3 Weeks in Turkey: From the Black Sea to the Mediterranean

Three weeks lets you go far beyond the Istanbul-Cappadocia circuit. This route pushes east to the Black Sea and Gaziantep’s food scene, then works back along the full Mediterranean and Aegean coasts. It covers Turkey’s range of landscapes — alpine valleys, volcanic plateaus, river canyons, and turquoise coastline — without repeating ground.

Route overview

Days	Location	Nights	Transport in
1–3	Istanbul	3	International flight
4–5	Trabzon / Sumela	2	Domestic flight
6–8	Cappadocia (Goreme)	3	Bus or flight
9–10	Gaziantep	2	Bus
11–12	Antalya	2	Flight
13–14	Kas / Olympos	2	Bus
15–16	Fethiye / Oludeniz	2	Bus
17	Pamukkale	1	Bus
18	Ephesus / Selcuk	1	Bus
19–20	Izmir / Cesme	2	Train + bus
21	Bursa → Istanbul	0	Ferry + bus

Where to stay — all stops

Istanbul (3 nights)

• Budget: Agora Guesthouse — doubles from approximately ₺1,500/night as of 2026
• Mid-range: Hotel Amira — doubles from approximately ₺3,000/night as of 2026
• Splurge: Pera Palace Hotel — doubles from approximately ₺12,000/night as of 2026. Historic hotel where Agatha Christie wrote.

Trabzon (2 nights)

• Budget: Horon Hotel — doubles from approximately ₺1,000/night as of 2026
• Mid-range: Zorlu Grand Hotel — doubles from approximately ₺2,500/night as of 2026. City centre, Black Sea views.

Cappadocia (3 nights)

• Budget: Shoestring Cave House — doubles from approximately ₺1,100/night as of 2026
• Mid-range: Sultan Cave Suites — doubles from approximately ₺4,000/night as of 2026
• Splurge: Argos in Cappadocia — doubles from approximately ₺15,000/night as of 2026

Gaziantep (2 nights)

• Budget: Anadolu Evleri — doubles from approximately ₺1,200/night as of 2026. Restored stone house.
• Mid-range: Zeynep Hanim Konagi — doubles from approximately ₺2,500/night as of 2026. Ottoman mansion in the old quarter.

Antalya (2 nights)

• Mid-range: Tuvana Hotel, Kaleici — doubles from approximately ₺3,000/night as of 2026

Kas (2 nights)

• Budget: Hideaway Hotel — doubles from approximately ₺1,500/night as of 2026
• Mid-range: Kas Marin Hotel — doubles from approximately ₺3,500/night as of 2026. Harbour views.

Fethiye / Oludeniz (2 nights)

• Budget: Ferah Pension, Fethiye — doubles from approximately ₺1,000/night as of 2026
• Mid-range: Oyster Residences, Oludeniz — doubles from approximately ₺4,000/night as of 2026. Hillside infinity pool.

Pamukkale (1 night)

• Mid-range: Doga Thermal Health & Spa — doubles from approximately ₺2,500/night as of 2026

Selcuk (1 night)

• Mid-range: Cella Boutique Hotel — doubles from approximately ₺2,800/night as of 2026

Cesme (2 nights)

• Budget: Cesme Kale Hotel — doubles from approximately ₺1,500/night as of 2026
• Mid-range: Alacati Zeytin Konak — doubles from approximately ₺4,000/night as of 2026. Stone house in Alacati old town.

Days 1–3: Istanbul

Follow the standard Istanbul three-day plan:

Day 1 — Sultanahmet

Hagia Sophia (free mosque entry) → Blue Mosque (free) → Basilica Cistern (₺450) → Topkapi Palace (₺750, Harem ₺400). Lunch at Sultanahmet Koftecisi (₺150–250/person). Dinner at Balikci Sabahattin — Ottoman fish house, ₺400–700/person.

Day 2 — Bazaars and Bosphorus

Grand Bazaar → Spice Bazaar → Bosphorus cruise (₺200, 2-hour loop) → Galata Tower (₺650). Lunch at Pandeli (₺250–400/person). Dinner in Karakoy.

Day 3 — Dolmabahce and Kadikoy

Dolmabahce Palace (₺750) → Istiklal Avenue → ferry to Kadikoy (₺20). Lunch at Ciya Sofrasi (₺150–250/person).

All entry fees approximate as of 2026.

Days 4–5: Trabzon and Sumela Monastery

Flight: Istanbul to Trabzon — 1 hour 40 minutes, from ₺400 on Pegasus or Turkish Airlines. Compare on Aviasales.

Day 4 — Trabzon

Trabzon is the gateway to the eastern Black Sea coast. Visit Hagia Sophia of Trabzon (₺100 — a 13th-century Byzantine church with well-preserved frescoes, not to be confused with Istanbul’s). Walk through the Bazaar Quarter and the fortified old town. The Ataturk Mansion (₺50), a white Ottoman villa where Ataturk stayed, sits in gardens above the city.

Lunch at Cemilusta — Black Sea cuisine including karalahana corbasi (kale soup) and kuymak (melted cheese with cornmeal), ₺120–200/person. Dinner at Fevzi Hoca — Black Sea fish (especially hamsi/anchovy in season), ₺200–350/person.

Day 5 — Sumela Monastery

Sumela Monastery is 46 km south of Trabzon in the Altindere Valley. Dolmus from Trabzon otogar (₺40, 1 hour) or taxi (approximately ₺500 return with waiting). Entry approximately ₺200 as of 2026. Open 09:00–17:00.

The 4th-century Greek Orthodox monastery clings to a cliff face 300 metres above the valley floor. The frescoed chapel and the sheer verticality of the structure are the draw. Allow 2–3 hours including the walk from the car park (1 km uphill, moderately steep).

Return to Trabzon. Evening: walk the Uzun Sokak (Long Street) — the city’s main pedestrian strip.

Days 6–8: Cappadocia

Getting there: Fly Trabzon to Kayseri (1 hour 30 minutes, from ₺400 as of 2026) or bus Trabzon to Goreme (approximately 11 hours overnight, ₺500–700).

Day 6 — Arrival and Goreme

Settle in. Walk to Sunset Point. Book balloon for Day 7. Dinner at Dibek — pottery kebab, ₺200–350/person.

Day 7 — Balloon, Museum, Valleys

Dawn: Balloon flight (₺4,500–8,000). Morning: Goreme Open-Air Museum (₺500, Dark Church ₺200). Afternoon: Hike Rose Valley (2 hours, free). Dinner at Seten Restaurant (₺300–500/person).

Day 8 — South Cappadocia and Underground Cities

Green Tour (₺800–1,200): Derinkuyu Underground City (₺400), Ihlara Valley (₺120), Selime Cathedral, lunch included. Or self-drive to Kaymakli Underground City (₺400, slightly smaller but less crowded than Derinkuyu). Afternoon: Pasabag Monks Valley (free) and Devrent Imagination Valley (free).

Dinner at Ziggy Cafe, Uchisar (₺300–500/person).

Days 9–10: Gaziantep

Bus: Nevsehir to Gaziantep — approximately 5 hours, ₺300–400.

Gaziantep is Turkey’s culinary capital. UNESCO designated it a Creative City of Gastronomy.

Day 9 — Food and Museums

Zeugma Mosaic Museum (₺100 as of 2026, open 09:00–19:00) — home to the famous “Gypsy Girl” mosaic and one of the world’s finest Roman mosaic collections. Allow 1.5–2 hours.

Gaziantep Castle (₺50) — panoramic city views. Walk the coppersmith bazaar (Bakirciler Carsisi) nearby.

Eat: this is a full food day. Breakfast: Katmerci Zekeriya Usta — the city’s most famous katmer (crispy pistachio pastry), approximately ₺80 per portion. Lunch: Imam Cagdas — Gaziantep kebab since 1887, ₺150–300/person. Afternoon: baklava at Gulluoglu — the original Gulluoglu (not the Istanbul branch), approximately ₺250 per box. Dinner: Metanet Lokantasi — lahmacun and kebabs, ₺120–200/person.

Day 10 — Zeugma site and cooking class

Morning: visit the ancient Zeugma archaeological site at Belkis village (60 km south, taxi approximately ₺600 return). The riverside ruins include Roman villas where the mosaics were excavated.

Afternoon: take a cooking class (various operators, approximately ₺800–1,200/person, 3 hours) — learn to make icli kofte (stuffed bulgur torpedoes) and beyran corbasi (lamb broth).

Days 11–12: Antalya

Flight: Gaziantep to Antalya — 1 hour 30 minutes, from ₺500 as of 2026.

Day 11 — Kaleici and Beaches

Kaleici old town: Hadrian’s Gate (free), harbour walk, Antalya Museum (₺300). Afternoon at Konyaalti Beach (free). Dinner at Seraser Fine Dining (₺500–800/person).

Day 12 — Perge and Aspendos

Perge (₺200, 18 km) and Aspendos Theatre (₺200, 47 km). A rental car covers both sites comfortably in a half day — compare rates at GetRentacar. Lunch at a roadside lokanta in Serik (₺100–150/person). Return via the waterfall district: Duden Waterfalls (free, 12 km northeast of Antalya).

Days 13–14: Kas and Olympos

Bus: Antalya to Kas — approximately 3.5 hours along the coast road, ₺200–300.

Day 13 — Kas

Kas is a small harbour town on the Lycian coast. Walk the Antiphellos Theatre (free, overlooking the sea), browse the Friday market, and swim at Buyuk Cakil Beach (pebble, free, 10-minute walk from centre). Boat trips to Kekova (sunken city) depart from the harbour daily (approximately ₺400–600/person including lunch, full day).

Lunch at Bi Lokma — mezes and grilled fish on the harbour, ₺250–400/person. Dinner at Bahce Balik — garden fish restaurant, ₺300–500/person.

Day 14 — Olympos and Chimaera

Dolmus: Kas to Olympos — approximately 2 hours along the coast, ₺100.

Olympos ancient city (₺100 entry) — Lycian and Roman ruins in a forested river valley leading to the beach. After sunset, hike up to the Chimaera (Yanartas) — natural gas flames burning from the rock (₺50 entry, 30-minute uphill walk from the car park). Bring a torch. The flames are most impressive in darkness.

Stay at a treehouse pension in Olympos — Kadir’s Tree Houses is the most famous (dorms from approximately ₺500, bungalows from ₺1,500/night as of 2026, dinner included).

Days 15–16: Fethiye and Oludeniz

Bus: Olympos to Fethiye — approximately 3 hours, ₺150–250.

Day 15 — Fethiye town

Fethiye Rock Tombs (Amintas Tomb, ₺50, 4th century BC, carved into the cliff above town). Fethiye Museum (₺50). Walk the Fish Market — buy raw fish from the fishmonger, take it to a surrounding restaurant which will cook it for a service fee (approximately ₺100 per plate for cooking).

12 Islands Boat Tour — full-day cruise around Fethiye Bay with swimming stops, lunch included (approximately ₺500–800/person).

Dinner at Megri Restaurant — Ottoman-Fethiye cuisine in a garden courtyard, ₺250–400/person.

Day 16 — Oludeniz and Paragliding

Dolmus to Oludeniz (₺15, 15 minutes). The Blue Lagoon beach has a paid section (approximately ₺100 entry) and a free public beach adjacent.

Tandem paragliding from Babadag mountain (1,969 m) — operators include Gravity, Reaction, and Sky Sports. Flights last 25–40 minutes and land on Oludeniz beach. Approximately ₺3,000–4,500/person as of 2026, including hotel pickup and GoPro footage.

Lunch at Buzz Beach Bar, Oludeniz (₺200–350/person). Return to Fethiye for the evening.

Day 17: Pamukkale

Bus: Fethiye to Denizli — approximately 3 hours, ₺200–300. Dolmus to Pamukkale (₺20).

Pamukkale travertines (₺400) — late afternoon visit for the best light. Hierapolis theatre, necropolis, Antique Pool (₺150). Dinner at Lamuko Restaurant (₺200–350/person).

Day 18: Ephesus

Bus: Denizli to Selcuk — 3 hours, ₺200–300.

Ephesus (₺600, Terrace Houses ₺400). Arrive at 08:00 opening. Library of Celsus, Great Theatre, Terrace Houses. Allow 2.5–3 hours. Afternoon: Basilica of St. John (₺100), Isa Bey Mosque (free).

Lunch at Ejder Restaurant (₺120–200/person). Dinner at Selcuk Pidecisi — Turkish pide (flatbread), ₺100–180/person.

Days 19–20: Izmir and Cesme

Train: Selcuk to Izmir — 1 hour, ₺30.

Day 19 — Izmir

Kemeralti Bazaar, Agora Open Air Museum (₺100), Kordon waterfront walk, Asansor elevator for hilltop views. Lunch at Deniz Restaurant (₺300–500/person). Dinner at Sakiz in Alsancak — Aegean mezes, ₺300–500/person.

Day 20 — Cesme and Alacati

Dolmus: Izmir to Cesme — 1 hour 15 minutes, ₺60.

Cesme Castle (₺50, Genoese fortress). Walk the waterfront. Drive or dolmus to Alacati (10 minutes, ₺15) — a wind-sports town with stone houses converted into boutique hotels and restaurants. Ilica Beach (sandy, thermal springs, free, 5 km from Cesme centre).

Lunch in Alacati: Agrilia — farm-to-table Aegean cuisine in a garden, ₺350–600/person. Dinner: Dalyan Restaurant, Cesme harbour — fish by weight, ₺300–500/person.

Day 21: Bursa and Return to Istanbul

Bus: Cesme/Izmir to Bursa — approximately 5.5 hours, ₺300–400. Alternatively, bus to Bandirma (3 hours, ₺200), then ferry to Istanbul Yenikapi (2 hours, ₺200).

Bursa stop (half day): Visit the Green Mosque (Yesil Cami, free — Iznik tile masterpiece), Grand Mosque (Ulu Cami, free — 20 domes), and eat Iskender kebab at Kebapci Iskender — the original (since 1867), ₺200–350/person. Try the Koza Han (Silk Market) — a 15th-century caravanserai.

Ferry: Mudanya (20 km from Bursa, dolmus ₺30) to Istanbul Yenikapi — 1.5 hours, approximately ₺150.

Transport costs summary

Route	Mode	Duration	Cost (₺)
Istanbul → Trabzon	Flight	1h 40m	₺400–1,200
Trabzon → Kayseri	Flight	1h 30m	₺400–1,000
Nevsehir → Gaziantep	Bus	5h	₺300–400
Gaziantep → Antalya	Flight	1h 30m	₺500–1,200
Antalya → Kas	Bus	3.5h	₺200–300
Kas → Olympos	Dolmus	2h	₺100
Olympos → Fethiye	Bus	3h	₺150–250
Fethiye → Denizli	Bus	3h	₺200–300
Denizli → Selcuk	Bus	3h	₺200–300
Selcuk → Izmir	Train	1h	₺30
Izmir → Cesme	Dolmus	1h 15m	₺60
Cesme → Bursa	Bus	5.5h	₺300–400
Bursa → Istanbul	Ferry	1.5h	₺150

All prices approximate as of 2026.

Budget summary

Style	21-day total (USD)
Budget (hostels, street food, buses)	$1,200–1,800
Mid-range (boutique hotels, restaurants, 3 flights)	$2,000–3,500
Comfort (luxury hotels, guided tours, balloon, all flights)	$4,500–7,000

Excludes international flights.

What to book ahead

1. Domestic flights — 3 weeks ahead for Pegasus and AnadoluJet fares
2. Cappadocia balloon — 2–4 weeks ahead
3. Oludeniz paragliding — 3–5 days ahead in peak season
4. Kekova boat trip — bookable 1 day ahead, but weekends in summer fill up
5. Gaziantep cooking class — 1 week ahead
6. Cave hotel in Goreme — 1–2 months ahead for April–October

Full guides to key destinations: Istanbul, Trabzon, Cappadocia, Gaziantep, Mardin, Antalya, Fethiye, İzmir. Key activities: hot air balloon in Cappadocia, paragliding at Ölüdeniz, and the Eastern Express train.