stay longer.
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: $250
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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Travel guides
Turkey coast and ruins tour from Troy to Antalya in 5 days: the key facts
This 5-day, 4-night group tour goes by road from Istanbul to Troy and Kusadasi, then covers Ephesus and Pamukkale on Day 2, Bodrum on Day 3 and Fethiye with Oludeniz and Kayakoy on Day 4. On Day 5 you drive to Antalya, tour Kaleici, Hadrian's Gate and the Duden Waterfalls, and fly back to Istanbul the same day. Although the page title names only Troy, Ephesus, Bodrum and Antalya, the route also includes Pamukkale and Fethiye, and there is no hotel night in Antalya.
It suits travellers who want the whole Aegean and Lycian coast in one trip and are happy to move hotel every night. The price is from $1,595 per person.
| Quick facts | |
|---|---|
| Length | 5 days / 4 nights |
| Route | Istanbul - Troy - Kusadasi - Ephesus - Pamukkale - Bodrum - Fethiye - Antalya - Istanbul |
| Style | Group tour by road, one flight back |
| Start / end | Check-out from your Istanbul hotel on Day 1 / flight from Antalya on Day 5, then a transfer to the airport or your hotel in Istanbul |
| Included | 4 hotel nights with breakfast (Kusadasi, Pamukkale, Bodrum, Fethiye), professional guide, the flight in the itinerary, air-conditioned vehicles, entrance fees except optional sights |
| Extra | International flights, lunches and dinners, Terrace Houses, House of the Virgin Mary, free-time activities |
How does this differ from the Bodrum and Antalya version?
We also sell a 5-day Troy, Ephesus, Pamukkale, Bodrum and Antalya tour at the same price. That one drives straight from Bodrum to Antalya and gives you a night and a free afternoon there. This one swaps the Antalya night for a night in Fethiye with Oludeniz and Kayakoy, so Antalya becomes a short visit on the last day before the flight. Choose this one for more coast and fewer free hours, the other for a slower finish.
What time does Day 1 start?
The page says you check out of your hotel and travel by bus to Troy, and that "the tour normally begins at around 09:00". It gives no Istanbul pick-up time, and you cannot leave Istanbul and start at Troy at the same hour, so ask us to confirm the real pick-up time in writing. The Istanbul night before Day 1 is not one of the four included nights; the extras offer an extra Istanbul night before or after the tour at $65.
How long are the drives?
Day 1 is the longest road day, from Istanbul to Troy and on to Kusadasi, though no hours are given. Day 2 goes from Ephesus to Pamukkale in the afternoon. The page then gives about 3 hours from Pamukkale to Bodrum, about 2 hours from Bodrum to Fethiye and about 3 hours from Fethiye to Antalya. Our other packages give about 3 hours for Bodrum to Fethiye, so ask us to confirm the times. Day 5 is long: the drive, the Antalya tour, then the flight.
What do we see at Ephesus and Pamukkale?
Day 2 morning is Ephesus: the Library of Celsus, the Temple of Hadrian, the Grand Theatre, the Hercules Gate and the site of the Temple of Artemis. The Terrace Houses and the House of the Virgin Mary are optional, and this page gives no price for them. In the afternoon you see the travertines and Hierapolis. Shoes are not allowed on the white terraces, so you walk barefoot; bring a bag for your shoes.
What happens in Bodrum and Fethiye?
Day 3 covers Bodrum Castle, the remains of the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus and free time at the marina, with the evening free in Bodrum. Day 4 covers the Fethiye Museum, the lagoon and beach at Oludeniz and the empty stone village of Kayakoy, then check-in and a free evening in Fethiye. The page does not say how long you stay at Oludeniz, so plan for a visit rather than a beach day. See our Bodrum guide and Fethiye guide.
Is the hot air balloon included?
No. The extras list a "Cappadocia hot air balloon (Goreme)" at $310, but this route does not go to Cappadocia at any point. Ask us in writing what that extra covers before you add it; it only works if you add Cappadocia days before or after the tour. Other extras are an extra Istanbul night at $65 and an upgrade to a private tour at $250; ask whether the private upgrade is per person.
Which hotels are used?
The page names the four overnight towns, Kusadasi, Pamukkale, Bodrum and Fethiye, but no hotel names or star category. We send the hotels with your written plan. Since you change hotel every night, pack light and keep a small day bag for the sites. If you want to finish with a night in Antalya, ask us to add it; our Antalya guide helps you plan. Other routes are on our multi-city packages page.
How do we book this package?
Use the booking form on this page to choose your start date, a preferred time and the number of guests, and tell us your Istanbul hotel and flight home. You can also message us on WhatsApp at +90 545 307 67 88. We confirm the Day 1 pick-up time, the drive times, the four hotels, the Antalya flight time and the extras, 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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