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3-Day Cappadocia & Ephesus Tour from Istanbul (Group)by Plane

Istanbul ✈ Cappadocia (1 night) ✈ Izmir → kusadasi (1 night) → Izmir ✈ Istanbul · flights included

From €699 pp

€1,398 for 2 travellers

Flights, hotels & guided days included

Reserve with a deposit that covers your flights, by card: €645.18 for 2

Cancellation charges from 25% · Free date change up to 21 days before · Full schedule

  • 3 days · 2 nights

  • 3 flights includedIstanbul → Cappadocia → Izmir → Istanbul

  • Hotels & breakfast2 nights · cappadocia & kusadasi

  • Shared groupEnglish-speaking guide

Next available: Fri 6 Nov · WhatsApp reply in ~1 h

Overview

This 3-day group tour from Istanbul by plane combines Cappadocia’s Red and Green tours with Ephesus. See Zelve, Ihlara Valley, Kaymaklı and the House of the Virgin Mary, with flights and two hotel nights included.

Highlights

  • See Devrent, Paşabağ, Avanos and Zelve
  • Walk the Ihlara Valley trail
  • Explore Kaymaklı Underground City
  • Visit Ephesus and the House of the Virgin Mary
  • Fly between Istanbul, Cappadocia and İzmir

Itinerary

3 days · Istanbul ✈ Cappadocia (1 night) ✈ Izmir → kusadasi (1 night) → Izmir ✈ Istanbul

  1. Day 1Morning flight to Cappadocia and the Red TourDevrent Valley · Paşabağ (Monks Valley) · Avanos pottery workshop
    Be ready in your Istanbul hotel lobby at 05:00 for the transfer to the airport. After landing in Kayseri or Nevşehir around 08:00 you join the shared Red Tour at arrivals, so the sightseeing begins without a hotel stop. The route follows the northern valleys: Devrent, Paşabağ with its hermit chimneys, the river town of Avanos and the cave village of Zelve. A pottery demonstration and a carpet workshop are part of the day. You reach your hotel in the late afternoon, with the evening free.

    1. Pickup at your Istanbul hotel

      05:00

      Driver transfer to the airport for check-in.

    2. Flight to Cappadocia

      Domestic economy flight; a TurkeyVia representative meets the group at the arrivals exit.

    3. Devrent Valley

      Time here: about 30 min

      Nicknamed Imagination Valley for rocks that look like animals and people; the path is flat and short.

    4. Paşabağ (Monks Valley)

      Time here: about 45 min

      Many chimneys here carry two or three caps of harder rock. Look inside the cell where a hermit monk lived above a chapel.

    5. Avanos pottery workshop

      Time here: 30–45 min

      Avanos has made pots from Kızılırmak clay for thousands of years; a master shows the foot-powered wheel. No obligation to buy.

    6. Buffet lunch

      Open buffet in Avanos. Drinks are extra.

    7. Carpet Weaving Education Center (about 30–45 min)

      Tea, a demonstration of knotting at the loom and an explanation of regional carpet patterns. No obligation to buy.

    8. Zelve Open-Air Museum

      Time here: about 1 hr

      Churches, dovecotes and houses hollowed into three linked valleys, a working village until the middle of the 20th century.

      Tip: Bring water; shade is limited.

    Shared minibus and licensed guide for the Red Tour group

    Meals: LunchOvernight: Cappadocia hotel (included)

  2. Day 2Green Tour: Ihlara and Selime, then fly to İzmirEsentepe panorama · Kaymaklı Underground City · Ihlara Valley
    After checking out, you are collected between 09:30 and 10:20 for the shared Green Tour, the longest Cappadocia route at about 9 hours with roughly 2¾ hours of driving. It is a day of contrasts: first the tunnels of Kaymaklı Underground City, then open air in the Ihlara canyon, a riverside lunch and the cliff monastery of Selime. Onyx and leather workshops are on the way back. In the evening you transfer to the airport for the flight to İzmir, and a driver takes you to your hotel in Kuşadası for the Ephesus day.

    1. Esentepe panorama

      Time here: about 15 min

      Viewpoint above Göreme at the start of the drive south.

    2. Kaymaklı Underground City

      Time here: about 45 min

      Opened to visitors in 1964, it shows storage rooms, a chapel and ventilation shafts over four accessible levels.

      Tip: Not for guests with claustrophobia.

    3. Ihlara Valley

      Time here: about 2 hr

      A steady walk of about 3.5–4 km beside the Melendiz stream, under cliffs pierced with Byzantine churches and hermit cells.

    4. Lunch at Belisırma

      Riverside restaurant at the end of the walk; drinks extra.

    5. Selime Monastery

      Time here: about 45 min

      Carved into the cliff at the northern end of Ihlara Valley, it is often described as Cappadocia's largest monastery complex. Included, with no extra fee.

    6. Onyx workshop (about 30–45 min)

      Polishing demonstration and gallery of stone objects. No obligation to buy.

    7. Leather workshop (about 30–45 min)

      Presentation of leather clothing and accessories. No obligation to buy.

    8. Evening flight to İzmir

      Airport transfer, then an economy flight to İzmir Adnan Menderes.

    9. Transfer to Kuşadası

      A driver meets you at İzmir arrivals for the drive of about an hour to your hotel.

    Shared minibus, airport transfers and domestic flight

    Meals: Breakfast, lunchOvernight: Kuşadası hotel (included)

  3. Day 3Ephesus with the Group, Then Home to IstanbulEphesus · Carpet Weaving Education Center (about 30–45 min) · House of the Virgin Mary
    Three days after leaving Istanbul, you finish with the classical world. Your Kuşadası hotel pickup brings you to Ephesus for the shared group tour with a licensed guide, with tickets for Ephesus and the House of the Virgin Mary included. Lunch is in Selçuk, and the afternoon covers a carpet weaving center, Mary's hillside house and the Temple of Artemis. Then comes the transfer to İzmir Airport and the evening flight back to Istanbul.

    1. Pickup from your Kuşadası hotel

      Have breakfast and check out first; your bags travel with you to the airport later.

    2. Ephesus

      Time here: about 2 hours

      Harbor Street, lined with columns, once ran from the Great Theatre to the city's port; river silt has since pushed the coastline several kilometers west.

      Tip: The Terrace Houses, with their frescoes, need a separate ticket and extra time; ask your guide whether the group schedule allows it.

    3. Lunch in Selçuk

      Lunch with your group at a restaurant in Selçuk.

    4. Carpet Weaving Education Center (about 30–45 min)

      A weaver shows why a single carpet can take months to finish by hand. No obligation to buy.

    5. House of the Virgin Mary

      A French priest found the small house in 1881, and Lazarist priests from İzmir confirmed the site in 1891, both guided by a German nun's descriptions of Mary's last home.

    6. Temple of Artemis

      The last stop is a few minutes from the center of Selçuk, at the lone column of the temple.

    7. Transfer to İzmir Airport

      About an hour's drive to ADB for your flight.

    8. Evening flight to Istanbul

      The economy flight back to Istanbul ends the tour.

    Group minibus, then airport transfer and flight

    Optional activities

    • Ephesus Terrace Houses (separate ticket) · Not included

    Meals: Breakfast, lunch

Download the day-by-day PDF

Flights and hotel

Flights

  • Istanbul → Cappadocia · day 1
  • Cappadocia → Izmir · day 2
  • Izmir → Istanbul · day 3

Economy class, checked bag as per the ticket fare. Have your own flights? Remove them when you book — the price updates.

Hotel

  • 1 night in Cappadocia and 1 night in Kuşadası, with breakfast

Pickup and route

Pickup
Istanbul hotel pickup included. Your driver will meet you at the lobby at 05:00 AM.
Route of 3-Day Cappadocia & Ephesus Tour from Istanbul (Group) — by Plane1Cappadocia2Ihlara Valley3Ephesus
Route map is schematic — exact pickup and meeting points are in your confirmation.

What's included

Included

  • Licensed English-speaking guide
  • Air-conditioned sightseeing transport, Istanbul hotel-to-airport transfer, return Cappadocia airport–hotel transfers, and return İzmir Airport–Kuşadası transfers
  • Entrance tickets: Paşabağ and Zelve (one ticket), Ihlara Valley and Selime, Kaymaklı Underground City, Ephesus, House of the Virgin Mary
  • Lunch on days 1 and 2 in Cappadocia and day 3 in Selçuk
  • 1 night in Cappadocia and 1 night in Kuşadası, with breakfast
  • Flight Istanbul → Cappadocia on day 1 (economy class; checked bag as per the ticket fare)
  • Flight Cappadocia → Izmir on day 2 (economy class; checked bag as per the ticket fare)
  • Flight Izmir → Istanbul on day 3 (economy class; checked bag as per the ticket fare)

Not included

  • Tips (optional)
  • Personal purchases
  • Drinks with meals
  • Dinner

Optional extras

  • Hotel nights (2 nights)
  • Domestic flights

Good to know

Workshop stops: a carpet weaving centre, a leather workshop, an onyx workshop and a pottery workshop. Part of the programme, no obligation to buy.

Where you'll stay

Cappadocia

Celestial Cave hotel or similar

Before you go

  • Domestic flights are economy class. Your baggage allowance follows the ticket fare, and we confirm it with your tickets.
  • Travel with the passport you booked with: airlines check the name on the ticket against it.
  • Wear comfortable walking shoes: the valleys and rock-cut sites have uneven ground and steps, and the underground city has low, narrow passages.
  • Bring a hat and sunscreen in summer and a warm layer in spring, autumn and winter: mornings in Cappadocia are cool, and the underground city stays cool all year.
  • Vegetarian, vegan or other dietary needs at lunch: tell us when you book and we let the restaurant know.
  • Mobility needs or travelling with small children? Tell us before you book, and we tell you honestly which parts of the day suit you.
  • We send your final programme, hotel names and pickup times before departure, and you can reach us on WhatsApp during the trip.

Payment and cancellation

Today
€645.18 deposit by card (3-D Secure), for 2 travellers.
On arrival
€682.92 in cash, in euros, with the 5% cash saving on the total already taken off.
  • 91 days or more: The 25% administrative fee is charged. 61–90 days: 55% of the total is charged (30% + the 25% administrative fee). 31–60 days: 65% of the total is charged (40% + the 25% administrative fee). 16–30 days: 95% of the total is charged (70% + the 25% administrative fee). 15 days or less or no-show: 100% of the total is charged. Charges are percentages of the total booking value and include the 25% administrative fee retained on every cancellation; non-refundable flight, hotel or entrance tickets already bought are added, up to 100% of the total. Your deposit is applied to the charge: if the charge is higher than your deposit, you pay us the difference; anything we hold above the charge is refunded within 14 days.
  • If a hotel in your package is booked on a non-refundable rate, we tell you before you pay and that night's cost is retained on cancellation.
  • Request cancellation in writing, by email or WhatsApp; the cancellation date is the day we receive your message. Refunds go back the way you paid, within 14 days: card payments to the same card. Shore excursions are paid on the day, so nothing is collected in advance.
  • If unavoidable extraordinary circumstances at the destination make the trip impossible, you receive a full refund, less any mandatory taxes and genuinely non-refundable third-party payments, itemised for you.
  • Date changes are free when requested at least 72 hours before a day tour, 24 hours before a shore excursion, or 21 days before a package or a day trip by plane, subject to availability. For these, a date change 14–20 days before departure costs €50 per booking; under 14 days it depends on availability, and any airline or hotel change fees are charged at cost. Name changes (passing your booking to someone else at least 7 days before departure) are free except for any airline name-change fee, charged at cost.
  • If TurkeyVia cancels, including because the minimum group size is not met, you can choose a full refund or an alternative.

If we can’t book your flights or hotel for your dates, that counts as our cancellation: a full refund to your card within 14 days, or another date if you prefer.

Full cancellation policy

Your contract is with İlke Seyahat Turizm Ticaret Gıda Orman Ürünleri Gemi Acenteliği İthalat İhracat Sanayi Limited Şirketi, Turgut Ozal Bulvari 67/1, Kusadasi, Aydin 09400, Turkey — the company behind TurkeyVia. Terms

Frequently asked questions

What is the route of the 3-day Cappadocia & Ephesus group tour?

Day 1: flight from Istanbul and the Cappadocia Red Tour. Day 2: the Green Tour to Kaymaklı, Ihlara and Selime, then an evening flight to İzmir and a transfer to Kuşadası. Day 3: Ephesus and the House of the Virgin Mary, then a flight back to Istanbul.

Which is the longest day on the 3-day Cappadocia & Ephesus tour?

Day 2. The Green Tour takes about 9 hours with a canyon walk of about 3.5–4 km, and it ends with the evening flight to İzmir and a drive to Kuşadası.

Can I use my own flights for the 3-day Cappadocia & Ephesus tour?

Yes. Remove the domestic flights when booking and we meet you at the airports. For the shared services, choose flights landing in Kayseri around 08:00 and departing around 20:00. Private airport transfers can be booked separately.

How does luggage move between Cappadocia and Kuşadası?

You check out on the morning of day 2 and take your bags on the evening flight to İzmir, so bring a case that fits the checked baggage of the fare. Your guide confirms that morning how luggage travels during the tour.

Which workshops will we visit on the 3-day group tour?

Avanos pottery and the Carpet Weaving Education Center on day 1, onyx and leather on day 2, and a carpet workshop near Ephesus on day 3. Plan on 30–45 minutes at each, and you are never obliged to buy.

Can I join the Green Tour day if I am claustrophobic?

Kaymaklı Underground City has low, narrow tunnels, so tell your guide and wait outside if you prefer. The rest of the day is in the open air.

  • Your guided days are run by our own local team
  • On WhatsApp within about 1 hour, 09:00–18:00 Turkey time
  • Download the day-by-day PDF
  • Sold by İlke Seyahat Turizm Ticaret Gıda Orman Ürünleri Gemi Acenteliği İthalat İhracat Sanayi Limited Şirketi

Next available: Fri 6 Nov · WhatsApp reply in ~1 h

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