6 Days Best of Turkey Tour: Istanbul, Cappadocia, Pamukkale and Ephesus

Day 2: “Flight to Cappadocia, Cappadocia Red Tour”

4.15 am Pickup from your Istanbul hotel and transfer to Istanbul airport.  You will be met at the Cappadocia airport with your name written on a paper. Red tour: Start the day visiting Devrent Valley, also known as “Imagination Valley”, this is the most surreal-looking landscape. Your next stop will be Pashabagi also called the Monks Valley because Christian hermits chose to locate hermit cells and churches in these three-headed pinnacles symbolic of the Holy Trinity, it is possible to see all the stages in the formation of fairy chimneys at this spot. Proceed to Avanos the pottery centre of Cappadocia, this village is set on the banks of the Red River. You will have lunch in a local restaurant before continuing to Goreme Open Air Museum. The world’s most important Byzantine cave churches are found in these once remote valleys where monks and nuns pursued monastic life from the 3rd century on. Here you can see the best preserved Byzantine cave wall paintings and frescos from the Iconoclastic period through to the end of Seljuk rule. Panoramic view point Esentepe. With a spectacular view over Goreme, see the complete view of Goreme valley and Goreme village: fairy chimneys, rock formations and cave houses. End your day with Uchisar Castle. This tall rock, the highest point of the Goreme region. After the tour, Transfer to your Cave Suite hotel. Cappadocia Turkish night show with dinner: 20.00 – 22.00 And overnight stay in Cave Suite Hotel.

Day 3 “Cappadocia Blue Tour, Overnight Bus to Pamukkale”

(Optional: Pre-sunrise hot-air balloon flight. Hotel pickup: around 06:30 during winter and 04:30 during summer. Dropoff: 8.00/30) Blue tour: After pickup from your hotel at 9.45am, hike along the Red and Rose Valley, the most breathtakingly and mysteriously beautiful valleys in the region. Conclude your hike at the Cavusin Cave Village. Marvel at the rock castle and troglodyte dwellings where people lived until the 20th century. Enjoy lunch in a local restaurant. Descend towards the center of the earth with a trip to the Underground City of Kaymakli, one of the largest and deepest of Cappadocia’s many such settlements. Discover this underground city and its stables, cellars, storage rooms, refectories, churches, and wineries. Visit the Pigeon Valley. See spectacular view of dovecotes (pigeon or dove houses), old abandoned cave homes and old Greek houses of Uchisar and Ortshisar Castle, the biggest mass of fairy chimneys in Cappadocia. After the tour you will travel overnight to Pamukkale in a non-smoking, fully air-conditioned local bus departing the bus station approximately 9:00 pm. The total duration of travel will be 10 hours. There will be three breaks on the way to Pamukkale for your personal needs.

Day 4 “Pamukkale Tour, ”

Upon your arrival at the Pamukkale / Denizli main bus station between 05:30 – 06:00, you will be picked up and transferred to your hotel to freshen up. You will have time to have breakfast and a short rest. You will be picked up from your hotel at 09:30am and continue on to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Pamukkale in our air-conditioned vehicle with your professional tour guide. Upon arrival in Pamukkale which translates to ‘’Cotton Castle’’ in Turkish, discover the dazzling terraces of carbonate minerals left by flowing water and bathe in the natural pools of hot spring water. After lunch at a local restaurant, next visit is to the ruins of the ancient city of Hierapolis which includes an amphitheatre, great city walls, bath houses and necropolis and where you can find out about the history and culture of this unique location. Due to its neighbouring divine white terraces of travertines and historical values of the ancient city ruins, Hierapolis was added to UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list in 1988. At a near location to Hierapolis ruins, there is the ancient pool called ‘’Cleopatra’s Pool’’ where you can have a swim at an additional charge. We will drop you to your hotel in Kusadasi for dinner and for your overnight stay in Kusadasi.

Day 5 “Ephesus Tour, Flight to Istanbul”

Your tour starts with a pick-up from your hotel at around 9:30am, however the exact time will be confirmed by the operating staff one day prior. After about one hour’s drive in our air conditioned comfort vehicle, you will get to Ephesus ancient city to explore its magnificent monuments, ancient sculptures and temples. You will be amazed by the beauty and majesty of this ancient world. Walking through the remaining ruins of Ephesus you will feel like you are travelling back in time. Visit the ancient amphitheatre, the library of Celsus, the temple of Artemis, the gate of Augustus, the Temple of Hadrian, the baths, and the city’s brothel. In particular, you won’t want to miss out on the Library of Celsus, the most impressive of the structures in Ephesus. The theater held 25,000 citizens, who gathered to watch theatrical performance and gladiator clashes. Today, from the site you enjoy impressive views across the main street that is lined with marble fountains, temples, and baths. After lunch, continue with a short drive to the House of the Virgin Mary on Mt. Koressos. Experience the holy spirit of the residence and chapel where Virgin Mary is said to have spent her last days. At the end of the tour around approximately 4:00 pm, you will be transferred to Izmir airport for your late evening return flight around 6:00 – 8:00 pm (1-hour flight duration) to Istanbul. Transfer from airport to hotel ,Overnight stay in Istanbul Hotel.