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5-Day Istanbul & Ephesus Group TourOld City & Bosphorus Cruise

Istanbul (4 nights) ✈ Izmir ✈ Istanbul · flights included

From €789 pp

€1,578 for 2 travellers

Flights, hotel & guided days included

Reserve with a 40% deposit by card: €631.20 for 2

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

  • 5 days · 4 nightsOld City & Bosphorus Cruise

  • 2 flights includedIstanbul ⇄ Izmir

  • Hotels & breakfast4 nights · istanbul

  • Shared groupEnglish-speaking guide

Next available: Tue 3 Nov · WhatsApp reply in ~1 h

Overview

Spend 5 days on a group tour of Istanbul and Ephesus, including an Old City visit and a Bosphorus cruise. Start at Istanbul Airport; the package includes domestic flights and four hotel nights.

Highlights

  • Visit the Hippodrome, Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia
  • See Topkapı Palace and the Grand Bazaar
  • Cruise the Bosphorus between two continents
  • Walk Ephesus to the Library of Celsus and Great Theatre
  • Visit the House of the Virgin Mary

Itinerary

5 days · Istanbul (4 nights) ✈ Izmir ✈ Istanbul

  1. Day 1Arrival in Istanbul and Transfer to Your HotelFree time after arrival
    Your five days in Istanbul and Ephesus start at Istanbul Airport (IST), where you arrive on your own international flight. A driver meets you in the arrivals hall and brings you to the hotel, which is your base for all four nights, including the evening after the Ephesus flight day. The rest of the day is free for rest. Tomorrow you join the shared group and your licensed guide for the Old City tour, so an early night is a sensible idea.

    1. Driver meeting at Istanbul Airport

      After baggage claim, your driver waits in arrivals with a TurkeyVia sign; the meeting time is based on the flight details you send with your booking.

    2. Airport transfer to the hotel

      Time here: about 1 hour

      The drive into the city takes around an hour, depending on the traffic on the motorway.

    3. Central 3★ hotel in Istanbul

      Four nights in a double room with breakfast, so you unpack only once on this tour.

    4. Free time after arrival

      Rest, or take a first walk in the neighborhood.

      Tip: Arriving at Sabiha Gökçen or at a different time? A private transfer can be arranged through our airport transfers page.

    Air-conditioned vehicle with driver

    Overnight: Istanbul — central 3★ hotel

  2. Day 2Istanbul Old City with Hagia Sophia and TopkapıHippodrome · Blue Mosque · Hagia Sophia upper gallery (ticket included)
    Today you join the shared group tour with a licensed guide for a full day in the old city, and both major tickets are covered: Hagia Sophia's upper gallery and Topkapı Palace including the Harem. You share the day with other travelers, and the guide keeps the group to a fixed plan built around opening hours and prayer times. Expect to spend most of the day on foot around Sultanahmet, with lunch included at a local restaurant. The day ends in the Grand Bazaar, within walking distance of the palace district.

    1. Hippodrome

      Time here: about 20 min

      Your guide gathers the group by the Egyptian obelisk to explain how chariot races and the rival Blue and Green factions shaped Byzantine politics.

    2. Blue Mosque

      Time here: about 30 min

      The group visits between prayer times; inside, look up at the four massive piers, nicknamed 'elephant feet', that carry the central dome.

      Tip: Headscarf for women, covered knees for everyone.

    3. Hagia Sophia upper gallery (ticket included)

      Time here: about 1 hour

      The included ticket takes you along the visitors' route to the upper gallery, where Byzantine mosaics of Christ, the Virgin and emperors survive beside later Ottoman additions.

    4. Lunch with the group

      Included at a local restaurant in the old city; drinks are extra. Mention dietary needs when booking.

    5. Topkapı Palace and Harem (ticket included)

      Time here: about 2 hours

      Pass through the palace gates into the courtyards of the Ottoman court, then visit the Harem, where the sultan's family lived.

      Tip: The palace is closed on Tuesdays.

    6. Grand Bazaar

      Time here: about 45 min

      A walk through the vaulted lanes of the covered market rounds off the group day.

      Tip: The bazaar is closed on Sundays.

    Air-conditioned vehicle shared with the group; sightseeing on foot

    Meals: Breakfast, lunchOvernight: Istanbul — central 3★ hotel

  3. Day 3Bosphorus Cruise Between Europe and AsiaBosphorus cruise on a public boat · Dolmabahçe Palace from the water · Ortaköy Mosque and the Bosphorus Bridge
    Today's highlight is a cruise on the Bosphorus, the strait that divides Istanbul between Europe and Asia and links the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara. You travel with the group and your licensed guide on a public boat, with the boat ticket included. From the deck you see Ottoman palaces, mosques and wooden waterfront mansions, and pass beneath the bridges that join the two continents; how far north the boat goes depends on its route. After the cruise the rest of the day is free, and lunch today is not included.

    1. Transfer to the pier with your guide

      Sightseeing transport brings the group to the departure pier for the boat.

    2. Bosphorus cruise on a public boat

      Your seat on the boat is included, and your guide sails with you to point out the landmarks on both shores.

    3. Dolmabahçe Palace from the water

      Finished in 1856, this European-style palace replaced Topkapı as the sultans' main residence, and its long marble facade stretches along the shore.

    4. Ortaköy Mosque and the Bosphorus Bridge

      The small mosque sits at the water's edge right beside the first bridge across the strait, opened in 1973.

    5. Rumeli Hisarı fortress

      Sultan Mehmed II built this fortress in 1452, a year before the conquest of Constantinople, to control shipping at the narrowest part of the Bosphorus.

    6. Asian shore mansions

      Across the water on the Asian side, wooden yalı mansions and the white Beylerbeyi Palace line the shore.

    7. Free afternoon

      Lunch is not included, and the rest of the day is yours to explore.

    Public boat with your guide; shared sightseeing transport

    Meals: BreakfastOvernight: Istanbul — central 3★ hotel

  4. Day 4Ephesus Day Trip by Air from Istanbulİsa Bey Mosque · Ephesus · Carpet Weaving Education Center (about 30–45 min)
    Today you leave Istanbul for a day on the Aegean coast. After the transfer from your hotel to the airport, a domestic flight takes you to İzmir, and a transfer of about an hour brings you to Selçuk to join the shared group tour. With a licensed guide you visit the İsa Bey Mosque and Ephesus, have lunch in Selçuk, and continue to a carpet weaving center, the House of the Virgin Mary and the Temple of Artemis. Entry to both Ephesus and the House of the Virgin Mary is part of the package. In the evening you fly back to Istanbul for another night at your hotel.

    1. Istanbul to İzmir flight

      A morning economy flight south to İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport (ADB).

    2. İzmir Airport to Selçuk

      Around one hour by road to meet the group near Ephesus.

    3. İsa Bey Mosque

      Completed in 1375 under the Aydınid emirs, the mosque stands just below the hill of St John's Basilica.

    4. Ephesus

      Time here: about 2 hours

      Ephesus was among the largest cities of the Roman East; walk its main marble street to the Library of Celsus and the 25,000-seat Great Theatre.

      Tip: Wear flat shoes with grip; the paving is uneven.

    5. Lunch in Selçuk

      Lunch with the group.

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

      Learn how natural dyes are prepared and how patterns pass from weaver to weaver. No obligation to buy.

    7. House of the Virgin Mary

      A short visit to the hillside chapel honored by both Christians and Muslims.

    8. Temple of Artemis

      Stop by the single column that marks the Wonder's site.

    9. İzmir to Istanbul flight

      A transfer back to ADB and the evening flight to Istanbul.

    Domestic flights, airport transfers and the group minibus

    Meals: Breakfast, lunchOvernight: Istanbul — central 3★ hotel

  5. Day 5Free Time and Transfer to Istanbul AirportMorning at leisure
    The tour finishes today. Breakfast is included at the hotel, and there is no group plan, so the hours before your transfer are free. After yesterday's flights to and from İzmir and the long day at Ephesus, a slow morning may be welcome; if you have energy left, the waterfront at Eminönü or the Süleymaniye Mosque makes a fine last walk. Your driver collects you from the hotel at a time based on your international flight and takes you to Istanbul Airport.

    1. Breakfast at the hotel

      The last included meal of the tour.

    2. Morning at leisure

      Check-out times vary by hotel; ask reception about keeping your luggage if your flight leaves late in the day.

    3. Transfer to Istanbul Airport (IST)

      Time here: about 1 hour

      Your driver meets you at the hotel and drives you to the airport.

      Tip: Aim to arrive about three hours before your international flight.

    Air-conditioned vehicle with driver

    Meals: Breakfast

Download the day-by-day PDF

Flights and hotel

Flights

  • Istanbul → Izmir · day 4
  • Izmir → Istanbul · day 4

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

Hotel

  • 4 nights in Istanbul: central 3★ hotel, double room with breakfast

Pickup and route

Pickup
Istanbul Airport pickup included. Your driver will meet you at arrivals.
Route of 5-Day Istanbul & Ephesus Group Tour — Old City & Bosphorus Cruise1Istanbul Old City2Ephesus
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 airport arrival and departure transfers, day 4 Istanbul hotel-to-airport transfer, and return İzmir Airport–Ephesus transfers
  • Entrance tickets: Ephesus, House of the Virgin Mary
  • Lunch on day 2 in Istanbul and day 4 in Selçuk
  • 4 nights in Istanbul: central 3★ hotel, double room with breakfast
  • Bosphorus cruise ticket
  • Entrance tickets: Hagia Sophia (upper gallery), Topkapı Palace incl. Harem
  • Flight Istanbul → Izmir on day 4 (economy class; checked bag as per the ticket fare)
  • Flight Izmir → Istanbul on day 4 (economy class; checked bag as per the ticket fare)

Not included

  • Tips (optional)
  • Personal purchases
  • Drinks with meals
  • Dinner
  • Lunch on days 1, 3 and 5

Optional extras

  • Hotel nights (4 nights)
  • Domestic flights

Good to know

Workshop stop: a carpet weaving centre. Part of the programme, no obligation to buy.

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: most sites have uneven ground, stone paths and steps.
  • Bring a hat, sunscreen and water in the warm months; there is little shade at the ancient sites.
  • 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
€631.20 deposit by card (3-D Secure), for 2 travellers.
On arrival
€867.90 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

Who meets me at the airport for the 5-day Istanbul and Ephesus tour?

A driver meets you in the arrivals hall at Istanbul Airport (IST) with a TurkeyVia sign, and the airport transfer back on day 5 is included too. If you are flying into Sabiha Gökçen or at a different time, a private transfer can be arranged through our /airport-transfers page.

Are Hagia Sophia and Topkapı tickets included on the Istanbul and Ephesus tour?

Yes. The tour includes the Hagia Sophia upper gallery ticket, Topkapı Palace with the Harem, the Bosphorus cruise ticket, and entrance to Ephesus and the House of the Virgin Mary. Other museums you visit in your free time are not included.

How does the Ephesus day from Istanbul work?

On day 4 you are taken from your hotel to the airport for a flight to İzmir, then transferred to Ephesus for the group tour, with lunch in Selçuk. You fly back to Istanbul the same evening, so expect a long day; the ride from the airport to your hotel that night is not among the included transfers. You keep the same Istanbul hotel, so your main luggage can stay there.

Is there a carpet workshop stop on the 5-day Istanbul and Ephesus tour?

Yes, on the Ephesus day the group visits a Carpet Weaving Education Center for about 30–45 minutes to see hand-knotting, silk drawn from cocoons and natural dyes. There is no obligation to buy, and the guide may shorten the stop when time is tight. The Istanbul days have no workshop stops.

Can I join the Istanbul and Ephesus tour with my own İzmir flights?

Yes. Remove the domestic flights option when booking and choose flights that fit the Ephesus day; we meet you at İzmir Airport, with the meeting time confirmed with your booking.

What should I wear for the mosques and the Bosphorus cruise?

Mosques require covered shoulders and knees, a headscarf for women and shoes off inside. Take a light layer for the open deck of the boat, and comfortable shoes for the cobbles of Sultanahmet and the marble streets of Ephesus.

  • 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: Tue 3 Nov · WhatsApp reply in ~1 h

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