Istanbul Turkey Package ToursTurkey Itinerary: How to Plan 7 and 10 Days from Istanbul
A Turkey itinerary works best when it follows one loop: Istanbul, Cappadocia, Pamukkale and Ephesus. This page lays out a 7-day and a 10-day route day by day, using flight times and road distances, and shows how bookable packages cover the same ground. For what a trip costs once you are there, see the guide to Turkey trip cost. More options for every region sit in the Turkey tour packages list on the homepage.
A city ferry on the Bosphorus. Photo: Tarikkaanmuslu, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Quick answer The short answer
A first Turkey itinerary of 7 days covers Istanbul, Cappadocia, Pamukkale and Ephesus with three domestic flights, and 10 days adds a slower Istanbul and a second Cappadocia morning or a stop in Konya. The flight Istanbul to Cappadocia takes about 1 h 15 to 1 h 30 in the air and 3 to 4 hours door to door, while the drive is a long haul of many hours, so you fly. A planned version of the 7-day loop, the 7-Day Best of Turkey Tour, costs $1,713 per person with flights, hotels, entrance fees and 5 lunches included. Seasons matter: check the guide to the best time to visit Turkey before fixing dates.
Key takeaways
- Ephesus is reached from Kusadasi or Selcuk, and Cappadocia is the stop that needs spare nights if you want the balloon.
- Compare the two 7-day packages side by side on the homepage grand tours section.
- For just Cappadocia, a 2-day all-inclusive trip at $674 per person does the region with return flights and a cave hotel night.
- The homepage route section covers the classic stops stop by stop.
Planning Rules Before the Day by Day
Three decisions shape any Turkey itinerary: how long to stay in each region, which airports to use, and whether to fly or drive the long legs.
Nights Per Region
Spread the days by what each region offers, and keep spare mornings in Cappadocia if the balloon matters. Ephesus fits as a day trip from Kusadasi, which is about 20 minutes from the site, or from Selcuk. Gallipoli and Troy sit on a separate road leg from Istanbul, and the 2-day tour covers them in 2 days.
Cappadocia deserves the extra night if balloons are the point. One guide calls April to June and September to October the popular balloon season, and flights cancel in wind, rain, fog or snow, so a third morning gives you a spare attempt.
Which Airports to Fly Between
Istanbul has two airports. Istanbul Airport (IST) opened in 2019, is the Turkish Airlines hub and handled 84,513,937 passengers. Sabiha Gokcen (SAW) opened in 2001, serves the Asian side about 32 km southeast of the centre, and is the operating base for Pegasus and AJet.
For Cappadocia, Nevsehir Kapadokya (NAV) is the main airport, 40 to 45 minutes from Goreme, with AJet flying to Sabiha Gokcen and Turkish Airlines to Istanbul Airport. Kayseri (ASR) also has air service, about 60 to 75 minutes from Goreme. For Pamukkale, Denizli Cardak (DNZ) receives AJet and Pegasus from Sabiha Gokcen and Turkish Airlines from Istanbul Airport, and a taxi from the airport to Pamukkale takes roughly an hour. For Ephesus, Izmir Adnan Menderes (ADB) lies 14 km southwest of the city with its own rail station. A domestic flight booked a few weeks ahead costs about 30 to 80 EUR one way.
Flying, Driving or the Overnight Bus
The Istanbul to Cappadocia leg decides the question. The flight takes 1 h 15 to 1 h 30 in the air, or 3 to 4 hours door to door. One guide gives the road as 730 to 800 km and 8 to 10 hours by car, another as 727 km and 6 h 40 of pure driving, and an overnight bus takes 10 to 12 hours. There is no direct train. With figures like those, flying that leg is the sensible choice.
The southern legs are different. Cappadocia to Pamukkale is 530 km and about 8 hours by road in one planner and 611.8 km and 7 h 57 min in another, with a direct Goreme to Denizli bus at about 9 h 55 min. Pamukkale to Selcuk for Ephesus is 190 km and about 3 hours by road. The longest road loop, a 14-day circuit, runs Istanbul, Cappadocia, Pamukkale, Ephesus, the Riviera and back. Turkish Airlines and Pegasus cover most domestic routes, with SunExpress and AJet on tourist corridors.
How the Packages Lay Out the Same Days
The bookable Turkey tour packages on this site run the same loop you would plan yourself. The two 7-day tours, the 7-Day Best of Turkey Tour at $1,713 per person and the 7-Day Turkey Tour with Hotel Choice at $1,935 per person, both include three domestic flights: Istanbul to Cappadocia, Cappadocia onward, and back to Istanbul. The 8-day tours, the 8-Day Istanbul to Konya, Pamukkale and Ephesus Tour at $1,579 per person and the 8-Day Istanbul Ephesus Pamukkale Cappadocia by Plane at $1,012 per person, add Konya or sell the flights as an option.
Shorter stays are covered by the 4-day fly-in tours. The 4-Day Small-Group Fly-In Tour costs $1,488 per person, the 4-Day Turkey Highlights Package $1,649 per person and the private 4-Day Private Turkey Tour $1,900 per person. Each starts in Istanbul and covers Cappadocia, Ephesus and Pamukkale in four days. The first two include 3 domestic flights, and the private tour's listing contradicts itself on flights.
Sources: Istanbul to Cappadocia travel times, Getting around Turkey
A 7-Day Turkey Itinerary
Seven days fits the classic loop: three days in Istanbul, two in Cappadocia, then Pamukkale and Ephesus before flying back. The two [7-day tour packages](/#grand-tours) cover exactly this ground.
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Day 1
Arrive in Istanbul, Old City
Land at Istanbul Airport or Sabiha Gokcen and take the M11 metro from Istanbul Airport to Gayrettepe in about 30 minutes, or a Havaist bus to Taksim in about 90 minutes or Sultanahmet in about 110 minutes. Spend the afternoon on the old city peninsula: Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Basilica Cistern sit within a short walk of each other. If you want a guide for this day alone, the private Istanbul tour sells by the day from $90 per person with 10,468 reviews, and museum, ferry and cable car tickets are extra, paid on request.
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Day 2
Istanbul: Palaces and the Bosphorus
Morning at Topkapi Palace, afternoon on the water. The Bosphorus is about 30 km long, from 700 to 750 m at its narrowest, and the Sehir Hatlari long tour runs about 6 hours round trip with a roughly 3-hour stop at Anadolu Kavagi, stopping at Eminonu, Besiktas, Uskudar, Kanlica, Sariyer, Rumeli Kavagi and Anadolu Kavagi. A short 2-hour version goes to Istinye, and a cheap DIY hop from Eminonu to Uskudar takes about 15 minutes. End the day in the Grand Bazaar area.
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Day 3
Istanbul: Bazaars or a Second Peninsula Morning
Use this day for the Grand Bazaar and Spice Market, or for whatever you missed on day 1. The Marmaray tunnel under the Bosphorus, 13.7 km long with about 1,400 m under the strait, links the European and Asian sides if you want to see Kadikoy. Pack tonight for the Cappadocia flight on day 4.
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Day 4
Fly to Cappadocia
The flight from Istanbul to Cappadocia takes about 1 h 15 to 1 h 30 in the air and 3 to 4 hours door to door, landing at Nevsehir (40 to 45 minutes from Goreme) or Kayseri (60 to 75 minutes). The drive is a long haul, so you fly. Settle into Goreme, which sits at 1,104 m on a plateau over 1,000 m high, and walk into the valleys in the late afternoon light.
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Day 5
Cappadocia: Red Tour Day
If the balloon flew this morning, you were picked up between 04:00 and 05:30, and about 100 balloons launch before sunrise with about 50 more in a second wave 30 minutes later. Then take the Red (North) circuit, about 9 am to 5 pm, covering Uchisar Castle, Goreme Open Air Museum with its more than 30 rock-cut churches, Love Valley, Avanos pottery on the Kizilirmak, Pasabag and Devrent Valley. Every Red Tour stop is at most about a 15-minute drive from Goreme. Prefer to book the region as a unit: the 2-day all-inclusive Cappadocia trip at $674 per person includes return flights, a cave hotel and skip-the-line tickets.
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Day 6
Cappadocia: Green Tour, Then the Road South
The Green (South) circuit runs about 9 am to 6:30 pm on one account and covers Derinkuyu, about 40 minutes from Goreme, the Ihlara Valley about 75 minutes away, and Selime Monastery. Derinkuyu is about 85 m deep and could shelter up to 20,000 people, and the Ihlara section includes nearly 400 steps down into a canyon up to 150 m deep. The Cappadocia to Pamukkale road leg is 530 km and about 8 hours by one planner and 611.8 km and 7 h 57 min by another, while the direct Goreme to Denizli bus takes about 9 h 55 min. Count on most of a day for the move.
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Day 7
Pamukkale and Ephesus, Then Fly Home
Pamukkale's travertine terraces run about 2,700 m long, 600 m wide and 160 m high, fed by 17 hot springs from 35 to 100 C, and Hierapolis beside them was inscribed by UNESCO in 1988. From here Ephesus is 190 km and about 3 hours away, reached from Kusadasi in about 20 minutes: the Library of Celsus dates from about 125 AD and the Great Theatre seats an estimated 24,000 to 25,000, and the walk from Upper Gate to Lower Gate is about 3 km downhill. In summer arrive at 08:00 or after 16:00, because 10:00 to 14:00 brings crowds and about 38 C. Fly home from Izmir Adnan Menderes or Denizli Cardak. Doing all this in one day is a stretch, so on a self-planned week choose between Pamukkale and Ephesus unless a package flies you between regions.
A 10-Day Turkey Itinerary
Ten days buys breathing room: a slower Istanbul, a second Cappadocia morning, and either Konya or Gallipoli slotted in where the road figures allow.
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Day 1
Arrive in Istanbul
Same as the 7-day plan: M11 metro to Gayrettepe in about 30 minutes or Havaist to Sultanahmet in about 110 minutes, then an easy first evening near the old city.
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Day 2
Istanbul: Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern
A full unhurried day on the peninsula. With the extra days this itinerary carries, you can give Hagia Sophia its own morning instead of sharing one day with three sights.
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Day 3
Istanbul: Topkapi and the Bosphorus
Topkapi Palace in the morning, then a Bosphorus boat in the afternoon. The long Sehir Hatlari tour is about 6 hours round trip, if time is short, the 2-hour Istinye version or the 15-minute Eminonu to Uskudar ferry hop covers the feel of the strait.
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Day 4
Istanbul: Bazaars, Then Fly to Cappadocia
Morning at the Grand Bazaar, then the 1 h 15 to 1 h 30 flight to Nevsehir or Kayseri and the 40 to 75 minute transfer to Goreme.
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Day 5
Cappadocia: Red Tour Day
Uchisar Castle, which rises about 60 m above a town at 1,270 m, then the Goreme Open Air Museum, Love Valley, Avanos on the Kizilirmak, Pasabag and Devrent. Balloon passengers numbered more than 256,000 in January to June, and if your flight was cancelled this morning you still have two more Cappadocia dawns ahead.
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Day 6
Cappadocia: Green Tour or a Valley Hike
Derinkuyu, about 85 m deep, and the Ihlara Valley, about 15 km long and up to 150 m deep with around 50 rock-hewn churches, fill the classic Green day. Hikers can instead take Rose Valley, 4 to 5 km and 1 to 2 hours ending at Cavusin, or the Love Valley and White Valley combination, about 7.5 km and 2 to 2.5 hours from Goreme to Uchisar Castle.
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Day 7
Second Cappadocia Morning, Road to Konya
The spare Cappadocia morning is the point of 10 days: a second balloon attempt or a short valley walk. If you add Konya, Pamukkale to Konya is 306 km and about 5 hours by road, and Antalya to Konya is 350 km and about 6 hours. In Konya, the Mevlana Museum holds the tomb of Rumi, who died on 17 December 1273, in a mausoleum completed in 1274 with a turquoise-tiled dome. This Konya day is exactly what the 8-Day Istanbul to Konya, Pamukkale and Ephesus Tour at $1,579 per person builds in.
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Day 8
To Pamukkale
From Konya the road to Pamukkale is 306 km and about 5 hours. Straight from Cappadocia it runs 530 km and about 8 hours per one source, or 611.8 km and about 7 h 57 min per another, and the direct Goreme to Denizli bus takes about 9 h 55 min. Pamukkale gets over two million visitors a year.
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Day 9
Hierapolis, Then to Ephesus
Morning on the travertines and in Hierapolis, inscribed by UNESCO in 1988, then the 190 km, 3-hour drive to Selcuk, or 225 km and about 4 hours to Kusadasi. If you reach Ephesus the same afternoon, go after 16:00 in summer to dodge the 38 C midday window.
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Day 10
Ephesus, Then Fly Home from Izmir
Enter at opening, about 3 km downhill from Upper Gate to Lower Gate. The Terrace Houses hold six Roman residences with mosaics and frescoes under roofing, and the Temple of Artemis, completed around 550 BC as one of the Seven Wonders, survives as a single column, and silting has left the coast 3 to 4 km from the site. Fly home from Izmir Adnan Menderes. Swap days 7 to 10 for Gallipoli instead if you prefer: Istanbul to Canakkale is 318 km (one planner), about 5 hours including the ferry, Troy is 30 km and 35 minutes south, and the 2-day Gallipoli and Troy tour at $367 per person runs that leg as a return trip from Istanbul with a night in Canakkale.
Two Weeks: Adding the Coast or Gallipoli
A 14-day trip is the version where the southwest coast fits without rushing. Two additions work: the Riviera loop after Ephesus, or a Gallipoli and Troy detour before the long hauls.
The 14-Day Circuit
A sample 14-day circuit runs Istanbul, Cappadocia, Pamukkale, Ephesus, the Riviera and back. Plan Kusadasi or Selcuk for Ephesus and then the Antalya area.
The coastal legs are long, so count the hours before you commit. Pamukkale to Antalya is 221 km and about 3.5 hours by road in one planner and 240 km and about 4 hours in another. From Antalya the coast spreads out in one direction: Side is 65 km and about 1 hour, Alanya is 115 km and about 2 hours, Kas is about 3 hours (185 km by one planner, 168 km by Wikipedia), and Fethiye is 295 km and about 6 hours via the coast. Kekova is a common day trip from Kas, and Olu Deniz sits about 4 km south of Fethiye centre.
For the return, fly. Antalya Airport handled about 39.0 million passengers and sits 13 km from the city. Turkish Airlines flies Antalya to Istanbul Airport, and Pegasus and AJet fly to Sabiha Gokcen, so the 725 km, 11-hour drive back to Istanbul never has to happen.
The Gallipoli and Troy Version
If coast does not appeal, swap it for two days on the Dardanelles. Istanbul to Canakkale is 318 km (one planner), about 5 hours including the ferry crossing, and Troy is 30 km south of Canakkale, about 35 minutes. The Gallipoli campaign ran from 19 February 1915 to 9 January 1916, and the ANZAC landing on 25 April 1915 came ashore about 2 km north of the planned beach.
The leg runs by road. If you would rather not drive, the 2-day Gallipoli and Troy tour runs the route from Istanbul by road for $367 per person, with a hotel night and breakfast in Canakkale, lunch included, for groups of up to 30.
One honest warning on the 14-day shape: no package on this site sells a two-week tour. You would book a 7 or 8-day package for the classic route and add Gallipoli, the coast or extra Istanbul days yourself. The private Istanbul tour can extend the city end by 1 to 3 days, from $90 per person.
How to Spend 10 Days in Turkey, with Costs
A 10-day route with what it cost. Third-party video by Pooja and Shravan. This site did not shoot it and has no relationship with the creator.
Fly, Drive or Take a Package
Turkey is bigger than most first-time visitors expect, and the transport choices make or break a route. The table below sets the main legs side by side, using drive distances from the route planners and flight times from the travel guides.
The Long Legs Compared
The Istanbul to Cappadocia flight takes about 1 h 15 to 1 h 30 in the air, against a road of 730 to 800 km and 8 to 10 hours by car in one guide and 727 km and 6 h 40 of pure driving in another, or 10 to 12 hours by overnight bus. There is no direct Istanbul to Cappadocia train at all. Where sources disagree, both figures are given: Rome2Rio puts the Cappadocia to Pamukkale road leg at 611.8 km and 7 h 57 min, while the route planner says 530 km and about 8 hours.
| Leg | By air | By road |
|---|---|---|
| Istanbul to Cappadocia | About 1 h 15 to 1 h 30 in the air, 3 to 4 hours door to door | 730 to 800 km and 8 to 10 hours by car in one guide, 727 km and 6 h 40 of driving in another, 10 to 12 hours by overnight bus |
| Cappadocia to Pamukkale | Not stated | 530 km and about 8 hours per one planner, or 611.8 km and 7 h 57 min per Rome2Rio |
| Pamukkale to Selcuk (Ephesus) | Not stated | 190 km, about 3 hours |
| Pamukkale to Konya | Not stated | 306 km, about 5 hours |
| Istanbul to Canakkale | Not stated | 318 km (one planner), about 5 hours including the ferry crossing |
The Airports That Matter
Istanbul has two airports. Istanbul Airport (IST) opened its terminal in 2019 and is the Turkish Airlines hub, served by metro line M11. Sabiha Gokcen (SAW) opened on 8 January 2001, lies about 32 km southeast of the city centre on the Asian side, and is the operating base for Pegasus and AJet. For Cappadocia you land at Nevsehir Kapadokya (NAV), 40 to 45 minutes from Goreme, or Kayseri (ASR), 60 to 75 minutes away. AJet flies from Nevsehir to Sabiha Gokcen and Turkish Airlines to Istanbul Airport. Kayseri adds Pegasus and SunExpress to the mix. For Pamukkale, Denizli Cardak (DNZ) has AJet and Pegasus to Sabiha Gokcen and Turkish Airlines to Istanbul Airport, and a taxi from the airport to Pamukkale takes roughly an hour. For Ephesus, Izmir Adnan Menderes (ADB) is 60 to 75 minutes from the site.
This is exactly why the packages fly the long legs. The 7-day Best of Turkey tour includes 3 domestic flights covering Istanbul to Cappadocia, Cappadocia to Ephesus and Pamukkale to Istanbul, so none of those long drives happens. A domestic flight booked a few weeks ahead costs about 30 to 80 EUR one way, which is worth it when the road alternative eats a full day. Turkish Airlines and Pegasus cover most domestic routes, with SunExpress and AJet on the tourist corridors.
The Library of Celsus, Ephesus. Photo: Benh LIEU SONG, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Same Route as a Package
Everything in the routes above exists as a bookable package that starts in Istanbul. The table compares the seven multi-day packages on price, length and whether domestic flights are included, so you can match one to the days you have.
Seven, Eight and Four Days
The 7-day tours compress the route into a week: Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus and Pamukkale with 3 domestic flights. The 8-Day Istanbul to Konya tour adds Konya, the city of the Mevlana Museum where Rumi was buried beside his father in a mausoleum completed in 1274. The 4-day fly-in tours squeeze Cappadocia, Ephesus and Pamukkale into four days.
Read the flight column carefully, because two listings are not what they first appear. The 8-day Ephesus, Pamukkale and Cappadocia trip by plane charges flights as a selectable option, not as part of the base price. The private 4-day Cappadocia, Ephesus and Pamukkale tour contradicts itself in its own listing: the description says domestic flights are included while the exclusions list flight tickets as not included, and it does the same for accommodation. Confirm both with the operator before booking.
| Tour | Price | Days | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7-Day Best of Turkey Tour | $1,713 per person | 7 days | Yes, 3 included: Istanbul to Cappadocia, Cappadocia to Ephesus, Pamukkale to Istanbul |
| 7-Day Turkey Tour with Hotel Choice | $1,935 per person | 7 days | Yes, 3 included: Istanbul to Cappadocia, Cappadocia to Izmir, Denizli to Istanbul, 15 kg baggage |
| 8-Day Istanbul to Konya, Pamukkale and Ephesus Tour | $1,579 per person | 8 days | Yes, Istanbul to Izmir, Istanbul to Cappadocia and Kayseri to Istanbul, 15 kg checked |
| 8-Day Istanbul Ephesus Pamukkale Cappadocia by Plane | $1,012 per person | 8 days | Only with the flight ticket option selected: Izmir, Kayseri and back, 25 kg baggage |
| 4-Day Small-Group Fly-In Tour | $1,488 per person | 4 days | Yes, 3 domestic flight tickets with taxes, route not itemised, 15 kg limit |
| 4-Day Turkey Highlights Package | $1,649 per person | 4 days | Yes, 3 domestic flights with all taxes, 15 kg checked plus 8 kg handbag |
| 4-Day Private Turkey Tour | $1,900 per person | 4 days | Conflicting listing: description says included, exclusions say not included |
What the Prices Do and Do Not Cover
The dollar figures above buy different things. The $1,713 Best of Turkey tour includes all entrance fees, breakfasts and 5 lunches, boutique hotels and up to 20 travellers, with free cancellation 24 hours ahead. The $1,579 8-day tour covers 7 breakfasts and 2 dinners but no lunches, with a cave hotel in Cappadocia. On the $1,012 8-day option, breakfast from day 2 and lunches on days 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are listed, though its own notes say entry tickets are excluded while the inclusions say they are included, another point to confirm.
The 4-day tours differ most. The $1,488 small-group fly-in includes breakfasts, tour lunches and all entrance fees for up to 15 people. The $1,649 highlights package adds the choice of small group or fully private. The $1,900 private tour includes lunch and museum tickets but its accommodation line is contradicted inside the listing. None of these packages includes the Cappadocia balloon flight, and where the listings mention one it is a paid extra with no stated price. If you only have 2 or 3 days for Cappadocia on its own, the 2-day all-inclusive Cappadocia trip at $674 and the 3-day Cappadocia tour with balloon option at $1,012 cover the region without the Ephesus and Pamukkale legs. For the wider money picture see Turkey trip cost.
Itinerary Tips: Dos and Don'ts
Do
- Do keep a spare morning in Cappadocia if the balloon matters, because a red flag cannot be reversed once published and guides advise keeping spare mornings.
- Do fly the Istanbul to Cappadocia leg, because the road alternative is a long drive or 10 to 12 hours by overnight bus against about 1 h 15 to 1 h 30 in the air.
- Do plan Ephesus for early morning or late afternoon in summer, because 10:00 to 14:00 brings crowds and about 38 C, and April, May, October and November are described as ideal there.
- Do build the route around Kusadasi or Selcuk for Ephesus, because Kusadasi to Ephesus takes only about 20 minutes and Izmir about 60 to 75 minutes.
- Do allow 2 to 3 hours for the Pamukkale to Selcuk bus transfer, because that 190 km leg is the realistic bridge between the travertines and Ephesus.
Don't
- Don't plan a drive from Cappadocia to Pamukkale in one easy afternoon, because the road runs 530 to 612 km and takes roughly 8 hours by every count.
- Don't look for a train from Istanbul to Cappadocia, because there is no direct one, so the real choice is flight, car or bus.
- Don't book a tour whose listing contradicts itself on flights or hotels without asking the operator first, as two of the multi-day listings here disagree with themselves on exactly those points.
- Don't assume the balloon flight is part of a package, because none of the multi-day listings includes it and the ones that mention it list it as an extra with no stated price.
Where to Stay on a Turkey Itinerary
Each link opens the live room list for that place on the booking site, with today's prices. These are the nights a do-it-yourself route books itself, before or after a package.
Sultanahmet
- Suits
- Walking distance to Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and Topkapi
Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and Topkapi are all nearby.
See stays in SultanahmetGoreme
- Suits
- Cave hotels in the middle of the valleys
Goreme sits inside the Goreme National Park area of Cappadocia.
See stays in GoremeSelcuk
- Suits
- The town next to Ephesus
Selcuk is the town closest to the Ephesus ruins.
See stays in SelcukPamukkale
- Suits
- A night at the foot of the travertines
Hierapolis sits beside the travertines.
See stays in PamukkaleTurkey Itinerary FAQ
How many days do I need for a first Turkey itinerary?
Seven days covers the classic route of Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus and Pamukkale if you fly between regions, and ten days adds breathing room. See the seven and ten day routes at the top of this Turkey itinerary page.
Is a 14-day Turkey itinerary worth it?
Yes, because the 14-day circuit of Istanbul, Cappadocia, Pamukkale, Ephesus and the Riviera is the version where the coast fits. Antalya to Kas is about 3 hours (185 km by one planner, 168 km by Wikipedia), and Fethiye is 295 km and about 6 hours from Antalya by road, so the coast needs days, not an afternoon. For the season, see the best time to visit Turkey.
Should I drive or fly between Istanbul and Cappadocia?
Fly. The flight takes about 1 h 15 to 1 h 30 in the air and 3 to 4 hours door to door, while the road is a long drive of many hours, with no direct train at all. The packages in the package comparison section include these flights.
What does an Istanbul and Cappadocia itinerary look like in 2 or 3 days?
Fly to Nevsehir or Kayseri, which are 40 to 45 and 60 to 75 minutes from Goreme, spend the days on the guided sights, and fly back. The 2-day all-inclusive Cappadocia trip runs exactly that shape with return flights and a cave hotel night.
Can a package cover Konya as well as Ephesus and Pamukkale?
Yes, on one of the two 8-day tours. The 8-day Istanbul to Konya, Pamukkale and Ephesus tour routes Istanbul, Izmir, Ephesus, Kusadasi, Pamukkale, Konya and Cappadocia with flights and a cave hotel for $1,579 per person. Note that Pamukkale to Konya is 306 km, about 5 hours by road.
Do Turkey tour packages include the Cappadocia balloon flight?
No multi-day package here includes it in the base price. Where listings mention a sunrise ride, it is an optional extra with no stated price. The full inclusion picture is on the Turkey tour packages homepage.