6 days: Istanbul, Pamukkale and Ephesus Tour

6 days: Istanbul, Pamukkale and Ephesus Tour

Less than a week is enough to discover the three three great tourist gems of TurkeyIstanbul, Pamukkale and Ephesus circuit lasts 6 days and includes visits to the best of each place.
History and art will be the protagonists, but there is no lack of nature’s whims and coastal landscapes full of beauty.
Take note of this program with three unforgettable stages for any self-respecting traveler.

Istanbul, express but in depth

This tour of IstanbulPamukkale and Ephesus is the starting and ending point of Turkey’s largest city.
And it is so because it is the main gateway to the country, but also because it is home to
first-rate attractions.
Por ello, contaremos con un guía oficial que nos ayudará a descubrir sus rincones más especiales y, sobre todo, sus monumentos más simbólicos.
Además, el programa dejará algunos
free moments to enjoy shopping and gastronomic experiences to suit everyone’s taste, as Istanbul has something for everyone.

Pamukkale-Hierapolis and Ephesus

For many travelers, Pamukkale and Ephesus are on the podium of the best destinations in Turkey thanks to the spectacular surprises they hide.
In the first case, its
white travertine terraces earned it the nickname of ‘cotton castle’, but no less important is the archaeological site next to it: Hierapolis.
And in the second case, the cocktail of attractions also includes a fascinating
Greco-Roman city but in this case accompanied by a place of pilgrimage for any Christian: the House of the Virgin Mary. House of the Virgin Mary.

Itinerary of this 6-day tour of Istanbul, Pamukkale and Ephesus

So that this circuit through Istanbul, Pamukkale and Ephesus Ephesus in 6 days and 5 nights, the program foresees the following stages, with two domestic flights to facilitate travel within the country:

  • Day 1: Istanbul Airport – Istanbul
  • Day 2: Istanbul (Historic Center)
  • Day 3: Istanbul – Istanbul Airport – Izmir Airport – Kusadasi
  • Day 4: Kusadasi – Pamukkale – Hierapolis – Kusadasi
  • Day 5: Kusadasi – Ephesus – Izmir Airport – Istanbul Airport – Istanbul
  • Day 6: Istanbul – Istanbul Airport

Day 1: Istanbul Airport - Istanbul

The first day of this tour of Istanbul, Pamukkale and Ephesus is literally the day of landing in a new country, with all that this entails.
Our staff will meet you at the departure gate of the airport terminal to drive you to our vehicle, where the driver will be waiting for your private transfer to the hotel.

The program for this day will depend on the flight arrival time.
In any case, it will be free, so that after check-in (not before 14.00), you will be able to give a
first reconnaissance tour Istanbul city tour, returning in the evening for a rest at the hotel.
This will also be the ideal time to receive the
first information about day-to-day life in Turkey and to ask any questions.

  • Meeting with our staff at Istanbul airport
  • Transfer by private vehicle to the hotel
  • Check-in and basic circuit information
  • Free time
  • Overnight in hotel in Istanbul

Day 2: Istanbul (Historic Center)

The second day is one of the highlights of this circuit, as it is devoted entirely to visiting the main attractions of Istanbul. main attractions of Istanbul… which are many.
Therefore, we will have everything necessary to optimize time and offer the best information: our own vehicle with driver, if necessary, and an official guide for the explanations.

There are three monuments to visit on this day, in the order in which tickets are available.
One of them is the
Topkapi PalaceThe Ottoman Sultans’ great residence and fortress, located on the shores of the Bosphorus Strait.
Today, it is a museum where not only dazzle the palatial rooms, but also the collections of art, weapons and relics on display.

Another must-see monument is Hagia SophiaThis spectacular construction of the sixth century emerged as a Christian basilica and converted into a mosque in the fifteenth century.
Its structure of domes and sharp minarets, as well as the refined mosaics of its interior are the best mixture of Byzantine and Ottoman art.

Hagia Sophia was, in fact, the source of inspiration for another monument to visit: the Blue Mosque. Blue MosqueIt is named after the color of the pottery that decorates this temple, from the prestigious production center of Iznik.
It was built in the seventeenth century and its promoter was Sultan Ahmed I.

And precisely this sultan gives his name to the great square of the old town of Istanbul, which we will also visit on this day: Sultanahmet Square. Sultanahmet Square extends through what was once the Roman hippodrome.
Some of the elements that decorate it are vestiges of the city’s past, when the Greeks called it Byzantium and the Romans and Byzantines called it Constantinople.
From the first period, it is worth mentioning the
Serpentine Columnand of the second, the Obelisk of Theodosius.

In a day so full of visits, you will have lunch in a traditional restaurant in the center.
And in the afternoon, you will have free time to visit the
Grand Bazaar (closed on Sundays and certain religious holidays), one of the largest in the world, where you can make all kinds of purchases: lamps, ceramics, kilims, etc..
After shopping, return to the hotel to rest.

  • Breakfast at hotel in Istanbul
  • Full day in Istanbul.
    Guided tours in:

    • Topkapi Palace
    • Blue Mosque
    • Hagia Sophia Mosque
    • Sultanahmet Square
  • Lunch at local restaurant
  • Free time for shopping in the Grand Bazaar
  • Overnight in hotel in Istanbul

Day 3: Istanbul - Istanbul Airport - Izmir Airport - Kusadasi

On the third day of the tour, you will leave Istanbul to continue your tour.
After breakfast and check-out, our driver will transfer you to the city airport from where your flight will take off to Adnan Menderes airport in Izmir (Izmir).
At this other airport, other members of our staff will pick you up and transfer you to the nearby city of Kusadasi.

This small coastal town is a lively tourist destination thanks to its port, where numerous cruise ships dock.
In addition, its picturesque Pigeon Island and Byzantine-era castle are pleasant places to spend free time before resting at the hotel, which will depend on flight and check-in schedules.

  • Breakfast at hotel in Istanbul
  • Check-out
  • Transfer by car to Istanbul Airport
  • Istanbul – Izmir flight
  • Transfer by private vehicle to Kusadasi
  • Hotel check-in
  • Free time (flight schedule permitting)
  • Overnight in hotel in Kusadasi

Day 4: Kusadasi - Pamukkale - Hierapolis - Kusadasi

Our hotel in Kusadasi will be the starting point for the excursions on this fourth day and the following day.
After an early breakfast, we will travel to
Pamukkaleabout 200 km by road, where spectacular outcrops of white travertine due to calcite sedimentation await us, with small natural pools of water rich in minerals.

Its health benefits were already well known in antiquity, which is why a city was built next to it: Hierapolis.
Para suerte del viajero, aún se conservan en pie espectaculares vestigios arqueológicos y por ello, tanto los travertinos como el yacimiento forman parte de un mismo recinto, a visitar con nuestro guía.
El
Plutonium (in honor of the god of the Underworld) and the theater are some of its most emblematic spaces.

In addition, in this enclosure there are the famous Cleopatra’s PoolsBathing is optional, but many travelers choose to do so because of the charm of swimming among the submerged columns and the pleasant temperature of about 36ºC.
Lunch will be taken at a local restaurant, located in a convenient location for the tour.
After the visit to the site, we will return to Kusadasi.

  • Breakfast at hotel in Kusadasi
  • Excursion to Pamukkale:
    • Visit to the travertine terraces
    • Visit to the city of Hierapolis
    • Optional: bathing in Cleopatra’s Pools
  • Lunch at local restaurant
  • Return to Kusadasi
  • Overnight in hotel in Kusadasi

Day 5: Kusadasi - Ephesus - Izmir Airport - Istanbul Airport - Istanbul

The fifth day will also start with breakfast at the hotel in Kusadasi, but after that you will check-out and head to Ephesus and, at the end of the day, return to Istanbul.
Ephesus is only 20 km from Kusadasi, which allows you to optimize your time before your flight.

At Ephesusour guide will take you to the main sites of the archaeological site, some of which are as spectacular as the Great Theatre, the Odeonthe fascinating Library of Celsus or the famous public latrines.
Todo ello conectado por calles que aún mantienen su empedrado original y nos dan cuenta de la magnitud de dicha ciudad, una de las más importantes de la Antigüedad.
Y descubriremos que, muy cerca de aquí, estuvo el famoso
Temple of Artemisone of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

That is why, according to tradition, the apostle St. John traveled here with the Virgin.
And in the place where it is believed that the mother of Jesus dwelled, about 8 km from the city, there is the
House of the Virginwhich will be the object of our visit after visiting the archaeological site of Ephesus.

In addition, the program includes a visit to a leather handicraft workshopWe will have lunch at a local restaurant, where we will be able to buy handmade items, if desired.
On the other hand, lunch will also be taken in a local restaurant, on hand during our tour.

After this day full of history and religious symbolism, we will transfer you to Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport to fly to Istanbul, where other colleagues will be waiting to pick you up and transfer you to the hotel.

  • Breakfast at hotel in Kusadasi
  • Hotel check-out in Kusadasi
  • Excursion to Ephesus:
    • Visit to the archaeological site
    • Visit to the Casa de la Virgen
    • Visit to a leather workshop
  • Lunch at local restaurant
  • Transfer to Izmir Airport Adnan Menderes
  • Izmir – Istanbul flight
  • Pick up at Istanbul Airport and transfer to hotel
  • Check-in and overnight stay in hotel in Istanbul

Day 6: Istanbul - Istanbul Airport

On this sixth day, the tour of Istanbul, Pamukkale and Ephesus comes to an end.
As in the rest of the tour, breakfast will be taken at the hotel and our staff will pick you up here to
transfer to Istanbul airport corresponding.
This will be at the time agreed upon by both parties since, depending on the take-off time, there may be some time left in the morning for a last free walk around the city.

In any case, our services will end at the airport terminal, with punctuality to take the return flight without problems and say goodbye until the next time.

  • Breakfast at hotel in Istanbul
  • Check-out
  • Transfer by private vehicle to Istanbul airport
  • End of our services and farewell

Services included in this tour of Istanbul, Pamukkale and Ephesus

For everything to go well in such a rich circuit condensed in 6 days, the following services, included in the travel package, are necessary:

  • Air tickets Istanbul-Ezmir and Izmir-Istanbul, with 15 kg of baggage allowance per person on each flight, as well as one 8 kg carry-on bag.
  • Transfers by private and chauffeur-driven vehicle to and from Istanbul and Izmir airports
  • Transportation in private vehicle with chauffeur when required by the program
  • Vehicle fares and costs, such as gasoline, parking and tolls
  • 3 nights hotel accommodation in Istanbul, breakfast only (1st, 2nd and 5th day)
  • 2 nights in hotel in Kusadasi, breakfast only (3rd and 4th day)
  • Entrance fees to museums and monuments described in the program
  • Guided tours described in the program, in the language chosen by the clients and conducted by an official guide accredited by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture of Turkey.
  • 3 lunches in local restaurants (one in Istanbul, one in Pamukkale-Hierapolis and one in Ephesus)
  • 24-hour assistance service in Spanish
  • Fees and taxes

Services not included

The following services are not included, so the client will have to decide about them and, if necessary, hire them separately:

  • International flights to Istanbul and back home
  • Lunch on the 3rd day in Kusadasi
  • Dinners
  • Beverages
  • Tips
  • Personal expenses

The experience of our customers is our best guarantee.

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