We love staying in the historical district as the hotels are close to many of the major sights and we can walk or take the tram to sightsee. Founded in 281 BC, the UNESCO World Heritage site of Pergamon was one of the most important cities of the ancient world. The city housed theatres, gymnasiums, the Great Altar and the library. The Trajan Temple is impressive and the theatre, the steepest surviving Roman Theatre, is a highlight. Hattusa was the capital of the Hittite Empire, an ancient Anatolian people, in the late Bronze Age and the archaeological site consists of ruins of temples, a royal residence and fortifications. A second site close to Hattusha, Yazilikaya, contains a fascinating ensemble of rock art.
Moreover, the sky looks amazing as it gets flooded with hundreds of hot air balloons while the sun rises. The thing is, Cappadocia isn’t the place for a late-night, late-morning kind of trip. The nightlife is pretty nonexistent, thanks to the early morning hot air balloon rides. Cappadocia’s sunrises and sunsets are epic, so make sure you wake up early every day. It is super lively and you can walk to the main town center from most parts. As one of the leading tour operators in North America, Sky Vacations enjoys a position in the luxury travel space that helps us stand apart from other travel companies.
If you’re looking to stay near the beach with more affordable rates, Konyaalti Beach is a good bet. Whether you only have a couple of days or you have enough time to whip up a 4 day Antalya itinerary, you’ll find plenty of things to do in this resort town. An incredible value at around $25 USD per night (price can vary based on time of year).
Itinerary
Whether you’re exploring the bustling bazaars of Istanbul, floating in a hot air balloon over Cappadocia, or relaxing by the turquoise waters of Antalya, our Turkey tour packages cater to every traveller’s desire. Most visitors to Turkey arrive and depart via the new Istanbul International Airport. After a late flight, we picked up our rental car and opted to spend a night at an airport hotel before we started our Turkey road trip.
Days Cappadocia Ephesus And Pamukkale Tour
Located less than 2 km from the beach, this air conditioned studio is the perfect retreat for travelers on a budget. The city of Bodrum is a summer hot spot and idyllic beach destination on the turquoise blue Aegean coast. We definitely weren’t feeling the vibe, and it was the only town in Turkey we actually disliked. If you are in the south of the country and want to paraglide, we would highly recommend making a stop there to go paragliding over these blue waters, but not for much longer than a day. In Turkish, Ölüdeniz translates to dead sea, which refers to the ultra calm waters of the surrounding area (including the famous Blue Lagoon).
One of the world’s greatest cities, Istanbul should be on every traveler’s must-visit list. It’s highly likely that your flight route to Türkiye will take you through Istanbul, so set aside at least a few days to explore this dynamic global metropolis before heading out around the country. To help you plan the rest of your trip, here are the top places to visit in Türkiye.
The interiors of these traditional spas are usually marble-lined and lit by skylights set into the domed roof. At Kyoto’s Fushimi Inari Shrine, climb the extraordinary path lined with hundreds of orange torii gates that snake through the forest up into the mountains above the city. Indulge in a delicious kaiseki lunch at a traditional ryokan and gain an insight into Japanese customs. One of our friendly Insight Vacations tour specialists will be in touch soon to discuss your travel requirements in more detail, and ensure you have everything you need to make traveling with us your dream vacation. Sign up to our newsletter and unlock an additional $300 discount per couple for when you are ready to book. Plus, we’ll keep you updated with travel inspiration while you’re deciding where you want to go.
It’s the neighbourhood that’s home to the greatest number of tourist attractions, and there’s nothing quite like waking up to a panoramic view of the Hagia Sofia and Blue Mosque. And, of course, there are always hotels, which usually start at around $ a night for a good midrange option and go up from there. You’ll have slightly more luxury and comfort in hotels, so it’s up to you to work out whether this is worth the additional expense.
It ranked so highly thanks to its “unobstructed ocean vistas and palm trees beautifully framing the deep red and light pink hues of an iconic Hawaiian sunset.” Archaeological sites here cover the full breadth of human history, from the earliest temple and earliest Neolithic villages ever discovered, right up to the glorious mosques and monuments of the Ottoman era. Once Constantinople, the grand capital of both the Byzantine and Ottoman Vacanze Turquia Empires, it is one of the world’s great cities. From Konya, it’s also an easy half-day trip to the archaeological site of Çatalhöyük, the world’s largest Neolithic village ever discovered. With direct buses between Antalya and Cappadocia, it’s also easy to combine this coastal route with the short Cappadocia itinerary. Selçuk is a charming red-tile roofed village with a Roman aqueduct running straight through the center of town.
Additionally, all of our partners have been qualified as upholding a level of service that we truly stand behind. We strive to work exclusively with like-minded partners who are committed to making sure tourism does not have a negative impact on destinations. Sometimes plans change and you can reschedule your trip or even change destinations. We will do our best to avoid or reduce the cancellation fees charged by suppliers. When plans change more than one month before departure we are usually able to waive all fees. When plans change in less than one month, we may not be able to cancel hotels and transport services such as trains.
What sets these tours apart are the thoughtful details – we time visits to let you photograph Celsus Library without the crowds and arrange private visits to Cappadocia’s carved churches. After diving into Istanbul’s night scene, you’ll head to places like Kas where you can literally jump into the sea right from waterfront restaurants. The Mediterranean camping trips on traditional wooden boats are a highlight – think swimming in hidden bays and sharing fresh fish dinners under the stars. Everyone talks about the sunrise balloon flights over Cappadocia; our guides know exactly where to position you for those perfect shots. Starting at Ankara’s Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, you’ll move on to explore Cappadocia’s cave churches and underground cities with guides who adjust the walking speed for everyone’s comfort. We’ve picked hotels that are both well-located and comfortable, which our older guests really appreciate.
It’s hard not to fall in love with the vibrant, hip city of Istanbul and we recommend spending at least 3 nights exploring the city. The eclectic mix of Europe and Asia, East and West and old and new make Istanbul an amazing spot. After leaving Ephesus, we made a stop at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Pergamon before spending two nights in Canakkale, a seafront town where the 2004 movie version of the wooden horse of Troy stands. You can read more about our stay at the Sultan Cave Suites and our guide to the Cappadocia hotels with the best view of the balloons. This itinerary can also be done in reverse order – start Athens end Istanbul. After a whirlwind adventure through Turkey, enjoying the taste of the intricate culture, your Turkish trip has come to an end.