Turkey has been rather popular in the travel world lately. It’s rich culture, charming towns, and historic influence appeals to every type of traveler. With Istanbul being the main entry point for most travelers, people tend to forget the appeal of Turkey’s other regions. We decided to take advantage of the inexpensive domestic flights, and explore more of Turkey’s multilayered delight. Here is how to travel more of Turkey in just one week:
1st stop: Istanbul
A trip to Turkey would be incomplete if you didn’t stop to visit the transcontinental city of Istanbul! Straddling both Europe AND Asia, Istanbul is the most populous city in all of Turkey. You’re most likely to find your cheapest flights through this major city. We suggest you take atleast 2 days, if not 3 to explore all that there is to see.
Where to Stay
We chose to stay in the Sultanhamet district which is the cultural and commercial heart of Istanbul. Our seaview room at Hotel Arcadia Blue offered the most incredible views of Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Bosphorus strait, AND the Marmara Sea! Besides the view, we chose this hotel because it is just a 10 minute walk from some of the most popular attractions of Istanbul.
Top Things to Do
- Hagia Sophia Mosque – This incredible mosque was first built in the 6th century as a cathedral. It later became a mosque, a museum, and then finally a mosque again. Hagia Sophia is a beautiful reflection of the religious changes of the region over time, and probably the most popular tourist site in Istanbul.
- The Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque) – Deemed the Blue Mosque because of it’s hand-painted blue tiles that adorn the interior walls, the Sultan Ahmed mosque sits right across from the Hagia Sophia. This makes it so it’s easy to see them both in one day.
- Grand Bazaar – This is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with over 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops. You can get just about anything here, from Turkish rugs to beautiful lamps and light fixtures.
Getting Around
Can you imagine being in 4 o’clock rush hour but for 24 hours a day? That is what it’s like to drive in Istanbul. Drivers are aggressive and roads are like hallways, so we suggest using taxis instead of renting a car here. You can get a ride pretty much anywhere for as little as 20 TL (about 2 USD). Most drivers we encountered didn’t speak great English, so be sure to have the address of the place you’re going.
*Tip: It would be a great idea to purchase a SIM card for your trip to Turkey once you arrive in Istanbul. That way you can use your phone for GPS, translations, or calling around*
2nd Stop: Cappadocia
If there were such thing as a fairytale land on Earth, Cappadocia would be it. Every morning, (weather permitting), you wake up to the most beautiful sunrise filled with hot air balloons over the fairy chimneys. This place was by far our favorite stop during our trip to Turkey. If you’re fortunate enough to travel there, you have to squeeze in 2 or 3 days in Cappadocia.
Where to Stay
It helps to note that Cappadocia is not a specific town, but a region made up of about 4 cities. Among the most popular towns to stay are Ürgüp, Göreme, Avanos, and Uçhisar, which are known for their famous cave hotels. We stayed at the Sultan Cave Suites in Göreme, and it was easily one of the most comfortable and unique stays we’ve ever had. Not to mention, the hotel’s terrace offered the BEST view of the hot air balloons and a delicious complimentary breakfast!
Top Things To Do
- Hot air balloon ride – You just simply can not go to Cappadocia, and not ride in a hot air balloon. There are no words to describe how magical of a feeling it is to be apart of Cappadocia’s wander for the morning. It’s best to book your balloon ride on your first day in Cappadocia incase they have to cancel flights due to weather. In this case, you can reschedule your ride to the next day. We highly recommend booking with Royal Balloon. The tour included breakfast and transportation! This was important because they pick you up around 5AM and you won’t be able to find food before then.
- Red/Green Tour – These 2 tours will show you all that there is to know about Cappadocia. From the Goreme National Park, to the underground cities, you will discover all of Cappadocia’s history and allure.
- Sunset horseback riding – For one of the most breathtaking & romantic sunsets you can imagine, we suggest horseback riding to sunset point. We used the Dalton Brother’s company, and was not pleased at all with the service. Don’t get us wrong, we really enjoyed the ride and the view, but there are lots of other companies that seemed to give a better experience to their guests.
Getting Around
The 2 closest airports are at least 45 minutes outside of Cappadocia, so we rented a car through AVEC. Most tours we did included transportation, but the car came in handy for getting to places like Pasabagi, or going to dinner. If you choose not to rent a car, there are taxis and the public bus.
Antalya
Antalya is known for it’s mix of beautiful beaches and traditional Turkish culture. Located on the Mediterranean coast, it is the perfect stop to make on your trip to Turkey if your looking for some R&R.
Where to Stay
Antalya is full of luxury resorts and hotels, but we chose to stay in an airbnb located in Muratpasa. Our cute little suite at the Green Beyza was perfectly situated just 20 minutes from the airport, 2 minutes from the beach, and a few miles from the city center. A more popular place to stay would be the seaside town of Kas, which is about 3 hours from the airport.
Top Things To Do
- Day trip to Pammukale/Hierapolis – If you drive about 3 hours outside of Antalya, you can explore and learn about the ruins of the Greco-Roman spa town of Hierapolis, and admire Pamukkale’s bright-white terraces and thermal pools.
- Antalya city& waterfall tour – This tour takes you to some of the most scenic spots in Antalya. You can ride the cable car to the top of Tünek Tepe Mountain for a magnificent view the coast. Afterwards, visit the extremely pituresque Düden Falls and Kursunlu Waterfall.
- Paramotor flight – For the adventure junkies like us, we absolutely recommend the paramotor flight. You will get a bird’s eye view of the beauty of Antalya.
Getting Around
We had one of our worst car renting experiences ever here with Boycar rental and ended up switching our reservation to Enterprise. Antalya is a big city, so we found it more accommodating to drive ourselves around. We also rented a car for the purpose of taking a day trip to Pammukale. If you choose not to rent a car, the public bus is the best way to get around.
Need help with your itinerary for your trip to Turkey? Let us help! Click here to register on our travel site.
