/
Classical Turkey Tour
This 14-day small-group tour (maximum 10 people) begins in Istanbul and visits the highlights of Istanbul, the ancient cities of Ephesus, Pamukkale, Antalya, Konya and the biblical Cappadocia. Really, you see almost all the highlights of Turkey in only two weeks.
Departure Date Group Size Price
- 06 April 2025 Max. 10 people6445 USD per person
- 11 May 2025 Max. 10 people6445 USD per person
- 07 September 2025 Max. 10 people6445 USD per person
- 12 October 2025 Max. 10 people6445 USD per person
Add - Ons and Reductions
- Single supplement 1465 USD
- Infant discount (0-2) 100 %
- Child discount (2-12) 50 %
Included services
- Domestic flight tickets as described in the itinerary
- Accommodation at the mentioned hotels including breakfast
- Transportation with an A/C luxury minivan
- Professional guiding
- Lunches and dinners as described in the itinerary
- Admission fees to the museums and sights
- 60-minute standard hot air balloon ride (up to 28 people in the basket)
- Taxes
Excluded services
- International flight tickets
- Personal travel insurance
- Drinks
- Tips
Day 1: Arrive in Istanbul
Upon arrival at the Istanbul International airport you will be transferred to your hotel. Your guide will meet you and the others participants for a cocktail and a briefing on your trip before dinner. Dinner in Istanbul.
Dinner
Day 2: Istanbul
Your guide will meet you after breakfast for a tour of the Ottoman Istanbul. A short walk takes you to the which was completed in 1616. Our next stop will be the , more than just a palace, it is an assemblage of museums containing collections amassed by the Sultans for almost five centuries. Our visit also takes you to the famous Harem where the Imperial Family resided. We then walk out to Divan Yolu, the old "Road to the Imperial Council’ now a busy thoroughfare, for lunch at a local restaurant. Next we walk through the old cobbled streets down to , designed by Mimar Sinan in 1561, and then the , where Genoese and Venetian goods were sold at a time when there was no Suez Canal, and all the spices from the East were also brought here after being loaded on vessels in Egypt. We end the tour with a visit to the greatest Bazaar of them all, the , one of the most extraordinary shopping experiences in the world. Dinner in Istanbul.
BreakfastLunchDinner
Day 3: Istanbul
Our second day in Istanbul takes us to a number of Byzantine Relics. We first stroll to the great square which was once the . Now it is a great park like area surrounded by the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and the Underground Cistern. The Hippodrome exhibits the Walled Column, The Serpent Column and the Egyptian Obelisque from the Byzantine times and the German Fountain is located in the North end of the Hippodrome. Next we visit the , the most important Byzantine building in the world. After lunch at a local restaurant we take a short drive to The to see the climax of Byzantine Mosaic Art. We end the tour with a visit to the , commonly called the Basilica Cistern. Dinner in Istanbul.
BreakfastLunchDinner
Day 4: Istanbul - Flight to Izmir - Kusadasi
On our last day in Istanbul, we check out after a leisurely breakfast and take a short drive to the shores of the Bosphorus to visit the . Overlooking the Bosphorus, its beauty is incomparable with 14 tons of pure gold used for its interior decoration, its priceless paintings, furniture, and a rich collection of Bohemian crystal in addition to its famous Harem section. Then we get on board at Kabatas Pier for a 2 hour private . After lunch at a local restaurant, we are transferred to Istanbul Airport for the 17:00 flight to Izmir, then we take an hour’s transfer to our hotel in Kusadasi. Dinner in Kusadasi.
BreakfastLunchDinner
Day 5: Ephesus
We start early in the morning to beat the crowds and first drive to the ; afterwards, we visit which was founded in the eleventh century BC by the Ionians. Strolling through the streets of Ephesus, we see the Fountain of Traian, the temple of Hadrian and the Library of Celsus to name a few. We also visit the Terrace Houses: A number of living units where the rich and the dignitary of Ephesus with the most beautiful ground mosaics, frescoes, terra cotta pipe lines and private baths. Later in the afternoon we will visit , believed to be the tomb of the Apostle John, Christ"s beloved disciple. From the basilica, we will be able to look down on the remains of the temple of Artemis. We end the day with our visit to the , then we head on to Kusadasi for a well-earned rest. Dinner in Kusadasi.
BreakfastLunchDinner
Day 6: Priene - Miletus - Didyma
After breakfast, we drive first to , formerly a leading member of the Panionic League. As we drive further South, we visit and then arrive at , where we have lunch at a local restaurant, circumstances permitting, across the road from the temple. As the historian Pausanias wrote; "The sanctuary of Apollo at Didymoi, and the oracle there are more ancient than the Ionian settlement." Dinner in Kusadasi.
BreakfastLunchDinner
Day 7: Aphrodisias - Pamukkale
As we check out, we drive to Pamukkale giving an en route visit to , which was the city dedicated to the cult of Aphrodite. As we visit the Sculptor's Museum in Aphrodisias, we have lunch at a local restaurant. We visit on arrival, then have time to stroll over the calcareous terraces of , or to enjoy the thermal facilities. Dinner and overnight in Pamukkale.
BreakfastLunchDinner
Day 8: Antalya
In the morning, a scenic route through Burdur takes us to the beautiful ancient site of . This is one of the very few ancient cities where we can witness how sacred fountains function. After this, we continue to Antalya. On arrival to Antalya, we have lunch at a local restaurant and then visit the which was awarded the Museum of the Year in Europe. Dinner in Antalya.
BreakfastLunchDinner
Day 9: Perge - Aspendos
In the morning, we first visit , one of the most impressive sites of Pamphylia, and then , the world's best preserved ancient theatre. After lunch at a local restaurant near the Aspendos Theatre, we will allow you time in the afternoon to rest & relax at the Lara Beach. Dinner in Antalya.
BreakfastLunchDinner
Day 10: Antalya - Konya
An early departure after breakfast and a scenic route over Taurus Mountains takes us to Beysehir, where we visit the . After having lunch at a local restaurant, we arrive at Konya in the late afternoon to visit the world famous , formerly the place where the mystic philosophy of Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi was taught. Dinner and overnight in Konya.
BreakfastLunchDinner
Day 11: Konya - Cappadocia
Today, we drive to Cappadocia, with an enroute visit to , where the medieval merchants used to stay overnight. After this, we arrive in and have our lunch at a local restaurant by the river. After the lunch, we walk through the canyon via the Steps of Anatolia to Belisirma village, the ancient Peristrema. Set by the Melendiz River this is known as the “Valley of the Sky”. Churches carved from the rocks form a gallery of early paintings that are remarkable for their accuracy. Dinner in Cappadocia.
BreakfastLunchDinner
Day 12: Cappadocia
60-minute standard at dawn. Our first real encounter with Cappadocia’s almost Martian landscape is in the , where the rock formations are amazing. A walk through the is a journey into the past, with its troglodyte houses. This is one of the earliest inhabited and latest abandoned monastic settlements in Cappadocia. After Zelve we visit ’s “fairy chimneys”, where the voice of the wind harmonizes with the songs of the fairies. From here we pause at , a centre of terracotta art since 2,000 BC, for a demonstration in a traditional pottery workshop. After lunch in Avanos, we visit the famous to see the best examples of Byzantine art in Cappadocia. These are found in rock-cut churches with frescoes and paintings dating from as early as the 10th century. We complete the tour with a visit to the , giving you a panoramic view of the valleys of Cappadocia. Dinner in Cappadocia.
BreakfastLunchDinner
Day 13: Cappadocia
Our first stop is the , an open air museum in a wild natural setting near a typical Cappadocian village with its different style rock-cut churches and frescoes. After this, we drive to Mustafapasa through the unspoiled villages of Cappadocia, surrounded by the “table-top” mountains. On the way, we visit the near Cemil village, which hides its frescoes behind a very thin smoke layer which can only be seen by torch light. After lunch in at an old Greek house hosted by a local family, we descend towards the centre of the earth, with a trip to the , one of the largest and deepest of Cappadocia’s many such settlements. Dinner in Cappadocia.
BreakfastLunchDinner
Day 14: Cappadocia - Home
Transfer to Cappadocia Airport to board the flight to Istanbul that gives best connection to your international flight out of Istanbul.
Breakfast