After a busy day of traveling, upon your arrival in Istanbul, our team will be there to greet you at the airport and provide a comfortable transfer to your accommodation.

The rest of the day is yours to unwind and prepare for the exciting full-day city tour awaiting you tomorrow. You may choose to:
✔ Relax at your hotel and recover from your journey
✔ Take a leisurely stroll around your neighborhood
✔ Enjoy a delicious Turkish meal at a nearby restaurant

Overnight in Istanbul

Rest well and get ready to explore the rich history and vibrant culture of Istanbul in the morning!

Optional Tour: Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Turkish Night Show

No visit to Turkey is complete without exploring Istanbul’s historic old city, once called Constantinople by the Romans. This city is a living museum, where history is imprinted at every turn, showcasing some of the world’s most stunning mosques, palaces, and landmarks.

Today’s guided tour will take you through Istanbul’s most iconic sites, revealing the grandeur of its past and present.

🔹 Highlights of the Day:

🕌 Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque)
Your day begins at one of the most beautiful and iconic mosques in the world—the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, better known as the Blue Mosque. Built in 1616, this mosque has been a continuous place of worship for centuries. The interior features breathtaking Iznik tiles, an awe-inspiring multi-domed ceiling, and six towering minarets, making it a true masterpiece of Ottoman architecture.

🏟️ Sultanahmet Square & The Ancient Hippodrome
Next, visit Sultanahmet Square, the historic heart of the city where the Hippodrome of Constantinople once stood. Dating back to pre-Roman times, the Hippodrome was the center of social life, entertainment, and sports, including chariot races and grand celebrations. It is believed that the Hippodrome could seat over 100,000 spectators at its peak.

At the square, you will also see:
The Obelisk of Theodosius – Originally from the Temple of Karnak in Egypt, carved from red granite from Aswan, and brought to Constantinople in the 4th century BC. The Roman marble base depicts chariot races and the Emperor’s victories.
The Serpent Column – An ancient Greek column brought from Delphi, once part of the Temple of Apollo.

🏛️ Hagia Sophia – A Wonder of the World
One of the most magnificent buildings in history, the Hagia Sophia has served as a church, mosque, and museum. Built using over 10,000 craftsmen, its interior is a breathtaking display of architectural brilliance, featuring:
✔ The two marble doors, symbolizing Heaven and Hell
✔ Stunning mosaics, whose colors remain as vibrant today as they were centuries ago
✔ An immense dome that once made it the largest church in the world

🏰 Topkapı Palace – Home of the Sultans
Next, visit Topkapı Palace, the imperial residence of Ottoman sultans for over 400 years. Built in 1459, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is an opulent complex of courtyards, chambers, and halls filled with priceless treasures, including:
✔ The Harem, where the sultan’s wives and concubines resided
✔ The Imperial Treasury, home to priceless jewels, golden artifacts, and the famous Topkapi Dagger
✔ The Sultan’s private chambers, which only those with special permission could enter

🛍️ Grand Bazaar – The World’s Oldest Market
Your final stop is the Grand Bazaar, the largest and oldest continuously trading market in the world. With over 4,000 shops along its colorful and narrow alleyways, this lively marketplace offers:
✔ Traditional Turkish carpets & textiles
✔ Exquisite gold and silver jewelry
✔ Spices, sweets, and souvenirs
✔ Handmade ceramics & antiques

✨ Our Recommendation (Optional Visit)
After your tour, if you have free time, we highly recommend a visit to the Spice Bazaar. The air is filled with the aromas of exotic spices, dried fruits, Turkish delight, and coffee. This is not part of the guided tour, so you’ll have the freedom to explore at your own pace before returning to your accommodation.

📌 Important Notes:
Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays
Blue Mosque is closed during Friday prayers
Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays

🏨 Overnight Stay in Istanbul
After a day of discovering Istanbul’s rich history and culture, return to your hotel for a relaxing evening.

After an exciting full-day city tour the day before, today’s itinerary offers a gentler pace, allowing you to soak in Istanbul’s imperial beauty and breathtaking waterfront views.

🔹 Morning: Dolmabahçe Palace Tour (2 Hours)
After a hearty breakfast, you will be picked up from your hotel and taken to the Dolmabahce Palace, one of Istanbul’s most opulent landmarks.

🏰 Highlights of Dolmabahce Palace:
A fully guided tour of this rococo and neoclassical masterpiece, built between 1842 and 1853.
Lavish gold and crystal interiors, with intricate decor showcasing Ottoman grandeur.
The Ceremonial Hall, home to the world’s largest Bohemian crystal chandelier.
Breathtaking views of the Bosphorus Strait from the palace grounds.
⏳ Duration: Approx. 2 hours
📌 Important Note: Dolmabahçe Palace is closed on Mondays. On this day, the tour will start later at 11:30 AM.

🔹 Midday: Bosphorus Cruise – A Scenic Journey Between Two Continents
Next, step aboard a Bosphorus cruise and glide along the legendary waterway that separates Europe and Asia.

🚤 Key Landmarks Along the Cruise Route:

✔ Maiden’s Tower – A historic islet with a fascinating past, now serving as a museum and restaurant.

✔ Kucuksu Palace – A stunning waterfront hunting lodge built for the Ottoman sultans.

✔ Rumeli Fortress – A majestic medieval fortress, constructed in 1452 by Sultan Mehmed II before his conquest of Constantinople.

✔ Ortakoy Mosque – A magnificent mosque with pink mosaics, set along the Bosphorus shore.

✔ Cıragan Palace – Once an imperial palace, now an ultra-luxury hotel.

✔ Beylerbeyi Palace – A lavish summer retreat for Ottoman sultans.

✔ Bosphorus & Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridges – Two iconic bridges connecting Europe and Asia.

⏳ Duration: Approx. 1.5–2 hours

🔹 Afternoon: Panoramic Bus Tour & Pierre Loti Hill

🚍 After stepping back onto dry land, the tour continues by bus, offering a scenic drive through historic Istanbul.

📍 Pierre Loti Hill – The Best View of Istanbul
Named after the French novelist Pierre Loti, who adored Istanbul.
One of the highest points in the city, offering stunning panoramic views over the Golden Horn.
Enjoy a relaxing cable car ride back down to the bus, taking in even more breathtaking scenery.
After this relaxing experience, you will continue the bus tour through the Old City before returning to your hotel.

🔹 Evening: Flight to Izmir & Transfer to Ephesus
🏨 After some rest at your hotel, you will be picked up in the evening and transferred to Istanbul Airport for your domestic flight to Izmir.
Upon arrival at Izmir Airport, our team will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel in the Ephesus region, where you will stay overnight in preparation for your Ephesus tour the next day.

🏨 Overnight Stay in Ephesus
Relax and unwind at your hotel in the Ephesus region, ready for a day of exploring one of Turkey’s most fascinating ancient cities.

The ancient city of Ephesus has been photographed, documented, and admired by millions, yet nothing compares to experiencing it in person. Walking through its ancient streets, you will feel its timeless energy—a place where history comes alive and echoes of the past can still be heard.

This once-great city, over 3,000 years old, has endured earthquakes, empires, and civilizations, yet much of it still stands in remarkable condition. As you walk down the central marble street, you will feel as if you’ve been transported back in time, surrounded by the incredible architecture and remnants of daily life in this once-thriving metropolis.

🔹 Highlights of the Ephesus Tour:

🏛️ Ephesus Ancient City
Stroll down the Main Marble Street, where emperors, scholars, and traders once walked.
See well-preserved civic buildings, homes, shops, and even ancient latrines.
Visit the Great Amphitheater, capable of seating 25,000 people, where gladiator fights and public gatherings took place.
Stand before the Library of Celsus, one of the most magnificent structures of the ancient world, once housing over 12,000 scrolls.
Explore the Temple of Hadrian, public baths, and even the ancient prison.

🏠 House of the Virgin Mary
A sacred pilgrimage site believed to be the final home of the Virgin Mary.
Nestled in the hills of Ephesus, this peaceful sanctuary attracts visitors of all faiths.

🏛️ Temple of Artemis
One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Although only a few columns remain, its historical significance and grand past are undeniable.

🕌 İsabey Mosque
A stunning 14th-century mosque, showcasing elegant Seljuk architecture.
A perfect blend of Byzantine and Islamic design, offering a serene and historical setting.

🏨 Overnight Stay in Ephesus
After a day of walking through history, return to your hotel in the Ephesus region to relax and reflect on your incredible journey through time.

Today, you will journey to Pamukkale, a breathtaking natural wonder that offers an unforgettable sensory experience. The landscape here is otherworldly—vast white calcium-rich terraces stretch as far as the eye can see, cascading down the mountainside like a frozen waterfall.

🌿 Pamukkale, meaning “Cotton Castle”, is famous for its warm, mineral-rich thermal waters, which have flowed for thousands of years, creating stunning travertine pools that shimmer under the sunlight.

🩱 Don’t forget to bring your swimming costume! At the top of the mountain, you will find the Ancient Thermal Pools, where you can immerse yourself in the soothing, mineral-rich waters, just as people have done for centuries.

🔹 Highlights of the Pamukkale & Hierapolis Tour:

💧 Pamukkale Travertines (Cotton Castle)
Walk barefoot across the white calcium terraces, where natural thermal waters flow through the landscape.
Capture incredible photos of this UNESCO-listed wonder, a place unlike any other in the world.

🏛️ Hierapolis Ancient City
Explore the ruins of Hierapolis, an ancient Greco-Roman spa city that once attracted thousands seeking the healing properties of the hot springs.
Visit the Hierapolis Theater, a massive amphitheater with remarkably preserved stone seating and panoramic views of the region.
Walk through the Necropolis, one of the largest ancient cemeteries in the world, filled with sarcophagi, tombs, and mausoleums.

🏊 Cleopatra’s Pool (Optional, Extra Cost)
Swim in a thermal pool filled with ancient Roman columns, believed to have therapeutic properties.

🔹 Afternoon: Travel to Fethiye
After your time in Pamukkale, you will be transferred to Denizli bus station, where you will board a comfortable bus to Fethiye.
Upon arrival at Fethiye bus station, our team will be there to meet you and transfer you to your hotel, ensuring a smooth and relaxing end to your journey.

🏨 Overnight Stay in Fethiye
Enjoy your first night in Fethiye, a beautiful coastal town on Turkey’s Turquoise Coast, where stunning landscapes, crystal-clear waters, and charming seaside vibes await.

Today promises to be both relaxing and exhilarating, as you embark on a breathtaking journey along Turkey’s stunning Turquoise Coast.

🔹 Morning: Oludeniz – Europe’s Most Photographed Beach
Your day begins in Oludeniz, a paradise-like lagoon and one of the most photographed beaches in Europe. With its crystal-clear waters, soft golden sands, and surrounding mountains, it’s no wonder that Ölüdeniz is considered one of Turkey’s most beautiful coastal spots.

🏔️ Babadag Mountain – A Paragliding Hotspot
Towering above Oludeniz is the majestic Babadağ Mountain, a world-famous paragliding destination. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can take to the skies and enjoy an optional tandem paragliding experience, soaring over the Blue Lagoon and Mediterranean Sea.

🚤 Boarding Your Gulet Yacht
You will meet your captain and crew before setting sail on a traditional Turkish gulet yacht, beginning a scenic cruise along the coastline.

🔹 Midday: Sailing to Butterfly Valley
Your first stop is the enchanting Butterfly Valley, an isolated paradise accessible only by boat.

🦋 Butterfly Valley – A Natural Sanctuary
Home to hundreds of species of butterflies, this valley is a protected nature reserve.
Swim in the turquoise waters, relax on the beach, or take an optional walk through the valley.
The valley is only accessible by boat or a steep hike, making your arrival by gulet the perfect way to experience it.

💦 Swimming & Relaxation
Enjoy plenty of time for swimming, snorkeling, and sunbathing in some of the most secluded and pristine bays along the coast.
A delicious onboard lunch will be served, featuring freshly prepared Turkish cuisine.

🏨 Overnight Stay in Fethiye
After a peaceful and rejuvenating day at sea, return to Fethiye for another relaxing night, soaking in the coastal charm of this beautiful seaside town.

As your incredible journey comes to an end, start your day with a fresh and healthy breakfast, savoring your last moments in beautiful Fethiye.

After breakfast, it will be time to say goodbye as your tour with Alaturca officially concludes. We hope that this adventure has left you with unforgettable memories of Turkey’s rich history, breathtaking landscapes, and warm hospitality.

🚖 Transfer to Your Next Destination

• Depending on your travel plans, we will assist with transfers to Dalaman Airport, Fethiye Bus Station, or your next accommodation.

🇹🇷 Until We Meet Again!
We wish you a safe and pleasant onward journey and look forward to welcoming you back to explore even more of this amazing country in the future.

✨ Thank you for choosing Alaturca – Safe travels! ✨