Ephesus & Pamukkale Tour with Istanbul – 7 Days / 6 Nights

Tour Overview

7-Day Istanbul, Ephesus and Pamukkale Tour with Hierapolis

This 7-day Istanbul, Ephesus and Pamukkale tour starts in Istanbul and runs for six nights: three in Sultanahmet and three in Kuşadası on the Aegean coast, joined by a domestic flight to İzmir. Both Aegean excursions leave from the same Kuşadası hotel, so you unpack only once on the coast.

Istanbul brings Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapı Palace and a Bursa day with the Uludağ cable car. Day 5 visits the House of the Virgin Mary and Ephesus, with the Library of Celsus and Curetes Street. Day 6 belongs entirely to Pamukkale: the white travertine terraces and the ancient city of Hierapolis, entrance fees included. Allow about three hours of driving each way from Kuşadası.

It suits couples, families and anyone who wants history and landscape in one week. Choose a shared tour (groups of up to 20 guests on the Aegean days, lunch on tour days) or a private tour with your own vehicle and guide at your own pace. Included are breakfast in 4★ hotels (or similar), the flights, airport transfers and the Ephesus, Virgin Mary and Pamukkale entrances. Plan the Aegean days with our 12 must-see sights in Ephesus, explore the Ephesus and Pamukkale packages, or compare the shorter 6-day Istanbul, Bursa & Ephesus tour.

Highlights

• Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque and Topkapı Palace
• Bursa and the Uludağ cable car
• Ephesus: Library of Celsus, Curetes Street
• House of the Virgin Mary
• Pamukkale white travertine terraces
• Hierapolis ancient city
• Shared or private option

Quick facts

• Best time to visit: April–May and September–October; Ephesus and Hierapolis have little shade in summer.
• Cleopatra’s Pool is optional and paid on-site; bring swimwear.
• Optional extras on request: Şirince village visit, extra night in Pamukkale.

Places Along the Route

Hagia Sophia

IstanbulDay 2Payable on-site

Emperor Justinian's builders finished this vast domed church in 537. Centuries as a cathedral and then a mosque left Byzantine mosaics and Ottoman calligraphy side by side under one roof.

Blue Mosque

IstanbulDay 2Free

Named for the blue İznik tiles inside, this mosque of 1609-1616 is crowned by a cascade of domes and six minarets. It is still a working mosque, so visiting hours fit around prayer times.

Topkapı Palace

IstanbulDay 2Payable on-site

Mehmed the Conqueror founded the palace in the 1460s, and sultans lived here for roughly four centuries. Its courtyards, kitchens, treasury and Bosphorus terraces tell the story of Ottoman court life.

Grand Bazaar

IstanbulDay 2Free

Thousands of shops fill this network of covered streets, where ceramics, textiles, spices and lamps are sold in lanes grouped by trade. Even if you buy nothing, the atmosphere is worth the walk.

Mount Uludağ

BursaDay 3Entrance included

A forested mountain of about 2,500 metres above Bursa, used as a ski resort in winter. The cable car ride up from the city brings cooler air and wide views across the plain.

House of the Virgin Mary

Selçuk / EphesusDay 5Entrance included

Tradition holds that Mary spent her final years in this small stone house hidden among pines above Ephesus. Pilgrims of both faiths come to light candles and enjoy the quiet woodland setting.

Ephesus Ancient City

Selçuk / EphesusDay 5Entrance included

Ephesus is among the very well-preserved cities of the ancient world and joined the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2015. Curetes Street, with its marble paving, leads past fountains, baths and monuments.

Library of Celsus

Selçuk / EphesusDay 5Entrance included

Finished in the early 2nd century as a memorial to the Roman governor Celsus, the library kept its scrolls behind a two-storey marble facade. Statues in the niches personify wisdom, knowledge, thought and virtue.

Pamukkale Travertines

PamukkaleDay 6Entrance included

Pamukkale means cotton castle in Turkish. Calcium-rich thermal water running down the hillside has built white terraces and shallow turquoise pools, which are walked barefoot to protect them, so bring a bag for your shoes.

Hierapolis

PamukkaleDay 6Entrance included

An ancient spa city above the terraces, founded around 190 BC by the kings of Pergamon. It keeps a well-preserved theatre and a vast necropolis, and shares its 1988 UNESCO listing with Pamukkale.

Great Theatre

Selçuk / EphesusDay 5Entrance included

The Great Theatre held about 25,000 spectators, and the Book of Acts describes an angry crowd gathering in it during Paul's stay in the city. Its steep tiers face the main street that once led to the harbour.

Temple of Artemis

Selçuk / EphesusDay 5Free

Dedicated to Artemis, this temple was counted among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Today a single reconstructed column stands in the fields near Selçuk, yet it still marks where the sanctuary once rose.

Why Choose This Istanbul, Ephesus & Pamukkale Tour?

Three nights in Istanbul, then three nights in a single Kuşadası hotel on the Aegean coast: Ephesus and Pamukkale are both day trips from the same bed, and the flights to İzmir and back are included.

• One hotel for both Aegean days — Ephesus on Day 5 and Pamukkale on Day 6 both start from the same 4★ Kuşadası hotel, so you unpack once and sleep there again after the long Pamukkale day.
• Flights and transfers included — The Istanbul–İzmir and İzmir–Istanbul flights are part of the package, with private transfers between İzmir Airport and Kuşadası, about one hour each way.
• Two UNESCO sites, one week — Ephesus and Hierapolis-Pamukkale are both on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and their entrance fees, including the House of the Virgin Mary, are covered; Cleopatra's Pool stays optional.
• Shared or Private — Shared groups are capped at 20 guests on the Aegean days and include lunch on tour days. Private means your own vehicle and licensed guide on Days 2, 3, 5 and 6.
• Istanbul and Bursa as well — Besides the Aegean, you get a full Old City day and a Bursa day with the Uludağ cable car, which is included on the shared option.
• Licensed local agency — TÜRSAB A-group licence #18154, Istanbul-based, rated 5.0 on Google (15 reviews), free cancellation up to 15 days before the start date.

Optional Upgrades

Add these to your request — we confirm availability and the final total before you pay.

Popular

Bosphorus dinner cruise with Turkish night show

An evening on the Bosphorus with dinner and a Turkish night show, watching the lit shores of Europe and Asia from the boat.

3.5 Hours · evening View tour →

from $49 pp

Private tour upgrade

Switch from the shared small group to your own vehicle and guide, with a flexible start time and a slower pace.

Own vehicle + guide

Private from $1,229 pp

Princes' Islands day trip

A ferry to Büyükada, where there are no ordinary cars, with an electric vehicle island tour and a seafood lunch.

10 Hours View tour →

from $49 pp

5★ hotel upgrade

Ask for 5★ hotels instead of the standard 4★ hotels. We check availability and confirm the extra cost before you pay.

Subject to availability

On request

Have something else in mind? Ask us on WhatsApp

Cancellation Policy

• For a full refund, cancel up to 15 days before the start date.
• If you cancel less than 15 days before, the amount paid is non-refundable.
• Changes made less than 15 days before the start date cannot be accepted.
• If the tour is cancelled due to poor weather, you'll be offered a different date or a full refund.
• Domestic flight tickets are issued after the balance payment and are non-refundable once issued.

Istanbul and Bursa: What Days 1–3 Offer

Istanbul’s Old City packs two thousand years of Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman history into a few walkable streets. Hagia Sophia was completed in 537 as a Byzantine cathedral and later served as a mosque; the Blue Mosque (1609–1616), with its six minarets and blue İznik tiles, faces it across the old Hippodrome; Topkapı Palace was the residence of the Ottoman sultans for roughly four centuries; and the Grand Bazaar, with more than 4,000 shops, is one of the oldest covered markets in the world. Plan to dress modestly for the mosques, and note that the Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays and Topkapı Palace on Tuesdays.

The Bursa day crosses the Sea of Marmara by ferry to the city that was the first capital of the Ottoman Empire, known for its mosques and tombs, its silk and its İskender kebap. From the city you ride the cable car up Uludağ, a mountain of about 2,500 metres that is a ski resort in winter and a cool retreat in summer.

What to Wear and Pack for Istanbul, Ephesus and Pamukkale

Pack for walking: shoes with a good grip for the marble streets of Ephesus, a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen for the open-air sites, and a refillable water bottle. Bring a scarf or light shawl and clothes that cover shoulders and knees for mosque visits in Istanbul and Bursa. Evenings can be cool in spring and autumn, and Uludağ is noticeably colder than the city, so add a light jacket for the cable car day.

Because the domestic flight between Istanbul and İzmir has a baggage allowance, a soft bag is easier to carry than a hard suitcase. Swimwear and a towel are only needed for Cleopatra’s Pool, and a small bag for your shoes is useful on the Pamukkale terraces.

Shared or Private: Which Version Should You Choose?

Choose the shared tour if you like group sightseeing and a lower price: group tours with a maximum of 20 guests on the Aegean days, lunch on tour days, and the Bursa ferry and Uludağ cable car included (from $1,079 per person for six travelers).

Choose the private tour if you want your own vehicle and guide on Days 2, 3, 5 and 6, a flexible start time and a slower pace at the big sites (from $1,229 per person for six travelers; lunches and the Uludağ cable car ticket are paid separately). Prices change with group size, and the booking box above shows the exact price for your number of travelers.

Short on time? Compare the 2-day Ephesus & Pamukkale tour from İzmir and Kuşadası or the Istanbul & Ephesus faith tour.

Plan Your Ephesus Trip

Good to Know

Hagia Sophia and Closing Days

Hagia Sophia is a working mosque, so visits are limited at prayer times and around Friday midday. Topkapı Palace is closed on Tuesdays and the Grand Bazaar on Sundays; we check your dates when we confirm your booking.

Summer Heat at Ephesus and Pamukkale

Ephesus and Hierapolis have almost no shade, and the white terraces of Pamukkale reflect strong sun. In summer bring a hat, sunscreen and water.

Baggage on Domestic Flights

Domestic flights allow about 15 kg of checked baggage plus 8 kg of cabin baggage per person; the exact allowance depends on the airline and can change. We recommend packing a small overnight bag for flight days.

Pick-up Times

Your exact pick-up time is confirmed with you the day before each tour.

Hotel Check-in & Check-out

Standard hotel check-in is from 14:00 and check-out is until 12:00. Early check-in or late check-out depends on availability; ask us and we will request it.

Dietary Requirements

Halal and vegetarian options are available. Please tell us about any dietary needs when you book.

Cancellation Policy

• For a full refund, cancel up to 15 days before the start date.
• If you cancel less than 15 days before, the amount paid is non-refundable.
• Changes made less than 15 days before the start date cannot be accepted.
• If the tour is cancelled due to poor weather, you'll be offered a different date or a full refund.
• Domestic flight tickets are issued after the balance payment and are non-refundable once issued.

Payment

Reserve now, pay later (no credit card required). A 30% deposit secures your booking after we confirm availability; the balance is due 15 days before the start date.