9-Day Best Of Turkey Tour: Istanbul, Konya, Cappadocia, Pamukkale, Ephesus

When your flight arrives at Istanbul New Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gökcen Airport (SAW), we'll meet you at the international arrivals exit. Look for our team holding a sign with your name. You'll then transfer to your hotel, allowing about one to two hours depending on traffic and location.

After hotel check-in, your remaining time is free, with no scheduled group sightseeing today. If your room isn't ready, ask reception about storing your bags. Keep exploring light, perhaps a 20- to 30-minute walk around your hotel's neighborhood. Wear comfortable shoes, carry water, and watch for uneven sidewalks.

No meals are included today, so lunch and dinner are at your own expense. You could try mercimek çorbası, Turkish lentil soup, or pide, an oven-baked flatbread with toppings. Today is yours to settle in; your guide will lead sightseeing on the scheduled tour days.

If your arrival allows, you can book the optional Night Cruise on the Bosphorus Strait with Dinner & Show. You'll see the waterfront after dark, with dinner included in the extra cruise price. Confirm the set departure time and hotel pickup or meeting point when booking, and bring a light jacket. Overnight in Istanbul.

• Overnight in Istanbul..
• Included Meal(s): None

After breakfast, you'll be picked up from your hotel at around 8:30 AM for your full-day tour. You'll explore with your English-speaking guide and fellow travelers, with time to ask questions along the way. Breakfast, lunch, and admission tickets are included.

At Hagia Sophia, completed in 537 AD, you'll see the dome from the visitor gallery. You'll look for blue Iznik tiles inside the Blue Mosque. Nearby, the Byzantine Hippodrome marks the site of Roman and Byzantine chariot races. We'll work around prayer times, but security lines and crowds can mean waiting.

Lunch is at a central city restaurant, with dishes depending on the day's menu. You might have lentil soup or köfte, Turkish meatballs. Then you'll explore courtyards and imperial rooms at Topkapi Palace, once home to Ottoman sultans. You'll also visit the Grand Bazaar, whose covered lanes hold carpet, ceramic, and gold shops.

Expect several hours on foot, broken up by lunch and stops for your guide's explanations. Wear comfortable shoes and cover your shoulders and knees; women should bring a headscarf for mosque visits. Carry water, especially in summer, when the palace courtyards can get hot. Topkapi Palace closes Tuesdays and the Grand Bazaar closes Sundays, so we'll adjust the route on those days.

After the tour, we'll transfer you back to your hotel at approximately 5:00 PM. Your evening is free, and you can choose a local restaurant for dinner at your own expense. You'll stay overnight in Istanbul.

• Overnight in Istanbul..
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch

After breakfast, you'll be picked up from your hotel at around 8:30 AM for your morning cruise. Your guide will take you to the pier in Eminönü, stopping briefly at the Spice Bazaar. Also called the Egyptian Bazaar, its stalls sell spices, dried fruit, and Turkish delight. The aisles can get crowded, so keep your bag close.

You'll board a shared boat with fellow travelers to cruise along the Bosphorus Strait. It separates Europe and Asia, connecting the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara. You'll see Dolmabahce Palace, Beylerbeyi Palace, and the Bosphorus Bridge from the water, without going inside. Watch for waterfront mansions and citadels along the shores.

Walking is light, mainly through the market and to the pier, with steps when boarding. Wear comfortable shoes and bring a light jacket, sunscreen, and water for the exposed deck. Breakfast is included; lunch and dinner are at your own expense. You'll have a chance to buy a quick lunch before your airport transfer.

After the tour, we'll take you back to your hotel to collect your luggage, then transfer you to the airport. Your flight to Konya takes approximately one hour and 30 minutes. Transfer and flight times follow your confirmed booking, with extra time allowed for Istanbul traffic. Keep your passport and flight essentials in your carry-on.

On arrival, we'll meet you and transfer you to your hotel in Konya. After check-in, your remaining time is free, depending on when your flight arrives. For dinner at your own expense, you can choose a local restaurant serving etli ekmek, Konya's thin, minced-meat flatbread. You'll stay overnight in Konya.

• Overnight in Konya..
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast

After breakfast, you'll meet your guide and fellow travelers at around 9:30 AM before setting out on your Konya tour. You'll visit Rumi’s tomb inside the Mevlana Museum, still a place of pilgrimage. Your guide will explain Rumi’s teachings, though the rooms around the tomb can get crowded. Next door, you'll visit the Ottoman-era Selimiye Mosque in Konya, subject to prayer times.

Breakfast and lunch are included today, with lunch served at a traditional Turkish restaurant. Dishes depend on the day's menu; look out for etli ekmek, Konya’s thin flatbread topped with minced meat. After lunch, we'll drive along Mevlana Caddesi to Alaettin Hill, an ancient settlement mound. You'll visit Alaeddin Mosque, whose courtyard contains the tombs of Seljuk sultans.

Walking down the hill’s north side, you'll pass remains of the Seljuk sultan’s palace. Across the street, your guide will point out the carved entrance of Karatay Madrasa. You'll then walk to the Mosque and Tomb of Sems-i Tabrizi, Rumi’s spiritual mentor.

Expect roughly two hours on your feet across the visits, including slopes and steps. Wear comfortable shoes and clothing covering your shoulders and knees. Women should bring a scarf for mosque visits, and everyone should carry water, especially in warm weather.

After the tour, we'll transfer you to Konya bus station for your scheduled intercity day coach. The roughly 235-km journey to Cappadocia takes about 3.5 hours; your ticket confirms the departure time. We'll meet you at Göreme bus station and transfer you to your hotel for check-in. Dinner isn't included and is at your own expense, followed by your overnight in Cappadocia.

• Overnight in Cappadocia..
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch

After breakfast, you'll meet your guide and fellow travelers at around 9:30 AM before setting out to explore North Cappadocia. For an earlier start, you can book an optional hot air balloon ride at extra cost. Flights depend on weather, and your balloon operator will confirm the separate pickup time.

You'll start at Devrent Valley, where erosion has shaped rocks into animal-like forms. Next, Pasabag Valley brings you close to mushroom-shaped pinnacles with broad stone caps. Expect dusty, uneven paths and crowds around popular photo stops.

We'll then drive to Avanos, a pottery town beside the Kizilirmak River. Breakfast and lunch are included today; lunch menus vary, but typically feature soup, a cooked main, and salad. After lunch, you'll explore Zelve Open Air Museum with your guide. Rock-cut homes and churches show how people lived within these valley walls.

Before returning, you'll stop for about 15 minutes to photograph the rock formations around Uchisar Castle. This is a photo stop, not a climb to the top. Plan for roughly two hours of walking throughout the day, including slopes and steps. Wear comfortable shoes with grip, and bring water, sunscreen, a hat, and a light layer.

You'll return to your hotel around 4:00 PM, with the late afternoon and evening free. You can choose a local restaurant for dinner at your own expense, perhaps trying testi kebab, cooked in a clay pot. You'll stay overnight in Cappadocia.

• Overnight in Cappadocia..
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch

After breakfast, you'll be picked up from your hotel at around 9:30 AM for South Cappadocia. Your guide will explain the route before you set out with your fellow travelers. You'll explore rock-cut churches in Red Valley, then hike approximately 5 km through Rose Valley. Allow roughly two hours for uneven paths and stops along the way.

Next, you'll visit Cavusin Village to see its old cave houses and churches. Wear shoes with good grip, and bring water, sunscreen, and a hat for exposed stretches. Around noon, we'll stop for your included lunch; breakfast is also included today. Depending on the menu, you might have lentil soup or grilled chicken with rice and salad.

After lunch, you'll drive to Pigeon Valley to see dovecotes carved into the rock. Farmers collected pigeon droppings to fertilize their fields. Your afternoon visit takes you to Kaymakli Underground City or Ozkonak Underground City. Your guide will explain how Christian communities used these underground rooms for shelter and storage.

Expect additional walking underground, with steep steps and low passages that can feel cramped. Tell your guide before entering if enclosed spaces bother you. After the tour, we'll transfer you to Kayseri Airport or Nevsehir Airport for your flight to Izmir through Istanbul. Your confirmed flight schedule determines your airport transfer time and hotel arrival.

At Izmir airport, our representative will meet you with a sign bearing your name. From there, it's roughly a 75–90-minute drive to Kusadasi. Dinner is at your own expense, and you'll stay overnight in Kusadasi.

• Overnight in Kusadasi..
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch

After breakfast, you'll be picked up from your Kusadasi hotel at around 7:30 AM. We'll take you to the meeting point in Selcuk to meet your guide and fellow travelers. The scheduled departure is around 8:30 AM, followed by approximately three hours of driving to Pamukkale. After about 1.5 hours, you'll stop for a 10-minute restroom break.

You'll arrive around 11:45 AM and stop for lunch before sightseeing; breakfast and lunch are included today. Lunch dishes vary, but expect Turkish cooking such as soup, rice, and chicken or vegetables. Around 1:00 PM, your licensed guide will begin your tour of Pamukkale and Hierapolis. You'll see the white Cotton Cliffs, formed by calcium carbonate deposits left by mineral-rich spring water.

Your guide will show you Hierapolis's basilica ruins, Pamukkale Theatre, and Pamukkale Roman Baths. Expect roughly two to three hours on your feet, including uneven stone paths and uphill sections. Wear comfortable shoes, and bring water, sunscreen, and a hat, since shade is limited.

After the guided visit, you'll have free time, with a set meeting point and time. You can explore further or swim in the Cleopatra Antique Pools at your own expense, if open. Bring a swimsuit and towel if you'd like that option. You'll remove your shoes on permitted travertine sections; wet surfaces can be slippery, and crowds can slow your pace.

The tour is expected to finish around 4:00 PM, when we'll begin the drive back. Allow roughly three to four hours to reach your hotel, depending on traffic and fellow travelers' drop-offs. Dinner is at your own expense; you can choose a local restaurant for köfte, Turkish grilled meatballs. You'll stay overnight in Kusadasi.

• Overnight in Kusadasi..
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch

After breakfast, you'll be picked up at around 8:30 AM from your hotel in Kusadasi for Ephesus. It's about a 30-minute drive to the ruins, where you'll meet your guide and fellow travelers. You'll see the Temple of Hadrian at Ephesus, Great Theatre Ephesus, and Trajan Fountain. Your guide will explain how this Greek-founded city became a major Roman port.

Expect roughly two hours on foot at the ruins, plus shorter walks later over uneven stones and slopes. Wear grippy walking shoes and bring water, sunscreen, and a hat, since shade is limited and crowds are common. Breakfast and lunch are included today. Lunch features Turkish dishes such as grilled chicken, rice, and salad, depending on the menu.

After lunch, you'll visit the House of the Virgin Mary, traditionally believed to be where Mary spent her final years. We'll pass by the Temple of Artemis, once one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, though little remains. Next is Isa Bey Mosque, built in 1375. Cover your shoulders and knees for the visit, and bring a headscarf if you're a woman.

We'll continue to Sirince Village, once home to a Greek community and now known for wine production. You'll have one hour free without your guide to explore the sloping lanes and shops. You can try gözleme, a filled flatbread, or sample local fruit wines at your own expense. Before you head out, your guide will confirm the meeting point and scheduled departure time.

After the tour, we'll drive about an hour to Izmir airport for your late-evening flight to Istanbul. Your ticket will show the exact flight departure time. Dinner isn't included, so plan for an airport meal at your own expense before boarding. We'll meet you on arrival and transfer you to your hotel for your overnight in Istanbul.

• Overnight in Istanbul..
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch

After breakfast, you'll check out of your hotel in Istanbul for your scheduled airport pickup. Check-out is before 12:00 noon. We'll confirm your set pickup time according to your flight details.

Breakfast at your hotel is included today. Any airport meals or snacks are at your own expense. There are no scheduled sightseeing stops or guided walks, just city streets on your way out. Traffic will affect the drive time.

Walking is mainly through the hotel and airport, where distances to gates can be long. Wear comfortable shoes, and keep your passport, flight details, and medications in your carry-on. Check your room and hotel safe before leaving.

END OF OUR SERVICE AND TOURS. Your departure transfer takes you by air-conditioned vehicle from your hotel to Istanbul International Airport, according to your flight details.

• Included Meal(s): Breakfast