Turkey Itinerary: 7, 10 and 14 Day Routes

Turkey is bigger than most first-time visitors expect: Istanbul to Cappadocia is as far as London to Edinburgh, and the Aegean coast is another hour’s flight from there. The good news is that domestic flights are short and frequent, so a week is enough to see the three places almost everyone comes for, and ten days or two weeks let you slow down and add the coast or the southeast. These are the routes we plan most often for our guests, day by day.

Before you plan: three things to know

Fly between regions. Istanbul, Cappadocia (Kayseri or Nevşehir airport) and the Aegean (Izmir or Bodrum) are each about an hour apart by air, against eight to ten hours by road. Within each region your private driver and guide take you from site to site.
Give Cappadocia two nights at least. Balloons fly at sunrise only when the wind allows; a second morning is your back-up if the first flight is called off.
Leave some space. One free afternoon in Istanbul and one slow day on the coast make a trip feel like a holiday instead of a checklist.

7 days: Istanbul, Cappadocia and Ephesus

The classic first trip, and the route of our Golden Triangle package.

Day 1, Istanbul: arrive at Istanbul Airport, transfer to your hotel in the old city or by the Bosphorus.
Day 2, Istanbul: the old city on foot with your guide: Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome, the Basilica Cistern and the Grand Bazaar.
Day 3, Cappadocia: an early flight to Cappadocia and an afternoon among the fairy chimneys and the rock churches of the Göreme Open-Air Museum.
Day 4, Cappadocia: a hot-air balloon flight at sunrise, then the valleys, a village in the rock and an underground city.
Day 5, Ephesus: fly to Izmir and drive to Ephesus: the Library of Celsus, the Terrace Houses and the Great Theatre. Overnight in Şirince or Selçuk.
Day 6, Istanbul: fly back to Istanbul and spend the afternoon on the Bosphorus.
Day 7: fly home.

10 days: the classic route, with time to breathe

Ten days is the length we recommend for a first trip. You see the same three places without early starts every day, and add Pamukkale and a few days by the sea.

Days 1–3, Istanbul: the old city on day 2; Topkapı Palace, the Süleymaniye Mosque and the Spice Market on day 3, ending with a private boat on the Bosphorus at sunset.
Days 4–6, Cappadocia: the open-air museum and the valleys, a balloon flight, the underground city and a day of your own choosing: a valley hike, a pottery workshop in Avanos or a wine tasting.
Day 7, Ephesus: fly to Izmir for Ephesus, the Basilica of St John and the House of the Virgin Mary.
Day 8, Pamukkale: the white travertine terraces and the Roman spa city of Hierapolis, with Aphrodisias on the way if you love ancient sculpture.
Days 9–10, the coast: two days by the sea in Bodrum, with a day on a private boat, then fly home from Bodrum through Istanbul.

Prefer more history to the beach? Swap the coast for Priene, Miletus and Didyma and a night in Izmir.

14 days: add the coast or the southeast

Two weeks let you add a region that most visitors never reach. Start from the ten-day route and choose one of these:

The Blue Cruise: replace the two coastal days with four days on your own gulet from Bodrum or Fethiye, swimming in coves that only boats can reach.
The dawn of civilization: fly from Cappadocia or Istanbul to Şanlıurfa for Göbeklitepe, the oldest known temple in the world, then Harran and Mardin. Our Dawn of Man journey shows the route.
The whole west: drive the Aegean from Ephesus to Pergamon, Assos, Troy and Gallipoli, and back to Istanbul, as on our Treasures of Turkey tour.

When to go

April to June and September to October suit every one of these routes: warm days, comfortable cities and a sea warm enough to swim from late May. July and August are the season for the coast and the boats, but hot at Ephesus and Pamukkale. In winter Cappadocia is magical under snow and Istanbul is quiet. Month by month, region by region: weather and the best time to visit Turkey.

How we plan your days

Every route above is a starting point. Tell us your dates, how you like to travel and what you love, and we will shape the days around you, with your own guide and driver in each region and hotels chosen for their character. Ask us for your own itinerary.

Frequently asked questions

Is one week enough for Turkey?

For a first taste, yes: one week covers Istanbul, Cappadocia and Ephesus if you fly between them. Ten days lets you see the same places at an easier pace.

Should I start or end in Istanbul?

Most international flights arrive in Istanbul, so it is natural to start there. Many guests like to split it: two days at the start and one at the end, which also leaves room for shopping before you fly home.