Western Turkey Explorer

Western Turkey Explorer

8 Views
6 Days From

$1665

Western Turkey Explorer

6 Days Starting and ending in Istanbul, Turkey

Visiting: Istanbul, Çanakkale, Kusadasi, Pamukkale

Tour code:

882550

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Group size:

0 - 12

Physical rating:

Low

Age range:

3-99

Tour operated in:

English

Activities:

Sightseeing, Walking

From: $1665

NB: Prices correct on 19-Sep-2024 but subject to change.

This tour is no longer available, please see similar tours below or send an enquiry

Tour Overview

Embark on the Western Turkey Explorer tour and delve into the rich tapestry of Turkey's historical and cultural heritage. Begin your journey in Istanbul, exploring iconic landmarks such as Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, and the bustling Grand Bazaar. Travel to Gallipoli to witness the poignant World War I battlefields, then venture to the ancient city of Troy, immortalized in Homer's Iliad. Discover the Hellenistic wonders of Pergamum, including the Acropolis and Asklepion healing center. Marvel at the remarkably preserved Roman ruins of Ephesus, featuring the grand Library of Celsus and the Great Theatre. Conclude your adventure in Pamukkale, renowned for its stunning white travertine terraces and the ancient city of Hierapolis. Enjoy guided tours, comfortable accommodations, and seamless transportation throughout this unforgettable cultural journey.

Highlights

  • Troy Archaeological Site: explore the remnants of the city immortalized in Homer's Iliad

  • Gallipoli: a historic peninsula, is renowned for its significant World War I battlefields and memorials, offering visitors a poignant glimpse into the past

  • Wander through the ancient ruins, including city walls, temples, and houses, and immerse yourself in the captivating history and mythology of the Trojan War

  • Pergamum: an ancient city, offers a glimpse into its rich Hellenistic history with impressive ruins like the Acropolis and the Asklepion healing center

  • Ephesus: an ancient city in Turkey, is renowned for its remarkably preserved Roman ruins, including the grand Library of Celsus and the impressive Great Theatre

  • Pamukkale: famous for its stunning white travertine terraces and the ancient city of Hierapolis, where you can relax in the thermal waters that have drawn visitors for millennia

Itinerary

Expand All

Day 1 : Arrival Istanbul

Location: Istanbul

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: Recital Hotel or Sura Hagia Sophia Hotel

Upon arrival at Istanbul/SAW Airport meet your driver and transfer to your hotel. Check in and spend the rest of the day at leisure exploring the city.

Day 2 : Istanbul

Location: Istanbul

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: Recital Hotel or Sura Hagia Sophia Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast meet with your guide and start your full-day tour. Explore Hagia Sophia; the largest building on earth barring the Egyptian Pyramids and the Great Wall of China. It was the religious center of the city during the Byzantine period. Next, Topkapi Palace. As well as being the imperial residence of the Sultan, the palace was also the seat of government for the Ottoman Empire. It housed the Ottoman sultans for nearly 400 years. Continue to Hippodrome; built by the Roman Emperor Septimus Severus in 203AD. During the Roman period hippodrome was the civil center for the people of the city where once 100,000 spectators could be held. Next, Blue Mosque; built by the Ottoman Sultan Ahmet I in the year 1616. Blue mosque today is one of the most famous landmarks of the old city with its famous six minarets and magnificent dome. Next, Grand Bazaar; with 18 entrances and more than 4000 shops, it is one of the greatest bazaars in the World. At the end of the tour drive you back to your hotel.

Day 3 : Istanbul – Gallipoli – Canakkale (360Km – 5Hrs)

Location: Çanakkale

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: Buyuk Truva Hotel or Colins Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast at the hotel, check out, meet your guide and drive to Canakkale. Today you visit ANZAC Battlefields visiting Brighton Beach, ANZAC Cove, Beach Cemetery, Lone Pine Australian Memorial, Turkish and allied tunnels and trenches at Johnston’s Jolly, 57th Regiment Turkish Memorial and Chunuk Bair New Zealand Memorial. Next visit the Troya Archeological Site with the UNESCO-recognized ruins of the Ancient Kingdom of Troy. Wander among ancient ruins, including walls, temples, and theaters, and experience the rich history and mythology of the Trojan War firsthand. After the tour drive to Canakkale and check in to your hotel.

Day 4 : Canakkale – Pergamum – Kusadasi (400Km – 6Hrs)

Location: Kusadasi

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: Efe Boutique Hotel or Charisma De Luxe Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast at the hotel check out and drive to Pergamum. Pergamum had been a capital city for almost four hundred years. After the mythical times, Pergamum had been the scene of several cultures, ranging from those of the Stone and Bronze Ages until the Archaic and Classical Periods. Among the temples, palaces and agoras, the Asclepion, which was constructed in the course of one century, belonged to the big Zeus Altar and the Parchment Library. After lunch visit the ruins of Asklepion; which was known under the name of "The Pergamum God of Health". Asklepius the dietary health and medicine served the people for several hundred years; thus making Pergamum a medical centre of very great importance. Famous medical Scholars, like Hippocrates and Galenus, were born in Pergamum and worked there. Along the way, feast your eyes on the beautiful Agean sea view with lush olive trees and some Greek and Turkish Islands before arriving in Kusadasi for check-in.

Day 5 : Kusadasi – Ephesus – Kusadasi (40 Km – 1Hr)

Location: Kusadasi

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: Efe Boutique Hotel or Charisma De Luxe Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast meet with your guide, and start your full-day tour of Ancient Ephesus. Visit The House of the Virgin Mary; where a church was built. Your tour continues with the Ancient Ephesus, the best-preserved classical city in the Eastern Mediterranean. During the 1C AD, Ephesus was the second-largest city on the planet after Rome with more than 250,000 citizens. Ephesus is so well preserved that, walking on the ancient streets among the beautiful monuments such as the third-largest library of the ancient world or the largest Roman theatre on the Asia continent, gives you the feeling of a time traveller. Next, the Temple of Artemis or Artemision, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The ancient cult dedicated to Artemis was very famous in antiquity and made Ephesus a much visited pilgrimage place. After the tour drive you back to your hotel.

Day 6 : Kusadasi – Pamukkale – Istanbul Departure (80 Min By Flight, Included)

Location: Pamukkale

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast at the hotel meet with your guide and start your full-day tour. Visit Pamukkale, Pools of Heaven on Earth. Pamukkale has always been a very popular settlement where hot springs were believed to have healing powers. So it is considered to be the earliest spa on earth where in history people travelled long distances in order to find a cure. The unique terraces were formed by running warm spring water containing calcium bicarbonate at a temperature of 35 C. Today Pamukkale is declared as a world heritage site by UNESCO. Visit the ancient city of Hierapolis which has the biggest Necropolis with 1200 gravestones in Anatolia. The Sacred Pool is one of the highlights of the site. The shallow thermal waters ripple over a wonderful scattering of ancient Roman ruins which lie beneath. At the end of the tour drive you to Denizli Airport for your flight to Istanbul.

What's Included

  • Tour Guide

    Operated with a professional English-speaking guide throughout the tour.

  • Accommodation

    5 nights’ accommodation in selected hotel categories.

  • Meals

    5 breakfasts and 5 lunches (Days 2-6).

  • Transport

    Domestic flights from Denizli to Istanbul (Day 6), inbound/outbound airport transfers, and air-conditioned shared transportation throughout the tour.

  • Entrance Fees and Activities

    All activities mentioned in the itinerary: Treasures of Istanbul guided tour (Day 2), Gallipoli and Troy guided tour (Day 3), Pergamum and Asklepion guided tour (Day 4), Ancient Ephesus guided tour (Day 5), Pamukkale and ancient city of Hierapolis visit (Day 6).

  • Other

    Meet and Greet service.

What's Not Included

  • Admission Fees

    Admission fees to Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, Troy Ancient City, Pergamum, Asklepion, Ancient Ephesus, House of Mary, and Pamukkale.

  • Meals and Drinks

    Meals not mentioned in the inclusions section and drinks during meals.

  • Tips

    Tips for the guides and drivers.

  • Optional Excursions

    Optional excursions and activities (if any).

  • Personal Expenditures

    Expenditures of a personal nature or items not stated explicitly in the program.

  • Travel Insurance

    Travel insurance or any loss or extra cost arising due to unforeseen circumstances such as flight delays, accidents, etc.

Requirements

Visitors should not wear sleeveless shirts, shorts, short skirts or skimpy clothing when visiting religious or official buildings in Turkey. Shoes should be removed before entering a mosque or private house. Sun protection, sun glasses, a hat and mosquito repellent can be very useful during your stay.

 



Please Note

  • Entrance tickets to Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, Troy Ancient City, Pergamum, Asklepion, Ancient Ephesus, House of Mary and Pamukkale can be purchased from the tour guide in cash Euro, Dollar or Turkish lira (skip the line tickets to avoid long ticket queues)
  • Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays
  • Blue Mosque is closed on Fridays due to Friday prayer we will visit from the garden
  • The tour guides will have pre-paid skip-the-line tickets to avoid long ticket queues. The cost of used entry tickets can be paid to your guides in cash Euro, Dolar, or Turkish lira on each tour.
  • Please note that local conditions prevalent at the time of travel may result in modifications to the tour contents without prior notice.
  • Only one bag per person is allowed (15 kg) plus one hand luggage (8 kg).
  • We reserve the right to change itineraries and activities due to weather conditions, technical problems, or security reasons.
  • Early check-in, late check-out, connecting or adjoining rooms in the hotel are subject to availability and not guaranteed
  • No refund for unused services. Splitting of the package is not allowed

Accommodation options

ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS

Day 1-2 Istanbul:

  • Superior Hotel Category = Recital Hotel or similar 4*
  • Deluxe Hotel Category = Sura Hagia Sophia Hotel or similar 5*

Day 3 Canakkale:

  • Superior Hotel Category = Buyuk Truva Hotel or similar 4*
  • Deluxe Hotel Category = Colins Hotel or similar 5*

Day 4-5 Kusadasi:

  • Superior Hotel Category = Efe Boutique Hotel or similar 4*
  • Deluxe Hotel Category = Charisma De Luxe Hotel or similar 5*

Mode of Transport

Travel comfortably with air-conditioned shared transportation throughout the tour, including domestic flights from Denizli to Istanbul, and inbound/outbound airport transfers.

Accommodation

Enjoy 5 nights of accommodation with options ranging from superior 4-star hotels like Recital Hotel in Istanbul, Buyuk Truva Hotel in Canakkale, and Efe Boutique Hotel in Kusadasi, to deluxe 5-star hotels such as Sura Hagia Sophia Hotel, Colins Hotel, and Charisma De Luxe Hotel.

Accommodation options

ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS

Day 1-2 Istanbul:

  • Superior Hotel Category = Recital Hotel or similar 4*
  • Deluxe Hotel Category = Sura Hagia Sophia Hotel or similar 5*

Day 3 Canakkale:

  • Superior Hotel Category = Buyuk Truva Hotel or similar 4*
  • Deluxe Hotel Category = Colins Hotel or similar 5*

Day 4-5 Kusadasi:

  • Superior Hotel Category = Efe Boutique Hotel or similar 4*
  • Deluxe Hotel Category = Charisma De Luxe Hotel or similar 5*

Check out our Q&As

  • What type of transportation is provided during the tour?

    Travel comfortably with air-conditioned shared transportation throughout the tour, including domestic flights from Denizli to Istanbul, and inbound/outbound airport transfers.

  • What kind of accommodation options are available?

    You can enjoy 5 nights of accommodation with options ranging from superior 4-star hotels like Recital Hotel in Istanbul, Buyuk Truva Hotel in Canakkale, and Efe Boutique Hotel in Kusadasi, to deluxe 5-star hotels such as Sura Hagia Sophia Hotel, Colins Hotel, and Charisma De Luxe Hotel.

  • Are meals included in the tour package?

    Yes, the tour includes 5 breakfasts and 5 lunches from Days 2 to 6.

  • Will there be a tour guide during the trip?

    Yes, the tour is operated with a professional English-speaking guide throughout the tour.

  • Are entrance fees to attractions included in the tour package?

    No, admission fees to Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, Troy Ancient City, Pergamum, Asklepion, Ancient Ephesus, House of Mary, and Pamukkale are not included and can be purchased from the tour guide in cash Euro, Dollar, or Turkish lira.

  • What activities are included in the tour?

    The tour includes all activities mentioned in the itinerary: Treasures of Istanbul guided tour (Day 2), Gallipoli and Troy guided tour (Day 3), Pergamum and Asklepion guided tour (Day 4), Ancient Ephesus guided tour (Day 5), and Pamukkale and ancient city of Hierapolis visit (Day 6).

  • What should I wear when visiting religious or official buildings in Turkey?

    Visitors should not wear sleeveless shirts, shorts, short skirts, or skimpy clothing when visiting religious or official buildings in Turkey. Shoes should be removed before entering a mosque or private house.

  • Is there a weight limit for luggage on the tour?

    Yes, only one bag per person is allowed (15 kg) plus one hand luggage (8 kg).

  • What happens if there are changes in the itinerary due to local conditions?

    Local conditions prevalent at the time of travel may result in modifications to the tour contents without prior notice.

  • Are there any specific days when certain attractions are closed?

    Yes, the Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays, and the Blue Mosque is closed on Fridays due to Friday prayer, but it can be visited from the garden.

  • What documents will I receive before I travel?

    Booking confirmation with Itinerary and confirmation vouchers

  • Are Visa fees included in the price?

    No, visa fees are not included

  • Are flights included in the tour?

    No, they are not included

  • Is there any option for solo traveller?

    Yes of course. Please note that the default selection shows the price per person per double room. For solo travellers, you will have to select a single room when available.

  • Do you offer any travel insurance?

    We do not offer Travel Insurance but would strongly recommend that you purchase a comprehensive Travel Insurance Policy prior to departure. 

Reviews of this operator

Maria  

Excellent Company to deal with!!

14-Oct-2022

Excellent Company to deal with and excellent guides, Ahmed and Yusuf went above and beyond to make sure we had a wonderful time, in spite of the lack of punctuality and manners of some of the tour participants

Ann  

Holiday to frame, thanks Destination Services

18-Feb-2023

We have made an unforgettable tour through Turkey. This thanks to our wonderful guide Mustufa (he solved every possible problem with a smile) and a fantastic group of companions. This was a holiday to frame with many great memories to cherish.

Ella  

Turkish delight with this company

07-Sep-2022

Turkish delight with this company, itinerary was great.

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Book with Confidence

  • Transfer as credit to Future Tours

    Destination Services Turkey allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform destination services turkey, 0 days before departure.

  • Low Deposit

    Destination Services Turkey requires a minimum deposit of 20% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 60 days before departure.

  • Cancellation Policy

    We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of destination services turkey charges.

    At 21 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.

    At 15 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.

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