Multi-day journey
Turkey Tour for Seniors in 10 Days: Private Journey at a Relaxed Pace
A private 10-day Turkey tour for seniors: Istanbul, Cappadocia and Ephesus at a relaxed pace, with short flights instead of long drives, late starts, seated breaks and fewer steps.
Photo: Turkey Your Way
- Length
- 10 days
- Route
- Istanbul → Cappadocia → Selçuk (Ephesus)
- Style
- Private, guided
- Best time
- All year round. In summer, we start early and keep the afternoons free, and in winter, Cappadocia may be under snow, with balloons flying on clear mornings with little wind.
Best for First-time visitors
Tour code TR-J10F
Overview
Turkey is a large country, and the great sights lie far apart. Our Turkey tour for seniors joins Istanbul, Cappadocia and Ephesus in ten days at a relaxed pace, with your own guides and driver, and hotels we choose with you.
A Relaxed Pace on the Turkey Tour for Seniors
Short flights replace long drives between the regions, and you stay three nights in each place. Your car drops you close to every stop, so there are fewer steps between the sights. Each day starts late and has seated breaks, and some afternoons are free. We also provide wheelchair and mobility support on request.
Istanbul
We begin in Istanbul. At Hagia Sophia, visitors follow the route through the upper galleries, and your guide sets the pace. Then you cross the square to the Blue Mosque, outside prayer times. The next day, you see Topkapı Palace, the home of the sultans for about 400 years, and spend the afternoon on a boat on the Bosphorus.
From our guides
Our suggestion At Hagia Sophia, take your time in the upper galleries before the long lunch.
Cappadocia on the Turkey Tour for Seniors
On the fourth day, a short flight takes you to Cappadocia, on the World Heritage List since 1985. At dawn, a balloon can lift you over the valleys if you wish and the flights run. At the Göreme Open-Air Museum, you step into rock-cut churches with Byzantine paintings, and at Paşabağ, you see the fairy chimneys. You also meet the potters of Avanos. If you like, we can visit Chez Galip, a family pottery run by a ceramic master who was born in the town.
Ephesus and Şirince
Then you fly to İzmir and stay near Selçuk. One choice is 7 Bilgeler, a winery with a stone hotel in the hills, 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) from Ephesus.
At Ephesus, once the capital of the Roman province of Asia, we start at the upper gate, so the walk runs downhill to the Library of Celsus. Inside the site, the Terrace Houses are a quarter of seven Roman houses. On the last touring day, you visit the House of the Virgin Mary, which Lazarist priests identified in 1891, and have lunch in Şirince.
Shape Your Journey
Every journey is private, so we add a night or swap a day. For Istanbul alone, see our Istanbul tour for seniors; for more of the country, our Turkey tour in 14 days. To compare all our routes by length, see our Turkey tour packages.
Would you like to see Turkey at your own pace? Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus and Şirince at a gentle pace: share your dates and your walking comfort, and we set the rhythm.
Route
- Istanbul
- Cappadocia
- Selçuk (Ephesus)
Day by day
-
Day 1 · Istanbul
Arrival in Istanbul
Meeting at the airport and the drive to your hotel; the rest of the day is yours.
- Stay: Istanbul
-
Day 2 · Istanbul
Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque
Hagia Sophia and its upper galleries, the Blue Mosque outside prayer times and the Hippodrome, then a long lunch.
- Places: Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque), Hippodrome of Constantinople
- Stay: Istanbul
-
Day 3 · Istanbul
Topkapı and the Bosphorus
Topkapı Palace in the morning, then an afternoon on a boat on the Bosphorus.
- Places: Topkapı Palace
- Stay: Istanbul
-
Day 4 · Cappadocia
To Cappadocia
A short flight to Cappadocia, then the view from Uçhisar Castle on the way to your hotel.
- Places: Uçhisar Castle
- Stay: Cappadocia
-
Day 5 · Cappadocia
Göreme
A balloon at dawn if you wish and the flights run, then the Göreme Open-Air Museum and the fairy chimneys of Paşabağ.
- Places: Göreme Open-Air Museum, Paşabağ (Monks Valley)
- Stay: Cappadocia
-
Day 6 · Cappadocia
Avanos and a free afternoon
A potter's workshop in Avanos in the morning; the afternoon is free.
- Places: Avanos
- Stay: Cappadocia
-
Day 7 · Ephesus
To the Aegean
A flight to İzmir and the drive to your hotel near Selçuk; the evening is yours.
- Stay: Selçuk or Şirince
-
Day 8 · Ephesus
Ephesus
Ephesus from the upper gate down to the Library of Celsus, and the Terrace Houses.
- Places: Ephesus, Terrace Houses of Ephesus
- Stay: Selçuk or Şirince
-
Day 9 · Ephesus
The House of the Virgin Mary and Şirince
The House of the Virgin Mary in the morning, then lunch in the village of Şirince.
- Places: House of the Virgin Mary, Şirince
- Stay: Selçuk or Şirince
-
Day 10 · Ephesus
Home
The drive to İzmir airport for your flight home.
What’s included
Included
- Private licensed guides on every touring day, in the language you ask for
- A private vehicle and driver for the whole journey
- Airport meetings and transfers
- A 10 GB eSIM for one traveler in your group, our gift, valid for 30 days (data only)
Not included
- Flights, unless agreed in your program
- Hotels, unless agreed in your program
- Entrance tickets, unless agreed in your program
- Balloon flights, unless agreed in your program
- Meals and drinks
- Tips
“Everything was well organized, and Soner was always available whenever we needed anything.”
Practical
- Best time to go
- All year round. In summer, we start early and keep the afternoons free, and in winter, Cappadocia may be under snow, with balloons flying on clear mornings with little wind.
- Fitness level
- Easy: short walks with the car close by. At Ephesus, we start at the upper gate, so the walk runs downhill.
- Accessibility
- We provide wheelchair and mobility support on request. Tell us your needs, and we plan every day around them.
Gallery
Photo: Turkey Your Way 
Photo: Turkey Your Way 
Photo: Turkey Your Way 
Photo: Turkey Your Way
Frequently asked questions
How much walking is there on the Turkey tour for seniors?
Short walks, with your car close by. At Ephesus, we start at the upper gate, so the walk runs downhill.
Can you provide a wheelchair?
Yes. We provide wheelchair and mobility support on request, so tell us when you book.
Is the balloon flight included?
No. We book it for you if you wish, and it flies only if the weather allows.
Can we add Pamukkale?
Yes. Every journey is private, so we can add a night at Pamukkale.
How do we travel between the regions?
Short flights replace long drives between Istanbul, Cappadocia and the Aegean, and you stay three nights in each place.
Is the walk at Ephesus steep?
We start at the upper gate, so the walk runs downhill to the Library of Celsus. Your guide sets the pace.
Do you choose the hotels?
We choose them with you. Hotels are not included unless agreed in your program, and we book the ones you pick.
Who arranges the flights between regions?
We do. We book the short flights between Istanbul, Cappadocia and the Aegean for you, and your driver meets each one.
Which language does the guide speak?
The language you ask for, on every touring day.
