Private Highlights of Turkey Tour – 7 Days & 6 Nights

Arrival in Istanbul & Private Airport Transfer

Welcome to Turkey. After arriving at Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW), meet our representative outside the international terminal exit. Your driver will be waiting with a sign bearing your name and will transfer you privately to your hotel in Istanbul’s historic Sultanahmet area.

The remainder of the day is free for rest or independent exploration, depending on your arrival time. Additional private activities may be arranged for guests arriving early in the morning. Overnight in Sultanahmet, Istanbul.

Full-Day Private Istanbul Tour

After breakfast, your licensed private guide will meet you at your hotel at approximately 09:00. Begin at Topkapi Palace, the ceremonial and administrative center of the Ottoman Empire for centuries. Explore the palace courtyards, imperial collections, treasury and Sacred Relics while learning about Ottoman court life. The Imperial Harem is optional and not included in the package rate.

Continue through the Byzantine Hippodrome, once the center of chariot races, imperial ceremonies and major public events in Constantinople. After lunch at a local restaurant, discover Hagia Sophia, where Byzantine and Ottoman history meet, followed by the elegant Blue Mosque, famous for its classical Ottoman architecture and İznik tiles.

The final visit is the Grand Bazaar, one of the world’s oldest and largest covered marketplaces. Your private guide will return you to your hotel at approximately 17:00. Breakfast and lunch included. Overnight in Sultanahmet.

Flight to Cappadocia & Private Northern Cappadocia Tour

Early in the morning, transfer privately to Istanbul Airport or Sabiha Gökçen Airport for your flight to Cappadocia. On arrival at Kayseri or Nevşehir Airport, meet your driver and continue to your hotel area before beginning the day’s private tour.

Visit the UNESCO-listed Göreme Open Air Museum, home to some of Cappadocia’s best-preserved rock-cut churches and frescoes. Continue to the remarkable mushroom-shaped fairy chimneys of Paşabağ – Monks Valley, where your guide will explain how these extraordinary formations developed.

Enjoy lunch in Avanos and watch a traditional kick-wheel pottery demonstration, a craft associated with the region since the Hittite period. The afternoon continues with Zelve Open Air Museum, known for its rock-cut dwellings, passages and monastic heritage, followed by the imaginative formations of Devrent Valley. Return to your hotel at approximately 16:00. Breakfast and lunch included. Overnight in Göreme.

Optional Balloon Flight & Private Southern Cappadocia Tour

An optional hot air balloon flight may be arranged before sunrise, subject to weather conditions and availability. After breakfast, your private guide and driver will meet you at approximately 10:00 for a scenic hike through Red and Rose Valleys, where colorful rock formations, pigeon houses and ancient rock-cut churches create one of Cappadocia’s most memorable landscapes.

The approximately 1.5-hour walk ends near Çavuşin Village, an old settlement known for its abandoned rock houses and panoramic views. Continue to the Uçhisar Castle Viewpoint before lunch at a local restaurant, where Cappadocia’s traditional pottery kebab may be available.

After lunch, descend into Kaymaklı Underground City, an extensive subterranean settlement containing living quarters, kitchens, storage areas, ventilation shafts, churches and defensive passages. The final visit is Mustafapaşa – Sinasos, a historic village where Turkish and Greek communities lived together until the population exchange of 1924. See old Greek houses, an Ottoman madrasa and historic churches before returning to your hotel at approximately 17:00. Breakfast and lunch included. Overnight in Göreme.

Flight to İzmir & Free Time in Selçuk

After breakfast, you will be collected approximately two hours before your scheduled flight and transferred privately to Kayseri or Nevşehir Airport. Fly to İzmir Airport, where your driver will meet you and transfer you to your hotel in Selçuk.

The remainder of the day is free at leisure. Depending on your arrival time, you may independently visit the Basilica of Saint John, the Selçuk Archaeological Museum or the town center, all located close to the hotel area. Breakfast included. Overnight in Selçuk.

Flight note: Direct Cappadocia–İzmir flights may be unavailable during winter or may operate later in the day. A connecting flight or adjusted program will be offered when necessary.

Full-Day Private Ephesus Tour & Flight to Istanbul

After breakfast, your private guide and driver will collect you from your Selçuk or Kuşadası hotel at approximately 09:00. Begin at the House of the Virgin Mary, a peaceful pilgrimage site associated with the final years of Mary’s life according to Christian tradition.

Continue to Ephesus Ancient City, one of the Mediterranean’s most impressive archaeological sites. Walk through the Odeon, Curetes Street, the Fountain of Trajan, the Temple of Hadrian, the Library of Celsus and the Great Theatre while your private guide brings the city’s Roman and early Christian history to life.

After lunch, visit the remains of the Temple of Artemis, once one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The final stop is Şirince Village, known for its traditional houses, local produce and former Greek Orthodox heritage. The private tour ends at approximately 16:30, followed by a transfer to İzmir Airport for your flight to Istanbul. Meet your driver on arrival and transfer privately to your Sultanahmet hotel. Breakfast and lunch included. Overnight in Sultanahmet.

Free Time & Private Departure Transfer

Enjoy breakfast and free time according to your international flight schedule. At the confirmed pick-up time, your private driver will transfer you to Istanbul Airport or Sabiha Gökçen Airport for your flight home. This concludes your 7-Day Private Highlights of Turkey Tour.