Turkey is roughly the size of France and Germany combined. What makes an itinerary possible is that internal flights are frequent, reliable and cheap — often under €50.
Fly, do not bus
| Route | By air | By bus |
|---|---|---|
| Istanbul–Cappadocia | 1h15 | 10–12h |
| Istanbul–Antalya | 1h20 | 11h |
| Istanbul–İzmir | 1h | 8h |
| Cappadocia–Antalya | 1h30 (via hub) | 9h |
Turkish overnight buses are genuinely good — comfortable, with attendants serving tea — but a flight costs little more and returns you a day.
Cappadocia is served by two airports, Kayseri and Nevşehir; check which your accommodation transfer covers.
Istanbul: three to four days
The Sultanahmet sites — Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapı, the Basilica Cistern — take a day and a half.
The rest of the city is where it gets interesting: Balat and Fener for the old Greek and Jewish quarters, Kadıköy on the Asian side for food and bars, Karaköy and Beyoğlu, and a Bosphorus ferry, which is public transport and the best sightseeing in the city for the price of a fare.
Get an İstanbulkart for ferries, trams, metro and buses.
Cappadocia
Two to three nights, and the extra night matters.
Balloon flights are cancelled frequently for wind — roughly a third of mornings in some months. Booking one morning gives you one chance; three mornings in the region makes flying likely. Operators usually rebook rather than refund.
Book weeks ahead in peak season.
Beyond the balloons: the Göreme open-air museum with its rock-cut churches, the underground cities at Derinkuyu and Kaymaklı, and the valleys — Rose, Red, Love, Pigeon — which are free and walkable.
Cave hotels are the standard accommodation and range from genuine to decorative.
The coast
The Turquoise Coast — Fethiye, Kaş, Kalkan — with Lycian ruins on the shoreline and the best water.
The Lycian Way, a 500 km waymarked trail along it, walkable in sections.
Blue cruises — multi-day gulet sailings between coves, typically Fethiye to Olympos.
Ephesus, near Selçuk, the best-preserved classical city in the Mediterranean. Go at opening; the terrace houses are a separate ticket and worth it.
Pamukkale, the white travertine terraces, usually combined with Ephesus.
Two weeks, realistically
Istanbul 4, Cappadocia 3, Ephesus and Pamukkale 2, coast 4 — with two internal flights.
Adding the Black Sea coast or the east means a third region and a longer trip.
Practical
Season: April to June and September to October. The interior and southern coast exceed 40°C in summer; Cappadocia and the east have real winters with snow.
Mosque etiquette: shoulders, knees and for women hair covered, shoes off. Coverings are provided at major mosques. Avoid prayer times.
Currency: the lira has moved sharply in recent years, so any price quoted in an article ages fast. Check current rates close to travel.
Carpet shops. A friendly stranger who strikes up conversation and steers you toward a shop is running the oldest routine in Istanbul.