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LUXURY EDITION

Biking The Unesco Sites

of The Aegean 

This tour features five UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Aegean Turkey, combining them with five scenic cycling routes through the rolling hills of the area’s diverse countryside. You’ll wander coastal cobblestone streets, pedal through olive groves and local villages, and visit the region’s most important historic sites – places that paved the way for our modern societies.

Highlights


  • Explore 5 Unesco Sites of Aegean Turkey
  • Ancient sites of Pergamon, Sardis, Hierapolis, Aphrodisias and Ephesus 
  • Witnessing village life 
  • Scenic countryside roads for cycling
SEASON

March to June, September to November

Duration

7 Days, 6 Nights

MEALS

6 Breakfasts

Bikes

Gravel or E-Bike options available

Distance

233 km of total biking

AIRPORT

Arrival – Balikesir Airport
Departure – Izmir Airport

1 Person

5675

Per Person

2 Person

3420

Per Person

4 Person

2315

Per Person

Tour Details

8 day luxury biking trip covering 5 of the UNESCO sites of the Aegean Turkey. Experience the diverse history, landscapes, and delicious cuisine of one of Turkey’s best destinations, all with upgraded accommodation (where possible) and the best support services available. 

Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrive in Balikesir Airport. Transfer to Cunda.

Upon arrival, you’ll meet your driver/mechanic that will be providing transportation and backup support throughout the tour. Together, you’ll proceed to Cunda Island (50 min), renowned for its narrow, stone-paved streets and traditional architecture. Arrival time permitting, you’ll explore the area, making the most of the town’s relaxed ambiance, excellent dining establishments, and picturesque streets.

Overnight in Joon Hotel.

Day 2 – BIKE Yeniköy → Bergama: 62 km | +813 m. Visit Pergamon.

After breakfast by the sea, you’ll be transferred to Yenikoy (30 min) to begin the ride. Pedal under umbrella-shaped nut pines through a landscape of boulders before reaching Pergamon. Once the capital of the Attalid Dynasty, Pergamon was also one of the seven churches of Asia and its extensive library was second only to that of Alexandria in the ancient world. We’ll spend the evening in Bergama, a quirky Aegean town on the skirts of the hilltop ruins.

Overnight in Attalos Suites, Bergama.

Day 3 – Visit Sardis. BIKE Sardis → Birgi: 50 km | +1400 m

Today we’ll visit Sardis, the capital of the Lydians and birthplace of the world’s first coinage. This ancient city was home its own language and religion during the Iron Age (8th-6th centuries BCE) before coming under Persian, Greek, Roman, and Byzantine rule. After a two-hour transfer and a visit to Sardis’s ruins, we’ll continue our journey, riding through scenic high pastures to Birgi, a village celebrated for its houses built of wood and stone and traditional way of life.

Overnight in Saliha Hanim Tas Konak, Birgi.

Day 4 – BIKE Karahayıt → Pamukkale: 56 km | +1200 m. Visit Pamukkale.

Pamukkale is renowned worldwide for its brilliant white travertine terraces and picturesque scenery, but it also boasts the ancient city of Hierapolis. During ancient times, this area functioned as a thermal spa or holiday retreat for locals—much like its current use. After a morning transfer to Karahayit (2.5 hours), the ride takes you across gentle, pastoral hills dotted with wheat fields and vineyards, all set against the backdrop of Denizli’s mountains. We’ll stay overnight in the lively tourist town of Pamukkale, exploring the ruins and travertine pools at sunset, when they’re at their most breathtaking.

Overnight in Haltur Hotel.

Day 5 – BIKE Babadag → Karacasu: 42 km | +1185 m. Visit Aphrodisias.

After breakfast, we’ll be transferred to the mountainous town of Babadag (45 min), known for its green fields and flowing water, a contrast from the drier coastal area below. From there, we’ll cycle to Aphrodisias, passing through forests and villages, before exploring this lesser-visited ancient city. Aphrodisias is best known for its marble quarries, ancient sculpture school, and bright white sculptures and structures. We’ll stay overnight in a local guesthouse, enjoying some peace and quiet away from the crowds.

Overnight in Anatolia Hotel.

Day 6 – BIKE Selatin → Çamlık: 23 km | +550 m. Visit Ephesus.

After a morning transfer to Selatin (1 hour 45 min), today’s journey takes us through vibrant villages, lush fruit groves, and scenic hills around Ephesus, one of Turkey’s most celebrated ancient sites—renowned as a member of the Ionian League, one of the seven churches in the Book of Revelation, and the location of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Alongside exploring Ephesus’s grand ruins, we’ll enjoy lunch and wine tasting at a local winery and spend the evening discovering the narrow streets of Sirince.

Overnight in Nisanyan Houses.

Day 7 – Explore Surrounding Sites. Fly out.

Based on flight times, we might visit some of Ephesus’s nearby sites including the Ephesus Museum, St. Jean Basilica, and the Isa Bey Mosque, before a 45-minute transfer takes you to Izmir Airport.

Activity Level

With relatively shorter rides, good road conditions, daily support, and the option of choosing an ebike, the level of this tour is nothing beyond moderate. Still, a moderate level of fitness and some cycling experience are recommended. 

What’s Included

  • 24 hr Concierge Level Support 
  • All Transport All local transfers including airport transfers. 
  • Luggage Transfers: Daily
  • Support Car with an English-speaking driver/mechanic.
  • Meals – 6 Breakfasts
  • Accommodation Upgraded rooms in boutique hotels.
  • Bike Rental: Premium E-Bike or Gravel Bikes

Excluded

  • Entrance Fees 
  • Lunches and Dinners 
  • Drinks at hotels or restaurants 
  • Flight Tickets 
  • Travel Insurance 
  • Tips 

Extensions

This tour can easily be combined with:

  • 4-day hiking tours like the Latmos Mountains
  • 8-day Self Drive Tour from Bodrum to Dalyan.
  • With a direct flight connection, our 4-day hiking tour of Cappadocia is also a great choice.  

Equipment

Bikes: Orbea Kemen SUV 10 E-Bikes or Full Carbon Orbea Terra 1x gravel bikes with electronic shifting.  

Safety Equipment: POC helmets and gloves. Phone holders.

Tripbook: Detailed e-book outlining your tour program, with lots of pictures and relevant information.

GPS Coordinates: We provide a link to RideWithGPS app through which you can follow GPS coordinates

Hotels

In this region of small family-run guesthouses and mid-sized hotels, we’ve done our best to choose the most suitable options available. 

Nisanyan Houses

Joon Cunda

Anatolia Hotel

Anatolia Hotel

Attalos Suites

Hal-Tur Hotel

Saliha Hanım Taş Konakları

Saliha Hanım Taş Konakları

Good to Know

Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly is a self-guided tour?

A self-guided tour provides holiday makers with the chance to escape the stress of booking hotels and planning a vacation without the need for a group tour or a guide. Think of all the ease of a standard tour, without the obligatory schedule that comes with traveling with a guided group.

After prearranging our customers’ transfers and hotel reservations, we prepare a detailed digital tripbook full of historical facts, important phone numbers, and hiking or driving directions, and more to provide you with all the information you’ll need along the way. You will also receive a link to Wikiloc app (free to use for our customers) through which you can follow our GPS coordinates. We provide 24/7 phone support via WhatsApp, Skype or any other phone line. In addition to dropping you off at trailheads when necessary, one of our drivers will pick up your luggage and transfer it to your next hotel during you’re daily hikes or excursions. Since everything has been prearranged for you, and there’s no guide or group you have to keep up with, you’ll be able to relax and enjoy your holiday at your own pace.

Is it possible to make changes to a program?

Absolutely! When feasible, we are always happy to tailor any program to suit your schedule and wishes. Whether you want to add a couple days, extend some hikes, combine multiple tours, or come up with your own program entirely, we’ll try our best to make sure your tour is perfectly suited to you.

When is the best time to travel to Turkey?

The Turkish coast is best visited outside the heat and crowds of July and August and the rains of January and February. While the best times to hike on the coast are March-May and Late September-Early December, our self-drive tours are also great options all through the summer. Cappadocia is best visited May- Mid November.

Are the tours available any time of the year?

Yes, our tours are available any time. Since our tours are self-guided, there are no set dates, you can choose any time that suits your schedule. During the off-season some of the hotels we usually work with may be closed, so the hotels you stay in may be different than those listed on our website.

What equipment do you provide?

We provide a link to Wikiloc app through which you can follow GPS coordinates, a detailed e-book outlining your tour program, with lots of pictures and relevant information, hyper-links for google maps locations etc. Bikes and helmets are also provided, other biking equipment on request.