# 3-Day Cappadocia & Ephesus Tour from Istanbul (Group) — by Plane
Canonical: https://turkeyvia.com/tours/cappadocia-ephesus-3-day-tour-from-istanbul-by-plane
Updated: 2026-10-25

## Key facts
- Price: From €699 per person (based on 2 travellers)
- Tour type: Shared group tour
- Duration: 3 Days
- Included: Flights, hotels & guided days included.
- Pickup / meeting point: Istanbul hotel pickup included. Your driver will meet you at the lobby at 05:00 AM.
- Payment: Reserve online with a 40% deposit by card (at least the cost of the flights), the balance in cash on arrival.
- Cancellation: Cancellation charges from 25% · see the schedule

## 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. Day 1 is the Red Tour after the morning flight; day 2 follows the Green Tour and continues by evening flight to İzmir. Day 3 visits Ephesus before the evening flight back to Istanbul. The itinerary includes pottery and carpet visits, onyx and leather workshops, and a carpet stop near Ephesus. Each takes about 30–45 minutes, with no obligation to buy. The Green Tour includes about 3.5–4 km of walking in Ihlara Valley.

## 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
### Morning flight to Cappadocia and the Red Tour

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. Stops: Devrent Valley, Paşabağ (Monks Valley), Avanos pottery workshop, Carpet Weaving Education Center (about 30–45 min), Zelve Open-Air Museum.

### Green Tour: Ihlara and Selime, then fly to İzmir

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. Stops: Esentepe panorama, Kaymaklı Underground City, Ihlara Valley, Selime Monastery, Onyx workshop (about 30–45 min), Leather workshop (about 30–45 min).

### Ephesus with the Group, Then Home to Istanbul

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. Stops: Ephesus, Carpet Weaving Education Center (about 30–45 min), House of the Virgin Mary, Temple of Artemis.

## 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

## 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.
- 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.

## FAQ
### 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.

## Book
Book on the tour page: https://turkeyvia.com/tours/cappadocia-ephesus-3-day-tour-from-istanbul-by-plane. Questions: WhatsApp +90 507 357 58 94