Turkey & Greece Tour Package: 9 Days, Istanbul to Santorini
Overview
Turkey & Greece Tour Package: 9 Days, Istanbul to Santorini
This 9-day, 8-night tour combines Istanbul, Cappadocia, Athens and Santorini, with flights included between each destination. In Istanbul you see famous landmarks such as the Blue Mosque and can shop for traditional Turkish souvenirs at the Grand Bazaar. You then fly to Cappadocia, where volcanic rock has shaped a landscape like no other.
In Greece the programme takes in the ancient city of Delphi, with the Temple of Apollo among its well-kept ruins, before ending on Santorini, among the prettiest of the Greek islands. Together, the two countries give you a broad picture of their rich cultures and long histories.
All flights, 4-5 star hotels with breakfast, all transfers, English-speaking local guides and skip-the-line entrance tickets are included. Lunch, dinner, optional tours and the hot air balloon flight are extra.
Tour Info
Itinerary
Day 1 – Arrival in Istanbul
You are met at Istanbul Airport and driven to your hotel. No activities are planned for today.
Day 2 – Classical Istanbul Old City Tour
This morning your guide collects you from the hotel for a walking tour through the heart of Ottoman and Byzantine Istanbul, taking in its best-known sights and monuments.
Highlights of the day:
- Blue Mosque: one of Istanbul's most famous landmarks, admired for its blue tile work and grand scale.
- Hippodrome: the old chariot-racing ground, with the Egyptian Obelisk, the Serpent Column and the German Fountain.
- Hagia Sophia (optional): a UNESCO World Heritage Site with Byzantine architecture and a magnificent interior.
After the tour you return to your Istanbul hotel for the night, with breakfast included.
Day 3 – Flight to Cappadocia & Cappadocia Tour
You transfer to Istanbul Airport for your flight to Kayseri.
The tour usually starts at about 09:00 and finishes by 16:00 at the latest.
Highlights of the day:
- Göreme Esentepe panoramic view: the day opens at the Esentepe viewpoint between Uçhisar and Göreme, looking out over fairy chimneys, the Cappadocian landscape and the small town of Esentepe.
- Zelve Open-Air Museum: once a monastic community and a centre of Christian learning, Zelve has old monasteries, churches and chapels with well-preserved frescoes that tell the story of the region.
- Pasabag (Monks Valley): Paşabağ, also called Pasha's Vineyard, is known for its three-headed fairy chimneys and has some of Cappadocia's most dramatic rock shapes.
- Devrent Valley: a short drive away, this valley looks almost lunar, with small pointed fairy chimneys, some of which resemble 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 visit a traditional workshop and watch the potters at work.
- Love Valley: the last stop, where millions of years of erosion have carved cone-shaped pillars, pinnacles and fairy chimneys up to 40 metres tall, making it a favourite with photographers.
You then return to your cave hotel for the night, with breakfast included.
Day 4 – Optional Hot Air Balloon & Cappadocia Valleys Tour
If you wish, you can start the day with an early-morning hot air balloon flight over Cappadocia's unusual landscape (optional).
The tour usually starts at about 09:00 and finishes by 16:00 at the latest.
Highlights of the day:
- Meskendir Valley (4.4 km trek): the day begins with a 4.4 km walk through Meskendir Valley near Ortahisar. On the way you can step inside Meskendir Church, decorated with bold red geometric patterns and a large cross carved into the chapel ceiling, and enjoy the scenery around it.
- Rose Valley: behind Ürgüp, this quiet valley is known for its rock formations and hidden churches cut into the rock. Its paths link small villages through vineyards and gardens, and friendly locals sometimes offer fresh grapes, apples or apricots.
- Red Valley: much like its neighbour Rose Valley, it has impressive rock formations and old cave churches, with a web of trails connecting remote villages and fields.
- Cavusin Valley: Çavuşin ranks among Cappadocia's oldest settlements, a maze of cave houses cut into the rock. It is also home to the Church of John the Baptist, the region's biggest cave church, which dates from the 5th century.
- Underground City: early Christians built 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 quarters.
- Pigeon Valley: on the edge of Göreme, the valley takes its name from the pigeon houses carved into its cliffs over the centuries. Farmers once used the droppings as natural fertiliser for their fields. Today it is a good place 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 across the whole region to Erciyes Mountain in the distance.
You spend the night in Cappadocia.
Day 5 – Flight from Kayseri to Athens via Istanbul
You transfer to Kayseri airport for your flight to Istanbul, where you connect to a flight to Athens*. At Athens Airport you are met and taken to your hotel. No activities are planned for the rest of the day.
* Flight details: TK 2017 ASR 13:25 – IST 14:55; TK 1845 IST 18:50 – ATH 20:15
Day 6 – Athens Guided Tour: Acropolis & Neoclassical Center
A licensed English-speaking guide goes with you today and explains the history and background of each site.
Highlights of the day:
After breakfast, at the agreed time, the panoramic tour of the Athenian Neoclassical Center begins. You pass the Parliament and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the University, Library and National Academy, Ilion Palace, the Panathenaic Stadium, the Temple of Zeus and Hadrian's Gate, and many other monuments and sites of interest.
Next comes the “sacred rock” itself: the Acropolis, followed by the Acropolis Museum.
After the visit you can go back to your hotel or explore the pretty streets of Plaka on your own. Overnight in Athens.
Day 7 – Ferry from Athens to Santorini
Early in the morning a transfer vehicle takes you to the port of Piraeus, where you board the ferry to Santorini, an island that never stops inspiring its visitors.
As the ferry nears the island, you see the town of Fira, its white houses perched on the cliff edge above the volcano.
At the port one of our representatives meets you, takes you to your hotel and tells you about some of the island's main features.
The rest of the day is free. Walk the scenic lanes by day and, if you like, enjoy the island's busy party scene at night.
Overnight in Santorini.
Day 8 – Free Day in Santorini
A free day to explore Santorini at your own pace, an island some consider to be the lost continent of Atlantis.
Its name was given by the Venetian Giacomo Barozzi, after a chapel dedicated to Saint Eirini. His descendants ruled until 1576, when the island became part of the Duchy of Naxos; this lasted until the Turkish conquest under Piyale Pasha.
Overnight in Santorini.
Day 9 – Flight to Athens & Departure Transfer
At the agreed time you transfer to Santorini airport for your flight to Athens. Your arrival there is timed to connect with your international flight.
Important Notes
Optional extras
- Cappadocia hot air balloon (Göreme): $310
- One extra night in an Istanbul hotel, before or after the tour: $65
- Two extra nights in an Istanbul hotel, before or after the tour: $125
Inclusions & Exclusions
- ✓All flights in the program
- ✓4-5 Stars Accommodation with breakfast
- ✓All Flight Fares in the itinerary
- ✓All Transfers
- ✓English Speaking Local Guides
- ✓Entrance Tickets Skip-Line
- ✕Lunch, Dinner
- ✕Optional additional tours or activities
- ✕Hot air balloon tour
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Turkey and Greece combo in 9 days, Istanbul to Santorini: the key facts
This group package fits two countries into 9 days and 8 nights, with two nights in each of four places: Istanbul, Cappadocia, Athens and Santorini. You fly from Istanbul to Cappadocia, then from Kayseri to Athens with a change in Istanbul, take the ferry from Piraeus to Santorini, and fly from Santorini back to Athens for your flight home. There is no Ephesus or Pamukkale on this route. It is the shortest way we offer to see Cappadocia and a Greek island on one trip.
It suits travellers with about a week and a half who want one Turkish highlight beyond Istanbul, plus Athens and Santorini, in a group format. The price is from $3,165 per person.
| Quick facts | |
|---|---|
| Length | 9 days / 8 nights |
| Route | Istanbul – Cappadocia – Athens – Santorini – Athens |
| Style | Group tour |
| Start / end | Istanbul Airport pickup on Day 1 / Santorini to Athens flight, timed for your international departure, on Day 9 |
| Included | All flights in the programme, 4-5 star hotels with breakfast, all transfers, English-speaking local guides, skip-the-line entrance tickets |
| Extra | Lunch, dinner, optional tours, balloon ($310), extra Istanbul nights ($65 for one, $125 for two) |
How do the flights and the ferry work?
Day 3 is a flight from Istanbul to Kayseri; the page does not give its time, but touring starts at about 09:00, so expect an early start. Day 5 is the long travel day. The page lists TK 2017 from Kayseri at 13:25, landing in Istanbul at 14:55, then TK 1845 from Istanbul at 18:50, landing in Athens at 20:15. You are met and taken to your hotel. Day 7 is an early ferry from Piraeus to Santorini, and Day 9 a flight from Santorini to Athens. Flight numbers and times can change, so confirm them in your written plan.
Is Delphi part of this tour?
Check this point in writing. The overview says the programme "takes in the ancient city of Delphi, with the Temple of Apollo". But the day plan has no Delphi day. Day 6 is the Athens tour, Day 7 the ferry, and Day 8 a free day on Santorini. If Delphi matters to you, ask whether it can be added and at what price. The 19-day Turkey and Greece Odyssey has a Delphi day in its plan.
What does the Istanbul day cover?
Day 2 is a walking tour of the old city with the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome and Hagia Sophia, which is marked optional. Unlike most of our Istanbul days, Topkapi Palace and the Grand Bazaar are not on the list, though the overview mentions shopping at the Grand Bazaar. The inclusions mention skip-the-line entrance tickets, but the page does not say whether the optional Hagia Sophia entry is one of them. Ask us to confirm. If you want more of the city, extra nights cost $65 for one or $125 for two.
Is the balloon included, and is there a second chance?
No. The balloon is excluded and costs $310 per person. You land in Cappadocia on the morning of Day 3, tour the north valleys and sleep in a cave hotel. The page places the optional balloon at dawn on Day 4, before the valley tour. Your flight on Day 5 leaves Kayseri at 13:25, so ask whether the Day 5 dawn can serve as a backup if Day 4 is called off. Balloon flights depend on the weather. See our balloon price guide and cave hotels page.
What is included in Athens and on Santorini?
Day 6 is a guided day in Athens with a licensed English-speaking guide. It starts with a drive past the Parliament, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Panathenaic Stadium, the Temple of Zeus and Hadrian's Gate, then the Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum. Afterwards you can explore Plaka on your own. On Santorini a representative meets you at the port. The rest of Day 7 and all of Day 8 are free. Anything you book for yourself on the free days is paid on top.
How hard are the days?
Day 3 and Day 4 in Cappadocia run from about 09:00 to 16:00. Day 4 begins with a 4.4 km walk through Meskendir Valley and also visits Rose Valley, Red Valley, Çavuşin, an underground city, Pigeon Valley and Uçhisar Castle. Day 5 is mostly airports. Day 6 includes the walk up to the Acropolis and time on your feet in the museum. Bring good walking shoes. At the Blue Mosque, cover shoulders and knees, women also cover their hair, and shoes come off at the entrance.
Can we add nights, and where?
The page offers extra Istanbul nights "before or after the tour". As the tour ends in Athens, not Istanbul, a night after the tour would need a separate flight, so ask how it would work. A night before the start is simpler. For more time in Turkey, compare the 12-day Turkey and Greece tour from $4,195, or the 9-day Turkey and Greece tour from $3,370, which takes in Ephesus and Pamukkale instead of Cappadocia. More plans are on our Istanbul and Greece packages page.
Is there a private version?
Yes. The private 9-day Turkey and Greece combo follows the same four places from $3,730. The page lists private local guides and 5-star or boutique hotels, rather than shared group touring and 4-5 star hotels. The page also gives it a 04:00 hotel pickup for a 06:55 flight to Cappadocia on Day 3. Ask us to compare the two in writing.
How do I book this 9-day combo?
Choose your date and number of guests in the booking form on this page and send it, or message us on WhatsApp. We check flights, the ferry and hotels for your dates and send you the full plan in writing, with hotel names, flight and ferry times and an answer on Delphi. You pay only after you have read and confirmed it. The tour is run by Get Turkey Tours, TÜRSAB licence A-15751.
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