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Two of the world's most extraordinary sites. Two unforgettable days. One perfectly guided journey.
Step back 2,000 years into the ancient Greco-Roman city of Ephesus, the best-preserved classical city in the Eastern Mediterranean and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Walk the same marble streets as Cleopatra, Mark Antony, and the Apostle John. Stand before the towering Library of Celsus, gaze upon the Temple of Artemis (one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World), and visit the House of Virgin Mary, a sacred pilgrimage site confirmed by two popes.
Then, journey to Pamukkale, Turkey's 'Cotton Castle', where dazzling white travertine terraces cascade down the hillside filled with warm thermal waters. Explore the ancient spa city of Hierapolis and wander the world's largest necropolis in Anatolia.
DETAILED ITINERARY
DAY 1: Ancient Ephesus & Surroundings (Meals: Dinner)
Pick-up from Izmir airport or your hotel in Izmir. Your licensed English-speaking guide meets you and your group for the start of a rich day of exploration.
Morning Highlights:
• House of Virgin Mary, the sacred hilltop church built over the foundations where Mary is believed to have spent her final years, confirmed as a pilgrimage site by the Vatican
• Ancient City of Ephesus (Open-Air Museum), one of the largest and best-preserved Greco-Roman cities in the world: the Great Theatre (25,000 seats), Library of Celsus, Marble Road, Temple of Domitian, and the Terrace Houses (optional)
Afternoon Highlights:
• Temple of Artemis site, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
• Isa Bey Mosque, a striking 14th-century Seljuk mosque adjacent to the Ephesus ruins
Evening: Transfer to your overnight hotel in Kusadasi. Dinner at the hotel and free time to relax or explore the town.
DAY 2: Pamukkale & Hierapolis (Meals: Breakfast)
After hotel breakfast and check-out, your guide takes you to one of the most visually spectacular sites in all of Turkey.
Highlights:
• Pamukkale Travertine Terraces (UNESCO): Walk barefoot across the iconic white calcium terraces and dip your feet in the warm thermal pools; the surreal landscape that gave Pamukkale the name 'Cotton Castle'
• Ancient City of Hierapolis: Founded in the 2nd century BC as a Greco-Roman spa city; explore the spectacular theatre, Roman baths, and the city's sacred springs
• Hierapolis Necropolis: The largest ancient cemetery in Anatolia, with over 1,200 tombs spanning centuries of civilization
• Cleopatra's Pool (optional, payable on-site): swim in the legendary thermal pool above scattered ancient Roman columns submerged beneath warm mineral waters
Late afternoon: Denizli Airport drop-off.