Alaçatı Folk Festival Tour - 1 Night Hotel Stay

9 April 2027 – 12 April 2027 | 3 Nights, 2 Days
Tour Departures
Alaçatı Folk Festival Tour 1 Night Hotel Stay
Departure 09 Apr, Fri
Return 12 Apr, Mon
Duration 4 Days
Tour details

🌿 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 ₺

Need to Know

Things You Need to Know About This Tour


  • Tour duration: Our tour departing from Istanbul lasts 2 nights and 3 days, including 1 night of hotel accommodation within the program.
  • Transportation: Round-trip transportation is provided by bus. Since the first night involves overnight travel, we recommend bringing personal items suitable for bus journeys.
  • Departure points: Departures are made at scheduled times from Yenibosna, Mecidiyeköy, Kadıköy, Bostancı, Kartal, Pendik, Çayırova, and Gebze.
  • Çiçekliköy breakfast: After the overnight journey, a breakfast stop is made in Çiçekliköy. Breakfast is not included in the tour price.
  • Çeşme: After visiting Çeşme Castle, free time is given in Çeşme. The Kervansaray is viewed panoramically.
  • Alaçatı Herb Festival: In the festival area, you can explore local herbs, producer stalls, and flavors of Aegean cuisine prepared with herbs; you can also follow festival events and parade walks. Food and beverages in the festival area are subject to an additional fee.
  • Alaçatí streets: Within the festival scope, there is walking and free time in Alaçatı's narrow, cobblestone streets. We recommend wearing comfortable shoes.
  • Accommodation: The tour includes 1 night of hotel accommodation. Dinner and breakfast at the hotel are included in the tour price.
  • House of the Virgin Mary: On the last day of the tour, the House of the Virgin Mary is visited.
  • Ephesus Ancient City: With a guide, important sites such as the Agora, Ancient Theatre, Odeon, Herakles Gate, Traianus Fountain, and Celsus Library are visited in Ephesus Ancient City.
  • Şirince: After the Ephesus tour, transfer is made to Şirince, where free time is given.
  • Meals: On the first day, Çiçekliköy breakfast and lunch in Çeşme/Alaçatı are extra. Hotel dinner and next-day breakfast are included.
  • Walking: Since walking will be required in the festival area, Alaçatí streets, and Ephesus Ancient City tours, we recommend using comfortable, non-slip shoes.
  • Weather conditions: As the festival period falls in spring months, weather may vary. It would be beneficial to bring layered clothing, a raincoat, or an umbrella.
  • Free time: Free time is available in Çeşme, Alaçatı Herb Festival, and Şirince for shopping, dining, and personal exploration.
  • Extra expenses: Meals not included in the tour price, personal expenses in the festival area, museum/ancient site entrance fees, and other personal expenses are the responsibility of the guests.
  • Program changes: Due to reasons such as weather, road conditions, and regional circumstances, the guide may make changes to the order or timing of the program.
What to Bring?

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.
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.