Multi-day tour
Charms of Turkey: a 10-day tour from Istanbul to Ephesus
A ten-day tour of Istanbul, Ankara, Cappadocia, Pamukkale, Ephesus and Bursa, with a licensed guide and a day-by-day narrated itinerary.
Key facts
- Duration 10 days / 9 nights
- Route Istanbul → Bursa 8 destinations
- Quotation Quotation within 24 business hours (72 business hours for groups and MICE)
- Recommended months April–June, September, October
- Type Private
Overview
A journey through the great classics of Turkey: the minarets and bazaars of Istanbul, the republican capital at Ankara, the volcanic landscapes of Cappadocia, the white terraces of Pamukkale, the Roman streets of Ephesus, the coastal air of İzmir and Kuşadası and the Ottoman legacy of Bursa.
The whole route is covered overland, with no domestic flights, so the landscape is part of the trip: the Central Anatolian plateau, the descent to the Aegean and the return along the Sea of Marmara. The programme includes accommodation in the 4★ and 5★ hotels listed, eight lunches and five dinners, entrance fees to the monuments on the itinerary, arrival and departure transfers in Istanbul and a professional licensed guide throughout the tour.
The whole route is covered overland, with no domestic flights, so the landscape is part of the trip: the Central Anatolian plateau, the descent to the Aegean and the return along the Sea of Marmara. The programme includes accommodation in the 4★ and 5★ hotels listed, eight lunches and five dinners, entrance fees to the monuments on the itinerary, arrival and departure transfers in Istanbul and a professional licensed guide throughout the tour.
Route: IstanbulAnkaraCappadociaPamukkaleEphesusİzmirKuşadasıBursa
- Physical level: Moderate
- Languages of the guided visits: Spanish, English
Highlights
- A Bosphorus cruise between Europe and Asia, past palaces, fortresses and wooden mansions.
- The valleys of Cappadocia and their fairy chimneys, with a balloon flight available as an optional activity.
- Ephesus, one of the best-preserved Roman cities in the Mediterranean, with the Library of Celsus and the Great Theatre.
- The thermal terraces of Pamukkale and the ruins of Hierapolis.
- Ankara and Bursa, the capital of the Republic and the first Ottoman capital, which the classic circuit usually skips.
- The contrast between modern Istanbul around İstiklal and the historic peninsula of Sultanahmet.
What is included and what is not
Included
- Accommodation in selected 4★ and 5★ hotels as per program.
- Daily breakfast at the hotels.
- 8 lunches as per the itinerary.
- 5 dinners in hotels outside Istanbul: Ankara (1), Cappadocia (2), Pamukkale (1), İzmir/Kuşadası (1).
- Arrival and departure transfers in Istanbul (airport – hotel – airport).
- Licensed English-speaking guide throughout the tour (some transfers may be driver-only).
- Entrance fees to the sites and monuments mentioned in the itinerary (optional tours excluded).
- Transportation by air-conditioned coach or minibus during the entire circuit.
Not included
- International flights (home country – Istanbul – home country).
- Drinks during meals.
- Lunches and dinners not explicitly listed as included.
- Optional activities such as hot-air balloon flight in Cappadocia or Turkish night show.
- Personal expenses (phone calls, minibar, laundry, etc.).
- Travel insurance (strongly recommended).
- Tips for guide, driver and hotel/restaurant staff.
Day by day itinerary
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Day 1
Arrival in Istanbul
Arrival in Istanbul, the city that bridges Europe and Asia. Meet-and-greet at the airport and transfer to your hotel. Depending on your flight schedule, you will have free time to rest or take a first walk around the area. -
Day 2
Istanbul, Bosphorus & Bazaars
Free morning to rest from your journey or to explore the city on your own. Around midday we start discovering classical Istanbul with the Süleymaniye Mosque, one of the masterpieces of Ottoman architecture. We then move to the modern part of the city to see the Galata Tower from the outside and walk along lively İstiklal Avenue. After lunch, we enjoy a Bosphorus cruise between Europe and Asia, passing palaces, wooden mansions and fortresses. The day ends in the Spice Bazaar, full of teas, nuts, sweets and spices. -
Day 3
Asian Istanbul → Ankara
Today we cross officially into Asia to discover a more local side of Istanbul. We stroll through Kuzguncuk, with its colourful houses and neighbourhood atmosphere, and continue up to Çamlıca Hill for superb views over the Bosphorus. Then we walk along Salacak, opposite the romantic Maiden’s Tower. Lunch is taken en route in the Bolu area before driving on to Ankara, the capital of the Republic. Arrival, dinner at the hotel and overnight.Notes for the day: A long road transfer from Istanbul to Ankara, with a lunch stop in the Bolu area. The day begins with the crossing to the Asian side at a busy time.
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Day 4
Ankara → Cappadocia
We start the day visiting the Atatürk Mausoleum (Anıtkabir), resting place of the founder of the Republic, with its sober architecture and strong symbolism. Then we set off across the central Anatolian plateau towards Cappadocia, stopping by the Salt Lake (Tuz Gölü) and visiting a caravanserai on the ancient Silk Road. Arrival in Cappadocia, check-in at the hotel, dinner and optional Turkish night with folk dances.Notes for the day: Ankara to Cappadocia across the Central Anatolian plateau, with stops at the Salt Lake and at a Silk Road caravanserai.
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Day 5
Cappadocia in Depth
At sunrise, those who wish can add the optional balloon flight over the valleys of Cappadocia. After breakfast, we dedicate the day to exploring the region: Göreme Open-Air Museum with its rock-cut churches and frescoes, viewpoints over the Göreme panorama and the striking silhouette of Uçhisar Castle. We visit a cave house to learn about troglodyte life and stop at traditional carpet and jewellery workshops. Dinner at the hotel.Optional activities
- Sunrise hot-air balloon flight over the valleys of Cappadocia
- Turkish night in a cave restaurant
Notes for the day: The Cappadocia valleys are walked on uneven dirt paths. A balloon flight has to be booked separately: it is an optional activity and depends on the wind.
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Day 6
Cappadocia → Pamukkale
After breakfast we leave Cappadocia and drive across inland Anatolia towards the Aegean region. We cross steppe landscapes and fertile plains, with lunch en route. In the afternoon we arrive in Pamukkale, the famous “Cotton Castle” with its white travertine terraces, and visit the Roman city of Hierapolis with its necropolis and theatre. Dinner and overnight in a thermal hotel.Notes for the day: The longest road day of the tour, from Cappadocia to Pamukkale across inland Anatolia. Early departure and lunch en route.
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Day 7
Pamukkale → Ephesus → İzmir/Kuşadası
After breakfast we drive to Ephesus, one of the archaeological jewels of the Mediterranean. We walk along the Marble Street, stop in front of the Library of Celsus, see the impressive Theatre and the Temple of Hadrian. We visit a leather goods shop where local products are presented, then continue to the House of the Virgin Mary, a place of pilgrimage. At the end of the day we head to İzmir or Kuşadası for dinner and overnight.Notes for the day: Ephesus is walked on original marble paving, uneven and without shade. Water, a hat and closed shoes are advisable, especially between June and September.
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Day 8
İzmir → Bursa → Istanbul
Breakfast and departure towards Bursa, the first capital of the Ottoman Empire. In the historic centre we visit the Ulu Cami (Grand Mosque) and the historic Koza Han (Silk Bazaar). Lunch en route and continuation to Istanbul. Arrival at the hotel and free evening.Notes for the day: Transfer from İzmir/Kuşadası to Bursa and Istanbul, with lunch en route. It is a long road day with the Bursa visit in the middle.
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Day 9
Monumental Istanbul
Today we dive into the historic heart of Istanbul: the Sultanahmet district. On a walking tour we visit the Roman Hippodrome, the Blue Mosque, the majestic Hagia Sophia and the Topkapi Palace, residence of the Ottoman sultans for centuries. After lunch, there is free time in the legendary Grand Bazaar, one of the largest covered markets in the world.Notes for the day: A walking visit around Sultanahmet on cobbled streets. Working mosques close to visitors during prayer times.
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Day 10
Departure
Breakfast at the hotel and free time until the scheduled transfer to Istanbul Airport for your return flight. End of our services.
How the rate is calculated
Rate tailored to the season, the hotel category and the number of travellers. Request a quotation.
The route is operated overland, with no domestic flights.
Departures
Tailor-made departures: any date
The programme is operated privately for your group: you choose the starting day and the itinerary is built around that date. There is no fixed departure calendar and no outside group to join.
Route map
Istanbul → Ankara → Cappadocia → Pamukkale → Ephesus → İzmir → Kuşadası → Bursa
Operational notes
- The order of the visits may change according to opening hours, traffic and the day’s operation. The content of the programme stays the same.
- The tour is run entirely overland, with no domestic flights. There are long transfer days — in particular Cappadocia to Pamukkale and İzmir/Kuşadası to Bursa and Istanbul — with early starts and comfort stops en route.
- Mosques require shoes to be removed and shoulders and knees covered; women are required to cover their hair. Bringing your own scarf is advisable, although the busiest mosques usually lend one at the entrance.
- Working mosques close to visitors during the five daily prayers and, in particular, around the Friday midday prayer. When a visit coincides, the commentary is given outside or the day is reordered.
- Hagia Sophia is a working mosque. Foreign visitors follow a separate tourist route through the upper galleries, while the ground floor is reserved for prayer. That route closes during the five daily prayers and, at Friday midday, for a longer period. The visiting arrangement and opening hours depend on current regulations and may change without notice; if access is restricted on the date of the visit, the monument is explained from outside.
- Museums and archaeological sites may have a weekly closing day and different summer and winter opening hours. The final itinerary is adjusted to the opening calendar in force on the travel dates.
- During the religious holidays (Ramazan Bayramı and Kurban Bayramı, whose dates move with the lunar calendar) museum and shop hours change, monuments are busier, and domestic flights and roads fill up.
- The Cappadocia balloon flight is an optional activity and is not part of the programme. Flights are confirmed before dawn and are cancelled by the operator for wind or visibility, so booking it for the first available sunrise is advisable. The programme does not hold a spare morning in reserve; if the transfer or return-flight schedule allows, the next sunrise can be attempted, and the quotation states the real margin for each departure.
- The Pamukkale travertines are walked barefoot along the marked areas. The surface is uneven and slippery, and there is no shade along the route.
- Ephesus is walked on original marble paving, uneven and unshaded; the Cappadocia valleys on dirt paths. Moderate walking level and closed shoes throughout the tour.
- The programme includes explanatory stops at craft workshops (carpets, leather, ceramics or jewellery), which are standard on this kind of tour. The visit is informative and any purchase is entirely voluntary.
- A valid passport, the visa or electronic authorisation and compliance with entry requirements are the traveller’s responsibility. They depend on nationality and should be checked well in advance.
Best time to travel
Recommended months: April, May, June, September, October
This is an overland tour that crosses the Central Anatolian plateau and drops down to the Aegean, so the season matters more than on a city programme. From April to June and from September to October temperatures are mild in both halves of the route and the open-air sites — Ephesus, Hierapolis — are comfortable to visit. In July and August the heat inland and on the Aegean coast is strong and visits are concentrated early in the day. From December to March Cappadocia and Central Anatolia can wake up under snow, which affects driving times; the route still operates, with longer margins on the transfers.
Gallery
Frequently asked questions
Are international flights included?
No. The tour starts and ends in Istanbul; international flights are booked separately, by the client or their travel agency.
Are there domestic flights within the tour?
No. All ten days are covered overland in an air-conditioned tourist vehicle. There are two long transfer days: Cappadocia to Pamukkale and İzmir/Kuşadası to Bursa and Istanbul.
How demanding is the tour?
Moderate. You walk several hours a day on uneven ground — the cobbled streets of Sultanahmet and Bursa, the marble paving of Ephesus, the dirt paths of the Cappadocia valleys and the Pamukkale travertines, which are walked barefoot — and there are long road days.
Is the hot-air balloon flight in Cappadocia included?
No. It is an optional activity booked separately. Flights are confirmed before dawn and are cancelled by the operator for wind or visibility, so it is best booked for the first available sunrise in the region.
Is a triple room possible?
Yes, on request and subject to availability. In many hotels the third bed is a sofa bed or an extra bed in the same room.
Can extra nights in Istanbul be added?
Yes. Nights can be added before or after the tour. Mention it with your dates when you request the quotation.
Is the guide English-speaking throughout the tour?
Yes. The tour is operated with a professional licensed guide throughout the itinerary. Some airport transfers may be driver-only.
Why does the programme include stops at craft workshops?
They are standard on this kind of overland tour: carpets, leather, ceramics or jewellery. The visit is explanatory and any purchase is entirely voluntary.
Booking conditions
- Deposit
- 30% of the total when the booking is confirmed. For bookings made 30 days or less before departure, the full amount at confirmation.
- Balance
- The remaining 70%, no later than 31 days before departure.
- Payment methods
- Bank transfer or credit card. Card payments carry a 3% surcharge; charges applied by the issuing bank are borne by the client.
- Cancellations
- More than 90 days before departure: handling fee only, plus penalties on services already issued · 89–61 days: 25% · 60–31 days: 50% · 30 days or less and no-show: 100%. Reductions in places follow the same scale. Refunds within 10–14 business days of written cancellation.
Credentials
- Legal name
- Colorido Tours Turkey Turizm Ticaret Ltd. Şti.
- TÜRSAB licence
- A-12116
- Office
- Istanbul
- Operating scope
- Turkey only. Egypt, Jordan and the Greek islands only as extensions of a Turkey itinerary.
- Guides
- Licensed guides in Spanish and English
- 24/7 emergency line during the trip
- +90 544 533 53 55
- Who handles your request
- Your request is handled by our reservations team, and the same person follows the file from quotation through to operation on the ground.
