The Bes of Antaloia excursion includes the most popular sites in Turkey – Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus, Pamukkale, and Aphrodisias. Transportation between the sites is provided with flights. All your local tours and transfers are private. Recommended if you have a tight agenda in Turkey and want to avoid long drives while enjoying your private tours.
What to see during the 8-day Best of Antatlia?
What is the itinerary for this excursion and what to expect during the 8-day Best of Antatlia?
Day 1: Arrival at Istanbul
You will be greeted at the airport and transferred to your hotel with a private transfer. Accommodation in Istanbul.
Day 2: Istanbul and Grand Bazaar Tour
You will be picked up from your hotel by your guide at around 09:00 to visit the Byzantine and Ottoman Relics found in the Sultanahmet area. The tour is on foot as the places of visit are within walking distance of each other. You will visit Topkapi Palace (the Harem section is extra), Basilica Cistern (Underground Water Palace), and Roman Hippodrome in the morning. The lunch will be served at a nice local restaurant. After lunch, you will see Hagia Sophia Museum, Blue Mosque, Ancient Ottoman Cemetery, and Cemberlitas (Burnt Column). The tour ends with free time at the Grand Bazaar at about 16.30. The Grand Bazaar is the most popular historical shopping center in Istanbul with about 4.000 shops. At the end of the tour, we drive you back to your hotel.
Day 3: Dolmabahce Palace, Bosphorus and Pera Tour
Departure from your hotel after breakfast, and start the day by visiting Dolmabahce Palace, the last residence of Ottoman Sultans located on the shores of the Bosphorus. It was home to six sultans from 1856, when it was first inhabited, until 1922. The construction of the palace cost five million Ottoman Mecidiye gold coins, the equivalent of 35 tons of gold. The design contains eclectic elements from Baroque, Rococo, and Neoclassical styles. The Museum-Palace has golden gilded ceilings, crystal staircases, and the largest Bohemian and Baccarat Crystal Chandelier collection in the world. After visiting this magnificent palace, you will get on a public boat for your Bosphorus tour of about 2 hours. Bosphorus is a 33 km long strait and is a natural border between Asia and Europe. The boat will go up to the narrowest part where Rumeli and Anatolian Fortresses are. During the cruise, you will see the most impressive sights along the shores of the Bosphorus including Ciragan Palace, Maiden´s Tower, Bosphorus bridges, Rumeli and Anadolu fortresses, and million dollars seaside mansions. The lunch is served at a nice local restaurant. In the afternoon, you will visit Istiklal Street and Pera District packed with music shops, bookstores, movie theaters, cafes, restaurants, and bars. You will also visit Galata Tower offering a gorgeous view of the Old City and Pera districts. At the end of the tour, you will be dropped off at your hotel.
Day 4: Golden Horn Tour
Departure from your hotel after breakfast, and drive to Suleymaniye Mosque, the imperial mosque of the Ottoman Empire constructed by Architect Sinan. The next visit is to Chora Church Museum, a small but impressive building dating to the 11th century and unique with Christian frescoes and mosaics inside. The best spot looking over the Golden Horn is Pierre Loti Hill. We will have a break at the tea house there. The tour will go on with a short boat tour on Golden Horn. The lunch will be served at a nice local restaurant. After lunch, you will visit Spice Bazaar, the most popular place in the city for spices, Turkish delights, and coffee. At the end of the tour, you will be transferred to the airport for a late afternoon flight to Kayseri. Upon your arrival, you will be greeted and transferred to your hotel in Cappadocia.
Day 5: Northern Cappadocia Tour
Pick up from your hotel after breakfast, and you will visit Devrent Imagination Valley and walk through this lunar landscape. Next, visit the Zelve Open Air Museum, where you will witness houses carved into the rocks, a Seljukian mosque as well as the traces of the ancient civilizations, Pasabagi with the world-famous Fairy Chimneys, the village of Avanos, where you will witness a pottery-making demonstration using ancient Hittite techniques. After your lunch at a local cave restaurant, we will visit Uchisar Rock-Castle, which is the highest point in the region, Esentepe a panoramic view of Goreme valley and Goreme Open Air Museum.
Day 6: Southern Cappadocia Tour
Optional balloon ride in the early morning at sunrise time. Drop off at your hotel for the breakfast for the day tour.
Depart from your hotel after breakfast, and the tour starts with a 4km hike through the Rose Valley visiting the churches. The next visit is to the Christian & Greek village of Cavusin. We will have lunch in Pigeons Valley unique with small niches carved in the rocks. Cappadocia has several underground cities used by the residents to escape from their enemies and Kaymakli Underground City is among the most famous ones. You will also visit the Ortahisar Natural Rock Castle offering a beautiful view over the valley. Drop off at your hotel in the afternoon.
Day 7: Ephesus
You will be transferred to the airport for an early flight to Izmir. Upon your arrival, you will be transferred to Ephesus ancient city, the most splendid ancient city in Turkey, and requires about 2 hours to visit. The next visit is to the Virgin Mary’s House where it is believed she spent the last years of her life and was buried there. After lunch, you will visit the remaining important places to see in the area: Ephesus Museum where the objects discovered in Ephesus are exhibited, the Temple of Artemis which was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, St. John Castle, and the remains of Church situated at the top of Ayasoluk Hill and Isa Bey Mosque an important structure belonging to Turkish heritage. At the end of the tour, you will be dropped off at your hotel.
Day 8: Aphrodisias Ancient City and Hierapolis Pamukkale Tour
Departure from the hotel at around 08:30 and drive to Aphrodisias ancient city, the famous sculpture school, and the center of ancient Asia Minor. Aphrodisias Museum keeps some of the best examples of Greek and Roman sculpture works. We arrive at Pamukkale at around lunchtime. It is famous for white-colored rocks formed by thermal waters containing calcium bicarbonate. The ancient city Hierapolis at the site was a famous healing center and the hotels at the site are still booked for their thermal water pools in the present day. The Roman Pool known as the Cleopatra Pool at the site is still in use. You may use the ancient pool by paying the entrance fee at the site. After the tour, you will be transferred to Denizli Airport where you will catch your flight to Istanbul.
Extra Tour Details
- Everyday departure (All year round)
- Duration: 8 days
- Private/Group
What has been included in this excursion?
Included:
- Accommodation BB
- All sightseeing & excursions mentioned in the itinerary
- Lunch during the tours
- Transfer service from Hotels & Airport
- English Guide
Excluded:
- Beverage during the tour
- Tips to the guide&driver(optional)
- Entrance Cleopatra Pool
- Not mentioned diners
- Not mentioned flights
- Entrance fee for Harem Section in Topkapi Palace.
- Personal expenses
Which extra activities can you do?
- Pamukkale Paragliding
- Pamukkale Hot Air Balloon
- Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon
