Turkey Express Highlights: 7-Day Istanbul, Cappadocia & Ephesus Tour

We meet you at Istanbul Airport and drive you to your hotel. Nothing else is planned for today. Your guide will meet you the following day at 09:30 AM.

Early morning, 04:00 AM: we collect you from your Istanbul hotel at 4:00 AM and drive you to the airport for the 6:55 AM flight to Cappadocia.

Morning arrival: your guide meets you in Cappadocia and takes you to Göreme, where the day's sightseeing begins.

Other flight times: if the early flight does not suit you, we can book a later one at around 10:00 AM, 11:30 AM or in the afternoon. In that case you may miss some of the sights. Just tell us in the booking form and we will adjust the plan.

The guided tour usually begins at about 09:00 and finishes by 16:00 at the latest.

Today you will see:

• Goreme Esentepe panoramic viewpoint – the day opens at Esentepe, a lookout between Uçhisar and Göreme with wide views over the fairy chimneys, the Cappadocian landscape and the town of Esentepe.
• Zelve Open-Air Museum – once a centre of monastic life and Christian learning, Zelve is full of old monasteries, churches and chapels whose frescoes have survived in good condition.
• Pasabag (Monks Valley) – Paşabağ is known for its three-headed fairy chimneys. It is also called "Pasha's Vineyard", and its rock shapes are among the most striking in the region.
• Devrent Valley – a short drive away, this valley looks almost like the surface of the moon. Its small, pointed chimneys invite you to spot shapes of animals and mythical creatures.
• Avanos Pottery Workshop – Avanos has made pottery since 3000 BC, and local craftsmen still turn clay from the Red River into ceramics. You watch them at work in a traditional workshop.
• Love Valley – the last stop. Millions of years of erosion have carved rock towers here up to 40 metres tall, along with cones, pinnacles and fairy chimneys. It is a favourite with photographers and one of the strangest landscapes in Cappadocia.

Afternoon, 4:00 PM: the tour ends and you are dropped at your hotel in Cappadocia. The rest of the day is free to explore or to relax.

Today you check out of the hotel, explore another side of Cappadocia and then fly to Izmir.

Please note: on some days there is no direct flight between Cappadocia and Izmir, so the flight may include one stop.

The guided tour usually begins at about 09:00 and finishes by 16:00 at the latest.

Today you will see:

• Meskendir Valley (4.4 km Trek) – the day starts with a 4.4 km walk through this valley near Ortahisar. On the way you reach the old Meskendir Church, decorated with bold red geometric patterns and a large cross carved into the chapel ceiling. You can go inside, then enjoy the views across the valley.
• Rose Valley – tucked away behind Ürgüp, this quiet valley is famous for its rock formations and for rock-cut churches that are easy to miss. Paths lead through vineyards and gardens from one small village to the next, and friendly locals sometimes offer fresh grapes, apples or apricots.
• Red Valley – much like its neighbour, it has striking rock shapes and old cave churches. Its trails spread out like a spider's web, joining remote villages and farmland, and it shows Cappadocia's nature and history at their best.
• Cavusin Valley – Çavuşin Village is one of the oldest settlements in Cappadocia, a maze of cave houses cut into the rock. It also holds 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 across Cappadocia to hide from persecution, and we visit the largest and best known of them. It has eight levels, and you walk through parts of it to see old wineries, kitchens and living quarters.
• Pigeon Valley – on the edge of Göreme, this valley takes its name from the dovecotes carved into its cliffs over the centuries. Farmers once collected the droppings to fertilise their fields. Today it is a wide viewpoint and a great place for photos.
• Uchisar Castle Panorama – the tour ends in Uçhisar, the highest point in Cappadocia. Its rock castle once served as a fortress, and from the top you look out over the whole region, with Erciyes Mountain on the horizon.

After the tour you are taken to the airport for your flight to Izmir. On arrival we drive you to Kusadasi for the night, with breakfast included.

Today you check out of the hotel, visit Ephesus and then fly back to Istanbul.

The tour usually begins at around 07:30.

Inside the ancient city a full guided tour takes you to its key sites:

• Library of Celsus – its grand facade is one of the best-known sights in Ephesus.
• Temple of Hadrian – built in honour of the Roman emperor Hadrian, it still has well-kept columns and finely carved reliefs.
• Terrace Houses (optional) – the luxurious homes where the wealthy families of Ephesus once lived.
• Hercules Gate – a monumental gateway decorated with carvings of the legendary hero.
• Grand Theatre – it once held up to 25,000 spectators and is still used for performances today.
• Herm (Marker) of Hermes – ancient markers that showed the way and marked boundaries in the city.
• Artemission – the site of the Temple of Artemis, counted among the ancient world's Seven Wonders.
• Stone-carving of the goddess Nike – a detailed relief of Nike, the winged goddess of victory.
• Fountain of Trajan – the well-preserved remains of a monumental fountain built for Emperor Trajan.
• House of Virgin Mary (optional) – the tour ends at the house which many believe was the Virgin Mary's final resting place.

After the tour you are driven to Izmir Airport for your flight to Istanbul. On arrival we take you to your Istanbul hotel for the night, with breakfast included.

Your guide leads a full-day tour through the heart of Byzantine and Ottoman Istanbul, starting at 09:30 AM. The day ends with a Bosphorus Cruise.

Lunch is not included. There is a break for it at around 1:00 PM.

The plan for the day:

• Topkapi Palace (optional) – 09:30 AM – once the residence of the Ottoman sultans, the palace is known for its detailed architecture, fine artifacts and sweeping views of the Istanbul skyline.
• Blue Mosque – 11:00 AM – go inside the mosque named for its famous blue tiles and enjoy the calm of this architectural masterpiece.
• Hippodrome – 12:00 PM – this was the hub of Byzantine entertainment, where crowds watched the chariot races. Its ancient obelisks and monuments recall the city at the height of its glory.
• Lunch – 1:00 PM – a break to rest and eat (lunch is not included).
• Hagia Sophia (optional) – 2:00 PM – a UNESCO World Heritage Site with soaring domes, fine mosaics and a striking mix of Byzantine and Islamic influences.
• Grand Bazaar – 3:30 PM – among the oldest and largest covered markets anywhere, its maze of lanes is packed with colourful stalls selling every kind of Turkish product.

After the tour you are driven back to your hotel for the night.

Have breakfast at your hotel before the day begins.

The tour starts at 10:00 AM at the Egyptian Spice Bazaar.

The plan for the day:

• Egyptian Spice Bazaar – 10:00 AM – begin at this busy market, full of rich smells, exotic spices, Turkish delight and other local goods.
• Lunch break – 12:00 PM – eat at a local restaurant and try some traditional Turkish food (lunch is not included).
• Bosphorus Cruise – 13:30 – after lunch, relax on a cruise between Europe and Asia, with the city's varied architecture on both banks. You pass the grand Ottoman palaces of Dolmabahce and Beylerbeyi.

After the tour you return to your hotel for the night in Istanbul.

After breakfast you check out of your hotel. Our representative will help with your transfer to the airport, which is where our services end.

Would you like more time in Istanbul? You can add extra days to your package through the booking form.

Optional extras

• Hot air balloon flight in Cappadocia (Goreme): $310
• One extra hotel night in Istanbul, before or after the tour: $65
• Upgrade to a private tour: $350