Ottoman Explorer - 12 Days

Welcome to Turkey. An included transfer will take you from the airport to our hotel. Enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure in the hotel, or head out to begin your exploration.

Tour Style: On this tour you will enjoy sightseeing at all included sights with expert local guides, and all of your travel arrangements are included. You will travel without a tour guide between destinations.

Our tour guide will meet you in the hotel lobby at 09:00 for a full day Istanbul city tour, including visits to Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, and the Hippodrome, with free time for lunch. We will also explore the Grand Bazaar, where you can put your bartering skills to the test. After the tour, we'll return to the hotel at approximately 17:00.

Today is free for you to relax in the hotel or further explore Istanbul at your own pace. You will also have the chance to join an optional cruise of the Bosphorus, the body of water that divides not only Istanbul, but Europe from Asia. If you choose the cruise package, your tour guide will meet you in the hotel lobby at 09:00 for a half-day excursion, which includes a visit to a spice market and a Bosphorus cruise. After the cruise, you'll be taken back to your hotel, and the remainder of the day is yours to enjoy at your leisure.

Istanbul - Cappadocia. You will be picked up from our hotel and transferred to Istanbul Airport for your included flight to Cappadocia. Upon arrival, you'll be greeted and transferred to our cave hotel for the next three days, which is hewn into the rock face, with many of the guest rooms located in unique caves. The remainder of the day is at leisure. Whilst in Cappadocia, an optional hot air balloon tour will be available; book and pay locally.

Our tour guide will meet you in the hotel lobby at 09:30 before we embark on a full-day Cappadocia tour. The itinerary includes the Goreme Open Air Museum and Devrent Imagination Valley before we break for lunch at a local restaurant. Then it's back to exploring, as we visit the Pasabag Monks Valley, Avanos, and Goreme Panorama. After the tour, we'll head back to the hotel, and the rest of the day is at leisure.

Our tour guide will meet you in the hotel lobby at 09:30 for another full day of exploring the fairytale landscapes and underground cities of Cappadocia. Highlights of today's tour include visits to Rose Valley, Pigeon Valley, and either Derinkuyu or Kaymakli Underground City. We'll enjoy lunch at a local restaurant, followed by stops at Ortahisar Village and Avanos Valley. After the tour, we'll be transferred back to the hotel for another night in Cappadocia.

Cappadocia - Antalya. Say farewell to Cappadocia as you are transferred to the airport for your included flight to Antalya, a popular Mediterranean resort city on Turkey's south coast. On arrival in Antalya, you'll be greeted and transported to our hotel. The evening is at leisure.

You can choose to spend a day at leisure in Antalya, perhaps wandering into the Old Town, or heading down to the beach. Alternatively, you can join an optional Antalya Old Town & Waterfalls tour. If you choose this option, our tour guide will meet you in the hotel lobby for a full-day excursion. Highlights include a cable car ride to Tunektepe for stunning views of pine forests and the turquoise Mediterranean Sea, a visit to Duden Waterfalls, and stops at the Old Town, Hadrianus Gate, and the Clock Tower. After the tour, you will be transferred back to our hotel for the evening.

Please Note: The Tunektepe Cable Car is currently undergoing renovations and is temporarily not in operation. In place of the cable car experience, we are operating a boat tour instead as part of the optional tour program.

Antalya - Pamukkale - Kusadasi. Our tour guide will meet you in the hotel lobby at 07:00 for a full-day tour to the white cotton castles and travertines of Pamukkale. We also visit the ancient Roman spa city of Hierapolis and enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. You will also have the chance to take a dip in the Hot Thermal Pools. After the tour, we will complete our journey to Kusadasi, where the evening is at leisure.

Kusadasi - Ephesus - Kusadasi. Our tour guide will meet you in the hotel lobby at 9:00 before we embark on a day trip to the Ephesus Ruins, the Fountains of Trajan and Polio, the Temples of Hadrian and Domitian, the Library of Celsus, the Bouleuterion, and the Great Theatre. We'll enjoy lunch at a local restaurant and also visit the House of the Virgin Mary. After the tour, we will return to our hotel in Kusadasi.

Kusadasi - Izmir - Istanbul. You'll be picked up from our hotel and transferred to Izmir Airport for your included flight to Istanbul. On arrival back in Istanbul, you'll be met and taken to our hotel. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy at your leisure, and to tick off any final sights or souvenir shopping you need to do.

Our tour comes to an end today after breakfast and hotel check out. A transfer to the airport is provided for you. Safe travels!