2 Weeks in Turkey: The Classic Route

Two weeks is the sweet spot for Turkey’s most famous route. This itinerary traces a loop from Istanbul down the Aegean coast, across the Mediterranean, into Cappadocia, and back — hitting every major site without backtracking. It works year-round, though spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) offer the best balance of weather and crowds.

Route overview

Days	Location	Nights	Transport in
1–3	Istanbul	3	International flight
4	Bursa or Gallipoli	0 (day trip) or 1	Bus/ferry
5	Çanakkale / Troy	1	Bus
6	Selçuk / Ephesus	1	Bus
7	Pamukkale	1	Bus
8–9	Antalya	2	Bus
10–11	Cappadocia	2	Flight or overnight bus
12–13	Cappadocia (continued)	—	—
14	Return to Istanbul	0	Flight

Days 1–3: Istanbul

Three days allows a proper exploration. Split the city into zones:

Day 1 — Sultanahmet

Hagia Sophia (free), Blue Mosque (free, closed during prayers), Basilica Cistern (₺450), Topkapı Palace (₺750 — allow 2.5 hours). Lunch in Sultanahmet: expect tourist pricing (₺200–350/person). Walk to the Spice Bazaar in the afternoon.

Day 2 — Beyoğlu and the Bosphorus

Morning Bosphorus cruise (short loop: 90 min, ₺200–400). Walk İstiklal Caddesi, visit Galata Tower (₺650 entry or view from outside for free). Explore Karaköy and Balat neighbourhoods on foot. Evening: meyhane dinner in Beyoğlu (₺300–600/person with rakı).

Day 3 — Asian side + Grand Bazaar

Ferry to Kadıköy (₺20, 20 min from Eminönü). Explore the market streets, eat at Çiya Sofrası (₺150–250/person). Return to the European side for the Grand Bazaar in the afternoon. Evening: Ortaköy waterfront for kumpir (stuffed baked potato, ₺100–150).

Day 4: Bursa or Gallipoli (choose one)

Option A: Bursa (day trip or overnight)

Fast ferry from Yenikapı to Mudanya (1.5 hours, ₺150), then dolmuş to Bursa centre (30 min, ₺30). Visit the Green Mosque, Grand Mosque, and eat an İskender kebab at its birthplace (₺180–300). Bursa also has thermal baths (Kervansaray Termal: ₺300–500). Return same day or stay one night, then bus to Çanakkale next morning (4 hours, ₺250–350).

Option B: Gallipoli

Bus from Istanbul Esenler otogar to Çanakkale (5.5 hours, ₺300–400). From Çanakkale, take a Gallipoli tour — organised half-day tours cross the Dardanelles by ferry and visit Lone Pine, Chunuk Bair, and ANZAC Cove (₺500–900/person including transport and guide). Return to Çanakkale by evening.

Day 5: Çanakkale and Troy

Troy is 35 km south of Çanakkale. Dolmuş from Çanakkale otogar every 30 minutes (₺40, 35 min). Troy itself (₺200 entry) takes 1–2 hours — manage your expectations; it’s an archaeological site, not a reconstructed city. The wooden horse replica and the visible layers of civilisation (9 cities built on top of each other) are the main draws.

Afternoon: walk the Çanakkale waterfront, visit the Naval Museum (free), and eat fresh fish at the harbour restaurants (₺200–400/person).

Evening bus: Çanakkale to Selçuk (5–6 hours, ₺350–450). Departs around 18:00–20:00. Alternatively, break the journey in Bergama (Pergamon) — add one day.

Day 6: Selçuk and Ephesus

Ephesus is 3 km from Selçuk town centre — walk or take a dolmuş (₺10). Entry: ₺600. Terrace Houses (additional ₺400) are worth it for the preserved Roman mosaics and frescoes.

Arrive early (08:30 opening). By 10:00, cruise-ship groups arrive from Kuşadası and the site becomes congested. The Library of Celsus, Great Theatre (25,000 capacity), and Terrace Houses are the highlights.

Afternoon: Basilica of St. John in Selçuk (₺100), İsa Bey Mosque (free), and the Ephesus Museum (₺100). Evening: dinner in Selçuk town — relaxed, inexpensive (₺120–200/person).

Day 7: Pamukkale

Bus from Selçuk to Denizli (3 hours, ₺200–300). From Denizli, dolmuş to Pamukkale village (20 min, ₺20).

Pamukkale’s white travertine terraces (₺400 entry) are best visited in late afternoon when the light hits the calcium formations. Walk barefoot through the shallow warm pools. The Hierapolis ruins at the top are substantial — a Roman theatre, necropolis, and the Antique Pool (₺150 extra) where you swim among submerged Roman columns.

Stay overnight in Pamukkale village (budget pansiyons from ₺500/night) or continue to Antalya by evening bus (3.5 hours, ₺200–280).

Days 8–9: Antalya

Bus from Pamukkale/Denizli to Antalya (3.5 hours, ₺200–300).

Day 8 — Kaleiçi and the old city

Antalya’s old town (Kaleiçi) is a compact district of Ottoman-era houses, Roman-era walls, and a harbour. Walk to Hadrian’s Gate (free), the old harbour, and the Antalya Museum (₺300 — one of Turkey’s best archaeological collections). Lunch in Kaleiçi: ₺150–250/person.

Day 9 — Beaches or Perge/Aspendos

Beach option: Konyaaltı Beach (free, pebbly, long) or Lara Beach (sandy, further east — dolmuş ₺15).

History option: Perge (₺200, 18 km from centre — dolmuş from Antalya otogar) and Aspendos Theatre (₺200, 47 km east — one of the best-preserved Roman theatres in the world, still used for performances). Both doable in a half day with a car or organised tour. If you plan to cover multiple sites across the Riviera, a rental car gives the most flexibility — compare rates at GetRentacar.

Days 10–12: Cappadocia

Getting there: Flight from Antalya to Kayseri (1h 10m, ₺600–1,500). Alternatively, overnight bus (10 hours, ₺400–600) — saves a hotel night but arrives exhausted.

Day 10 — Arrival and Göreme

Settle in, walk to Sunset Point above the town, explore the fairy chimneys on foot. Book your balloon flight for the next morning.

Day 11 — Balloon and valleys

• Dawn: Hot air balloon (₺5,000–8,000). Launches around 05:30 in summer.
• Morning: Recover with breakfast at your cave hotel.
• Afternoon: Göreme Open-Air Museum (₺500 — rock-carved churches with Byzantine frescoes). Then hike Love Valley or Pigeon Valley (2–3 hours).

Day 12 — South Cappadocia

Derinkuyu Underground City (₺400, 8 levels deep — arrive before 10:00). Then Ihlara Valley (₺120 entry, 14 km canyon with rock churches — walk the 4 km central section in 2 hours). Most people do this on a “Green Tour” (₺800–1,200 including transport and lunch).

Days 13–14: Return to Istanbul

Fly Kayseri to Istanbul (1h 15m, ₺500–1,500). Use Day 13 for any remaining Cappadocia exploration or fly back early and spend a final evening in Istanbul.

Transport costs summary

Route	Mode	Duration	Cost (₺)
Istanbul → Bursa	Ferry + dolmuş	2h	₺180
Istanbul → Çanakkale	Bus	5.5h	₺300–400
Çanakkale → Selçuk	Bus	5–6h	₺350–450
Selçuk → Denizli	Bus	3h	₺200–300
Denizli → Antalya	Bus	3.5h	₺200–300
Antalya → Kayseri	Flight	1h 10m	₺600–1,500
Kayseri → Istanbul	Flight	1h 15m	₺500–1,500

Total transport: ₺2,500–5,000 ($75–155 USD) depending on booking timing.

For full details on domestic transport options, see our getting around Turkey guide.

What to book ahead

1. Internal flights (Antalya–Kayseri, Kayseri–Istanbul) — 3 weeks ahead. Search Pegasus, AnadoluJet, and Turkish Airlines simultaneously on Aviasales to catch the cheapest available fare across all carriers.
2. Cappadocia balloon — 2 weeks ahead
3. Cave hotel in Göreme — April–June and Sep–Oct sell out early
4. Gallipoli tour — if visiting around 25 April (ANZAC Day), book 1 month ahead

Total budget estimate

Style	14 days total (USD)
Budget (hostels, street food, buses)	$700–1,000
Mid-range (boutique hotels, restaurants, some tours)	$1,200–2,000
Comfort (4-star hotels, guided tours, balloon)	$2,500–3,500

Excludes international flights.