5-Day Istanbul and Pamukkale Tour

Day 1: Arrival in Istanbul – Airport pick-up

Upon your arrival at Istanbul New Airport(IST) or Sabiha Gökcen Airport(SAW), our team will be waiting for you at the exit of the international line of the Airport, holding a sign with your name written on it. After which, you will be transferred to your hotel. The afternoon is free for you to spend at leisure. Alternatively, you can join the Night Cruise on the Bosphorus with Dinner & Show.

• Overnight in Istanbul
• Meals included today: No meals are included on this day.
• Accommodation: Muyan Suites OR Antea Hotel Oldcity OR Deluxe Golden Horn Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 2: Istanbul Old City Tour

Breakfast at the hotel, your tour guide will pick you up and lead you to explore this charming city, which separates Europe and Asia. The first stop of your best Turkey tours is the ancient Hippodrome (Sultanahmet Square), which is now a public square, and only three monuments still stand there. Then we move to the nearby Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Mosque), one of Istanbul’s landmarks. The origin of its name is because its walls used more than 20,000 pieces of blue and white İznik tiles. Next, we will visit Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya in Turkish), which is a masterpiece of religious architecture that combines Christian and Islamic styles. After lunch, we will continue to visit the Topkapi Palace and the Grand Bazaar. The bazaar has 65 streets and houses more than 4,000 shops. There are tea sets, spices, porcelain, carpets, gold and silver ornaments, lamps and lanterns, paper art gadgets, and so on. Some shops also serve local Turkish delicacies such as barbecued meat and burritos. This is a must-visit spot in Istanbul for tourists. After the trip, we will return to the hotel around 5:00 pm.

• Overnight in Istanbul
• Meals included today: Breakfast and Lunch
• Accommodation: Muyan Suites OR Antea Hotel Oldcity OR Deluxe Golden Horn Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 3: Half-day Bosporus Cruise – Fly to Denizli

After breakfast at around 8:30 am, you will join the Half-day Morning Bosphorus Cruise. At the start of this tour, you will enjoy a drive to the pier in Eminonu for a short visit to the historical Spice Market (Egyptian Bazaar). Following this, you will join a shared boat tour and cruise along the Bosphorus which is a narrow strait between the continents of Europe and Asia connecting the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara. You will be able to view the Ottoman palaces, the Bosphorus bridge, citadels, centuries-old mansions, and the European and Asian shorelines while onboard the boat. At the end of the tour, you will be dropped back to your hotel to pick up your luggage and then will be transferred to the Istanbul domestic airport for your flight to Denizli which is approximately 1 hour and 25 minutes in duration. Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel in Pamukkale. Check in to your hotel in Pamukkale and the rest of the day is free.

• Overnight in Pamukkale
• Meals included today: Breakfast
• Accommodation: Adempira Thermal & Spa Hotel OR Colossae Thermal Hotel or similar or similar (Standard quality)

Day 4: Pamukkale and Hierapolis Tour – Fly back to Istanbul

After breakfast around 10:30 am, you will be picked up from your hotel. On this tour, you will visit the ancient city of Hierapolis, which is home to the Temple of Apollo, the Theater, the Necropolis, and the Roman Baths where St. Philip was martyred. After exploring these sites, you will take a lunch break. In the afternoon, you will travel to Karahayit, known for its red water and healing thermal springs. You will then visit the famous Cotton Cliffs, also known as the Cotton Castle, in Pamukkale. These beautiful terraces and pools are formed from calcified mineral deposits and you will have the opportunity to swim in the Cleopatra Antique Pools for an additional cost. At the end of the tour, around 4:00 pm, you will be transferred to the Denizli or Izmir airport for a late evening flight back to Istanbul, with a scheduled departure time between 7:00 pm and 10:00 pm. Upon arriving at Istanbul airport, you will be welcomed by a representative from our company and transferred to your hotel.

• Overnight in Istanbul
• Meals included today: Breakfast and Lunch
• Accommodation: Muyan Suites OR Antea Hotel Oldcity OR Deluxe Golden Horn Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 5: Departure from Istanbul

After breakfast, you will check out from your hotel in Istanbul (hotel check-out is before 12:00 noon) and will then be transferred to the Istanbul International Airport according to your flight details. This will be the end of our tour and services.

• Included Meal(s): Breakfast

INCLUDED in the Tour Price:

• All transfers as mentioned in this itinerary.
• Domestic flight tickets from Istanbul to Denizli and from Denizli to Istanbul only.
• Professional English-speaking guide during the tours
• 3-night accommodation at a 4-star hotel with breakfast in Istanbul.
• 1-night accommodation at a 4-star hotel with breakfast in Pamukkale.
• Meals as per itinerary (B=breakfast, L=lunch)
• All entrance fees mentioned by the itinerary
• Local taxes and service charges.

NOT INCLUDED:

• International Flight Tickets
• Visa to enter Turkey
• Tips & Personal Items
• Any optional tours
• Drinks with meals (except the drinks served with breakfast)
• Travel Insurance

IMPORTANT INFO:

• The order of the itinerary is indicative and subject to change, but all visits described will take place.
• This is a regular group tour, but if requested at cost can be provided as a private tour.
• The regular group tour has shopping stops included in the tour.
• Vegetarian lunch option available upon request.
• For 1 traveler: 1 Single Room Accommodation
• For 2 travelers: 1 Double/Twin Room Accommodation
• For 3 travelers: 1 Triple Room Accommodation
• For 4 travelers: 2 Double/Twin Rooms Accommodation
• For 5 travelers: 1 Double/Twin Room and 1 Triple Room Accommodation
• Please note that the Blue Mosque is not open for visitation on Fridays as it is closed for religious prayer services. You will only be able to visit the outside of the Blue Mosque area on tours operated on Fridays. No visitation will be allowed inside the Blue Mosque for tourists on Fridays.
• Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesday, it will be replaced with the Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnici).
• Grand Bazaar is closed on Sunday.
• During religious holidays, the spice market and Grand Bazaar are closed.