Semi-Private Tour to the Old City of Istanbul

Sultanahmet District - Guests will be picked up from their hotel in Istanbul and transported to the Sultanahmet area, where they will meet their guide and fellow group members. These semi-private tours accommodate a maximum of 10 participants, including the guest’s party.

Sultanahmet Square - The tour commences in Sultanahmet Square (Sultanahmet District), where visitors will explore the Hippodrome and the German Fountain.

German Fountain - Situated at the entrance of Sultanahmet Square, the German Fountain immediately enchants visitors with its graceful architecture and fascinating history. Presented by German Emperor Wilhelm II in 1901 to mark his visit to Istanbul, this octagonal structure boasts a stunning neo-Byzantine design and a dome adorned with gleaming golden mosaics. Providing a tranquil spot amidst the bustling square, the fountain symbolizes the friendship between the Ottoman Empire and Germany.

Hippodrome - The Hippodrome invites travelers to experience the splendor of ancient Constantinople, once the vibrant center of social and sporting life in the Byzantine Empire. This expansive square, where thousands once gathered for exhilarating chariot races, now features remarkable monuments such as the Serpent Column, the Obelisk of Theodosius, and the Walled Obelisk. As visitors wander through the area, they can almost hear the echoes of cheering crowds and feel the pulse of centuries-old imperial ceremonies.

Sultanahmet - Following the visit to Sultanahmet Square, the tour continues with stops at the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, and the Grand Bazaar.

Blue Mosque - With its six slender minarets soaring gracefully into the sky, the Blue Mosque is one of Istanbul’s most iconic architectural marvels. Named after the exquisite blue İznik tiles that embellish its interior, the mosque offers a serene atmosphere enhanced by soft light filtering through its stained-glass windows. The harmony of domes, semi-domes, and intricate craftsmanship showcases the pinnacle of classical Ottoman architecture. Visitors depart with a sense of peace and admiration for the artistry that defines this sacred space.

Hagia Sophia Mosque - A masterpiece that has shaped the soul of Istanbul for over 1,400 years, Hagia Sophia stands as a testament to the city’s layered heritage. Built in 537 as the grand basilica of the Byzantine Empire, its immense dome, intricate mosaics, and ingenious engineering continue to inspire awe. Having served as a church, a mosque, and a museum over the centuries, Hagia Sophia embodies the rich cultural fusion of civilizations. Every visitor is drawn into its profound atmosphere, where history seems to whisper from the walls.

Topkapi Palace - Step into the heart of the Ottoman Empire at Topkapı Palace, the grand residence of sultans for nearly four centuries since its construction in the mid-15th century by Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror. This magnificent complex, overlooking the Bosphorus, brings history to life with its opulent courtyards, exquisite tiles, and legendary treasures, including sacred relics and the world-famous Imperial Treasury. During our guided tour, you’ll discover stories of power, intrigue, and royal ceremony that shaped an empire. Topkapı Palace is not just a museum—it’s a journey into a world of grandeur you’ll never forget.

Kapali Carsi - Experience the vibrant soul of Istanbul at the Grand Bazaar, one of the world’s oldest and largest covered markets, founded in the 15th century during the reign of Sultan Mehmed II. With more than 4,000 shops spread across a maze of colorful streets, the bazaar offers everything from handcrafted jewelry and carpets to spices, ceramics, and unique souvenirs. Our guided visit helps you explore the best corners of this historic marketplace, meet local artisans, and enjoy an authentic shopping experience full of culture, energy, and unforgettable discoveries.

İstanbul - At the end of the tour of Istanbul Old City, guests will be transferred to the airport for their flight to Cappadocia. Upon arrival, they will be transferred to their hotel in Cappadocia.

Hot Air Balloon Ride (Optional) / Overnight at Cappadocia

Cappadocia Balloon Tours - Hot Air Balloon Ride (INCLUDED FOR SILVER, GOLD, AND DIAMOND PACKAGE OPTIONS – EXCLUDED FOR BRONZE PACKAGE OPTION): Prepare for a unique and unforgettable experience in Cappadocia! Guests will be picked up from their hotel and transferred to the balloon site, where they can watch the balloon being prepared for flight. The flight occurs at sunrise, with the pilot ascending to a comfortable altitude of approximately 700 to 1000 meters above ground level. From this height, guests will marvel at the breathtaking beauty of Cappadocia below. During certain segments of the flight, pilots may also fly as low as 1 meter above the rock formations, providing perfect opportunities for photos. The total activity lasts approximately 3 hours, with the flight itself lasting around 60 minutes. At the end of the flight, there will be a champagne celebration, and guests will receive a souvenir to remember this magnificent experience. Afterwards, they will be transferred back to their hotel.

Fairy Chimneys - Cappadocia is renowned for its unique landforms. The Fairy Chimneys are the most prominent places to visit where these landforms are best seen and the common life of humankind and nature. On this tour, guests will see many examples of the Fairy Chimneys of Cappadocia, with the first being Three Beauties. Meet the most famous family of fairy chimneys: Three Beauties. These are the official symbol of both Urgup and Cappadocia.

Goreme Open-Air Museum - The Goreme Open-Air Museum features an extensive monastic complex carved directly into the soft volcanic rock, including ancient churches, kitchens, wineries, storerooms, and living spaces once inhabited by Anatolian Christians. With its unique architectural details and beautifully preserved frescoes, the site offers a vivid window into early Christian life in Cappadocia. Its cultural and historical significance has earned it a place on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

TokalI Church - The Tokalı Church (Buckle Church) in the Göreme Open Air Museum is considered one of the most beautiful of the Cappadocian cave churches. Its interior boasts some of the most outstanding frescoes, notable for their theological and artistic significance. The church is part of a larger complex that includes four churches and a hermitage, all dating back to the 9th century. Once the most famous church in the region, it remains one of the most impressive churches in the area today.

Ortahisar - The entire town is dominated by the 90-metre-high (300 ft) rock-castle in the centre of the town, which is called Sivrikoya by the inhabitants. It is an extraordinary example of the rock-cut architecture which is typical of the region and served as a refuge from attackers in Byzantine times. Guests will see all these rock-cut architecture by panoramic visit.

Avanos Oren Yeri - Today’s lunch service will be in a local restaurant at Avanos, and guests will have the chance to try the “Testi Kebab,” a traditional kebab variety of the Cappadocia region of Turkey. (Vegetarian meals are also available in the same restaurant.) Avanos is a popular destination because of its attractive old town with cobbled streets and views over the river. The old city of Avanos, known in ancient times as Venessa, overlooks the longest river of Turkey, the Kizilirmak (Red River), which also separates Avanos from the rest of Cappadocia. The most famous historical feature of Avanos, which is still relevant and very visible today, is its production of earthenware pottery; it is also the most economic activity in the town. The ceramic trade in this district and its countless pottery factories date right back to the Hittites, and the ceramic clay from the red silt of the Kizilirmak has always been used.

Uchisar Castle - Uchisar rock castle is one of the biggest landmarks of Cappadocia. It is the highest tuff hill in the area with beautiful views of the surrounding valley full of bizarre rock formations. (There are no visits to the rock castle due to walking difficulties and safety risks. Guests will have a stop for a panoramic view of this rock castle.)

Devrent Valley - Also known as Imagination Valley, this area contains many animal-shaped rocks, mostly in red color. Some of the most frequent shapes resemble a camel.

Southern Cappadocia Tour

Mustafapasa - Guests will be picked up from their hotel and then driven to Keslik Monastery. On the way, they will pass through Mustafapaşa (Sinasos) Village, one of Cappadocia’s hidden gems. This charming village combines history and nature, showcasing impressive examples of both Greek and Turkish architecture. With its stone houses, narrow streets, and restored old mansions, Mustafapaşa takes visitors on a journey back in time.

Keslik Monastery - Keslik Monastery is a sprawling cave monastery complex with two churches, a large refectory hall, a sacred spring, and endless cave rooms. Located in an idyllic garden setting, this is the most expansive monastery in Cappadocia. This site has been used and developed in many ways throughout the course of 2,000 years. This area was a gravesite in pre-Christian Roman times, a large communal monastery during the Byzantine era, and now a tourist site in modern Turkey.

Sobesos Ancient City - Sobesos Ancient City was discovered by accident in 2002. The city, which is one of the mirrors of Cappadocia’s history, was unearthed as a result of a 3-year archaeological excavation. As a result of the excavations, it has been observed that there are many motifs embroidered on colored stones. Especially the floor mosaics are made with interesting geometric patterns.

Pigeon Valley - Guests will have their lunch and then continue to Pigeon Valley, located in Üçhisar, to enjoy one of the best panoramic views of the region. The site also features many pigeon houses built by the ancient inhabitants of the area. If desired, guests can also visit the region’s popular onyx stone factory.

Kaymakli Underground City - Kaymakli, one of the major underground cities of Cappadocia, consists of 8 floors. However, as in many underground cities, not all floors are open to tourists. In the city, the first floor is separated for the animals to go out easily. Establish a connection between the churches and other living spaces with the corridors separated from the stables. Kaymakli Underground City, which has astounding sections such as warehouses, kitchens, cemeteries, mughouse, and copper processing workshop, still contains hidden underground tunnels that have not been fully revealed.

Free-Day

Cappadocia - Today, guests will have a free day in Cappadocia without any scheduled tours or activities. They can spend the day relaxing at their amazing cave hotel or enjoying an optional activity of their choice. If they would like to add one or two extra activities, the tour operator will be happy to assist. There are plenty of short but incredible optional experiences to enjoy in Cappadocia, available at an additional cost. Some examples include a camel ride, ATV/quad bike tour, horseback riding, a cooking class, and, of course, a traditional Turkish bath. The tour operator can help arrange any of these activities.

• Two-nights stay with breakfast at cave boutique hotel in Cappadocia
• Hotel / Airport pick-up & drop-off (transfer) services mentioned in itinerary
• Lunch
• Entrance fees (Tour guide will have pre-paid tickets to skip lines at museums mentioned itinerary)
• 2 full-day tours by professional tour guides who licenced by Ministry of Culture and Tourism
• Breakfast
• Round-trip flight tickets from Istanbul to Cappadocia and back
• Hot Air Balloon Ride, ATV Quad Bike Ride

• Dinner & Drinks

Explore Turkey’s rich history, culture, and natural wonders with a tour of Ephesus and Cappadocia. Enjoy a horseback ride through the valleys of Cappadocia, stay for two nights in a cave hotel in Cappadocia, and spend one night in Kusadasi. The tour includes full-day excursions in both Cappadocia and Ephesus, most meals, museum entry fees, transportation, airport transfers, and domestic flights. Enhance your adventure by adding a Cappadocia hot air balloon ride to your booking for an unforgettable experience.

• Hotel drop-off (return to Istanbul) timing : The departure time of return flight is between 08.00pm and 09.00pm from Cappadocia. That’s meaning, your return flight will be landing Istanbul airport or Istanbul SAW airport between 09.30pm and 10.30pm. After you arrived Istanbul, local tour operator will transfer back you to your hotel in Istanbul. This transfer duration will be approximately one hour.
• The prices of package are valid for accommodation at the double or triple room. If you would like make reservation for single room(s), there could be supplement cost. There are not going to be any extra cost for single / solo travelers. This cost already accounted on price of these travelers.
• The pre-planned hotels are “Hagia Sophia Mansions in Istanbul” - “The Magnaura Palace in Istanbul” - “Zeynep Sultan Hotel in Istanbul” - “Exedra Hotel in Cappadocia” - “1811 Cave Boutique Hotel in Cappadocia” - “Sedirli Konak Boutique Hotel in Cappadocia” for your accommodation on this travel. You can choose any of them while booking. If preferred hotel by you is not available for standard/superior rooms on your travel dates, local tour operator can replace it with an equivalent hotel.
• The check-in time of hotels is 02.00pm, and you can not start use your room before this time. This is about the check-in & check-out policies of hotels. If your arrival flight will be landing to Istanbul-Turkey before that time , you have to add one night more hotel reservation to package, or wait at the reception of your hotel until 02.00pm for check-in to hotel.
• The differences between the package options are about the hotel categories. Tour(s), airport transfer(s) and flight ticket levels will be same for all options.
• The local tour operator will send e-tickets of your domestic flights at six days before your departure date. You will not need print out copies of the tickets for domestic flights. Your passport and reservation number on the tickets will be enough for check-in to plane.
• The local tour operator can request your some passport details for the bookings of your flight tickets.
• You will have 15kg luggage + 8kg hand bag quota per person for each domestic flight. If you will need more luggage capacity, please inform that to local tour operator. There could be some extra fee for luggage quotas more than 15kg. This is exactly about the policies of airline companies.
• If your drop-off hotel is inside of airports (IST and SAW airports) local tour operator do not provide any drop-off service on last day of this trip package.
• Hot air ballooning is a fully weather-dependent activity and the Civil Aviation Authority determines whether the flight will be held. If your flight is cancelled due to inclement weather conditions, you are entitled to a partial refund. In such a case, your refund will be processed by the day after of that trip. Your refund rate will be the difference between options of “included balloon ride” and “excluded balloon ride” for the cancellations of the hot air balloon ride.
• The Standard Balloon Ride has an One-hour approximately flight duration with 20 to 28 people capacity basket. The flight duration could be 50-55 minutes or 65-70 minutes. This situation depend the weather conditions before landing, and pilots are decide to that within the safety rules of Civil Aviation Authority. Total activity duration is approximately 3 hours.
• Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required.
• Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking.
• The children who 5 years old and under are not allowed to balloon tours.
• Child rate applies only when sharing with 2 paying adults. If you will be 1 adult + 1 child, local tour operator can request & charge the amount of 2 adults.

If you cancel at least 3 full day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a full refund.
If you cancel within 3 day(s) of the scheduled departure, you will receive a 0% refund.