Turkey · Archaeology

4-Day Small-Group Tour . Kusadasi to Istanbul

4 Days Round trip from Pickup service provided in Kuşadası. Moderate pace

The journey

Trip highlights
  • 01 Explore the ancient city of Ephesus and the House of Virgin Mary
  • 02 Visit the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world
  • 03 See the white travertine terraces and Hierapolis at Pamukkale
  • 04 Discover Pergamum’s Acropolis and the legendary ruins of Troy
  • 05 Visit Gallipoli battlefields, memorials, and ANZAC Cove
  • 06 Travel in a small group with a professional licensed guide
  • 07 Entrance fees and four traditional Turkish lunches included

Discover some of western Turkey’s most remarkable historical, spiritual, and natural sites on this 4-day small-group journey from Kuşadası to Istanbul. Travel through the ancient world at Ephesus, visit the House of Virgin Mary and the Temple of Artemis, admire the white travertine terraces of Pamukkale, and explore the storied ruins of Pergamum and Troy.

The tour also includes a moving visit to Gallipoli’s battlefields and memorials before continuing on to Istanbul. With transportation, entrance fees, lunches, and a professional licensed guide included, this itinerary offers an easy way to experience a rich mix of archaeology, religion, landscape, and modern history.

The travertine terraces at Pamukkale are one of the most spectacular natural wonders we ever have seen from various mineral springs in a vast white cliff side, about 200 m overlooking the plain, calcite-laden waters have dripped down over a series of terraced levels and created a fairyland of bizarre solidified cascades and shell-shaped basins.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 4 Days
Tour type Shared
Activity level Moderate
Accommodation Included
Transport Included
Wheelchair access No
Cities Kusadasi, Canakkale, Denizli, Istanbul, Gallipoli (Battlefield), Ephesus, Troy, Pergamon, Pamukkale
Languages English, Spanish

Day by day

The itinerary

1
Day 01

Kusadasi to EphesusYour tour guide will meet you at your hotel. After greetings, you will be driven to Ephesus region.The first stop will be the House of Virgin Mary. It is written in the bible that Jesus entrusted his mother to his beloved disciple St. John the evangelist. After the crucifixion of Jesus, St. John and Mary escaped from Jerusalem because of the torture to early Christians and came to Ephesus and spent her final years at Ephesus.It is time to visit the famous ancient city of Ephesus walking through history along marble streets lined with wonderful public buildings, among them The State Agora, Odeon, Memnius Monument, the Temple of Domitian, Polio Fountain, Curetes Street, The Trajan Fountain, The Baths of Scholastica, Hadrian Temple, Latrina, Celcus Library, the gate of Mithridates and Mazues, Commercial Agora and The Grand Theater are two of the most impressive buildings in Ephesus.

Grand theatre was built in the 3rd century B.C and it was later expanded to 24.000 spectators by the Romans in the 1st century A.D.We will complete our tour after visiting the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

The temple was dedicated greek fertility goddess Artemis and built in 3rd BC. According to its giant size and being the first temple made of marble, a Greek poet named Antipater listed it as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.Drive to Kusadasi to drop you off to your hotel for overnight in Kusadasi.

2
Day 02

Kusadasi - Pamukkale - Kusadasi or to Denizli airport08:30 a.m. After breakfast, pick up from hotel and departure to Pamukkale. This drive will take around 2,5 hours.Arrival to Pamukkale. Discovery of Travertine terraces and Hierapolis. The travertine terraces at Pamukkale are one of the most spectacular natural wonders we ever have seen from various mineral springs in a vast white cliff side, about 200 m overlooking the plain, calcite-laden waters have dripped down over a series of terraced levels and created a fairyland of bizarre solidified cascades and shell-shaped basins. It looks like creations from snow or like balls from cotton, which gave the scenery the Turkish name Pamukkale (cotton castle): Moreover the water in the basins is changing its color according to how the light enters.Drive back to Kusadasi around 2,5 hours and drop you off to your hotel.

3
Day 03

Kusadasi - Pergamum - Troy - Canakkale08.30 a.m. After breakfast, pick up from hotel and departure for Pergamum.Pergamum, actually called Bergama is one of the sites of the Seven Churches of Asia. Here we explore the impressive Acropolis, the steepest theatre in the world, see the Altar of Zeus which is mentioned as the «Throne of Satan» in the book of Revelation, the marble columns of the Temple of Trajan and the Library which was foremost in the world and was long a rival of the equally famous Library of Alexandria in Egypt. Its wealth of volumes was estimated at over 200,000. It inspired the invention of parchment.After the lunch break, drive to Troia Ancient City around 3 hours. The ancient city of Troy, famous for the legendary Trojan horse from the times of Beautiful Helen, Queen of Sparta.Drive to Canakkale around 30 minutes for overnight.

4
Day 04

Canakkale - Gallipoli Tour & Drive to IstanbulAfter breakfast, pick up from your hotel and drive to Gallipoli.The World War 1 battlefields of Gallipoli are now a serene site. Visit the Lone Pine – Australian Memorial, Chunuk Bair – New Zealand Memorial, ANZAC Cove, Johnston’s Jolly, Brighton Beach, Beach Cemetery, Ariburnu Cemetery, Johnston’s Jolly (where you’ll visit original Allied and Turkish trenches and tunnels), 57th Regiment – Turkish Memorial, The Nek and the Gallipoli Museum.In the afternoon, drive to Istanbul for around 4,5 hours. End of our services.

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map
Round trip from Pickup service provided in Kuşadası. 9 cities · 4 Days

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

  • 4 Traditional Turkish Lunches
  • AC Transportation by Brand New vehicles
  • Entrance Fees ( Our guide will have pre-paid tickets to skip the line )
  • Local Tax and Handling Fees
  • Professional Licenced Tour guide

What's Not Included

  • Driver and guides tips
  • Accommodation
  • Personal Expenses

Know before you go

  • INFANT SEATS AVAILABLE
  • STROLLER OR PRAM ACCESSIBLE
  • PASSPORT REQUIRED
  • Infants must not sit on laps
  • Not suitable for pets
  • No public transportation nearby
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Not recommended for travelers with walking disabilities
  • We will pick you up from your hotels in Kusadasi.

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point
Pickup service provided in Kuşadası.
Tour start
Pickup service provided in Kuşadası.
Tour ends at the same location as the start point.
End of the journey

Your 4 days finish where they began, in Pickup service provided in Kuşadası..

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