Turkey joins Istanbul, the balloons over Cappadocia and a wooden gulet on the Turquoise Coast in a single, varied week.
Few countries give you as much range in one trip. Istanbul is two continents, Byzantine churches and Ottoman palaces on the water. Cappadocia is a moonscape of rock chimneys and cave houses. The southwest coast, between Bodrum and Antalya, is pine-covered mountains dropping into clear water, best seen from a gulet, the traditional wooden sailing boat.
We usually start with three nights in Istanbul, then fly on to Cappadocia or the coast. Domestic flights are frequent and short, which makes a two-centre trip easy. The Aegean coast around Ephesus suits those who want Roman cities alongside the beach.
The honest caveats are summer heat and balloon weather. The coast is very hot in July and August, and Cappadocia's balloons fly only when the wind allows, so we plan two dawns there, not one. Read the FCDO travel advice before booking, as it covers regional risks.
The experiences we plan most often, with the months they are at their best.
Start early at the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque in Sultanahmet, then spend a morning in the Topkapı Palace and its harem. The Grand Bazaar and the spice market are best with a guide who knows the good workshops. A private boat up the Bosphorus at sunset passes Ottoman waterside mansions and the Rumeli Fortress. Eat meze and grilled fish in Kuzguncuk or Arnavutköy.
Cappadocia's valleys are full of rock chimneys and churches cut into the stone, some with Byzantine frescoes, at the Göreme open-air museum. A dawn balloon flight is the classic experience, weather permitting. Walk the Rose and Red valleys in the late afternoon, visit the underground city at Derinkuyu, and stay in a cave hotel in Uçhisar or Göreme.
A crewed gulet is a wooden sailing boat with cabins, a cook and a shaded deck. Between Fethiye and Kaş, it anchors in bays reachable only by sea: Gemiler Island with its Byzantine ruins, the Butterfly Valley and the sunken city at Kekova, seen through clear water. Days are swimming, lunch on deck and a village walk at dusk. June and September are calmer and cooler than midsummer.
Ephesus is a well-preserved Roman city, with the Library of Celsus, a great theatre and the terraced houses with their mosaics. Go at opening with a private archaeologist-guide, before the heat and the cruise groups. Stay in the hill village of Şirince, known for its fruit wines, or on the coast near Çeşme.
The Bodrum peninsula has many of the most polished hotels on the coast, with private beaches in bays around Türkbükü, Yalıkavak and Gündoğan. Bodrum town has a Crusader castle housing an underwater archaeology museum. Evenings are for long dinners of meze and fresh fish by the water. It is easy to reach from London by direct flight.
Turkish food is regional, and Istanbul brings every region together. Begin with a long breakfast of cheeses, olives, honey and simit, eat lahmacun and kebabs from the southeast in Fatih, and finish with baklava from a Gaziantep family bakery. A food walk on the Asian side, in Kadıköy market, makes a good morning.
In Istanbul, Sultanahmet puts you next to the monuments and the Bosphorus shore gives you water views. In Cappadocia, cave hotels in Uçhisar and Göreme are part of the experience. On the coast, choose between a beach resort on the Bodrum peninsula and a crewed gulet, which is how we would see the bays.
We match each trip in Turkey to hotels, lodges and villas chosen for the way you travel. Tell us what matters and a specialist will suggest two or three that fit.
Ask for hotel suggestionsSpring and autumn suit Turkey best. April and May bring tulips to Istanbul and mild weather in Cappadocia, while September and October combine a warm sea with gentler heat for the coast and the ancient sites.
July and August are hot, particularly on the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts, and busy with Turkish and European holidaymakers. Winter is quiet: Istanbul is atmospheric, Cappadocia can be snowy, and most coastal hotels close.
Three nights in Istanbul, then a short flight to Dalaman and four nights on a private gulet between Fethiye and Kaş. 7 nights.
Stay in Sultanahmet or on the Bosphorus. The Hagia Sophia and Topkapı with a guide, a food walk in Kadıköy and a sunset cruise.
Fly to Dalaman and board the gulet at Fethiye. Swim in quiet coves and explore the Byzantine ruins on Gemiler Island.
Sail east to Kekova to see the sunken city from a kayak, and walk up to the castle at Simena. A last night anchored near Kaş.
Disembark at Kaş and drive to Dalaman airport for a direct flight home to London.
Practical notes checked against their sources. For entry and safety, the FCDO advice for Turkey (opens in a new tab) is always the authority.
Istanbul is about 4 hours direct from Heathrow. Dalaman, Bodrum and Antalya have direct London flights in the summer season, and domestic flights connect Istanbul with Cappadocia and the coast.
British citizen passport holders can currently visit Turkey without a visa for short stays; other British passport types have different rules. Read the FCDO entry requirements for Turkey (opens in a new tab) before you book, including if you plan a day trip to a Greek island.
Read the FCDO entry requirements for Turkey (opens in a new tab)
Check the TravelHealthPro page for Turkey (opens in a new tab) and the FCDO health page well before travel. Summer heat is the main issue on the coast; drink bottled water and plan sightseeing early.
The currency is the Turkish lira. Cards are accepted in hotels, restaurants and larger shops, but carry some lira for bazaars, small cafés and tips. The FCDO page explains the rules on taking lira out of the country.
Turkey is outside the EU, so check roaming charges with your provider before you go. Ofcom notes that phones can pick up Turkish networks near the Greek islands, and costly satellite networks at sea, so keep an eye on data roaming on a gulet.
A tip of 10 to 15 per cent is appropriate in most restaurants. Some high-end restaurants and cafés add a service fee, so check the bill first. We can advise on tipping gulet crews before you sail.
Three is right for a first visit: one day for Sultanahmet, one for the bazaars and a Bosphorus cruise, and one for the modern city and the Asian side. Two nights feels rushed, and four lets you add the Princes' Islands or a slower food day.
No. Flights go only when the authorities allow, based on wind and weather at dawn, and cancellations are more common in winter. We book two mornings so there is a second chance, and the valleys are still worth seeing on foot or from a viewpoint if the balloons stay down.
Very. A private gulet with its own crew suits families and groups of friends: children can swim from the boat all day, meals are taken care of and there is no packing between stops. Choose a boat with safety rails and plan shorter sailing days with young children.
April, May, September and October. Spring suits Istanbul and Cappadocia best, with mild weather and flowers. Autumn is the time for the coast, when the sea is warm and the heat has eased. July and August are best kept for the beach alone.
Tell us a little and a specialist will reply with ideas, dates that work and a price. Best months: April, May, September and October.
Greece is really a choice of islands: the Santorini caldera, quieter Paros and Milos, the gorges and palaces of Crete.
Cyprus has a beach season that runs into November, Roman mosaics at Paphos and painted mountain churches in the Troodos.
Croatia is the Adriatic by boat: Roman Split, the walls of Dubrovnik and islands such as Hvar, Vis and Korčula in between.
