Turkey · Archaeology

7-Day Guided Western Turkey Mini Group Tour

7 Days Round trip from Pickup service provided in İstanbul. Moderate pace

The journey

Trip highlights
  • 01 Explore Istanbul’s historic landmarks including Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Hippodrome Square, and Grand Bazaar
  • 02 Visit the white travertine terraces of Pamukkale and the ancient city of Hierapolis
  • 03 Walk the marble streets of Ephesus and see the Temple of Artemis
  • 04 Discover the House of Virgin Mary and traditional carpet weaving displays
  • 05 See Pergamum’s Acropolis, Temple of Trajan, and dramatic hillside theatre
  • 06 Visit legendary Troy, home of the Trojan Horse and Homeric history
  • 07 Pay respects at Gallipoli sites including Anzac Cove, Chunuk Bair, Lone Pine Cemetery, and The Nek
  • 08 Includes domestic flights, accommodation, transportation, and most meals

Discover the highlights of Western Turkey on a guided small-group journey that combines iconic cities, ancient ruins, spiritual landmarks, and moving battlefield history. From the great monuments of Istanbul to the white terraces of Pamukkale, this itinerary is designed to give you a broad and rewarding introduction to some of the country’s most celebrated destinations.

Travel through Ephesus, Pergamum, Troy, and Gallipoli with a professional licensed guide, while domestic flights, accommodation, transportation, and most meals are arranged for you. With boutique, 4-star, and thermal hotel stays included, this tour offers a comfortable way to experience Turkey’s history, culture, and landscapes without the stress of planning every detail.

Discover the highlights of Western Turkey on a guided small-group journey that combines iconic cities, ancient ruins, spiritual landmarks, and moving battlefield history.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 7 Days
Tour type Shared
Activity level Moderate
Accommodation Included
Transport Included
Wheelchair access No
Cities Kusadasi, Canakkale, Denizli, Istanbul, Izmir, Gallipoli (Battlefield), Ephesus, Troy, Pergamon, Pamukkale
Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

1
Day 01

Arrival to IstanbulWelcome to Turkey. Arrival at Istanbul Airport ( Any of them as there are 2 airports in Istanbul ) Meet, assist and transfer to your hotel. Overnight stay in IstanbulOvernight in Istanbul in a Boutique class or 4 star hotel located in old town area.

2
Day 02

Full Day Istanbul Tour (Breakfast)Your guide will meet with you at your hotel lobby and after greetings, your tour starts with Hippodrome Square where used to take place for chariot races and the Byzantine riots during Roman & Byzantine period.Only a short walk away, reaches Hagia Sophia built in 532 AD by Roman Emperor Justinian I.Then, we will visit Blue Mosque, where has its fame from its beautiful blue Iznik tiles. The mosque is composed of a large prayer hall unified under a single dome and an open courtyard to the northwest. It is oriented thirty-nine degrees east of south. An outer precinct, enclosed by a stonewall with windows, wraps around the mosque and court on all sides except for qibla. The elevation drops sharply towards the Bosphorus on the qibla wall side where a separate terrace and a royal kiosk were built on a partial basement.We will continue walking to Topkapi Palace, was not only the residence of the Ottoman sultans, but also the administrative and educational center of the state. It was constructed between 1460 and 1478 by Sultan Mehmed II, the conqueror of Constantinople. We will visit the Topkapi Palace including weapons section.We will visit Grand Bazaar where is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with more than 58 covered streets and over 1,200 shops which attract between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily. Opened in 1461, it is well known for its jewelry, pottery, spice, and carpet shops.Overnight in Istanbul in a Boutique class or 4 star hotel located in old town area.

3
Day 03

Istanbul to Pamukkale by flight (Breakfast – Dinner )Our driver will take you from your hotel lobby and transfer you to airport for your Denizli flight.Upon your arrival to Denizli Cardak Airport, our representative will meet with you at the airport with your name sign. Then transfer you to your thermal hotel in Pamukkale. You can use the thermal pools at the hotel until 21:30. (This time can change according to the hotel protocols)Overnight in 5 star thermal hotel in Pamukkale.

4
Day 04

Pamukkale & Hierapolis Tour (Breakfast – Dinner )In the morning, your guide will meet with you at your hotel lobby and take you to Pamukkale travertine terrace and Hierapolis Antique city.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.After the tour, drive to Kusadasi for 3 hours. Overnight in Kusadasi.Overnight in 4 star or boutique class hotel in Kusadasi.

5
Day 05

Ephesus Region Tour (Breakfast – Dinner )Your guide will meet with you at your hotel lobby and aroun 25 minutes drive to Ephesus region.First visit the Artemis Temple where is one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World.Continue to Ephesus, Walk 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 Mihridates and Mazues, Commercial Agora and The Grand Theater are two of the most impressive buildings in Ephesus. Grand theatre was built in 3rd century B.C and it was later expanded to 24.000 spectators by the Romans in the 1st century A.D.After Ephesus, lunch will be served in the garden of a local handicrafts center. Here you can see some of the traditional carpet weaving techniques used and enjoy viewing some splendid displays of beautiful carpets.After lunch visit House of Virgin Mary. This house is located on the Aladag Mountains 5 miles from Ephesus. At the third Ecumenical Council of 431 in Ephesus, it was claimed that Mary came to Ephesus with St. John in 37 A.D. and lived there until her death in 48 A.D. After the discovery of the house, the Archbishop of Izmir declared it a place of pilgrimage in 1892. On July 26, 1967, Pope Paul VI visited this place and prayed here.End of the tour, drive back to Kusadasi and your hotel.Overnight in 4 star or boutique class hotel in Kusadasi.

6
Day 06

Kusadasi – Pergamum – Canakkale ( Breakfast - Dinner)After breakfast, your guide will meet with you at your hotel lobby. Then, drive to Pergamum around 2 hours.It is one of the sites of the Seven Churches of Asia [Rev. 1:11; 2:12]. 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 visit of Acropolis, we will drive to Troy around 3 hours. Visit the famous archaeological and mythological site of Troy, home of the “Trojan Horse” and “Helen of Troy”. Troy, Greek Troia, also called Ilios or Ilion, Latin Troia, Troja, or Ilium, ancient city in northwestern Anatolia that holds an enduring place in both literature and archaeology. It occupied a key position on trade routes between Europe and Asia. The legend of the Trojan War, fought between the Greeks and the people of Troy, is the most notable theme from ancient Greek literature and forms the basis of Homer’s Iliad.After the tour, drive to Canakkale around 30 minutes. Overnight in Canakkale.Overnight in Canakkale in a 4 star hotel.

7
Day 07

Canakkale – Gallipoli – Istanbul ( Breakfast)After breakfast you will depart for Gallipoli and take the ferry from Canakkale to Eceabat.We will visit Anzac Cove ,Chunuk Bair, Lone pine cemetery and The Nek. Anzac Cove is a small cove on the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey. It became famous as the site of World War I landing of the ANZACs (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) on 25 April 1915. The cove is 600 metres (2,000 ft) long, bounded by the headlands of Arıburnu to the north and Little Arıburnu, known as Hell Spit, to the south. Following the landing at Anzac Cove, the beach became the main base for the Australian and New Zealand troops for the eight months of the Gallipoli campaign.End of the tour, we will depart to Istanbul. This drive will take around 4 hours. You will check in your hotel in Istanbul and overnight.Overnight in Istanbul in a Boutique class or 4 star hotel located in old town area.

8
Day 08

Private Transfer to Istanbul Airport (Breakfast)After breakfast check out from the hotel and private transfer to Istanbul airport for your flight back home. The end of our services

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map
Round trip from Pickup service provided in İstanbul. 10 cities · 7 Days

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

  • 7 nights accommodation in 4 star or 5 star or boutique class hotels
  • 7 Breakfasts & 4 Dinners & 1 Lunch
  • Domestic flight tickets (Istanbul-Denizli and Izmir-Istanbul) 15 kilos check in and 8 kilos cabin
  • Entrance Fees ( Our guide will have pre-paid tickets to skip the line )
  • Professional licensed tour guide
  • Boutique Hotels in Istanbul: Yasmak Sultan, Dosso Dossi Old City or similar
  • Hotels in Pamukkale: Colossae Thermal, Pam Thermal Hotel or similar
  • Hotels in Canakkale: Akol Hotel, Buyuk Truva Hotel or similar
  • Hotels in Kusadasi: Efe Boutique Hotel, Elite World Hotel or similar
  • Transportation with brand new air-conditioned minivan/minibus

What's Not Included

  • Any drinks and the meals not mentioned in including section
  • Personal expenses
  • Gratuities

Know before you go

  • STROLLER OR PRAM ACCESSIBLE
  • INFANT SEATS AVAILABLE
  • PASSPORT REQUIRED
  • Not recommended for people with heart conditions
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
  • Not suitable for pets
  • No public transportation nearby
  • Infants must not sit on laps
  • • Not recommended for participants with heart complaints or other serious medical conditions
  • We pick our guests from 2 international airports; Istanbul Airport (IST) and Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW).

Logistics

Meeting & route

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

Your 7 days finish where they began, in Pickup service provided in İstanbul..

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