4-Day Cappadocia, Ephesus, Priene, Miletus & Didyma Tour

Day 1: Fly to Kayseri/Nevsehir for North Cappadocia

Early in the morning, you will be collected from your Istanbul hotel around 4:00 am and transferred to the domestic airport for your flight from Istanbul to Kayseri or Nevsehir between 6:00 – 7:30 am. On arrival at Kayseri or Nevsehir airport, continue by transfer to Cappadocia, where you will meet your professional tour guide for a full-day North Cappadocia tour. Begin at Devrent Valley to see its distinctive fairy chimneys, then visit Pasabag Valley (Monks Valley) for its mushroom-shaped pinnacles. The route then continues to city of Avanos. After lunch, visit Zelve Open Air Museum in Cappadocia, with its carved caves and ancient churches reflecting the region’s monastic history. Before returning to the hotel towards the end of the tour, visit the natural castles of Uchisar. Afterwards, transfer to your Cappadocia hotel for check-in.

You may also choose to attend a traditional Turkish Night show with dinner.

• Overnight in Cappadocia
• Included Meal(s): Lunch
• Accommodation: Heaven Cave House OR Dedeli Konak Cave Hotel OR Holiday Cave Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 2: South Cappadocia Tour and Flight to Izmir

An additional option is to book an early morning hot air balloon ride for aerial views of the valleys. This activity is available at an extra cost.

After breakfast at the hotel around 9:30 am, you will be picked up and meet your tour guide for the full-day South Cappadocia tour, with a briefing on the day’s activities. Start at Red Valley, where you can explore the rock-cut churches before hiking approximately 5 km through Rose Valley (Gulludere Vadisi). Continue to Cavusin Village, known for its houses and churches of Christian clergymen, then stop for lunch around noon. After lunch, drive to Pigeon Valley (Guvercinlik Vadisi). In the afternoon, visit either Kaymakli Underground City or Ozkonak Underground City, where early Christians lived. At the end of the tour, transfer to Kayseri or Nevsehir airport for your flight to Izmir through Istanbul. On arrival at Izmir airport, a representative holding a sign with your name will meet you and transfer you to your hotel.

• Overnight in Kusadasi
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch
• Accommodation: Efe Boutique Hotel OR Neopol Hotel Deluxe OR Derici Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 3: Full Day Ephesus Tour

After breakfast at the hotel around 08:30 am you will be picked up and met by your tour guide to begin your full-day tour of Ephesus. Your tour guide will brief you on the day’s activities. You will first visit the Temple of Artemis which was once one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. Next, you will visit the world famous ancient Greco- the Roman City of Ephesus, the most well-preserved example in the world. After visiting this impressive site, you will have a break for lunch. After lunch, you will visit the House of the Virgin Mary, where it is believed she spent her last days. This is a holy place for both Christians and Muslims. Afterwards, you will visit the Isabey Mosque. Next, you will be taken to the Sirince Village; which is an old Greek village and is well-know for its quaint beauty and wine tasting and production. Here you will have one hour free to explore on your own without a guide the different foods and wines of the area and visit various small traditional village shops. After the tour, you will be transferred to your hotel at around 4:30 pm.

• Overnight in Kusadasi
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch
• Accommodation: Efe Boutique Hotel OR Neopol Hotel Deluxe OR Derici Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 4: Priene, Miletus & Didyma Tour

Your hotel pickup is around 8:30 am. Today, visit Miletus, one of the oldest cities of Ionia, along with the ancient cities of Priene and Didyma. Begin in Priene, once one of the most spectacular ancient Ionian cities. Continue to Miletus to see Miletus with its magnificent theatre and the Byzantine fortress on the acropolis above. Your final stop is Didyma, where you will find the world’s largest Ionic Temple, dedicated to Apollo. In Didyma, see the huge, cracked head of Medusa that long ago fell from the frieze. At the end of the tour around approximately 4:00 pm, transfer to Izmir airport for your late evening return flight between 7:00 – 10:00 pm to Istanbul, with a flight duration of approximately 1 hour 30 minutes. This concludes our services and tours.

• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch

Important notes: Your return flight from Izmir arrives at Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW), subject to availability when tickets are booked. Our service ends on arrival; the airport-to-hotel transfer is not included, so please arrange your own. To request a specific arrival airport, email us before booking; changes after confirmation cost extra.

 INCLUDED in the Tour Price:

• Pick up from Istanbul hotel and transfer to Istanbul Airport (on the European side of Istanbul only)
• Domestic flight tickets as per the itinerary
• 1 night in Cappadocia at a cave hotel including breakfast
• 2 nights in Kusadasi at a 4-star hotel including breakfast
• English speaking guide during the tours
• Meals as per itinerary (B=breakfast, L=lunch)
• Entrance fees mentioned by the itinerary
• Local taxes and service charges

NOT INCLUDED:

• Drop off transportation service from Istanbul New Airport OR Sabiha Gökçen Airport to Istanbul Hotel upon returning to Istanbul.
• Hot Air Balloon Ride.
• Any optional tours.
• Tips to staff, items of a personal nature.
• Drinks with meals (except the drinks served with breakfast).
• Travel insurance.

IMPORTANT INFO:

• The order of the itinerary is indicative and subject to change, but all visits described will take place.
• This is a regular group tour, but if requested at cost can be provided as a private tour.
• The regular group tour has shopping stops included in the tour.
• You can swim in the Antique pool in Pamukkale. However, please note that there is an extra charge that you will have to pay directly at your own expense before entry to the pools. This entrance fee to the pools is not covered as part of your tour. Please note that you must bring your own towel, swimsuit etc. if you need to use the pools.
• The normal arrival time in Istanbul is between 8:00 – 10:00 pm. If you are planning on reserving your plane back home that same day, we recommend you book a plane ticket from 12:30 am onwards, to avoid missing your flight.

WHEN TO BOOK?

• Book as soon as possible to guarantee availability, especially during public holidays and festivities.
• You can book up to 2 days before (Istanbul local time) if there are still places available. If less than 2 days before start of your requested tour date, please contact us by email or phone as it would be a last-minute booking that will need to be checked for availability before your tour reservation is confirmed.