2 Days Ephesus & Pamukkale Tour from Istanbul with Flights

5.00

(2 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

The alarm went off before sunrise—never my favorite sound—but the promise of ancient ruins got me moving. Our driver showed up right on time at the Istanbul hotel, and within an hour we were at the airport, coffee in hand. The flight to Izmir was quick; I barely finished my simit before we landed. Selçuk’s air felt warmer than Istanbul’s—maybe it was just the excitement. Our guide, Emre, met us with a grin and a few jokes about Turkish traffic. He gave us a quick rundown as we drove past olive groves toward Ephesus.

The first thing you see is the Magnesia Gate—hard to imagine how busy it must’ve been centuries ago. We started our walk downhill into Ephesus itself. The marble underfoot was slippery in spots (watch your step if it rained), and there’s this faint scent of wild thyme in the air. Emre pointed out carvings on the Library of Celsus that I’d have missed on my own—he even knew which columns were original. The Great Theater is massive; apparently, locals still use it for spring festivals. You can almost hear echoes if you stand still long enough. After wandering through arches and old streets, we drove up to the House of the Virgin Mary—a peaceful spot shaded by trees where people light candles quietly.

Lunch was at a small place near Selçuk—I don’t remember the name but their lentil soup was perfect after all that walking. Next stop: Temple of Artemis. Not much left standing now except one lonely column, but thinking about its history makes up for it. We wrapped up day one in Şirince village—a hillside place known for fruit wines and old Greek houses—before heading to our hotel in Kuşadası right by the sea.

The next morning started with strong Turkish tea and fresh bread at breakfast—simple but good. It’s a three-hour drive to Pamukkale from Kuşadası, so bring snacks or grab some roasted chickpeas from a roadside vendor if you get peckish like I did. Once you get close to Pamukkale, those white terraces look almost unreal against the blue sky. After lunch at a local spot (try their gözleme), we explored Hierapolis: gymnasium ruins, an amphitheater that could fit 15,000 people (the acoustics are wild), and what’s left of the Temple of Apollo.

Walking barefoot over Pamukkale’s travertines feels strange at first—smooth in some places, rough in others—and the water is warm even when there’s a breeze blowing across the plateau. Some folks took a dip in Cleopatra’s Pool; I just dangled my feet and watched steam rise off the surface while kids splashed nearby. There’s free time here—you can wander or just sit back and enjoy being somewhere totally different from anywhere else I’ve been.

Late afternoon meant heading back to Denizli airport for our flight to Istanbul. By then my shoes were full of white dust and my camera roll was packed with photos I’ll probably never delete.