12 Days Turkey Tour Package Istanbul, Ephesus, Pamukkale, Antalya and Cappadocia

Day 2 ─ Istanbul Old City & Bosphorus Cruise

A full day stays free in Istanbul for your own pace before the Aegean section begins.
Overnight stay in Istanbul.
Meal: Breakfast

Early morning pick up from your hotel.
Flight from Istanbul to Izmir. (Flight time may change.)
08:00-08:30 am - Arrival at Izmir airport. (Arrival airport and time may change according to availability.)
Transfer to Ephesus Ancient City.

Ephesus Ancient City: Built during the height of the Roman Empire, Ephesus served as the capital of Roman Asia and one of the largest cities in the ancient world. Today, visiting this ancient city means walking through a remarkably preserved grid of streets, public baths, temples, and civic buildings. A guided tour gives you far more than sightseeing, it gives you context that makes the ruins come alive.
House of Virgin Mary: On warm mornings, the courtyard outside the House of Virgin Mary is filled with visitors lighting candles, reading from small prayer books, and sitting quietly in the shade of nearby trees. The atmosphere is respectful and unhurried in a way that larger pilgrimage sites sometimes struggle to maintain. Your guide steps back here and lets the place speak for itself.
Temple of Artemis: Ancient writers ranked the Temple of Artemis above all other wonders because of its combination of sheer size and artistic refinement, the carved column drums depicted mythological scenes with a precision and elegance that left ancient visitors speechless. None of that carving survives intact near Selcuk, but fragments recovered during excavation are displayed in the Ephesus Museum in nearby Selcuk town, giving you a chance to see what those columns actually looked like. A museum visit alongside the site makes the story complete. 16:00-16:30 - Ephesus tour ends.

Transfer to your hotel in Kusadasi/Selcuk.
Overnight stay in Kusadasi/Selcuk.

Meal: Breakfast & Lunch
08:00 - Pick up from your hotel.
Transfer to Pamukkale.
Pamukkale: A hillside turned completely white by thousands of years of thermal activity, that is Pamukkale in a single sentence. The mineral springs here carry dissolved calcium carbonate, which builds up layer by layer into smooth travertine terraces. UNESCO recognized the site's extraordinary combination of natural beauty and ancient history, and both rewards are still here waiting for you.
White Calcium Terraces: Thermal water carrying dissolved calcium carbonate has been overflowing this hillside since before the Romans built their city above it. Each time the water flows and cools, it deposits another paper-thin layer of white travertine. Multiply that by two thousand years and you get the extraordinary cascading terraces that make Pamukkale one of Turkey's most recognizable natural landmarks.
Hierapolis Ancient City: Hierapolis in the 2nd century AD under Roman rule was a city of marble baths, paved roads, and well-organized public spaces. Its theater was rebuilt and enlarged during the reign of Emperor Hadrian, and the facade still carries carved panels depicting mythological scenes. Above Pamukkale's travertine terraces, the scale of Roman construction that survives on this hilltop continues to surprise visitors who arrive expecting smaller ruins.
Cleopatra Antique Thermal Pool: Thermal water sourced from Pamukkale's ancient springs keeps Cleopatra Antique Thermal Pool at a comfortable 36 degrees every day of the year. Beneath the surface, visitors can see and touch original Roman marble columns that fell into the pool during a historical earthquake. Swimming here is optional and not included in the tour price, you pay at the poolside entrance separately if you decide to take a dip. 16:00 - Pamukkale tour ends.
Overnight stay in Antalya.