7-Day Turkey Highlights Tour with Fethiye Gulet Cruise & Flights
Overview
7-Day Turkey Highlights Tour with Fethiye Gulet Cruise & Flights
This 7-day, 6-night private tour packs Turkey’s best-known sights into one week and then slows down on the water. You start in lively Istanbul, fly to the rock landscapes of Cappadocia, and continue to the ruins of Ephesus and the white terraces of Pamukkale.
The last three days are spent on a gulet cruising the bays around Fethiye, where nature and history sit side by side. Expect swimming stops, island ruins and the Sunken City of Kekova before the boat reaches Demre.
Breakfast at every stay, a professional guide, transfers, an air-conditioned vehicle, domestic flights and admission fees on the itinerary are included. Lunches, dinners and optional extra activities are paid separately.
Tour Info
Itinerary
Day 1 – Arrival in Istanbul & Airport Transfer
A driver waits for you at Istanbul Airport and brings you to the hotel. There are no plans for the day, and your guide comes to meet you the next morning at 09:30 AM.
Day 2 – Istanbul Highlights, Bosphorus Cruise & Flight to Cappadocia
Today you check out of the hotel, see the highlights of Istanbul and then fly to Cappadocia.
Your guide starts the full-day tour of the city’s Ottoman and Byzantine heart at 09:30 AM, and the day ends with a cruise on the Bosphorus.
- Topkapi Palace (optional) – 09:30 AM: the lavish palace of the Ottoman sultans, with detailed architecture, rare treasures and fine views over the Istanbul skyline.
- Blue Mosque – 11:00 AM: step inside this architectural masterpiece, famous for its blue tiles and its calm atmosphere.
- Hippodrome – 12:00 PM: once the centre of Byzantine entertainment and chariot races, where ancient obelisks and monuments recall the city’s great past.
- Hagia Sophia (optional) – 12:30 PM: a UNESCO World Heritage Site with huge domes, remarkable mosaics and a mix of Byzantine and Islamic influences.
- Grand Bazaar – 13:30: one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world, a maze of colourful stalls selling Turkish goods of every kind.
- Lunch break – 14:30: time for traditional Turkish dishes at a local restaurant (not included).
- Bosphorus Cruise – 16:00: as the day ends, a cruise shows you Istanbul’s skyline on both the European and the Asian side.
After the cruise you are taken to Istanbul Airport for your flight to Cappadocia.
On arrival in Cappadocia we transfer you to your cave hotel, with breakfast included, for a quiet evening in this unusual region.
Day 3 – Cappadocia Tour & Flight to Izmir
Today you check out of the hotel and see more of Cappadocia before your flight to Izmir.
Please note that on some days there is no direct flight between Cappadocia and Izmir, so your flight may include one stopover.
Hot air balloon ride (optional) – early morning: if you wish, take a balloon flight over Cappadocia at sunrise, drifting above the fairy chimneys, rock formations and valleys.
The tour usually begins around 09:00 and is over by 16:00 at the latest.
Highlights of the day:
- Goreme Esentepe – Panoramic View: the day opens at the Esentepe viewpoint between Uçhisar and Göreme, with wide views over the fairy chimneys 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. Locals also call it "Pasha’s Vineyard", and its rock shapes are among the most striking in Cappadocia.
- Devrent Valley: a short drive away, this valley looks almost like the surface of the moon. Its small, pointed fairy chimneys take on the shapes of animals and mythical creatures.
- Avanos Pottery Workshop: Avanos has been a pottery town since 3000 BC, and its craftsmen still shape clay taken from the Red River. You stop at a traditional workshop to watch them at work.
- Love Valley: the last stop. Millions of years of erosion have carved cone-shaped pillars, pinnacles and fairy chimneys here, some of them up to 40 meters tall, which makes it one of the most unusual and photogenic corners of Cappadocia.
- Flight to Izmir: after the tour you are taken to the airport for your flight to Izmir, which may involve a connection depending on availability.
- Transfer to Kusadasi: on arrival in Izmir you are driven to Kusadasi.
- Overnight with breakfast: check in to your Kusadasi hotel for the night, with breakfast the next morning.
Day 4 – Ephesus & Pamukkale in One Day, then Fethiye
Today you check out of the hotel and visit both Ephesus and Pamukkale before continuing to Fethiye.
Pick-up is at 07:00 am, followed by a drive of about 20 minutes to the Magnesia Gate of Ephesus Ancient City.
Highlights of the day:
- Library of Celsus: the ancient library with its famous facade, the most recognisable building in Ephesus.
- Temple of Hadrian: raised in honour of the Roman emperor Hadrian, with well-preserved columns and finely carved reliefs.
- Terrace Houses (optional): the luxurious residential complex where the wealthy families of Ephesus lived.
- Hercules Gate: a monumental gateway decorated with carvings of the legendary hero.
- Grand Theatre: a vast theatre that seated up to 25,000 people and is still used for performances today.
- Herm (Marker) of Hermes: old marker stones that guided people through the city and showed its boundaries.
- Artemission: the spot where the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, used to stand.
- Stone-carving of the goddess Nike: a detailed relief of Nike, the winged goddess of victory.
- Fountain of Trajan: the well-kept remains of a monumental fountain built for Emperor Trajan.
- House of Virgin Mary (optional): the tour can finish at the house believed to be the final resting place of the Virgin Mary.
After Ephesus there is a stop for lunch, and then you drive to Denizli for Pamukkale and the ancient city of Hierapolis, known for its well-preserved ruins and historical importance. Here you visit the Necropolis, the Theatre and the Cleopatra Pool (there is an admission charge for swimming).
Highlights of the tour include:
- Hierapolis: the Necropolis, the Theatre and the Cleopatra Pool (there is an admission charge if you want to swim in it).
- Pamukkale: the main event of the day, the famous travertines with their white terraces of mineral-rich pools. You can walk across the soft, cotton-like surface and take in the views.
- Pamukkale Naturel Lake: there is also time for Pamukkale Naturel Lake and Park, which round off the visit.
Day 5 – Gulet Cruise: Fethiye to St. Nicholas Island
Please be at Fethiye Harbor by 10:00 AM.
Once you have checked in, you board the gulet and get a short orientation. The boat then leaves Fethiye Harbor for its first stop, Butterfly Valley. There is time for a swim, lunch and an optional walk up to the waterfall. More than 136 species of moths and butterflies live in the valley, though they are harder to see on hot days.
Optional activity – paragliding over the Blue Lagoon: next comes Oludeniz (Blue Lagoon), one of the most photographed beaches in the world. Guests who want to can go paragliding, taking off from Babadag Mountain at 2000 meters and gliding down over the lagoon. Booking ahead is recommended to get special rates. If you decide during the cruise, just tell the captain.
In the evening the gulet anchors at St. Nicholas Island. Walk up through the ancient ruins and watch the sun go down from the top. (L, D)
Day 6 – Gulet Cruise: St. Nicholas Island to Kas
The morning starts with a swim in the clear water of Aquarium Bay near Kalkan, followed by breakfast on board.
The gulet then sails on to Kas, a small fishing village full of lively cafes, beer gardens and independent shops. It is a good place to browse for handmade jewellery, and it also has a well-preserved ancient theater.
Optional activity – diving: Kas is one of the top diving spots in southern Turkey. Beginners and certified divers alike can explore caves and wrecks below the surface. Book ahead for discounted rates.
You spend the night in a quiet bay between Kas and Kekova. (B, L, D)
Day 7 – Sunken City, Simena Castle & Flight to Istanbul
After breakfast the gulet heads for the Sunken City, a Lycian town that slipped under the sea after an earthquake in the second century. The boat moves slowly along the ruins of this protected World Heritage site so you can see them from the deck. Swimming, diving and snorkeling are not allowed here.
The next anchorage is near Kekova, where you go ashore for Simena Castle. A short climb to the top rewards you with lovely views across the bay.
In the afternoon the gulet reaches Demre Harbor and the cruise ends. You are picked up and driven to the airport for your flight back to Istanbul.
Important Notes
Optional extras
- Cappadocia hot air balloon flight (GOREME): $310
- One extra hotel night in Istanbul, before or after the tour: $65
- Upgrade to a private tour: $350
Inclusions & Exclusions
- ✓Accommodations with breakfast
- ✓Professional guide
- ✓Transfers
- ✓Air-conditioned vehicle
- ✓Domestic Flight Fares in the itinerary
- ✓Admission Fees in the itinerary
- ✓With Gulet: 3 Days 2 Nights
- ✕Lunch, Dinner
- ✕Optional additional tours or activities
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7-day Turkey highlights tour with a Fethiye gulet cruise: the key facts
This 7-day, 6-night package packs the four classic land stops, Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus and Pamukkale, into the first four days, then puts you on a traditional wooden gulet for 3 days and 2 nights along the Lycian coast from Fethiye to Kekova. It ends with a flight back to Istanbul on Day 7.
It suits active travellers who want the sights and some time at sea in one week, and who are fine with a quick pace on land. The price is from $2,660 per person, including accommodation with breakfast, a professional guide, transfers, domestic flights, admission fees for the sites in the itinerary and the gulet with the meals listed for the boat days.
| Quick facts | |
|---|---|
| Length | 7 days / 6 nights, 2 of them on the gulet |
| Route | Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus, Pamukkale, Fethiye, Kas, Kekova, flight to Istanbul |
| Style | Listed as both private and group on the page; ask which applies to your date |
| Start / end | Istanbul Airport on Day 1, flight back to Istanbul on Day 7 |
| Included | Hotels with breakfast, gulet 3 days / 2 nights, guide, transfers, domestic flights, itinerary admission fees |
| Extra | Land lunches and dinners, balloon ($310), paragliding, diving, extra Istanbul night ($65) |
Is this a private or a group tour?
The page is not consistent: the overview says private, while the tour information lists it as a group tour, and a $350 private upgrade is also offered. Ask us which applies when you request a quote, and we will put it in the written confirmation. If you want a clearly private version with a gulet, compare the Private Cappadocia, Ephesus and Pamukkale tour with gulet cruise.
How fast are the land days?
Very fast. Istanbul is one guided day (Day 2), with a 16:00 Bosphorus cruise and an evening flight to Cappadocia. Cappadocia is one night and one red tour day, followed by a flight to Izmir, which may have a stop. Day 4 starts at 07:00 with Ephesus, then Hierapolis and the Pamukkale travertines, then the drive on to Fethiye. That is the longest day of the trip, so plan an early night.
What happens on the gulet?
You board at Fethiye Harbour by 10:00 on Day 5. The boat stops at Butterfly Valley for a swim and lunch, passes Oludeniz and anchors at St Nicholas Island for the night. Day 6 starts with a swim in Aquarium Bay near Kalkan, then free time in Kas, and the night is in a quiet bay between Kas and Kekova. On Day 7 you sail slowly past the Sunken City, where swimming and snorkelling are not allowed, climb to Simena Castle and leave the boat at Demre. Lunch and dinner are included on Day 5, all three meals on Day 6. See our blue cruise tours for longer sailings.
Where do we sleep on each night?
By the day plan: night 1 in Istanbul, night 2 in a Cappadocia cave hotel, night 3 in Kusadasi, night 4 in Fethiye after the Pamukkale drive, and nights 5 and 6 in a cabin on the gulet. The page does not name the hotels or describe the cabins, and it does not say clearly where night 4 is spent. Ask for the hotel list and cabin type in writing. Our Fethiye destination guide covers the town.
Is the hot air balloon included?
No. The sunrise balloon over Goreme is an add-on at $310 per person, and with one night in Cappadocia there is only one chance, the morning of Day 3. Flights only go ahead when Turkey's civil aviation office clears the weather that morning, and they are cancelled more often in the colder months. Our balloon price page has the background.
What else costs extra on the coast?
Paragliding from Babadag above Oludeniz, at about 2,000 m, is optional and paid separately; booking ahead usually gets a better rate, or tell the captain if you decide on board. Diving at Kas is also optional. Swimming in the Cleopatra Pool at Pamukkale is extra, and lunches on the land days are not included. At Pamukkale you must walk the travertines barefoot, so pack a bag for your shoes.
When is the best time for this tour?
The gulet sets the season. Cabin cruises on this coast generally run from about May to October, with June and September often the most comfortable and July and August the hottest and busiest. Ask which dates this package sails. Early and late season evenings on deck can be cool, so bring a light jacket. Our best time to visit Turkey guide covers the land stops too.
Can we add nights or change the plan?
The tour ends on Day 7 with a flight from the coast back to Istanbul, so book your international flight home for late that day or the next day, and add an Istanbul night for $65 per person if needed. You can also add a night before the tour. For a slower version with more time on land, compare the 10-day Turkey package with a Fethiye gulet. Another one-week option is the 7-day Turkey tour with gulet cruise, which has its own day plan.
How do we book?
Choose a date and the number of guests in the booking form on this page, or message us on WhatsApp with your dates and questions about the boat or the flights. We confirm the full plan in writing, including tour type, hotels, cabin, flight days and meals, before you make any payment. Get Turkey Tours is licensed by TÜRSAB under number A-15751.
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