This private tour keeps you at one hotel in Balıkesir for five nights and mixes sightseeing with local life: a guided city day, a long excursion to Sardis, Kula and Ulubey Canyon, a cooking class and a traditional hamam, with arrival and departure via Balıkesir Airport.
Balıkesir is a lively provincial capital in north-western Turkey, between the Sea of Marmara and the Aegean, and an important place in the story of the War of Independence. A guided morning in the centre covers its main sights: the Kuva-yi Milliye Museum, set in the building used as a headquarters by the national forces, with documents, photographs, wax figures of Atatürk and Latife Hanım, and regional archaeology; the 1901 Clock Tower; the Photography Museum, considered Turkey's first; and the historic Zağnos Paşa Mosque.
The excursion day travels into ancient Lydia. At Sardis, where the first coins in history were struck, you see the Roman bath-gymnasium, the monumental synagogue and part of the Royal Road, after passing the tumuli of Bintepe. Kula adds Ottoman mansions and a UNESCO Global Geopark of volcanic cones and fairy chimneys, and the day ends on a glass terrace high above Ulubey Canyon.
On the cooking day you learn regional recipes such as düğün çorbası (wedding soup), chicken tirit and mantı, finishing with höşmerim, the cheese-based dessert the province is known for. Another morning is spent at the hamam, with the afternoon free for the shops and cafés downtown. Breakfasts, one lunch, guiding, entrance fees and transfers are included.
| Tour type | Private · multi-day tour |
|---|---|
| Duration | 6 Days 5 Nights |
| Price | From €1,286 per person |
| Departures | Every day |
| Guide | Licensed guide in your language |
| Stops | 6 |
| Entrance fees | Included |
| Booking | Instant request online, confirmation within 24 hours · TÜRSAB-licensed operator (A-5751) |
Your full program, day by day — click a day to see every stop.
Our driver meets you at Balıkesir Airport and takes you to your hotel in Balıkesir. Check in and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. Overnight in Balıkesir.
Head into the city centre for the Kuva-yi Milliye (National Forces) Museum, the building used as a headquarters during the War of Independence: the first floor shows congress decisions, personal belongings, photographs and wax figures of Atatürk and of Latife Hanım, while the upper floor holds archaeological and ethnographic finds from the province. Continue to the Clock Tower of 1901 and the Photography Museum, regarded as the first of its kind in Turkey. After free time in the centre, finish at the Zağnos Paşa Mosque, also known as the Grand Mosque of Balıkesir. Return to your hotel. Overnight in Balıkesir.
A long day out to the south-east. Pass the Bintepe tumuli, the burial mounds of the Lydian kings, on the way to Sardis, the Lydian capital where the world's first coins were minted. Visit the Roman bath-gymnasium complex, the large synagogue, the row of Byzantine shops and a stretch of the ancient Royal Road. Continue to Kula to walk among its Ottoman mansions, the Kurşunlu Mosque and the old bazaar, with a lunch stop in town (not included). Then explore the Kula Volcanic Geopark, a UNESCO Global Geopark with dozens of volcanic cones and small fairy chimneys, and end at Ulubey Canyon near Uşak, viewed from a glass terrace about 150 m above the valley floor. Return to Balıkesir. Overnight in Balıkesir.
Join a local cook at a restaurant in town and learn to prepare regional dishes such as düğün çorbası (wedding soup), chicken tirit, mantı and the höşmerim dessert, then sit down to eat what you have made. Later you have time to browse the shops downtown before heading back to the hotel. Overnight in Balıkesir.
Visit a local hamam at a time that suits you and experience this long-standing Turkish bathing tradition – heat, scrub and foam massage. Afterwards stroll and shop in town; the rest of the day is at leisure. Overnight in Balıkesir.
Enjoy a free morning, then transfer to Balıkesir Airport for your flight home.
Balıkesir – Arrival → Balıkesir – City Tour → Sardis – Kula – Ulubey Canyon → Balıkesir – Cooking Class → Balıkesir – Turkish Bath → Balıkesir – Departure
Modern, comfortable and fully-equipped vehicles — the same fleet we use on your tour.
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Real, verified reviews from travellers who explored Turkey with us.
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 — 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.
10+ years later we still talk about our Cappadocia balloon ride and the Bosphorus sunset cruise. Some memories are timeless. Thank you Inca Tour!