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Istanbul

Turkey

Experience the best of Turkey on a 10-day private all-inclusive tour. This Turkish adventure lets you skip the stress of travel planning, as transportation, accommodation (including a cave hotel in Cappadocia), and most meals are included in the package. The extensive and unhurried itinerary includes guided visits to Istanbul, Ephesus, Cappadocia, Mount Nemrut, Urfa, and Gaziantep. Unlike many organized tours, you'll enjoy free time at each destination to explore independently.

Day 1

Welcome to Turkey. Arrive in Istanbul Airport ( IST ) or to Sabiha Gokcen Airport ( SAW ) , Our representative will meet you at the airport with your name sign and private transfer to the hotel for overnight stay in Istanbul. 

Day 2

09.00 a.m. After breakfast, pick up from hotel and our journey begins in Istanbul, the only city in the world situated on two continents. Byzantium, Constantinople, Istanbul - its three names span more than 2600 years, nearly 1600 of them as the capital of two of the greatest empires the world has known, Byzantine and Ottoman. 

Our tour starts with Hippodrome Square where used to take place for chariot races and the Byzantine riots during Roman & Byzantine period.

Hippodrome

Only a short walk away, reaches Hagia Sophia built in 532 AD by Roman Emperor Justinian I.

Update for St. Sophia interior visit : 
Live guiding is not allowed in St. Sophia after the 15th January 2024. Guests have to have their smart phones and headphones during their visit. If guests do not have a headphone, they can buy at the entrance at the cost of 3,5-USD
The system is similar to audio guide system. Guests who does not have smart phones will follow the signs and the given informations on the signs .


Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque

Blue Mosque, has its fame from its beautiful blue Iznik tiles.

Blue Mosque

We will continue walking to Topkapi Palace, was not only the residence of the Ottoman sultans, but also the administrative and educational center of the state. It was constructed between 1460 and 1478 by Sultan Mehmed II, the conqueror of Constantinople. We will visit the Topkapi Palace including weapons section.

TopkapI Palace

After that, we will visit Grand Bazaar where is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with more than 58 covered streets and over 1,200 shops which attract between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily. Opened in 1461, it is well known for its jewelry, pottery, spice, and carpet shops.

Grand Bazaar

Day 3

Take the morning flight from Istanbul to Cappadocia. Arrival and meeting at the airport just outside the arrival’s gate with a sign bearing your name and transfer to Cappadocia.

Cappadocia

First meeting with Cappadocia, visiting Three Sisters Fairy Chimneys in Urgup which are the most popular and seen on advertisements. That’s why people carved some pigeon houses to keep them in certain places. You will see that the houses for the pigeons are like the houses for the people. 

Fairy Chimneys

Then we descend into the center of the earth in the Kaymakli Underground City one of the largest and the deepest of 200 others in Cappadocia.

Kaymakli Underground City

End of the tour drive to your hotel for overnight in Cappadocia.

Day 4

Hot Air ballooning with sunrise (optional, extra)
After breakfast, first meeting with the lunar landscape of Cappadocia: rock formations beyond belief in Devrent valley; walking in Pasabag “fairy chimneys” where the voice of wind mixes with the “songs of fairies”.

Devrent Valley

Lunch in Avanos, centre of terra cotta work of art since 3000 BC and a demonstration in a traditional pottery workshop. 

Avanos

Afternoon, visit the famous Goreme Open Air Museum and see the best examples of Byzantine art in Cappadocia in rock-cut churches with frescoes and paintings (10th to 13th century)

Goreme Open-Air Museum

Continue to Uchisar Rock-Castle to have a panoramic view of the valleys of Cappadocia.

Uchisar Castle

End of the tour drive back to your hotel for overnight in Cappadocia

Day 5

Check out and departure from your hotel in Cappadocia, after the breakfast. Drive to Karatay Caravanserai and visit the caravanserai.

Karatay Han

On the way to Adıyaman (Nemrut) stop at Kahramanmaras for lunch and a taste of its famous ice cream.

Kahramanmaras

Arrive to the hotel in Adıyaman. Evening at leisure and overnight in Adıyaman.

Adiyaman

Day 6

In the morning 03:30 am departure. Hike to the summit of the Mt. Nemrut (one of the most popular UNESCO world cultural heritage sites), watching the sunrise, be amazed by the colossal heads and statues of ancient deities, as you step into mythology. There we will hire small mini-buses to drive up the mountain. This extraordinary landmark rests at an elevation of 8000 ft. The mountain top complex is composed of two flattened areas strewn with statues and separated by a false peak of crushed rock. Antiouchus built the entire complex approximately 2000 years ago as a monument to his divine ancestry.

Mount Nemrut

Also definitely take time to visit the old castle, Arsemeia, cross over the still functioning Cendere Bridge (Septimius Severus bridge) dating all the way back to the 3rd century and Tumulus Tomb of Karakus. 

Arsemia Antik Kenti

Then drive back to the hotel for breakfast. Drive to Urfa on the way visit Ataturk dam and look over to the Ataturk Dam; a modern day wonder.

Ataturk Dam

We will also visit Sanliurfa Archaeology and Mosaic Museum.

Sanliurfa Archeology and Mosaic Museum

End of the tour, check in your hotel for overnight in Sanliurfa.

Sanliurfa

Day 7

After breakfast & check out from the hotel, we will drive to Gobeklitepe which is one of the world's most important archaeological sites. At 12,000 years old, it was built before the advent of writing or pottery and is believed to be the world's oldest temple.

Göbeklitepe

After we visit Gobeklitepe, we will drive to Gaziantep. After the lunch, check in Hotel. Overnight in Gaziantep.

Gaziantep

Day 8

After breakfast & check out from the hotel, drive to Gaziantep Airport for your flight to Izmir.

Arrive in Izmir Airport. After landing, drive to Ephesus ( 45 minutes’ drive ) 

Izmir

First visit the Artemis Temple where is one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World. 

The Temple of Artemis

Continue to Ephesus, walk through history along marble streets lined with wonderful public buildings, among them The State Agora, Odeon, Memnius Monument, the Temple of Domitian, , Polio Fountain, Curetes Street, The Trajan Fountain, The Baths of Scholastica, Hadrian Temple, Latrina, Celcus Library, the gate of Mihridates and Mazues, Commercial Agora and The Grand Theater are two of the most impressive buildings in Ephesus. Grand theatre was built in 3rd century B.C and it was later expanded to 24.000 spectators by the Romans in the 1st century A.D.

Ancient City of Ephesus

After Ephesus, lunch will be served in the garden of a local handicrafts center. Here you can see some of the traditional carpet weaving techniques used and enjoy viewing some splendid displays of beautiful carpets.

Selcuk

After Lunch visit House of Virgin Mary. This house is located on the Aladag Mountains 5 miles from Ephesus. At the third Ecumenical Council of 431 in Ephesus, it was claimed that Mary came to Ephesus with St. John in 37 A.D. and lived there until her death in 48 A.D. After the discovery of the house, the Archbishop of Izmir declared it a place of pilgrimage in 1892. On July 26, 1967, Pope Paul VI visited this place and prayed here.

Meryemana (The Virgin Mary's House)

After the tour, we drive to Kusadasi. Overnight in Kusadasi.

Kusadasi

Day 9

After breakfast & check out from the hotel, drive to Izmir Airport for your flight to Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport. 

After landed, Transfer to your hotel Free afternoon and Overnight in Istanbul.

Day 10

Transfer to Airport to connect to your international flight and leave Turkey
The end of our services.

Private Gobeklitepe, Cappadocia, Mt. Nemrut, Ephesus, Istanbul

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Routebeschrijving

Istanbul Private Sightseeing Tours Itinerary (2026 Guide) – What You'll See & Do

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Istanbul