The ultimate Turkish adventure: iconic Istanbul history, Cappadocia's surreal landscapes and Pamukkale's relaxing thermal wonders, all connected by domestic flight so no day is lost on the road.
Our 6 day Istanbul, Cappadocia and Pamukkale tour is a complete Turkey tour package for travellers who want to see the country's three most iconic regions in a single week. It is a 6-day, 5-night Turkey itinerary in which three domestic flights replace the long overland transfers, so your time goes into sightseeing instead of motorway kilometres. Every sightseeing day is led by a licensed English-speaking guide, and the price already covers hotels with breakfast, airport transfers, new air-conditioned transport and all entrance fees listed in the programme.
The tour begins in Istanbul, the only major city on two continents. On a fully guided Istanbul Old City tour you visit Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia (interior access not included), the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome and the Grand Bazaar. A second morning adds the Rustem Pasa Mosque and the Spice Bazaar, followed by a Bosphorus boat trip between Europe and Asia. These Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman landmarks are the reason Istanbul is the natural start of any Turkey holiday.
On Day 3, after the Bosphorus, you fly to Cappadocia, a UNESCO World Heritage landscape of volcanic valleys, fairy chimneys and rock-cut churches. Two full tour days cover the Cappadocia North tour (Devrent Valley, Pasabag, Avanos, the Goreme Open-Air Museum and Uchisar Castle) and the Cappadocia South tour (Red Valley, Cavusin, Pigeon Valley and the Kaymakli Underground City). A sunrise Cappadocia hot air balloon ride is available as an optional extra and is best arranged in advance.
On Day 5 a second flight takes you to Denizli and on to Pamukkale. The next morning you see the white Pamukkale travertine terraces, the “Cotton Castle” formed by mineral-rich thermal springs, and explore Hierapolis, the ancient healing city built above them. In your free time you can swim in the Pamukkale Antique Pools for an additional cost.
Choose a small-group Turkey tour or a private Turkey tour for your own party, staying in selected 3, 4 or 5-star hotels, boutique hotels or cave hotels. The package costs $1,595 per person; a 40% deposit reserves your place and the balance is payable on arrival. It suits first-time visitors, couples, families and history lovers who want the best of Turkey in 6 days.
Istanbul gives you Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman landmarks within a few kilometres of each other. Cappadocia is an entirely different world of valleys, cave churches and cities dug underground. Pamukkale closes the journey with a natural wonder and an ancient healing city, a gentle, restorative finish before your flight home.
This route trades Ephesus for Pamukkale compared with our Golden Triangle tour. It is ideal if a thermal-terrace soak and a natural wonder appeal to you more than another archaeological site.
Best for:
This 6 day Turkey itinerary links Istanbul, Cappadocia and Pamukkale in the order that makes the most sense on the map and on the clock. You begin with two nights in Istanbul, fly to Cappadocia for two nights, and finish with one night in Pamukkale before your departure flight from Denizli. Because the three regions are several hundred kilometres apart, the domestic flights are what make an Istanbul, Cappadocia and Pamukkale tour possible in just six days.
Driving from Istanbul to Cappadocia and on to Pamukkale would consume most of a week in a coach. By flying, you keep every sightseeing day for sightseeing and still see a UNESCO-listed old city, a volcanic landscape of fairy chimneys and a thermal wonder. All three domestic flight tickets are included, with a luggage allowance of 15 kg checked baggage plus one carry-on bag of up to 8 kg per person.
Spring (April to June) and autumn (September to November) are generally the most comfortable months for walking the Old City, hiking the Cappadocia valleys and exploring Hierapolis. Summer is hot, especially around Pamukkale, though it suits a swim in the Antique Pools, while winter can bring cold mornings in Cappadocia. The optional Cappadocia hot air balloon flight depends on the weather, so it is best arranged early in your stay.
Each sightseeing day is led by a licensed English-speaking guide and uses new, air-conditioned vehicles. Entrance fees and taxes in the programme are already paid, breakfast is included at your hotel, and one local restaurant lunch is included on Day 5. You can join a small group or travel on a private tour, and the programme can be adjusted to your pace and interests.
Six days, three regions and three domestic flights. Tap any day to see the places you will visit, where you will sleep and which meals are included. Timings are approximate and may be adjusted for traffic, weather and opening hours.
Welcome to Istanbul, the only city on earth to span two continents, with Europe and Asia divided by the shimmering strait of the Bosphorus. Our driver meets you at the airport and transfers you smoothly to your hotel, so you can settle in without a moment's stress after your flight.
Your driver waits at arrivals and takes you straight to your Istanbul hotel. Use the rest of the day to rest or explore the neighbourhood at your own pace.
Depending on your arrival time, you may join our optional evening dinner cruise, drifting past illuminated palaces and mosques while enjoying a Turkish meal, on a first night in a city that has been the capital of empires for over 1,600 years. The dinner cruise is not included in the tour price.
After breakfast, a fully guided tour takes in the heart of old Constantinople, from imperial palace to covered bazaar. You visit five of Istanbul's most important landmarks in one day.
Places you will visit today (5)Home to the Ottoman sultans for nearly 400 years. Wandering the courtyards, kitchens and jeweled treasury rooms gives a real sense of imperial power at its height.
Completed by Emperor Justinian in 537 AD and, for close to a thousand years, the largest cathedral in the world. Its layered history as church, mosque, museum and mosque again is a physical record of the city's past.
Admired for its hand-painted Iznik tiles and cascade of domes. It is a working mosque, so visits pause at prayer times; modest dress is required.
The historic site of ancient chariot races, where an Egyptian obelisk still stands as it did 1,600 years ago.
One of the world's oldest covered markets, with 4,000-plus shops spread across 61 streets since the 15th century. Your guide shares tips on bargaining and quality.
A morning of Istanbul's lesser-known jewels, an afternoon on the water, then a flight into a landscape shaped by volcanoes.
Places you will visit today (4)A compact 16th-century gem celebrated for its wall-to-wall Iznik tilework, built by the legendary architect Mimar Sinan.
One of Istanbul's oldest markets, opened in 1664 and still fragrant with spices, herbs and dried fruit piled high in colorful pyramids.
Cruise between Europe and Asia in the afternoon, passing Beylerbeyi Palace and the elegant wooden yali villas lining the shore.
After the tour, you transfer to Istanbul Airport for your flight to Cappadocia, a region shaped by volcanic eruptions millions of years ago and slowly carved by wind and rain into surreal valleys and fairy chimneys.
A full day in northern Cappadocia: wind-carved valleys, a potters' town and the finest Byzantine cave churches in the region.
Optional sunrise balloon ride. Consider a hot air balloon flight over the fairy chimneys and valleys, best arranged in advance. It is widely regarded as one of the most spectacular experiences in Turkey, and is not included in the tour price.
Sometimes called "Imagination Valley" for fairy chimneys whose wind-carved shapes seem to suggest camels and other figures.
Distinctive mushroom-shaped rock formations, the classic postcard view of Cappadocia.
A riverside pottery town where red clay worked since Hittite times is still shaped on foot-powered wheels today.
Rock-cut churches whose interiors still bear vivid Byzantine frescoes painted directly onto volcanic rock.
A natural rock castle and the region's highest point, with panoramic views across nearly all of Cappadocia.
Your second Cappadocia day goes south for valleys, village life and a city beneath the ground, then you fly west to Pamukkale.
Places you will visit today (4)Named for its striking red and orange hues at sunrise and sunset. You explore famous rock-cut churches on a 5 km hike through the Gulludere valley.
Known for its cave houses once occupied by Christian clergy.
Renowned for its hundreds of hand-carved pigeon coops.
One of Cappadocia's most extensive subterranean settlements, carved up to eight levels deep, where early Christians sealed stone doors behind them against raiders above. Passages are low and narrow in places.
Transfer to the airport for your flight to Denizli, with a transfer to your hotel in Pamukkale on arrival.
A restorative finale at one of Turkey's most photographed natural wonders and the ancient city that grew up beside it.
Places you will visit today (4)White "Cotton Castle" terraces formed over thousands of years as mineral-rich thermal springs cascade down the hillside.
The ancient healing city, founded in the 2nd century BC specifically to take advantage of these waters.
The great stone theatre of the ancient spa city, with a sweeping view over the plain below.
You may swim in the Pamukkale Antique Pools during your free time, scattered with fallen ancient marble columns, at an additional cost. Your guide confirms the meeting point and time for rejoining the group.
After the tour, we transfer you to Denizli Airport for your flight home, bringing a memorable blend of history, surreal landscape and natural wonder to a close.
Read ahead about what you will see in each region, how long you stay, and the practical details that make each stop easier.
Istanbul was the capital of the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires, so an Istanbul sightseeing tour is really a walk through three of them. The Old City's great monuments cluster within walking distance of Sultanahmet Square, which is why one guided day is enough to see the headline sights: Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome and the Grand Bazaar.
Two nights give the city room to breathe. Day 2 is the full Old City tour, and on Day 3 you add the Rustem Pasa Mosque and the Spice Bazaar before an afternoon Bosphorus boat trip between Europe and Asia and your flight to Cappadocia.
Home to the Ottoman sultans for nearly 400 years. Courtyards, kitchens and jeweled treasury rooms show imperial power at its height.
Why it matters
Completed by Emperor Justinian in 537 AD and the largest cathedral in the world for close to a thousand years. Interior access is not included.
Why it matters
Hand-painted Iznik tiles and a cascade of domes inside; next door, the Hippodrome where chariots once raced and an Egyptian obelisk still stands.
Why it matters
One of the world's oldest covered markets: 4,000-plus shops across 61 streets since the 15th century.
Why it matters
The Spice Bazaar, opened in 1664, is still fragrant with spices and dried fruit. Nearby, the 16th-century Rustem Pasa Mosque by Mimar Sinan is covered in Iznik tilework.
Why it matters
Cruise between Europe and Asia, past Beylerbeyi Palace and the elegant wooden yali villas lining the shore.
Why it matters
Insider tips: Visit the big mosques outside prayer times where you can, dress modestly and carry a light scarf. Wear comfortable walking shoes, as the Old City tour involves plenty of walking, and carry a water bottle and a little small change for the bazaars.
Good to know: Interior access to Hagia Sophia is not included in the tour price. All other entrance fees listed in the programme are paid. An optional Bosphorus dinner cruise is available on arrival night (not included).
Cappadocia is a UNESCO World Heritage region in central Anatolia where ancient eruptions left layers of soft volcanic tuff. Wind and water sculpted it into valleys, cones and fairy chimneys, and people then carved homes, monasteries, churches and entire underground cities into the rock.
Two full days let you cover both halves of the region. Day 4 is the Cappadocia North tour and Day 5 the Cappadocia South tour, finishing with your flight to Denizli. An optional sunrise hot air balloon ride can be arranged in advance.
Wind-carved shapes in “Imagination Valley”, mushroom-cap fairy chimneys in Monk's Valley, then the pottery town of Avanos where red clay is still shaped on foot-powered wheels.
Why it matters
Rock-cut churches whose interiors still bear vivid Byzantine frescoes painted directly onto volcanic rock.
Why it matters
A natural rock castle and the region's highest point, with panoramic views across nearly all of Cappadocia.
Why it matters
A 5 km hike through the Gulludere valley past rock-cut churches, then Cavusin village and its cave houses once occupied by Christian clergy.
Why it matters
Hundreds of hand-carved pigeon coops line the cliffs of this quiet valley.
Why it matters
Carved up to eight levels deep, with stone doors that early Christians sealed behind them against raiders above.
Why it matters
Insider tips: Book the optional sunrise balloon flight in advance, as flights depend on the weather. Bring sturdy shoes for the Red Valley hike and a light jacket for cool mornings.
Good to know: The balloon ride is optional and not included in the tour price. Passages in the Kaymakli Underground City are low and narrow in places. One local restaurant lunch is included on Day 5, and your passport is needed for the domestic flight to Denizli.
Pamukkale means “Cotton Castle”, and from a distance the hillside really does look like cotton. Mineral-rich thermal springs have poured down it for thousands of years, leaving the white travertine terraces that glow against the sky. Above them, Hierapolis was founded in the 2nd century BC as a spa city to take advantage of the same waters, and together they form a UNESCO World Heritage site.
After flying from Cappadocia on Day 5, you spend one night in Pamukkale so the terraces and the ancient city get your full attention on Day 6, before the transfer to Denizli Airport.
White "Cotton Castle" terraces formed over thousands of years as thermal springs cascade down the hillside. Visitors walk barefoot on the terraces to protect them.
Why it matters
The ancient healing city, built directly above the springs. Its Roman theatre looks out over the plain below.
Why it matters
Swim among fallen ancient marble columns in warm thermal water during your free time, at an additional cost.
Why it matters
Insider tips: Bring a swimsuit if you plan to swim, plus sunscreen and sunglasses for the bright white terraces, and a small bag for your shoes.
Good to know: The Antique Pools swim is optional and at an additional cost. After the tour you are transferred to Denizli Airport for your departure flight.
Your route runs Istanbul, Cappadocia, then Pamukkale.
Your base for the Old City tour and the Bosphorus, breakfast included.
For the North and South Cappadocia tours, breakfast included.
A thermal hotel for the Hierapolis and travertine terrace day, breakfast included.
The tour is priced per person in US dollars. Choose a small-group departure or travel privately with your own party; contact us for a quote if you are travelling with children or want a tailored version.
Reserving requires a 40% deposit.
The balance is payable on arrival.
Confirmation is received at the time of booking; your voucher and itinerary arrive by email.
15 kg per person for checked luggage, plus up to 8 kg for one carry-on bag per person, across all three domestic flight legs. Pack light so you can move easily between regions.
Sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, and comfortable clothes and shoes, plus a swimsuit if you plan to swim at Pamukkale.
Local tip: Domestic flights follow their own check-in rules, so keep your passport handy and arrive when your guide advises on Days 3 and 5.
Guest reviews of The History Travel on TripAdvisor, quoted in the reviewers' own words (a few lines shortened). They describe the agency's tours and service across Turkey, including multi-day family and Cappadocia packages. Read all reviews on TripAdvisor.
“We had heard about the beauties of Turkey from friends who had visited, and then we booked a 10-day family package tour with Mr. Sebahattin, owner of History Travel, which was recommended by friends. He was very friendly and very knowledgeable. All the service was very well organized. We liked our tour very much. I recommend Mr. Sebahattin and The History Travel Agency to everybody.”
“We bought a 7-day Cappadocia vacation package from The History Travel Istanbul as a thank you gift for my girlfriend and her family. Our tour was incredibly entertaining and enjoyable, and Mr. Sebahattin and his staff delivered an absolutely amazing service. I want to sincerely thank Sebahattin and the entire staff of The History Travel for their fantastic service. I would adore returning to Turkey and using this company's services. I advise everyone to use The History Travel Agency.”
“Our visit to turkey was filled with incredible experiences and long lasting memories. Mr Sebahattin was very helpful throughout out planning stages and in the process created a personalised itinerary that fit our needs. Even while in Turkey he was extremely prompt and professional in all his dealings. And enabled us to navigate through the trip effortlessly. The English speaking guides organised by him were very knowledgeable and friendly. The transport and the hotels provided were also of top quality and we were very pleased with the service. Overall a great visit curated by a gem of a person.”
“We had a wonderful family trip to Turkey. Mr Sebahettin of The History Tours planned and organised it. He knows Turkey well, provided detailed itinerary unlike other travel agents. All domestic bookings, transfers, guides, day trios were organised by him. He kept in touch throughout the trip for updates. Highly recommend him for any travel to Turkey.”
“Sebahattin meticulously planned our customised itinerary at Istanbul perfectly. The arrangement from the first to the last attraction just simply made sense the way he planned it. In addition, when one of our family members was unwell and he found out about it, he immediately sprang into action and made changes to our itinerary to allow for more rest, yet we were able to cover all the attractions after he had made changes to the plan. Thank you, Sebahattin, for making our first visit to Turkey such a memorable one.”
“The History Travel Agency is a professional one with exemplary tour itinerary. Mr Sebahattin Selam from the Agency remained in constant touch with us starting our departure from India till we landed back home. He took care of minute details. Like we are vegetarians and were worried about the food. History Travel had organised exceptional vegetarian continental lunch for us. City tour involves plenty of walking. So, do wear a comfortable sport shoes. Keep a bottle of water with you and carry small change. Overall it is an exceptional experience touring Istanbul through The History Travel Agency.”
Questions, children's fares, hotel preferences or a different date? Send us a message and we'll reply within a few hours.
Reserving requires a 40% deposit; the balance is payable on arrival.
Swap a region, shorten the trip or go further with another route from The History Travel.
Trade Pamukkale for Ephesus on the same core Istanbul-Cappadocia route.
Explore TourJust two regions, at a slightly more relaxed pace.
Explore TourA shorter version of the same two regions, without Istanbul.
Explore TourAdd Gallipoli, Troy, Pergamon and Ephesus for a longer trip.
Explore Tour