10 Day Turkey Group Tour - Istanbul, Ephesus, Pamukkale & Antalya

After breakfast, you are collected from your hotel at around 09:00 for a full-day guided tour of historic Istanbul. The day opens at Hagia Sophia, the sixth-century church of Emperor Justinian whose immense dome still dominates the skyline. Next comes Topkapi Palace, home of the Ottoman sultans, where you walk through its courtyards and see collections such as the Imperial Treasury, Chinese porcelain, imperial robes and the sacred relics. You then visit the Blue Mosque, known for its cascade of domes and blue Iznik tiles, and cross to the Hippodrome, once the city's chariot-racing arena, where the Obelisk of Theodosius, the Serpentine Column and the Column of Constantine still stand. A short walk leads down into the Basilica Cistern with its rows of columns and Medusa-head bases, and the tour ends at the Grand Bazaar with time to browse its shops. Lunch is not included today. On Tuesdays (Topkapi closed) or Sundays (Grand Bazaar closed) the order is adjusted with suitable alternatives. Return transfer to your hotel. Overnight in Istanbul.

After breakfast, you are picked up from your hotel and taken to the pier for a guided cruise on the Bosphorus, the strait that divides Europe from Asia. The excursion lasts about six hours in total. As the boat sails between the two continents, your guide points out the waterfront Dolmabahce Palace, the graceful Ortakoy Mosque, the medieval Rumeli Fortress and the Maiden's Tower, and you pass beneath the three bridges that span the strait: the 15 July Martyrs, Fatih Sultan Mehmet and Yavuz Sultan Selim bridges. There is plenty of time on the open deck for photographs of the palaces, mansions and fortresses along the shore, and Turkish tea, coffee and snacks are available on board. Lunch is not included. After the cruise you are transferred back to your hotel, with the rest of the day free. Overnight in Istanbul.

After breakfast, check out and transfer to Istanbul airport for your domestic flight to Izmir on the Aegean coast (the flight is not included in the tour price but can be added on request). On arrival at Izmir airport you are met and transferred to the resort town of Kusadasi, where you check in at Scala Nuova Hotel. The remainder of the day is free to rest or explore Kusadasi at your own pace. Kusadasi is your base for the next two nights and the starting point for both the Ephesus and the Pamukkale excursions. No guided activities are planned today, and only breakfast is included. Overnight at Scala Nuova Hotel in Kusadasi.

After breakfast, your guide collects you from the hotel between 09:00 and 10:00 for a full day around Ephesus and Selcuk. From roughly 10:30 to 13:00 you explore the Ancient City of Ephesus on foot, entering through the Magnesia Gate and passing the Odeon, the Bouleuterion, the Temple of Hadrian and Curetes Street before reaching the Library of Celsus, the Great Theatre, the Agora and the Arcadian Way, while your guide explains Roman daily life and early Christian history. Around 13:15 you drive up Mount Koressos to the House of the Virgin Mary, an important pilgrimage site, with time for reflection and photos. A traditional Turkish lunch of Aegean dishes follows at a local restaurant. In the afternoon you see the 14th-century Isa Bey Mosque, the remains of the Temple of Artemis and the Ephesus Museum with its statues and mosaics. From about 17:00 there is free time in Sirince village, known for its fruit wines, olive oil and handicrafts, before returning to your hotel around 18:00-18:30. Entrance tickets to Ephesus, the House of the Virgin Mary and the Ephesus Museum are included. Overnight in Kusadasi.

After breakfast, check out and meet your guide in the hotel lobby for the drive inland towards Denizli. You reach Pamukkale around midday and stop for lunch until about 13:30. The afternoon begins in Hierapolis, the ancient spa city on the plateau, where your guide leads you through its streets and monuments and tells the story of the thermal springs that made it famous. You then walk onto the dazzling white calcium terraces of Pamukkale, the Cotton Castle, to see this natural phenomenon up close and take in the views over the valley. There is also time to relax in the warm waters of the natural springs before the group gathers again. Entrance fees for the sites are included. Instead of returning to Kusadasi, you continue by transfer from Pamukkale to Antalya on the Mediterranean coast, where you check in at Ring Hotel. Overnight at Ring Hotel in Antalya.

After breakfast, you depart from your hotel at around 08:00 (timing may vary by hotel) for a full-day tour of ancient Pamphylia. At about 09:00 you explore Perge, where you see the Agora, the Roman baths, the theatre and the old water channels, and hear about the city's place in the travels of St. Paul. Around 11:00 you reach Aspendos, home to a remarkably well-preserved Roman theatre, where you can picture the performances once staged here. Lunch of Turkish dishes is served at a local restaurant around 13:00. In the afternoon you continue to Side, a coastal town where ancient remains stand among modern streets, to see the Temple of Apollo and other Roman structures. At about 15:30 you stop at Manavgat Waterfall for its peaceful scenery, then head back to arrive at your hotel around 17:00. Entrance fees for Perge, Aspendos and Manavgat Waterfall are included. Overnight in Antalya.

After breakfast, meet your guide for a full day discovering Antalya's natural and historic sides. The first stop is the Karpuzkaldiran Waterfall, where the water tumbles straight into the sea, followed by a photo break at Konyaalti Beach. You then continue to Kaleici, Antalya's old town, to see Hadrian's Gate, the Clock Tower, the Fluted Minaret, Palm Street and the ancient harbour, all surrounded by beautiful historic houses. Lunch is taken during the day on the road. In the afternoon you drive to the Kursunlu Waterfall to enjoy its green natural setting before returning to your hotel. Entrance fees are included. The evening is free for your last night on the Mediterranean coast. Overnight in Antalya.

After breakfast, check out and transfer to Antalya airport for your domestic flight back to Istanbul (the flight is not included in the tour price but can be added on request). On arrival in Istanbul you are met and transferred to Antik Hotel in the old city. The rest of the day is free, giving you a last chance to revisit a favourite corner of Istanbul, do some final shopping or simply relax at the hotel. Because the hotel sits in the old city, the monuments you visited on the first days of the tour are close by, so you can return at your own pace to any place you would like to see again. Please keep your passport and flight details at hand for the airport transfers. Only breakfast is included today. Overnight at Antik Hotel in Istanbul.

After breakfast, check out at the hotel. At the appropriate time, depending on your flight schedule, you are transferred to Istanbul airport for your onward or homeward departure. Please let us know your flight time in advance so the pick-up from the hotel can be arranged accordingly, and allow enough time for check-in and security at the airport. If your flight leaves later in the day, the time before your transfer is free. This is the end of your ten-day journey through Istanbul, the Aegean coast, Pamukkale and Antalya. We hope you leave with lasting memories of Turkey's history, landscapes and hospitality, and we look forward to welcoming you back. Only breakfast is included on the final day.