8 Day tour from Istanbul ( Every Saturday )
Explore highlights of Cappadocia, Pamukkale, and Ephesus)
Small groups, skip-the-line admissions & excellent services

Program

- Saturday - Day 1 - Istanbul to Cappadocia - (L)
In the morning, we will meet you at your hotel provide a transfer to Istanbul domestic airport, and put you on a short domestic flight to Cappadocia.
Upon arrival, we will meet you at the airport and then transfer you to the region.
Today will be devoted to exploring more of Cappadocia's unforgettable sites.
Sites you'll see today:
* Goreme Open-Air Museum - A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Goreme is an ancient town carved right out of the rock (tufa); you'll explore Byzantine-era churches, chapels and monasteries which house wonderfully-preserved 11th- and 12th-century cave frescoes.
* Fairy Chimneys--This strange geological phenomenon was created over millions of years, and was formed during regional volcanic eruptions. Reaching at times 40 meters in height, they are conical in shape and have a whimsical "hat" top to them.
* Devrent Valley--This valley is known as "the pink valley" because of the color of its soil. This is a lovely place to wander about and take in the magical rock formations indicative of Cappadocia, including the Fairy Chimneys.
* Uchisar Castle, also known as Uchisar Fortress, is a formation of two gigantic rocks surrounded by smaller ones that together, form a natural fortress with towers. These formations were inhabited during both the Byzantine and Ottoman periods.
We'll also visit local craftspeople and learn the special art of making dolls and traditional pottery.
Overnight in Cappadocia.

- Sunday - Day 2 - Cappadocia - (B/L)
(If you have purchased the optional hot-air ballooning tour, please note that you'll need to rise very early in the morning to go to the balloon launch site. After the trip has concluded, we'll come back to the hotel for breakfast and have a rest before setting out in later in the morning to see the rest of the sites listed below.)
Today, we'll stroll through an amazing subterranean city where ancient Christians once hid from Arab invaders; we'll then wander through the Ihlara Gorge and spend time in a classic Anatolian village.
* Underground City of Derinkuyu--You'll gradually make your way down into the depths of the earth of this ancient settlement that has 18-20 floors that boast depths as long as 40 meters. (Don't worry, we'll only go down to the 8th floor!) You'll marvel at the fact that Derinkuyu is just one of 36 Cappadocian underground cities, which archaeologists date back to the time of the Hittites around 4,000 years ago.
* Ihlara Gorge is an oasis in the middle of the Anatolian plain. We'll explore the canyon and take in the beautiful green scenery as we stroll casually alongside the river. Here, you'll see ancient monasteries complete with pigeon holes carved into the cliffs by the monks; the pigeons acted as messengers to communicate with neighboring monks!
* Traditional Anatolian village -- You'll get time to stroll in a village such as this and see the average Turkish villager at work...or play.
Overnight in Cappadocia.

- Monday - Day 3 - Cappadocia to Pamukkale - (B/D)
In the morning, we'll depart Cappadocia and drive to Pamukkale; en route, we'll stop in Konya and have lunch near the Mevlana Museum.
* The Mevlana Museum is a holy site for Muslims because of its historical significance as a lodge of the whirling dervishes; in addition, the architecture and famous Iznik turquoise tiles make for a stunning backdrop.

(Note: a museum visit is not included in the guided tour, however, you may choose to either explore this site or to explore Konya.)
In the afternoon, we'll continue to Pamukkale, where you will check into your hotel and have free time to relax and explore Pamukkale
on your own.
Overnight stay at Pamukkale.

- Tuesday - Day 4 - Pamukkale to Kusadasi - (B/LD)
After breakfast, we will continue on the guided tour of Pamukkale and Hierapolis.
* Pamukkale ("cotton castle" in Turkish) is the result of limestone formations created over thousands of years. Warm, calcium-rich mineral water from nearby thermal hot springs flowed over these cliffs and, as these waters cooled, they deposited the calcium that we see today.
* Hierapolis is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was founded as an ancient healing care center in 190 BC, taking advantage of the mineral waters. It was one of the most important intellectual, artistic, religious, and commercial centers of the Roman Empire.

After the tour, we will depart from Pamukkale to Kusadasi ;
Our drive will take us through a rich agricultural area, teeming with cotton fields and fruit orchards.
Evening arrival in Kusadasi, check into your hotel. Overnight stay.

- Wednesday - Day 5 - Kusadasi - (B/L/D)
In the morning we will meet you at your hotel and take you on a guided tour of Ephesus, the Temple of Artemis, and the House of the Virgin Mary.
About the sites you will visit ;
*Ephesus is the best-preserved classical city from ancient times and was inhabited by Greeks, Macedonians, Romans, and Turks. St. Paul lived here circa 60 AD when it was at its most populated at 250,000.  During your visit, you’ll walk its stony boulevards, stand in the grand theatre, and marvel at the beauty of the Celsus Library, the agora, as well as the baths, giving you the unique chance to get up close and personal with history by literally being able to walk into it.
*The Temple of Artemis is situated in the serene countryside and celebrates the Greek goddess Artemis, the virginal huntress and twin of Apollo, who supplanted the Titan Selene as the goddess of the Moon.  This temple, known as Artemision in Greek times, was the largest of its kind at the world
*The House of The Virgin Mary, (Turkish: Meryemana Evi), high on a hill overlooking the town of Selcuk, is where it is believed that St. Mary came to live with St. John the Baptist in the later years of her life.
Overnight in Kusadasi.

- Thursday - Day 6 - Kusadasi to Canakkale - (B/D)
Depart from Izmir on a scenic bus ride to Canakkale --
Arrival in Canakkale, transfer to your hotel, After check-in enjoy the rest of the day at leisure --
Overnight in Canakkale. -

- Friday - Day 7 - Canakkale - (B/D)
In the morning we will take you on a half-day tour of the Ancient City of Troy.
*Troy (Truva) is the ancient site written about by Homer in the classic Iliad. It dates back to approximately 3,000 BC and has been the site of nine different cities through the thousands of years it has been in existence. Upon entering Troy, a large wooden Trojan horse full-scale reproduction will dominate your view. You'll want to climb up and get your picture taken! There is also a small museum on-site to help you get oriented.
Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. Overnight in Canakkale.

- Saturday - Day 8 - Canakkale - Gallipoli - Istanbul - (B/L)
In the morning we will depart from Canakkale, get on the ferry across the Dardanelle, and continue to tour of visiting Gallipoli where fierce World War I fighting took place between Allied forces and the Turkish Army. At ANZAC (Australia and New Zealand Armed Corps) Cove, thousands lost their lives on one fateful dawn morning.
We'll also visit other famous WWI battle sites and cemeteries in this area, including Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair.

After the tour, we will depart from Gallipoli and drive to Istanbul.
Arriving in Istanbul will mark the end of this program

*** Program ends ***

Total cost: 1685.00 Euros per person

Note: ( Rates are subject to change for late and last-minute bookings )

Price includes
* Hotel accommodation in centrally located superior hotels
* All land transfers with comfortable vehicles
* All of the meals mentioned in the itinerary (B-breakfast, L-lunch & D-dinner)
* Professional, English-speaking tour guides
* Admissions to Cappadocia sites
* Domestic flight tickets from Istanbul to Cappadocia
* Domestic flight tickets from Izmir to Istanbul
* Admissions to Cappadocia sites, Ephesus, Pamukkale, Troy, and Gallipoli Museum.
* All taxes and service charges

Excludes
* Hot Air Balloon tour on Cappadocia (%15 percent discount if booked with this package)
* Drinks with meals
* Tips to the guide & driver

We can customize this program and add more destinations of your choice