2-Day Ephesus and Cappadocia Tour from Istanbul

Day 1: Flight from Istanbul to Izmir, Ephesus Tour and Flight to Cappadocia

You will be collected from your Istanbul hotel early in the morning and transferred to the domestic airport for your flight to Izmir. On arrival, continue to Ephesus to meet your guide and begin the day’s touring. Enter the ancient city through the Magnesia Gate and walk downhill through Ephesus, passing the Odeum, Celsus Library, Temple of Hadrian, Fountain of Trajan and the vast Great Theatre, where St Paul is said to have preached to the Ephesians.

Continue to the Temple of Artemis, once one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, then visit the House of the Virgin Mary, traditionally believed to be where Mary spent her final years with Saint John. See the elegant Seljuk-era Isa Bey Mosque before travelling to Sirince Village. You will have free time here to browse the small traditional shops and sample local food and wine. After the tour, transfer to Izmir Airport for your evening flight to Kayseri or Nevsehir via Istanbul. On arrival in Cappadocia, you will be met and transferred to your hotel.

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

Day 2: Cappadocia Tour and Flight back to Istanbul

An optional early-morning hot-air balloon ride is available at an additional cost, with aerial views across Cappadocia’s valleys. After breakfast, join your full-day Cappadocia tour. Begin at Devrent Valley, known for its unusual fairy chimneys and rock formations, then continue to Avanos, a pottery town whose terracotta tradition dates back thousands of years. Visit a traditional pottery workshop before lunch at a Turkish restaurant.

After lunch, explore the cave dwellings and churches of the Zelve Open-Air Museum. Continue to Uchisar, where the huge rock formation that once served as a castle stands above the town and offers views across the region towards Erciyes Mountain. Your final visit is Kaymakli Underground City, one of Cappadocia’s largest and deepest underground settlements. At the end of the tour, transfer to Kayseri or Nevsehir Airport for your evening flight back to Istanbul, where the tour services end on arrival.

• Included Meal(s): Breakfast, Lunch

Inclusions

• Istanbul hotel pickup and airport transfer on the European side
• Domestic flights as per itinerary
• One night in a Cappadocia cave hotel with breakfast
• English-speaking licensed guide during tours
• Entrance fees listed in the itinerary
• Breakfasts and lunches as specified
• Local taxes and service charges

Exclusions

• Transfer from Istanbul Airport or Sabiha Gokcen Airport to your Istanbul hotel
• Cappadocia hot-air balloon ride
• Optional tours and activities
• Dinners and drinks
• Travel insurance
• Personal expenses, tips and gratuities