7 days in Turkey: itinerary

The 7-day route runs Istanbul → Göreme (Cappadocia) → Istanbul. You sleep in two places only, which keeps the trip inside the rule of no more than three hotel changes per week.

Fly Istanbul to Kayseri (ASR) or Nevşehir (NAV), then take a shuttle or taxi to Göreme, roughly 1 hour from Kayseri and 40 minutes from Nevşehir. Fly back to Istanbul the day before your international departure, or book a same-day connection with at least 3 hours between flights.

Do not try to add Ephesus, Pamukkale or the Lycian coast to 7 days. Each addition costs a flight or a long coach ride and turns the trip into a transfer schedule.

Days 1–4, Istanbul. Stay in Sultanahmet for the big sights or Beyoğlu for food and nightlife. Buy an Istanbulkart for trams, metro and ferries. Give Hagia Sophia and Topkapı one morning each; both can need timed entry in high season. Use one afternoon for a Bosphorus ferry rather than a tour boat, and one for Galata, Istiklal and Balat.

Days 5–7, Göreme. Fly out on the morning of day 5 so you still have an afternoon. Book the balloon for day 6 sunrise, not day 7, because cancellations are common and you want a spare morning. Use the second full day for the Göreme Open-Air Museum, Devrent and Paşabağ valleys, and one underground city such as Kaymaklı or Derinkuyu.

Evenings are simple: meze and grilled meat in Istanbul, testi kebab and local wine in Göreme. Carry lira in small notes for taxis, toilets and small stalls.

Istanbul: the metro from IST airport and the Havaist bus from both airports reach the centre; the tram covers Sultanahmet, Eminönü and Karaköy. Traffic is heavy, so use rail and ferries where you can.

Istanbul to Cappadocia: flying is the practical choice. Direct flights run to Kayseri and Nevşehir from both Istanbul airports; the overnight coach takes around 10–12 hours and saves a hotel night but costs a day.

In Cappadocia: Göreme, Uçhisar, Çavuşin and Avanos are close but not walkable between valleys. Use a guided day tour, a rental car, or the local dolmuş for short hops. Airport shuttles to Göreme should be booked with your hotel.

Istanbul: Sultanahmet puts Hagia Sophia, Topkapı and the bazaars within a 10-minute walk, but evenings are quiet and prices are high. Beyoğlu and Galata suit food, bars and transport links. Kadıköy on the Asian side is cheaper and livelier, at the cost of a ferry or metro ride to the old city.

Göreme: cave hotels are the reason most people stay here, and the village is walkable. Uçhisar and Çavuşin are quieter with better valley views; Ürgüp and Avanos are cheaper and more local but need a car or taxi.

Book Cappadocia for 3 nights, not 2, if the balloon matters to you. One cancelled morning is normal, and a spare night is the only real insurance.

Prices below are 2026 estimates for one person, mid-range, sharing a double room, excluding international flights. Turkey's inflation makes lira prices move fast, so treat these as bands and re-check before booking.

The two big fixed costs are the domestic flights and the balloon. Everything else is cheap by US or UK standards, especially food and local transport.

Swap Cappadocia for the Aegean: Istanbul 4 nights plus Selçuk 3 nights for Ephesus, with a flight to İzmir and the İZBAN train to Selçuk. This suits travellers who prefer ruins and sea to balloons.

Swap Cappadocia for the coast: Istanbul 3 nights plus Antalya or Kaş 4 nights, flying to Antalya. Warmer in May and October, but you lose the balloon and the cave hotels.

Add Ankara: the YHT high-speed train links Istanbul and Ankara in about 4.5 hours, and Ankara connects onward to Konya. It fits 10 days better than 7.

If you have more time, move to 10 days in Turkey for Istanbul, Cappadocia and Ephesus, or 14 days in Turkey for the full loop with Pamukkale and the Lycian coast.