This 10-day Turkey itinerary covers popular and offbeat spots complete with things to do, hotels, restaurants, how to get around, and all our best tips! Follow this itinerary on your Turkey trip to visually feast on grand architecture in Istanbul, be mesmerised by surreal landscapes in Cappadocia, walk on the white terraced spa pools in Pammukale, relax on a beautiful beach near Alacati, be mentally teleported to ancient Roman times in Ephesus, and experience the best of Turkiye.

Feel free to tweak this itinerary to your own tastes, flight timings, etc. No itinerary is perfect till it suits you!

Overview of this 10-day Turkey itinerary

Days 1-3: Istanbul

Byzantium. Constantinople. New Rome. Istanbul. This is a City of Majesty at the Crossroads of the World (yes, I read the book before we left for Turkey and highly suggest that you do as well). It has been a pinnacle point of trade, travel, politics and war. Having been the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire and then of the Ottoman Empire, you’ll see influences of both reflected in the architecture.

Today’s Istanbul is a bustling metropolis where the traditional and the modern beautifully exist side by side. During your 3 days in Istanbul, you’ll not just witness historical landmarks but also enjoy the vibrant nightlife, shop in bazaars, eat at hip cafes and restaurants, walk on cobbled streets, ride the tram, see the sights from the ferry/cruise while a cool breeze teases you, and get scrubbed in a hammam. Istanbul will charm you enough for you to want to return there again soon – I can’t wait to!

How to Get Around

Istanbul is very well connected by public transport. You can take the tram, ferry, metro, bus or cab to get to all of Istanbul’s tourist spots.

• To know how to get from point A to point B just enter it on Google Maps and choose the public transport option. It is very helpful.
• Get an Istanbulkart from the first public transport point you see. It looks like an ATM machine and is present at all tram, bus, and ferry stations. The top left button converts the text to English! If you can’t figure out the machine, ask the locals for help. Once card can be used by multiple people.
• Hail a taxi or take a bus only when you can’t take a tram, ferry or metro as these get stuck in traffic quite a bit!
• Ensure you keep Bitaksi (iOS | Android) and Uber apps downloaded on your phone to compare taxi fares and hire a taxi.
• If you hail a taxi on the road, ensure you only go by meter and check the route the whole way on maps. Taxi drivers are known to take the longer route to jack up the fares.

Sightseeing Tips

1. Skip-the-line tickets: The queues at most attractions in Istanbul can be really long especially if you’re travelling in summer. You can avoid these queues by buying skip-the-line tickets online. You’ll get guided and or unguided passes for the same. Though, do note that you will have to prebook a slot for entry beforehand and be there at that specific time. The reason is that a person has to actually take you inside. You can buy these tickets via Viator or Get Your Guide.

2. Istanbul e-Pass: Get this pass for the number of days of your choice. This pass gives you skip-the-line entry and guided tours. It also discounts the price of other tours and entrance tickets in Turkey. To know whether it is worth it for you, check how many sites you’re visiting of the ones mentioned on their page. Do a rough calculation and see if the pass makes sense for you.

We chose to go without any of these options because we went in peak summer, everything was expensive, and we weren’t sure which sites we would be visiting. But in hindsight, we think that the Istanbul e-pass is good value as it is best to go with a guide to make sense of the sites and save time with skip-the-line tickets.

3. Site closure days: Keep the site closure days in mind while planning your 3 days in Istanbul. As a rule, I’d avoid visiting Istanbul on Mondays and Tuesdays. This itinerary is best followed on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. However, you can always switch up the days you visit sites based on the day they are closed.

• Closed Monday: Archaeological Museums, Ayasofya, Dolmabahçe Palace, Great Palace Mosaics Museum
• Closed Tuesday: Topkapı Palace and Harem
• Closed Wednesday: Chora Museum, Rumeli Fortress
• Closed Thursday: Dolmabahçe Palace
• Closed Sunday: Grand Bazaar

Best Areas to Stay

For your first time in Istanbul, it is best to base yourself in Sultanahmet/Fatih (to be close to most of the sightseeing) or in Beyoglu/Karakoy (if you like partying and good food). Just ensure your stay is within walking distance (less than 500 m) of a tram station. This will make your commute that much easier!

For the purpose of this post, we are going to assume you choose to stay in or around Sultanahmet as we did.

Day 1: Historical Istanbul – Hagia Sofia, Basilica Cistern, Topkapi Palace, Hippodrome, Blue Mosque, Hamam

Start with the historical side of Istanbul because this area gives you a true feel of the olden days. It used to be the walled city of Constantinople- now referred to as the Sultanahmet/Fatih area.

Hagia Sophia

Either walk from your hotel or take a tram to Sultanahmet Tram Station then walk about 350 metres to the Hagia Sophia. You’ll see carts of Simit (hard pretzel-type bread with sesame seeds) and roasted chestnuts (they’re delicious) on the road. Gorge on some on the way.

The Hagia Sophia or AyaSofya is the most iconic building in all of Istanbul built in 360 AD. It was constructed as a Cathedral in the Byzantine Empire and was the largest cathedral in the world for over 1000 years. When the Ottomans conquered Istanbul, minarets were added and it was converted to a mosque. Then it was a museum after Turkey became a republic and is now again a mosque. You can now see elements of both a cathedral and a mosque here which is quite fascinating.

Entrance fee: none as it is a mosque
Time Needed: 1.5-2 hours (this will depend on the length of the queue which usually tends to be very long)
Time you should start your day: 9 AM (when Hagia Sophia opens)

Tip: If you don’t care about seeing the Hagia Sofia during the day you can visit in the evening after dark. You’ll be able to skip the whole queue. However, the mosque interiors do look more beautiful during the day. Also, check prayer timings here and try to avoid them unless you do wish to pray inside.

Basilica Cistern

The Basilica Cistern is just a 3-min walk from the exit of Hagia Sophia.

Built-in 532 AD during the Byzantine times to store water for the city in times of war and siege, it is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city of Istanbul. It is also called Yerebatan Sarnıcı or Yerebatan Saray.

The interiors are lit up in different colours and the effect created is very eerie. You’ll see sculptures, several pillars, Medusa’s head on the pillars, and an audio-visual. We loved the experience!

Entrance fee: 190 TLR (~Rs. 835)
Time Needed: 1 hour

Lunch

Walk 500 m to Seven Hills Restaurant.

You can have lunch at the Seven Hills Restaurant. It is close to the sites for today and the view from the rooftop of Seven Hills is amazing. You can see the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia, and the sea from the rooftop. You can also feed the seagulls if you like. You don’t necessarily need to eat here to enjoy the view as they have a separate section to shoot photos, feed seagulls etc.

Note: This restaurant is actually famous for breakfast. If your hotel doesn’t serve breakfast come here in the morning before heading to Hagia Sophia.

Other restaurant options: Gulhane Sark Sofrası, Olive Anatolian Restaurant, Gulhane Sark Sofrası

Topkapi Place

Walk 600 metres to Topkapi Palace.

The palace served as the main residence and administrative headquarters of the Ottoman sultans for four centuries starting 1460s. You’ll see vibrant, picturesque and opulent pavilions, a jewel-filled Treasury, a sprawling Harem and get beautiful views of Istanbul. The palace gives a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the Ottomans.

Entrance fee: 320 TL
Harem Entrance fee: 150 TL (The harem costs extra but is totally worth it. A must-visit)
Combined ticket: 420 TL (~ Rs. 1,850) – includes an audio guide
Time Needed: 2-3 hours (the Topkapi palace shuts by 4 PM. So, get inside by 2 PM latest)

Tip: In order to get the audio guide, you will need to submit your passport or any other government ID so do carry one.

Hippodrome of Constantinople

The Hippodrome of Constantinople is also known as Sultanahmet Square today. Walk through this beautiful area towards the Blue Mosque.

Back in the days of Constantinople, this area was the sporting and social centre of Constantinople. The kings did all they could to decorate this space and hence artwork was created or brought from across the Roman empire. Today, you’ll see the remnants of some this art throughout your walk – Serpent Column, Obelisk of Thutmose III, Walled Obelisk.

Entrance Fee: None
Time needed: 30 mins

Optional: Blue Mosque

The blue mosque has 6 minarets and beautiful blue interiors. The reason why I’ve mentioned it as optional is that the entire interior is covered with scaffolding and cardboard. You cannot see any part of the original mosque except the central dome which is obviously very striking.

The mosque is closed to tourists during prayer times so do check this link and avoid going during such times as you may not be allowed to enter.

Entrance Fee: None
Time needed: 15 mins

Cagaloglu Hammam (Turkish Bath)

I’m sure it’s been a tiring day for you so it’s time to pamper yourself with a Hamam Spa. Walk for 10 mins (600 m) to Cagaloglu Hamam – a 300-year-old Hamam that is also pretty popular with celebrities.

So what is a Hammam? A hammam is a Turkish bath where you are given a sauna, a scrub, and a massage after being doused with foam. You’re served some tea and juice after you’re done. You’ll be squeaky clean and super relaxed after a Hamam. All of this is done in a communal setting with separate sections for men and women.

Cost for Istanbul Dream: Euro 50 per person

If you’re staying on the Beyoglu side of the city, you can also opt for Kilic Ali Pasa Hamam. However, do note that they have different timings for men and women.

Note

Women: In a Hamam, women do not wear a bra/bikini top (you’re given a disposable thong in Cagaloglu) and are required to cover up with the provided towel till the bathing process and afterwards. You can carry a bikini if you’d like but you’ll be the odd one out. I carried one but didn’t end up wearing it and never once felt weird.

Men: You should carry a change of underwear.

Tip: Book the hamam experience at Cagaloglu Hamam beforehand. Your reservation will be guaranteed but you’ll only have to pay at the premises.

Dinner

Have dinner at Old Ottoman Cafe and Restaurant. It is just a 1 min walk from Cagaloglu Hamam and is very famous for its Turkish food. Another good option is the Secret Garden Restaurant.

After dinner, you can walk 500 m to Hafiz Mustafa for some delicious Baklava, Baklava desserts and puddings.

Tip: While choosing places to eat in the area of Fatih, ensure they have a good rating on Google/TripAdvisor. Why? Since this is the main tourist area, you’ll find restaurants with overpriced mediocre food. Plus, some restaurant hosts will offer you free appetizers and desserts. Don’t go for it no matter how much they insist. The food will, in all probability, suck!

Day 2: European Istanbul: Ortakoy Mosque, Dolmabahce Palace, Galata Tower, Istiklal Street

Ortakoy Mosque

Take a tram to Kabataş Tramvay Istasyonu and then a bus/cab to Ortakoy Mosque.

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Ortakoy mosque is built right beside the water with a bridge in the background. You don’t necessarily need to go inside the mosque but the area is so beautiful you’ll want to spend some time here to take it all in, click a few photos, and grab some street food.

Tip: Avoid going here on Sunday. On Sunday, a market is set up beside the mosque and the crowd is insane. It was a nice experience but you won’t be able to enjoy the beauty of the mosque.

Dolmabahce Palace

Take a cab or bus to Dolmabahce Palace.

The Dolmabahce Palace is the first European-style palace built by Ottoman Sultans between 1843 and 1846 because the Topkapi palace lacked contemporary style and comfort. This was the residence of the last 6 Ottoman Sultans. It is very elaborately decorated on the inside and you can tell it cost a lot- 35 tonnes of gold, the equivalent of ca. $1.9 billion in today’s (2021) values. It was later used by, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder and first President of the Republic of Turkey, as a presidential residence and it is also where he died.

The palace is way more ornate than Topkapi Palace. Your mouth will be left hanging open in the Ceremonial Hall when you see the 4.5-ton chandelier. The Harem of this palace was rather ordinary in comparison to the main building and can be skipped if you’re short on time.

Note: Photography of any sort isn’t allowed inside the palace.
Entrance fee: TL 300 (~INR 1,320)
Time needed: 1.5-2 hours

Galata Tower

Walk 350 metres and take a tram from Kabataş Tramvay Istasyonu to Karaköy İstasyonu and walk about 650 metres to reach Galata Tower.

Built as a watchtower at the highest point of the Walls of Galata, this tower has served as a jail as well and was rebuilt a few times. It is now an exhibition space and museum.

Just walk around and maybe even head up the tower for fantastic views over the city of Istanbul.

Entrance fee: 175 TL (INR 770)
Time needed: 1-2 hours

We chose not to go up in the interest of time so cannot show you what it looks like from up there.

Lunch

Have lunch around Galata Tower or at your next stop -Taksim Square. You’ll find plenty of options at both.

We actually ate food at Velvet Cafe near Galata Tower and the food was excellent. They provided complimentary Halwa which was so so good. Their great grandfather was the African Coffee Maker of the Palace so you are guaranteed amazing Turkish coffee!

Taksim Square and Istiklal Street

Walk 900 metres to Istiklal Street.

You’ve got nothing else on today’s agenda except walking around Istiklal Street, shopping, eating and enjoying the vibe. The street is lined with restaurants, bars, cafes, clubs and shops. Walk the length of it to Taksim Square or ride the historic tram.

Note: If walking around Istiklal for so long is not your thing, you could also go on a cruise along the Bosphorus which we have actually kept as an option for the next day. You could do a 2.5-hour yacht cruise or a night cruise and then the next day head to the Asian side via ferry. Both the above tours start on the Beyoglu side of the city.

Dinner

Head to Ficcin for dinner. A friend has highly recommended this place for its vibe and delicious food.

Day 3: European and Asian Istanbul – Balat, Sulimaniye Mosque, Grand Bazaar, Ferry Ride, Asian Side

Today is your last day in Istanbul and you’ve still got a lot to see. However, if you have only 2.5 days in Istanbul due to flight timings, I’d suggest skipping the first half of this day and only do the cruise/ferry and the Asian side of Istanbul.

Breakfast in Balat

Start your morning by around 7-8 AM and head to Balat for breakfast. Your walk in Balat begins at Merdivenli Yokuş Evleri. Take a cab there as this is the most convenient option. Else take a tram to Fener and then a cab or a bus to Balat bus stop and then walk 600 metres to your first stop.

Balat is lined with colourful houses and beautiful cafes. Spend your morning walking around and grab a bite at a cafe of your choice. Given below are some nice spots. Walk this 1 km route from 1-6 or vice versa. You can type exactly these names in Google Maps and follow the route.

1. Merdivenli Yokuş Evleri
2. Gen Antik Cafe – The area around is very cute with antique cars
3. Coloured houses of Balat
4. Fener Greek High School – Beautiful orthodox greek building
5. İncir ağacı kahvesi – colourful stairs
6. Dimitrie Cantemir Museum Cafe
7. Balatte Gelato

Sulimaniye Mosque

From Balatte Gelato take a cab to Sulimaniye Mosque. Alternatively, you can take the tram (Fener-Eminonu) or the bus (Fener to İst.Büyükşehir Beled) but in both cases, you’ll have to walk about 1.5 km total which isn’t worth it unless you’re on a shoestring budget.

The Süleymaniye Mosque crowns one of İstanbul’s seven hills providing a landmark for the entire city. It is one of the grandest and most beautiful mosques in Istanbul- often seen on Instagram as well. The mosque was commissioned by Suleiman the Magnificent- the longest-ruling Sultan – and was inaugurated in 1557. For 462 years, this mosque was the largest mosque in the city, until it was surpassed by the Çamlıca Mosque in 2019. 

Shopping in Grand Bazar

Walk 450 m to the Grand Bazaar and go shopping.

Constructed in 1455, the Grand Bazar is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops. You’ll find everything here – from souvenirs to counterfeit luxury brands (Turkey is the third largest producer of counterfeit goods). The Grand Bazaar is huge and the lanes confusing- don’t get lost

An evening ferry ride to Moda/ Bosphorus Cruise

You have a few options for this evening. Decide based on what you like more – relaxation and entertainment, or exploring the Asian Side.

Option 1: Ferry to the Asian Side. Explore Kadikoy and Moda

Head to the Eminonu Pier. You can either walk 1 km from the Grand Bazar or take a tram from Cemberlitas or Beyazit (whichever is closer to your exit) to Eminonu Tram Stop.

Then take the next departing ferry to Kadikoy on the Asian Side. The ferry ride itself is so beautiful and hardly costs anything.

You’ll arrive at the Kadikoy ferry terminal. Enter Kadife street on Google Maps and just walk towards it enjoying the vibe of Istanbul’s Asian side. There will be cute stores, lots of eateries, bars, clubs, restaurants and people just chilling. It’s a total vibe and not to be missed.

Just remember that to get back you’ll have to board the ferry back to Eminonu so ensure you get to the terminal before the last ferry leaves (around 10:30 PM) else you’ll have to take a cab which will be ultra-expensive and will take a lot of time as well.

Option 2: Short Bosphorus Cruise and Explore Asian Side

These are of several types so I’m linking a few options below for you to choose from:

1. Bosphorus Sunset Cruise on Luxury Yacht (departing from Beyoglu): Bosphorus sunset cruise is a 2.5-hour guided cruise in a luxury yacht. You’ll see many famous sites, learn about the history of Istanbul’s landmarks, and see the sunset all while having coffee and canapes. Starts at around 5:30 PM.
   
2. Bosphorus Cruise: Simply go to the Eminonu pier (or Kabatas – depending on the side of the city you wish to depart from and return to) and hop on an available cruise. We were there at around 5:45 PM and there was one available at a very reasonable price. This will probably turn out to be the cheapest. Else you can pre-book here (departing from Eminonu pier) or here departing from Kabatas Pier.

Option 3: Bosphorus night cruise

Bosphorus Night Dinner Cruise (departing from Kabatas on the Beyoglu side)

Bosphorus Dinner Cruise ( departing from Eminonu on the Fatih side)

For both cruises, you will be picked up from your hotel between 7-9 PM for a night of entertainment, food and brilliant views. The experience will take about 4 hours.

Days 4-6: Cappadocia

For most people, Cappadocia equals a dreamy hot air balloon flight. But Cappadocia is so much more than that – it’s also about the strange volcanic rock formations called fairy chimneys, underground cities, cave churches, epic hikes, interesting history, cave hotels and more.

The reason we are recommending 3 days in Cappadocia are the hot air balloon flights. These are weather dependent and can be cancelled on your day of flight. Hence, it is best to have atleast 2-3 mornings in Cappadocia.

How to reach Cappadocia

Flight: The best way to reach Cappadocia is by taking a flight from Istanbul. You’ll be there in 1 hr and 30 minutes.

Car: Cappadocia is 730 km from Istanbul which translates to about 7 hours 40 mins by road. It’ll waste a lot of time and you’ll need to add an extra day to your itinerary

Overnight bus: The bus takes about 11 hours. Book here or get a ticket directly from the bus stations in Istanbul. This costs about 500 TLR online.

How to reach your hotel

You can either rent a car at the airport, take a taxi (expensive unless you’re 3 people or more), or take a shuttle (best option). The shuttle is arranged by the hotel and approximately costs euro 4-10 per person (the price depends on your hotel). Please tell the hotel to reserve your space on the shuttle beforehand.

The best area to stay

Cappadocia is not a city but a vast region comprising various towns. Most tourists stay in Goreme as there are plenty of restaurants and shops and hot air balloons fly close in the morning. It is the most centrally located as well. But, it was also the only town in Turkey we didn’t really like – bad roads and traffic, money-hungry attitude, mediocre and expensive food. You could also consider the towns of Uchisar and Urgup to stay away from all this. But do so only if you’re renting a car.

How to get around

Public transport in Cappadocia is actually not good at all. You can do the following:

1. Walk everywhere: Distances are large but a lot of the areas can be covered on foot on beautiful hikes through the valleys. Hitchhike or ask your hotel to get you to the starting points of these hikes.
   
   
2. Take tours: Most people opt for this. The upside of tours is that you’ll learn a lot about the attractions else it may all look the same after a point. Tours are super organised so you’ll be picked up from the hotel at around 9:30 AM and dropped off by 5 PM. The downside is that you won’t have any freedom, won’t be able to go to sunset spots outside of your hotel town, pay quite a bit for the tours (40 euros per person minimum), and go in large groups if not opting for private tours.
   
   If you opt to take tours – you don’t really need to go through the Cappadocia section of the itinerary below. Just go through the following tour options:
   
   Day 1. Day one will probably be a half day if your flight is landing this day. I’d suggest to chill at your hotel or in the town during the day and head out for one of the following during the afternoon to see Red and Rose valley (they can’t be missed): Quad Safari, Sunset Horseback Riding, Hiking in Red and Rose Valleys. If you’d love to hike on your own this map on All Trails.
   
   Day 2: Red Tour (North Cappadocia): This is the most popular tour which usually covers sites like Goreme Open Air Museum, Uchisar Castle, Devrent Valley, Love Valley and Paşabağı Valley. Book a group tour | Book a private tour
   
   Day 3. Green Tour (South Cappadocia): Covers sites like Ihlara Valley, Selime Monastery, Any one underground City, Pigeon Valley. Book a group tour | Book a private tour
   
   
3. Hire a self-driven or chauffer driven car: We opted to hire a car because we went in the peak season in August and tours were way less economical than simply hiring a car. We did get lost looking for Pasabag but we also chanced upon random beautiful sights, spent our time the way we wanted where we wanted and truly enjoyed driving around Cappadocia at our own pace. We hired our car directly through our hotel but we also saw some great deals on Discover Cars. I would suggest hiring a car from the city as opposed to at the airport because it will be more expensive. The below itinerary for Cappadocia is for those of you who hire a car or opt for a chauffer driven car.