With Aydin as its home base, this six-day itinerary reaches the most celebrated classical sites of the southern Aegean and the white terraces of Pamukkale, while sparing you the effort of repeated hotel changes. Transfers to and from Aydin Cildir Airport, hotel accommodation, a professional English-speaking guide on each excursion and entrance fees to the sites in the programme are included. It is a good fit for travellers interested in Greek and Roman archaeology who also want time to see a lively Anatolian provincial city.
The journey opens in Aydin itself with the Aydin Archeology Museum and its stone, glass, terracotta, coin and mosaic collections, the Suleyman Bey Mosque of 1683, and the Tales Mathematics Museum, the first museum of its kind in the country. Next comes a full day among three Ionian landmarks. Priene, a former harbour now some 16 km from the coast on the slopes of Mount Mykale, has one of the loveliest theatres of the Hellenistic world and a Temple of Athena Polias dedicated by Alexander the Great. Miletus was among the largest cities of ancient Anatolia, thriving on its trade routes, while Didyma was not a town but a sanctuary of Apollo whose temple ranked among the greatest of the Greek world.
Ephesus follows, with the site of the Temple of Artemis, Curetes Street, the Roman baths, the Library of Celsus and the Grand Theatre, plus visits to a carpet-weaving centre, a leather production centre and Sirince, a hillside village of white houses famous for its fruit wines and vineyards. The fifth day takes you to Pamukkale, the Cotton Castle, where calcium-rich waters have formed gleaming terraces above the Buyuk Menderes valley, and to the ruins of Hierapolis, with time to wade in the thermal springs and a visit to one of the textile factories for which Denizli is known.
| Tour type | Private Β· multi-day tour |
|---|---|
| Duration | 6 Days 5 Nights |
| Price | From β¬1,341 per person |
| Departures | Every day |
| Guide | Licensed guide in your language |
| Stops | 8 |
| Entrance fees | Included |
| Booking | Instant request online, confirmation within 24 hours Β· TΓRSAB-licensed operator (A-5751) |
Your full program, day by day β click a day to see every stop.
A member of our team meets you at Aydin Cildir Airport and takes you to your hotel. Once you have checked in, the remainder of the day is yours to relax or to take a first look around Aydin at your own pace. There are no organised visits today, giving you time to recover from your journey before five busy and rewarding days of sightseeing. Overnight in Aydin.
After breakfast your guide collects you for a tour of the city centre. You start at the Aydin Archeology Museum, where the collection includes stonework, glass, terracotta, coins and mosaic floors from the region. You continue to the Suleyman Bey Mosque, erected in 1683 and restored in 1956 in the classical Ottoman manner. After free time in the centre you visit the Tales Mathematics Museum, Turkey's first maths museum, whose interactive stations range from simple school topics to advanced problems. You then return to your hotel in Aydin.
This morning you are picked up for a guided day at three ancient sites. Priene once stood by the sea but today lies about 16 km inland on the hills of Mount Mykale; its theatre is one of the most beautiful of the Hellenistic period, and its Temple of Athena Polias was dedicated by Alexander the Great. Lunch is included. You then explore Miletus, which grew into one of the biggest cities of Anatolia thanks to its position on major trade routes. The last stop is Didyma, a sanctuary rather than a city, where the colossal Temple of Apollo was among the largest in the Greek world. Afterwards you are driven back to your hotel. Overnight in Aydin.
Departing at around 08:30 after breakfast, you spend the morning on a fully guided tour of Ephesus, passing the site of the Temple of Artemis and walking along Curetes Street to the Roman baths, the Library of Celsus and the Grand Theatre. Lunch follows at about 13:00. In the afternoon you visit a carpet-weaving centre to see one of Turkey's oldest crafts, then drive up to Sirince, whose original white-painted houses line the slope. You see the village vineyards and learn about the making of its renowned fruit wines, and on the way back you stop at a leather production centre. Overnight in Aydin.
After breakfast you set off at 08:00 for Pamukkale. On arrival there is a lunch break until around 13:30. In the afternoon your guide leads you across the dazzling calcium terraces of the Cotton Castle and through the ruins of Hierapolis, with the chance to walk barefoot on the travertines and dip into the natural spring water. Pamukkale lies in Denizli province on the Buyuk Menderes River, an area known for its textile industry, and the day includes a visit to one of its textile factories. The tour finishes at about 17:30, followed by the transfer to your hotel for dinner and the night.
Enjoy a last breakfast, then take the remaining time until your departure transfer at your own pace. At the agreed time you are driven to Aydin Cildir Airport for your flight home, concluding six days of ancient cities, village traditions and natural wonders in the Aegean. Please note that the Tales Mathematics Museum is closed to individual visitors on Sundays and to groups on Saturdays and Sundays, and the city tour is planned with this in mind.
Aydin β Priene, Miletus, Didyma β Ephesus, Sirince β Pamukkale, Hierapolis β Aydin
Modern, comfortable and fully-equipped vehicles β the same fleet we use on your tour.
π₯ 54 Seats
π₯ 37 Seats (2+1 VIP)
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π₯ 37+2 Seats
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π₯ 16+1 Seats
π₯ 16+1 Seats
π₯ 12+1 Seats
π₯ 6+1 Seats
Extra day tours you can add along your route β Aydin, Priene, Miletus, Didyma, Ephesus, Sirince, Pamukkale, Hierapolis.
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My husband and I chose Inca Tour for our honeymoon and we are so glad we did. The boutique hotel selection was beautiful and the Bosphorus dinner cruise was so romantic. Thank you for making our trip special!
It was important for us to have a guide who spoke Russian, and Ender was wonderful. He explained every detail at Dolmabahce Palace. The Princes Islands day trip was a beautiful break from the busy city.
Our guide Ender was incredibly knowledgeable about Turkish history. The hot-air balloon ride at sunrise in Cappadocia was the highlight of our trip. Everything was perfectly organized β from airport pick-up to the last d...
Ender was our Italian-speaking guide and we felt like family. He took us to local spots tourists never see. The hotel choice in Sultanahmet was perfect for walking everywhere.
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