Aegean Prelude: Self-Launched Edition — Istanbul to Marmaris
7 days · Western Turkey
Fez Travel charges £1,210
No-markup version: ~£352 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Fez Travel's 7-day Aegean Prelude group tour, covering Istanbul's Old City, the Gallipoli battlefields, Troy, Ephesus, Pamukkale/Hierapolis and finishing in Marmaris — all done using Turkey's excellent intercity bus network, local dolmuş minibuses and self-bookable day tours. You'll stay in hostels and small guesthouses, join small-group day tours for the sites where a guide genuinely adds value (Gallipoli, Ephesus), and do the rest independently with museum passes and audio guides. Costs are approximate backpacker/budget-standard estimates per person in GBP.
Day-by-day
Arrive Istanbul — Old City orientation
Istanbul
Fly or bus into Istanbul and take the metro (M1A + tram, ~£1.20 with an Istanbulkart) into Sultanahmet or Sirkeci. The Istanbulkart is your best friend all week for cheap rides. Check into a hostel in Sultanahmet or Kadıköy, then do a free self-guided wander: Hippodrome, Blue Mosque exterior at dusk (free entry outside prayer times), and the waterfront at Eminönü. Eat a cheap balık ekmek (fish sandwich) by the Galata Bridge for around £2.50. Optional evening: Galata Tower area and İstiklal Caddesi street food crawl — simit (£0.70), lahmacun (£2), Turkish tea everywhere for pennies.
🚌Istanbul Airport metro + tram into the city ~£1.20; walking thereafter
🛏Hostel in Sultanahmet or Kadıköy (dorm) — ~£14/night
- →Hippodrome self-guided walk
- →Blue Mosque (free)
- →Eminönü & Galata Bridge
- →İstiklal street food crawl
Istanbul Old City — Topkapı, Hagia Sophia & Grand Bazaar
Istanbul
Buy a Museum Pass Türkiye or individual tickets online in advance — Topkapı Palace incl. Harem is ~£30 and Hagia Sophia's visitor gallery ~£22. Arrive at Topkapı opening time (9am) to beat the tour groups. Do a free audio guide (downloadable) or the excellent signage rather than paying for a group tour. Lunch in the Grand Bazaar area (kebap or pide ~£4). Afternoon: Hagia Sophia, then wander the Grand Bazaar — free, and great value for souvenir hunting. If you want the full guided version, GetYourGuide runs an Istanbul Classics small-group day tour for ~£55, but doing it independently saves around £25.
🚌Walking; tram if you move between districts (~£1)
🛏Same hostel — ~£14/night
- →Topkapı Palace & Harem (self-guided, ~£30)
- →Hagia Sophia (~£22)
- →Grand Bazaar
- →Free audio-guide walking route
Gallipoli battlefields via Çanakkale
Çanakkale / Gallipoli
Take an early morning bus from Istanbul's Esenler or Alibeyköy bus terminal to Çanakkale — the journey is around 5.5 hours and costs roughly £15 with Pamukkale or Kamil Koç (book on the app the night before). Drop bags at a guesthouse in Çanakkale, then join an afternoon small-group Gallipoli battlefield tour departing from Çanakkale (~£35 with a local operator booked via GetYourGuide or directly). You'll see ANZAC Cove, Lone Pine, Chunuk Bair, The Nek and Johnston's Jolly with a guide who can explain the trenches and tunnels — this is one place where a guide is genuinely worth paying for. Back in Çanakkale for dinner by the waterfront (~£6).
🚌Coach Istanbul–Çanakkale ~£15; tour minibus included in activity cost
🛏Guesthouse in Çanakkale (private room shared) — ~£16/night
- →Intercity bus Istanbul–Çanakkale
- →Afternoon guided Gallipoli battlefields tour (~£35)
- →Waterfront dinner in Çanakkale
Troy & Troy Museum, then south to Selçuk
Çanakkale → Selçuk / Kuşadası
Take the local dolmuş from Çanakkale to Troy (~£1.50, 45 mins) and arrive for opening. Entry to Troy plus the brilliant Troy Museum is on a combined ticket (~£10). The site is well interpreted; the museum's wooden horse and gold hoard replicas are the highlight. Return to Çanakkale, then take an evening bus south to Selçuk or Kuşadası (~£14, 5–6 hours) — Selçuk is the better base for Ephesus and much cheaper. Grab a cheap meal near the bus station or your guesthouse (~£5).
🚌Dolmuş to Troy ~£1.50; coach Çanakkale–Selçuk ~£14
🛏Guesthouse/hostel in Selçuk — ~£15/night
- →Troy archaeological site & Troy Museum (~£10 combined)
- →Dolmuş ride to Troy
- →Overnight bus/coach south to Selçuk
Ephesus & the Temple of Artemis
Selçuk / Ephesus
Walk or take a 10-minute dolmuş to Ephesus (~£0.80) and be there for opening at 8:30am — you'll beat both the crowds and the midday heat. Entry is roughly £22; hire an audio guide (~£4) or download a free podcast walk. Don't miss the Library of Celsus and the Great Theatre. Follow the exit path to the Temple of Artemis (free) and then walk into Selçuk for the Ephesus Archaeology Museum (~£4), which many group tours skip. Afternoon: stroll the Selçuk bazaar and see the Isa Bey Mosque. Optional: a local carpet-weaving cooperative visit in Selçuk is free and low-pressure if you go independently — you can also book a small-group Ephesus day tour from Kuşadası (~£40) if you'd rather have a guide.
🚌Dolmuş to Ephesus ~£0.80 each way
🛏Same Selçuk guesthouse — ~£15/night
- →Ephesus ancient city (~£22)
- →Temple of Artemis (free)
- →Ephesus Archaeology Museum (~£4)
- →Isa Bey Mosque & Selçuk bazaar
Pamukkale travertines & Hierapolis
Pamukkale / Denizli
Take an early coach from Selçuk to Denizli (~£9, 3 hours), then the local dolmuş up to Pamukkale village (~£1). Drop bags and head straight to the travertines — combined Pamukkale + Hierapolis entry is around £20. Walk the white terraces barefoot (as required), then explore the Hierapolis ruins including the theatre and the Antique Pool, where you can swim among sunken Roman columns for ~£8 extra (the tour's 'Cleopatra's Pool'). Skip the hot-air balloon (a costly extra at roughly £100+) unless it's a must. Evening: stay in Pamukkale village, dinner ~£6.
🚌Coach Selçuk–Denizli ~£9; dolmuş to Pamukkale ~£1
🛏Pamukkale village guesthouse — ~£16/night
- →Pamukkale travertines & Hierapolis (~£20 combined)
- →Antique Pool thermal swim (~£8)
- →Sunset over the terraces
South to Marmaris — trip ends on the Aegean
Marmaris
Morning bus from Denizli to Marmaris (~£11, around 3.5 hours via Muğla). Depending on your onward plan, either spend the night in Marmaris (hostels ~£16) or hop a ferry/bus onward to Fethiye, Dalaman airport or Rhodes. If you have time, the Marmaris marina, castle and bazaar are free to wander, and a swim at İçmeler beach is a short dolmuş ride away (~£1). If you want to loop back to Istanbul, overnight coaches run from Marmaris (~£22, 12 hours) — book on the Pamukkale or Kamil Koç app.
🚌Coach Denizli–Marmaris ~£11; local dolmuş ~£1
🛏Hostel in Marmaris — ~£16/night (or travel onward same day)
- →Coach Denizli–Marmaris
- →Marmaris marina, castle & bazaar (free)
- →İçmeler beach swim
Self-launched vs. Fez Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Fez Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£352 | £1,210 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £858 per person (71%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Fez Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£352
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Aegean Prelude: Self-Launched Edition — Istanbul to Marmaris cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £352 per person for 7 days in Western Turkey. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Fez Travel?+
Yes — Fez Travel charges around £1,210 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £352 — a saving of roughly £858 (71%) per person.
How long is the Western Turkey trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 day-by-day stops through Western Turkey.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, budget, backpacker trip through Western Turkey, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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