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3-Day Turkey Tour: Pamukkale, Ephesus & Cappadocia from Istanbul

3 daysPamukkale, Ephesus, CappadociaGroup tourDaily departures

Woman at a dressed board on a woven terrace, carved homes and tufa filling the frame, Cappadocia

Package prices

Per person, two sharing a room.

  • Direct operator priceBooked directly with us. We run the tour, so there is no commission on top.
  • Guaranteed daily departuresYour dates run even if nobody else books.

Your route

2 stops · 2 nights

  1. IstanbulStart
  2. Kusadasi1 night
  3. Cappadocia1 night
  4. IstanbulEnd
  • Starts and ends in IstanbulDay 1 of the itinerary says how you are met
  • Full daysSightseeing from morning to late afternoon on most days; an early alarm is normal.
  • Moderate walkingTwo to three hours on foot on sightseeing days, with steps and uneven ground at ancient sites.
  • One guided day in each regionPamukkale, Ephesus and Cappadocia's Red Tour
  • Two hotel nightsKusadasi, then a Cappadocia stay
  • Domestic flights includedAll three flight journeys and transfers
  • Hotel options3 hotel classes on the same route, priced side by side
  • Guided in English, SpanishAlso in Italian on private tours.

Overview

Visit three regions in three days, starting with Pamukkale and ending with Cappadocia's Red Tour. Flights, guided visits and two hotel nights are included. Show more overview

Fly to Denizli for Pamukkale's white terraces and the ancient city of Hierapolis. After the tour, drive to Kusadasi and stay overnight. Day 2 visits Ephesus, the House of the Virgin Mary and the Temple of Artemis.

That evening, fly from Izmir to Cappadocia. The journey may need a connection, so hotel arrival can be late. An optional sunrise balloon flight on day 3 means a short night. After breakfast, join the Red Tour for Pasabag, Zelve and Avanos.

All three flight journeys, airport transfers, guides, listed entry tickets and three lunches are included. Both hotel mornings include breakfast. Your final flight and transfer take you back to your Istanbul hotel.

To add Cappadocia's Yellow Tour, see the 4-day package with both Cappadocia routes. It visits the same three regions in a different order.

A different side of Turkey each day

  • Walk the white terracesPamukkale and Hierapolis open the trip.
  • Explore ancient EphesusThe route also includes Mary’s House and Artemis.
  • Finish among Cappadocia’s rocksA cave or stone hotel and Red Tour round out the stay.

Itinerary

3 days · 2 nights in 2 places

View the route map2 stops · 2 nights

Swipe sideways to explore the route map.

  1. Day 1: Pamukkale & Hierapolis, Then a Kusadasi Stay

    Begin with thermal landscapes and an ancient spa city.Overnight: Kusadasi · 1 nightMeals: Lunch

    Included today

    • Overnight: Kusadasi · 1 night
    • Meals: Lunch
    • Flights: Flight to Denizli
    • Transport: Airport, tour and Kusadasi transfers
    • Guide: Licensed guide
    • Sightseeing: Entrance tickets

    Schedule

    1. Early morning
      Leave your Istanbul hotel

      Your driver takes you to the airport for the morning flight. Breakfast is at your own expense today.

      Pickup time follows your booked flight.

    2. Morning
      Fly to Denizli

      The included domestic flight takes about one hour.

      Flight times vary by season and availability.

    3. After landing
      Meet your driver and continue to Pamukkale

      The transfer from Denizli arrivals takes about an hour.

      Meeting time follows your flight’s actual arrival.

    4. 10:30–15:00
      Discover Pamukkale and Hierapolis

      Walk beside the terraces and explore Hierapolis with your guide, with a lunch stop and time to view Cleopatra Antique Pool.

      Approximate guided sightseeing hours.

      Places you’ll visit
      • Pamukkale’s white terraces
      • Hierapolis Ancient City
      • Cleopatra Antique Pool
      About these 3 places
      Pamukkale’s white terraces
      Mineral deposits from spring water have built these bright terraces. Follow the barefoot visitor section to see the surface close up.
      Hierapolis Ancient City
      See the remains of a city built around thermal springs, with its theatre and ancient public spaces above Pamukkale.
      Cleopatra Antique Pool
      Swimming in the thermal pool is optional and paid separately at the site. Ask your guide about access and the time available during your visit.
    5. 15:00–15:30
      Drive to Kusadasi

      Continue west for about 2.5 hours to your overnight base.

      After the guided visits.

    6. 18:00
      Check in for one night

      Settle into your selected Kusadasi hotel.

      Approximate hotel arrival, depending on road conditions.

    Next · Day 2Ephesus & Mary’s House Before Flying to Cappadocia
  2. Day 2: Ephesus & Mary’s House Before Flying to Cappadocia

    Ancient streets in the morning; Cappadocia by night.Overnight: Cappadocia · 1 nightMeals: Breakfast and lunch

    Included today

    • Overnight: Cappadocia · 1 night
    • Meals: Breakfast and lunch
    • Flights: Flight to Cappadocia
    • Transport: Tour and airport transfers
    • Guide: Licensed guide
    • Sightseeing: Entrance tickets

    Schedule

    1. 08:30
      Checkout and hotel pickup

      Bring your bags after breakfast for the Ephesus touring day.

      Pickup follows breakfast and checkout.

    2. 09:30
      Tour Ephesus and nearby landmarks

      Explore Ephesus, the House of Virgin Mary and the Temple of Artemis with your guide, stopping for lunch between visits.

      Approximate start of the guided visits.

      Places you’ll visit
      • Ephesus Ancient City
      • House of Virgin Mary
      • Temple of Artemis
      About these 3 places
      Ephesus Ancient City
      Follow the old streets past monuments such as the Library of Celsus and Great Theatre, reminders of a major Roman port city.
      House of Virgin Mary
      Visit the hillside shrine associated with Mary, a separate stop near Ephesus.
      Temple of Artemis
      See the surviving remains of a sanctuary that once ranked among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
    3. 15:00–15:30
      Transfer to Izmir airport

      Travel to the airport after sightseeing; the drive takes about one hour.

      Approximate sightseeing finish; airport transfer follows your flight.

    4. Evening
      Fly to Cappadocia

      This included flight journey may be direct or involve a connection.

      Direct or connected; departure time varies by season and availability.

    5. Arrival meeting and hotel transfer

      Meet your driver for the journey of about one hour to your cave or stone hotel.

      Hotel arrival follows your booked flight and may be late.

    Next · Day 3Cappadocia Red Tour & Return to Istanbul
  3. Day 3: Cappadocia Red Tour & Return to Istanbul

    Pasabag’s fairy chimneys, Zelve’s cave village and Avanos pottery.Meals: Breakfast and lunch

    Included today

    • Meals: Breakfast and lunch
    • Flights: Flight to Istanbul
    • Transport: Tour and airport transfers
    • Guide: Licensed guide
    • Sightseeing: Entrance tickets

    Schedule

    1. 09:30
      Breakfast, checkout and pickup

      Leave the hotel with your luggage for the day’s visits and onward flight.

      Pickup follows breakfast and checkout.

    2. 10:00–10:30
      Follow the Red Tour route

      Visit Pasabag’s fairy chimneys, Zelve’s cave settlement and the Avanos pottery workshop with your guide, with a lunch stop along the route.

      Approximate start of the guided visits.

      Places you’ll visit
      • Devrent Valley
      • Pasabag fairy chimneys
      • Goreme viewpoint
      • Avanos pottery demonstration
      • Zelve Open Air Museum
      • Uchisar Castle exterior
      About these 6 places
      Devrent Valley
      Look for the camel-shaped formation and other outlines in the naturally sculpted rocks.
      Pasabag fairy chimneys
      Walk among tall pillars with broad stone caps and carved spaces in the rock.
      Goreme viewpoint
      Take in the town’s setting among the valley slopes and clusters of rock formations.
      Avanos pottery demonstration
      See clay shaped at a working pottery workshop in Avanos.
      Zelve Open Air Museum
      Explore a former rock-cut village, where homes and places of worship occupy the valley walls.
      Uchisar Castle exterior
      View the large rock citadel from outside, with houses gathered around its base.
    3. 17:00
      Airport transfer after sightseeing

      The included drive from the touring area takes about one hour.

      After sightseeing finishes around 16:00–17:00; transfer follows your flight.

    4. Evening
      Fly from Cappadocia to Istanbul

      Your return flight takes approximately 80 minutes.

      Flight times vary by season and availability.

    5. Arrival meeting and Istanbul hotel transfer

      Your driver takes you from arrivals to your Istanbul hotel after the flight.

      Meeting follows your flight; the airport in Istanbul may differ from departure.

    Optional at sunrise

    Not included · add it while you book

Take this itinerary with you.The full day-by-day plan as a PDF, by email or straight to your device.

What's included

Included in your package4

  • Three guided sightseeing days
    • Pamukkale and Hierapolis, followed by transport to Kusadasi
    • Ephesus, the House of Virgin Mary and Temple of Artemis
    • Cappadocia Red Tour
    • Professional guides, touring vehicles, entrance fees and three lunches
  • Flights and transfers
    • Istanbul–Denizli, Izmir–Cappadocia and Cappadocia–Istanbul flight journeys
    • Airport meetings and transfers throughout the route
    • 15 kg checked and 8 kg cabin baggage per person on the included flights
  • Two overnight stays
    • One Kusadasi hotel night, then one cave or stone hotel night in Cappadocia
    • Hotel breakfasts on days 2 and 3
  • Local taxes and service fees

Not included5

  • International flights and Istanbul hotel stays
  • Day-1 breakfast, dinners and drinks
  • Optional sunrise balloon flight or balloon watching tour
  • Cleopatra Pool swimming fee
  • Personal purchases and extra baggage

Hotel classes

Compare the hotel options for this route. Each price is for the whole package, per person.

  • Karaaslan Hotel
    One of 6 hotels in this class
    Karaaslan Hotel1 / 6

    Standard Class

    Budget

    €810per person
    Double or twin room
    €810
    Single room
    €949
    Triple room
    €777

    Per person, for the whole package. Prices move with the departure date; these are this week’s lowest.

  • Derici Hotel
    One of 6 hotels in this class
    Derici Hotel1 / 6

    Middle Class

    Comfort

    €898per person
    Double or twin room
    €898
    Single room
    €1,137
    Triple room
    €846

    Per person, for the whole package. Prices move with the departure date; these are this week’s lowest.

  • Le Bleu Hotel & Resort Kusadasi
    One of 6 hotels in this class
    Le Bleu Hotel & Resort Kusadasi1 / 6

    High Class

    Luxury

    €1,184per person
    Double or twin room
    €1,184
    Single room
    €1,605
    Triple room
    €1,082

    Per person, for the whole package. Prices move with the departure date; these are this week’s lowest.

Compare packages

Spend one day in each region, give Cappadocia a second day instead of Pamukkale, or take four days to include both Cappadocia routes.

Swipe across to compare packages.

This tour compared with 2 other Turkey packages The four-day package visits the same three regions in a different order.
ComparisonThis tour3-Day Turkey Tour: Pamukkale, Ephesus & Cappadocia from IstanbulThree regions with one guided day in each.3-Day Cappadocia & Ephesus Tour from Istanbul with FlightsUse two days for Cappadocia and keep the Ephesus visit.4-Day Cappadocia, Ephesus & Pamukkale Tour from Istanbul by AirAdd the Yellow Tour while keeping Pamukkale and Ephesus.
Total time3 days3 days4 days
Cappadocia sightseeingRed TourRed + YellowRed + Yellow
Pamukkale and HierapolisIncludedNot on this itineraryIncluded
Ephesus and Mary’s House (the same in every package)IncludedIncludedIncluded
Route orderPamukkale → Ephesus → CappadociaCappadocia → EphesusCappadocia → Ephesus → Pamukkale
Hotel nights2: Kusadasi 1, Cappadocia 12: Cappadocia 1, Kusadasi 13: Cappadocia 1, Kusadasi 2
From price€810per person€659€732per person€806€916per person
View tour: 3-Day Cappadocia & Ephesus Tour from Istanbul with FlightsView tour: 4-Day Cappadocia, Ephesus & Pamukkale Tour from Istanbul by Air

Rows set in grey are the same in every package; the rows in black are what separates them.

Want a free day in Kusadasi?

5-Day Cappadocia, Pamukkale & Ephesus Tour with a Kusadasi Free Day

Allow five days for Cappadocia, Pamukkale and Ephesus, with a full free day between the regional visits.

Good to know

Planning your time across the three regions.

Please note

  • The evening Izmir–Cappadocia flight can be direct or connected, so the Cappadocia hotel arrival may be late.
  • Check out after breakfast on days 2 and 3 and bring your luggage for the onward flight after sightseeing.
  • Balloon flight and balloon watching are optional on day 3; either means an early wake-up after your Cappadocia arrival. Balloon passengers must be at least 6, and weather-cancelled flights are refunded.
  • This short Cappadocia stay offers no ATV, horse or camel rides or Turkish Night Show.
Show 2 more notes
  • Use walking shoes at the ancient sites and walk barefoot on the permitted Pamukkale terrace section.
  • Times are approximate. Flight tickets and tour vouchers are sent once reservations are completed; extra baggage can be added during online check-in.

What to bring

  • Comfortable walking shoes
  • Sun protection
  • Swimwear and a towel if swimming at Cleopatra Pool
  • A light layer for an optional sunrise activity
  • Your passport (hotels and domestic flights ask for it)

Cancellation

How much comes back depends on how early you let us know: we count the days from your written cancellation to your first booked service.

  • More than 90 days75% back
  • 61 to 90 days70% back
  • 31 to 60 days60% back
  • 16 to 30 days30% back
  • 0 to 15 days, or no showNo refund

Non-refundable flights, hotels or activity tickets in your booking are charged on top of these amounts.

Read the full cancellation policy

Questions travellers ask

How much time do we spend in each region?

There is one guided sightseeing day in Pamukkale, one in Ephesus and one in Cappadocia. The Cappadocia day follows the Red Tour; there is no free day in this three-day package.

Can I fit in a Cappadocia balloon flight?

Yes, as an optional extra at sunrise on day 3 before the Red Tour. The previous evening’s flight can mean a late hotel arrival, so allow for a short night; balloon watching is also available.

How do we get from Ephesus to Cappadocia?

After the Ephesus visits, transfer to Izmir airport for an evening flight journey to Cappadocia. It may be direct or connected, and the arrival hotel transfer is included.

Which languages and tour types is this tour available in?
Languages and tour types
Guide languageGroup tourPrivate tour
EnglishAvailableAvailable
SpanishAvailableAvailable
ItalianNot offeredAvailable

Pick the combination that suits you when you check availability.

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