5 Days Istanbul, Ephesus and Antalya Tour

Day 1: Arrive and Overnight in Istanbul

Arrive at any time. 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
• Accommodation: Muyan Suites OR Midtown Hotel Taksim OR Grand Oztanik Hotel OR Deluxe Golden Horn Hotel

Day 2: Istanbul Byzantine & Ottoman Relics Tour

After breakfast at approximately 8:30 am, you will be picked up from your hotel to begin the full-day tour. Today on the tour you will visit Hagia Sophia Museum, Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, Grand Bazaar, and Topkapi Palace. Lunch will be at a local restaurant. After the tour, you will be transferred back to your hotel.

• Overnight in Istanbul
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch
• Accommodation: Muyan Suites OR Midtown Hotel Taksim OR Grand Oztanik Hotel OR Deluxe Golden Horn Hotel

Day 3: Fly to Izmir from Istanbul — Ephesus Tour — Fly to Antalya

You will be picked up from your hotel in Istanbul around 4:30 am and will be transferred to the domestic airport for your flight from Istanbul to Izmir between 6:00 – 7:30 am. Upon arrival at Izmir airport, you will be picked up and transferred to Selçuk. In Selçuk, you will meet your professional tour guide to begin your full-day tour of Ephesus. You will first visit the Temple of Artemis which was once one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. Next, you will visit the world-famous ancient Greco-Roman City of Ephesus, the most well-preserved example in the world. After visiting this impressive site, you will have a break for lunch. After lunch, you will visit the House of the Virgin Mary, where it is believed she spent her last days. This is a holy place for both Christians and Muslims. Afterwards, you will visit the Isabey Mosque. Next, you will be taken to the Sirince Village; which is an old Greek village and is well-know for its quaint beauty and wine tasting and production. Here you will have one hour free to explore on your own without a guide the different foods and wines of the area and visit various small traditional village shops. After the tour, you will be transferred to Izmir Airport for your flight to Antalya through Istanbul. Upon your arrival at the Antalya airport, a representative will be present holding your name sign to pick you up and transfer you to your hotel.

• Overnight in Antalya
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch
• Accommodation: 1207 Boutique Hotel OR Kosa Boutique Hotel OR Alp Pasa Boutique Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 4: Full Day Tour to Perge, Aspendos, Side and Waterfall

Breakfast at the hotel. You will be picked up from your hotel around 8.00 am. First place you will visit is Perge, which was originally settled by the Hittites around 1500 BC and was one of the largest ancient cities in the Pamphylia region. Then you will depart for the Aspendos Ancient Theatre. This incredibly well preserved ancient theatre was built in the 2nd century A.D., it has a capacity of 15,000 people and it is still being used for festivals and music concerts.

We will have a lunch break at a restaurant on a nearby river then depart for Side (pronounced Seeday). Side is one of the best classical ancient cities in Turkey, it was a port city that served the largest slave market in this region. During Roman times much construction took place in Side including a large theatre, Roman Baths and the Temple of Apollo.

Guests will have 1 hour of free time here to enjoy the sea and the city. You will stop at the Manavgat Waterfall on the way back, then drive back to Antalya where you will be transferred back to your hotel.

• Overnight in Antalya
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch
• Accommodation: 1207 Boutique Hotel OR Kosa Boutique Hotel OR Alp Pasa Boutique Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 5: Fly back to Istanbul – End of Services

After breakfast check out of the hotel in Antalya. You will be picked up from your hotel and transferred to Antalya airport to take your flight to Istanbul. END OF OUR SERVICE and TOURS.

• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch

Important notes:

• Please note that your return flight from Antalya to Istanbul will arrive at either the New Airport in Istanbul or at the Sabiha Gökçen Airport depending on the availability of flights on the ticket purchase date.
• If you have a preference to return to a specific airport in Istanbul i.e. Sabiha Gokcen or Istanbul New Airport, you must request your choice of the airport in Istanbul by email prior to your tour booking. Any changes requested once your booking is confirmed will incur an additional cost.
• Upon arrival at Istanbul airport, you will have to arrange your own pick-up service from Istanbul airport to your hotel in Istanbul. This transfer is not included as part of your package tour services with us. Our service ends upon your flight arrival at Istanbul Airport.

INCLUDED in the Tour Price:

• All transfers mentioned in the itinerary
• Domestic flight tickets as per the itinerary
• 2 nights in Istanbul at a Special class hotel or 4-star hotel including breakfast
• 2 nights in Antalya at a Boutique or Special class hotel or 4-star hotel including breakfast
• English-speaking guide during the tours
• 4 lunches
• Entrance fees mentioned by the itinerary
• Wifi available at all our hotels
• Transport by air-conditioned Vehicles

NOT INCLUDED:

• Drop off transportation service from Istanbul New Airport OR Sabiha Gökçen Airport to Istanbul Hotel upon returning to Istanbul
• International flight tickets
• 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
• 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.