Turkey
Six cities I explored, four routes that actually work, and the practical page. I wish someone had handed me that the first time.
Updated September 2026
What nobody tells you before you land
Turkey straddles two continents: Europe on one side of the Bosphorus, Asia on the other, and a whole country in between that most people never reach. Almost everyone lands in Istanbul and stops there — and misses that the real magic is inland and down the coast, a domestic flight or a long drive away.
So the routes below are built around distance, not a checklist. The country is huge: pair Istanbul in the northwest with a flight to Cappadocia in the center, then work the Aegean and Mediterranean coast by road. Domestic flights are cheap and frequent — use them, and keep the coast for when you have the days.
Fact sheet
Everything practical, on one page
Itineraries
Four routes that actually work
Seven days is the minimum for Istanbul and Cappadocia without rushing. Twenty-one is the whole loop, coast included.
Four days for Istanbul on both continents, then a short flight to Cappadocia for the fairy chimneys and a dawn balloon. The version for one week.
The extra days go west: fly to İzmir for the Roman ruins of Ephesus, then the white travertine terraces and Hierapolis at Pamukkale.
The full Aegean line — the ruins of Pergamon at Bergama on the way down — and then the Mediterranean at Antalya, with old Kaleiçi and the Lycian coast within reach.
The one I'd take. Istanbul and Cappadocia in full, the whole Aegean coast from Pergamon to Pamukkale, and Antalya as the base for the Lycian coast (Fethiye) — with a detour to Konya if you have the time.
City guides
Six cities, walked one street at a time
Istanbul
Two continents in one city — Hagia Sophia, the bazaars, and the ferries across the Bosphorus.
4 days · Coming soonCappadocia
Göreme, the fairy chimneys and cave hotels — and the dawn balloons that made it famous.
3 days · Coming soonEphesus
The Roman ruins near Selçuk — the Library of Celsus and one of the best-preserved ancient cities.
2 days · Coming soonPergamon
The hilltop acropolis at Bergama — the steep theatre and the ancient healing centre below.
1 day · Coming soonPamukkale
The white travertine terraces and the Roman ruins of Hierapolis on the ridge above them.
2 days · Coming soonAntalya
The Mediterranean coast and old Kaleiçi — the harbour, the walls and the base for the Lycian coast.
3 days · Coming soonAsked every week
Questions I get about Turkey
How many days do I need?+
Seven is the minimum for Istanbul and Cappadocia without rushing. Ten adds the Aegean (Ephesus and Pamukkale); fourteen adds Pergamon and the Mediterranean at Antalya; twenty-one is the whole loop with time for the Lycian coast.
Do I need an e-visa?+
Many nationalities do — it's a quick online application at the official evisa.gov.tr portal, and others are visa-free for short stays. Rules change, so check your own passport's requirements before you fly rather than relying on an old blog.
Cards or cash, with the inflation?+
The lira has high inflation, so prices move — but cards work almost everywhere, from restaurants to museums. Carry some cash for markets, small towns, taxis and tipping, and withdraw in local currency rather than letting an ATM convert for you.
When should I go?+
Spring (April to June) and autumn (September to October) are the sweet spots — mild, clear and with fewer crowds. Summer is hot on the coast and busy; winter is quiet, with snow in Cappadocia and central Anatolia.
Are the Cappadocia balloons worth it?+
Yes — the dawn flight over the fairy chimneys is the image everyone comes for, and it lives up to it. Flights depend on the weather and sell out, so book early and leave a spare morning: if yours is cancelled for wind, you'll want a second chance.
The podcast
I walked this before I wrote it
Every guide starts as an episode. Listen to the Turkey introduction — the context, the history and the honest bits — then come back for the routes.