Turkey straddles two continents and three civilisations — Byzantine, Ottoman, and modern. Cappadocia's fairy chimneys, the turquoise Aegean coast, Istanbul's incomparable skyline, and the ruins of Troy and Ephesus make it one of the world's most layered travel destinations.
📅 Day-by-Day Itinerary
📅 Istanbul
The Hagia Sophia (1,500 years old, still staggering), the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, and the Grand Bazaar (4,000 shops since 1461). Cross the Bosphorus by ferry — the only city on two continents. Eat meze and fish at a meyhane in Beyoğlu. Sunrise from the Galata Tower.
📅 Cappadocia
Hot air balloon at sunrise over the fairy chimneys — one of the world's great dawn spectacles. Hike the Rose Valley and Pigeon Valley. Underground cities of Derinkuyu (8 levels deep, 20,000 people). Stay in a cave hotel — rooms carved into volcanic rock.
📅 Pamukkale & Ephesus
The cotton castle — white travertine terraces and thermal pools (the ancient Hierapolis spa). Then Ephesus — the best-preserved Roman city in the world, 2,000-year-old marble streets still intact.
📅 Turquoise Coast — Ölüdeniz
The Blue Lagoon at Ölüdeniz — the most photographed beach in Turkey. Tandem paraglide from Babadağ Mountain (1,960m) for a 45-minute flight above the coast. Kayak the Lycian coast to sunken ruins visible through the water.
📅 Bodrum & the Aegean
The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus (one of the Seven Wonders). Swim off a gulet (Turkish wooden yacht). Eat seafood mezesi on the harbour. Day trip to Kos or Rhodes by ferry if Greek island hopping.
💡 Key tips: Turkish lira fluctuates — use a Wise or Revolut card for the best rates. Haggling is expected in the Grand Bazaar. The e-Visa must be obtained online before arrival. Cappadocia balloons are cancelled in bad weather — allow 2 nights buffer. Raki (anise spirit) is Turkey's national drink — drink it with water and mezesi, never alone.
