11 Days North & West Turkey Tour: Trabzon, Cappadocia, Ephesus, Pamukkale & Istanbul Private Tour

Upon arrival at Istanbul Airport, you are met and taken to the domestic terminal for a short flight to Trabzon. After landing, you will be taken to your hotel; the evening is free.

After breakfast, your guide will drive you to the spectacular Sumela Monastery, perched on a sheer cliff in Altındere National Park. The 4th‑century monastery, carved into the rock, offers breathtaking views and a sense of spiritual serenity. In the afternoon you will visit the 13th‑century Hagia Sophia Museum, followed by a tour of Trabzon Castle, which commands sweeping vistas of the Black Sea. A city walk introduces you to modern Trabzon and ends with an evening flight to Ankara and a hotel transfer.

Morning breakfast is followed by a visit to the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, where artifacts from the Hittite capital of Hattusa and other ancient sites are displayed. Lunch is served in a historic Ankara house near the ancient citadel, offering traditional Turkish cuisine. After lunch you are taken to the bus station for the coach journey to Cappadocia and a transfer to your hotel.

Departing the hotel after breakfast, the day begins in Devrent Valley, where lunar‑like rock formations spark the imagination. Next, you will wander among the iconic fairy chimneys of Pasabag before heading to Avanos for a traditional Turkish lunch and a hands‑on pottery workshop, showcasing the region’s centuries‑old ceramic craft. In the afternoon the Göreme Open‑Air Museum reveals beautifully frescoed Byzantine cave churches, concluding the day with dinner at the hotel.

Following breakfast, a 4 km hike through Rose Valley leads you past hidden rock‑cut churches. The journey continues to the historic Greek village of Çavuşin, then to Pigeon Valley for a lunch set among the dovecotes carved into the cliffs. Afterward you will explore the subterranean passages of Kaymakli Underground City, used as refuge in ancient times, and finish with a visit to the imposing natural rock castle of Ortahisar, offering panoramic views before returning to the hotel for dinner.

An early breakfast precedes a short flight to Izmir, followed by a transfer to the ancient city of Ephesus. You will spend two hours walking the marble streets, seeing the Library of Celsus and the Great Theatre. The itinerary continues with a visit to the House of the Virgin Mary, believed to be her final dwelling. After lunch, you will explore the Ephesus Museum, the Temple of Diana, the Crusader‑era St John Castle on Ayasoluk Hill, and the Ottoman Isa Bey Mosque, before returning to your hotel in Kuşadası for dinner.

After breakfast, the day begins with a drive to Aphrodisias, the renowned ancient sculpture school of Asia Minor. Guided tours of the ruins and its museum reveal exquisite Greek and Roman statues. By midday you will arrive at Pamukkale, where a lunch is enjoyed beside the dazzling white travertine terraces formed by mineral‑rich thermal waters. The afternoon includes a walk through the ancient city of Hierapolis, a visit to the well‑preserved Roman Pool, and time to soak in the thermal pools before a late‑afternoon flight back to Istanbul, where you will be transferred to your hotel for dinner.

After breakfast the guided city tour begins at the Hippodrome with its Egyptian obelisk, Serpent Column and Column of Constantine, then visits the Blue Mosque with its Iznik tiles and the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque. Topkapi Palace and the Basilica Cistern are seen from outside; entry to both is optional and paid on site. Lunch is included, and in the evening dinner is at an Indian restaurant. Overnight in Istanbul.

At 08:30 you start at Dolmabahce Palace, the last residence of the Ottoman sultans on the shores of the Bosphorus (entry optional, paid on site). A two-hour boat trip then passes Ciragan Palace, the Bosphorus bridges, Rumeli Fortress, Beylerbeyi Palace and the Maiden’s Tower. After a kebab lunch in Pera you stroll along lively Istiklal Street with its bookshops, cafés and cinemas, returning to the hotel by public transport. Overnight in Istanbul.

The day begins at the Suleymaniye Mosque, Architect Sinan’s imperial masterpiece, followed by the Chora Church with its 11th-century mosaics and frescoes. From the tea garden on Pierre Loti Hill you look out over the Golden Horn before a short boat ride on its waters. In the afternoon you cross to the Asian side to visit Beylerbeyi Palace and Camlica Hill, the highest point of the city. The tour ends around 17:00. Overnight in Istanbul.

After breakfast you check out of the hotel and the tour ends.