Istanbul + Cappadocia — 7 days
From minarets to fairy chimneys. Day-by-day itinerary: Istanbul; Istanbul Palace & Bazaar; Flight to Cappadocia; Hot-air Balloon & Valleys.
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1 — Istanbul
- 10:00 — Arrival at Istanbul IST
- 13:00 — Hotel in Sultanahmet
- 15:00 — Hagia Sophia + Blue Mosque
- 20:00 — Kebab and meze dinner
Day 2 — Istanbul Palace & Bazaar
- 09:00 — Topkapı Palace
- 12:00 — Grand Bazaar
- 14:00 — Balık ekmek in Eminönü
- 16:00 — Bosphorus cruise
- 20:00 — Dinner in Karaköy with a Galata view
Day 3 — Flight to Cappadocia
- 08:00 — Flight Istanbul → Kayseri / Nevşehir
- 11:00 — Cave hotel in Göreme — Göreme
- 14:00 — Göreme Open-Air Museum — Göreme
- Drive to Rose Valley — Göreme → Çavuşin
- 17:00 — Sunset at the Rose Valley viewpoint — Çavuşin
- Drive back to Göreme — Çavuşin → Göreme
- 20:00 — Dinner in a cave restaurant — Göreme
Day 4 — Hot-air Balloon & Valleys
- 05:30 — Hot-air balloon flight at sunrise — Göreme
- 09:00 — Full Turkish breakfast
- 11:00 — Zelve Valley — cave dwellings — Zelve
- 14:00 — Pigeon Valley (Güvercinlik)
- 16:00 — Derinkuyu — underground city — Derinkuyu
- Drive back to Göreme — Derinkuyu → Göreme
- 20:00 — Local dinner — Göreme
Day 5 — Ihlara & Horse Riding
- 09:00 — Ihlara Valley hike — Ihlara
- 13:00 — Lunch by the Melendiz river
- 15:00 — Horse ride — Cappadocia
- Drive to Avanos — Cappadocia → Avanos
- 20:00 — Whirling dervish ceremony — Avanos
Day 6 — Pamukkale
- 08:00 — Bus or flight to Denizli/Pamukkale
- 13:00 — Pamukkale — travertine terraces — Pamukkale
- 15:00 — Hierapolis (Roman ruins) — Pamukkale
- 18:00 — Hotel in Pamukkale
- 20:00 — Local dinner
Day 7 — Departure
- 09:00 — Transfer to Denizli airport
- 13:00 — Return flight (via Istanbul)