Alaçatı Folk Festival Tour - 1 Night Hotel Stay
Tour Detail
🌿 Are you ready to discover the spring scent of the Aegean, the colorful streets of Alaçatı, and the festival excitement?
With the arrival of spring, Alaçatı's beautiful herbs, local flavors, and colorful streets come together with festival enthusiasm. In this enjoyable tour departing from Istanbul with one night of hotel accommodation; extending from Çeşme Castle to Alaçatı's stone streets, you will experience the unique atmosphere of the Alaçatı Herb Festival, explore local herbs, and discover the special flavors of Aegean cuisine.
Continuing our tour, you will witness the historical texture of the House of the Virgin Mary and the Ancient City of Ephesus, then embark on an enjoyable exploration in Şirince, which enchants with its stone houses and tranquil atmosphere.
Let's meet in the herb-scented streets of Alaçatı on this spring journey filled with the nature, culture, history, and unique flavors of the Aegean! 🌿🌸
What's Included
1-night accommodation at selected hotels
1 buffet breakfast at the hotel
1 dinner (buffet or set menu) at the hotel
Transportation in luxury vehicles (vehicle type depends on the number of passengers)
Sightseeing tours as specified in the program
Professional guide services
Bottled water in the vehicle
Guaranteed by itctur.com
Mandatory Travel Insurance according to Tourism Law No. 618
Not Included
Breakfast on the first day as specified in the program
Dinner on the last day as specified in the program
Beverages included with all meals
Lunches
All extra activities specified
Personal expenses
Museum and archaeological site entrance fees (applicable to municipalities and private operators)
Museum Card (applicable to museums under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism)
Virgin Mary 300 ₺
Tour Program
Day 1 Night Journey
Vehicle Departure Points and Schedules
22:00 Incirli Metrobus Stop - In front of Nevada Cafe
22:30 Mecidiyekoy Square - In front of Nevada Cafe
23:00 Kadikoy Marriage Office Front
23:10 Bostanci Bridge Underpass
23:20 Kartal Bridge Underpass
23:30 Pendik Bridge Underpass
23:40 Cayirova McDonald's Front
23:50 Gebze Center Front
After picking up our valued guests at the designated points, we begin our night journey with itctur.com for the Nergis Festival and Hidden Villages of Aegean Tour.
Day 2 Izmir – Çeşme – Alaçatı - Ot Festival
After our night journey, we depart for Çeşme following the breakfast stop at Çiçekliköy for the Alaçatı Herb Festival Tour with itctur.com. Our first stop in Çeşme will be Çeşme Castle, one of the most important castles in Western Anatolia, where we can observe both Genoese and Ottoman architectural styles. After receiving information from our guide about Çeşme Castle, we begin exploring the castle. Upon completing our castle tour, we view the Caravanserai built by Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent in 1528 panoramically. Then, we are given free time in Çeşme. After our free time, we board our bus and head towards Alaçatı. According to a legend, 1001 types of herbs grow in Alaçatı, but no one has ever been able to collect them all alone. To unravel the secret of this legend, we participate in the Alaçatı Herb Festival organized by the Çeşme Municipality under the auspices of the Alaçatı Art and Culture Association. The Alaçatı Herb Festival is held to showcase the richness of Alaçatı's magnificent nature, the diversity of its herbs, and to prevent traditional dishes cooked with these herbs from disappearing. At the festival, herbs unique to Alaçatı are collected to create delicious dishes. Each year, the festival features a different herb as its main theme. During the festival period, competitions are held for dishes made from the year's featured herb. In the colorful streets of Alaçatí, built on narrow cobblestone paths where Greek architecture blends with Ottoman style, we will join the enthusiastic crowd, visit the producers' herb stalls, and watch the parade procession. During the festival, we will have the opportunity to taste meals prepared by renowned gourmets, dishes made by participants competing in the festival, and food served for a fee at booths provided by the Festival Committee. In the evening, we gather at the time specified by our guide. After our meeting, we proceed to our hotel. Dinner and overnight accommodation will be at our hotel.
Breakfast: Will be taken at Çiçekliköy. (Extra)
Lunch: Will be taken during free time. (Extra)
Dinner: Will be taken at the hotel. Included in the tour price.
Accommodation: Izmir Region Hotels
Day 3 – Virgin Mary – Ephesus Ancient City – Şirince – Istanbul
On the final day of the Alaçatı Wine Festival Tour with itctur.com, after enjoying our breakfast at our hotel, we set off towards Selçuk to visit the House of the Virgin Mary. In the area once believed to be where Hz. Mary lived, we visit the church and offer our prayers. Afterwards, we depart from the House of the Virgin Mary and begin our tour of Ephesus Ancient City, one of the world-famous ancient cities renowned for its magnificence and entirely marble construction dating back to antiquity. Guided by our tour guide, we explore the ruins of Ephesus Ancient City, including the Agora, Ancient Theatre, Hillside Houses, Odeon, Heracles Gate, Trajan's Fountain, and the Celsus Library. After completing these visits, we take a break for lunch. Following our lunch stop, we head towards Şirince. Our journey through olive groves leads us to Şirince, a charming Greek village formerly known as "Çirkince." In Şirince, we visit the Wine House / Wine Museum, which offers some of the region's finest wines. Afterwards, we are given free time to take beautiful photos around the village and go shopping. We complete our tour of Şirince Village, with its adorable houses, streets, and friendly people, and then begin our return journey to Istanbul. After dropping off our guests at their designated points, we bid farewell until the next itctur.com event.
Breakfast : To be taken at the hotel. Included in the tour price.
Lunch : To be taken independently. (Extra)
Dinner : To be taken at a rest facility along the route. (Extra)
Accommodation : This is the return day. There will be no overnight hotel stay.
What to bring with you?
Items to Bring When Joining the Tour
- Comfortable and non-slip shoes: For walking on the cobblestone streets of Alaçatı and during walks at the Ephesus Ancient City.
- Season-appropriate, layered clothing: In spring months, you can choose clothes of different thicknesses to adapt to changing weather conditions.
- Raincoat or small umbrella: It will be useful to keep one in your bag in case of sudden rain.
- Hat and sunglasses: Especially for outdoor tours in Ephesus and the festival area.
- Small backpack: To comfortably carry items you may need throughout the day.
- Water bottle: To meet your hydration needs during long walks.
- Personal items for the night bus journey: Items such as a neck pillow, headphones, and a light blanket can make the journey more comfortable.
- Phone or camera: To immortalize beautiful moments from Alaçatı streets, the Ot Festival, Ephesus, and Şirince.
- Power bank: To charge your phone during the day.
- Personal medications and any personal care products you may need.
- Cash or card: For festival shopping, meals, and personal expenses.
- Book Now & Pay Later. · Make your reservation now, pay anytime before the tour starts.