Turkey in 7 days: a day-by-day itinerary
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- 17 of 30 free; 13 paid — see “Cost”
- Duration
- 7 days, 9:30 to 18:01 each day
- Start and finish
- Hagia Sophia → Phaselis
- On foot
- ≈ 1 h 44 min in total
- Transport
- 12 rides, ≈ 6 h 40 min; 3 transfers between cities
- Lunch
- around 12:46
- With kids
- fine: short walks
- Best time
- May–June and September–October: Istanbul is not hot, Cappadocia has balloon weather and the sea is warm.
Cities in order
- Istanbul3 days · 13 places
- ≈ 1.5 h in the airflight to Kayseri or Nevşehir
- Cappadocia2 days · 8 places
- ≈ 8–9 hnight bus or car
- Antalya1 day · 5 places
- ≈ 1 hbus or taxi
- Kemer1 day · 4 places
Day-by-day plan
Times include walking and lunch. Drag a stop by ≡, remove it with the cross or add one nearby — the plan updates.
Day 1 · Istanbul09:30–16:05 · 5 places · 6 h 40 min
Hagia Sophia
· 1 h 15 min · €25
- 3 min on foot
Basilica Cistern
· 45 min · ≈ 1,950–2,250 TL
- 5 min on foot
Hippodrome (Sultanahmet Square)
· 20 min · Free
- 3 min on foot
Blue Mosque
· 45 min · Free
- Lunch · 1 h
- 19 min · transport or taxi
Bosphorus ferry cruise
· 2 h · Price: verifying
Day 2 · Istanbul09:30–16:16 · 3 places · 6 h 50 min
Süleymaniye Mosque
· 45 min · Free
- 12 min on foot
Grand Bazaar
· 1 h 30 min · Free
- Lunch · 1 h
- 19 min · transport or taxi
Topkapı Palace
· 3 h · 2,750 TL with the Harem
Day 3 · Istanbul09:30–16:13 · 5 places · 6 h 40 min
Fatih Mosque
· 30 min · Free
- 20 min · transport or taxi
Spice Bazaar
· 40 min · Free
- 16 min on foot
Gülhane Park
· 30 min · Free
- 19 min · transport or taxi
Galata Tower
· 1 h · Price: verifying
- Lunch · 1 h
- 23 min · transport or taxi
Dolmabahçe Palace
· 1 h 45 min · 2,000 TL
Day 4 · Cappadocia09:30–18:01 · 5 places · 8 h 30 min
Morning transfer: flight to Kayseri or Nevşehir · ≈ 1.5 h in the air
Uçhisar Castle
· 45 min · About 400 TL
- 17 min on foot
Pigeon Valley
· 1 h · Free
- Lunch · 1 h
- 23 min · transport or taxi
Göreme Open-Air Museum
· 2 h · €20, Dark Church extra
- 25 min · transport or taxi
Love Valley
· 1 h 30 min · Free
- 26 min · transport or taxi
Paşabağ (Monks Valley)
· 45 min · €12 — shared ticket with Zelve
Day 5 · Cappadocia09:30–17:13 · 3 places · 7 h 40 min
Derinkuyu Underground City
· 1 h 15 min · ≈ €13 for foreign visitors
- 44 min · transport or taxi
Kaymaklı Underground City
· 1 h · €13, under 8 free
- Lunch · 1 h
- 104 min · transport or taxi
Avanos
· 2 h · Free
Day 6 · Antalya09:30–15:37 · 5 places · 6 h 10 min
Morning transfer: night bus or car · ≈ 8–9 h
Hıdırlık Tower
· 30 min · Free
- 3 min on foot
Kaleiçi
· 2 h · Free
- Lunch · 1 h
- 10 min on foot
Yivli Minaret
· 20 min · Free
- 6 min on foot
Hadrian's Gate
· 20 min · Free
- 38 min · transport or taxi
Düden Waterfalls
· 1 h · Lower free, Upper ≈ 60–70 TL
Day 7 · Kemer09:30–15:39 · 4 places · 6 h 10 min
Morning transfer: bus or taxi · ≈ 1 h
Kemer Clock Tower
· 15 min · Free
- 18 min on foot
Kemer Marina
· 45 min · Free
- 11 min on foot
Moonlight Park
· 1 h 30 min · Free
- Lunch · 1 h
- 40 min · transport or taxi
Phaselis
· 1 h 30 min · €10, under-8s free
Add nearby
Places near the plan — Yes puts one into the day and the times update.
Add nearby
Places near the plan — Yes puts one into the day and the times update.
Add nearby
Places near the plan — Yes puts one into the day and the times update.
Add nearby
Places near the plan — Yes puts one into the day and the times update.
What the route costs
17 of 30 are free; 13 charge entry — prices below, check them on site.
| 1 | Hagia Sophia | 91 | 1 h 15 min | €25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Basilica Cistern | 70 | 45 min | ≈ 1,950–2,250 TL |
| 5 | Bosphorus ferry cruise | 76 | 2 h | Price: verifying |
| 8 | Topkapı Palace | 63 | 3 h | 2,750 TL with the Harem |
| 12 | Galata Tower | 54 | 1 h | Price: verifying |
| 13 | Dolmabahçe Palace | 46 | 1 h 45 min | 2,000 TL |
| 14 | Uçhisar Castle | 36 | 45 min | About 400 TL |
| 16 | Göreme Open-Air Museum | 34 | 2 h | €20, Dark Church extra |
| 18 | Paşabağ (Monks Valley) | 34 | 45 min | €12 — shared ticket with Zelve |
| 19 | Derinkuyu Underground City | 48 | 1 h 15 min | ≈ €13 for foreign visitors |
| 20 | Kaymaklı Underground City | 25 | 1 h | €13, under 8 free |
| 26 | Düden Waterfalls | 34 | 1 h | Lower free, Upper ≈ 60–70 TL |
| 30 | Phaselis | 29 | 1 h 30 min | €10, under-8s free |
| Other 17 places | 15 h | Free | ||
| Total | 33 h 10 min | 17 of 30 free |
Who this route is for
- A first one-week trip to Turkey
- You want a city, nature and the sea
- On your own: a flight, a bus, a car
- Only a beach holiday — pick one resort
- Hard with transfers — take Istanbul and Cappadocia in 5 days
May–June and September–October: Istanbul is not hot, Cappadocia has balloon weather and the sea is warm.
What to see in Turkey in 7 days
The week has three parts. Istanbul — three days on the 3-day itinerary. Cappadocia — two days: the valleys around Göreme and the underground cities. The sea — two days: Antalya with its old town and Kemer with Phaselis.
The longest transfer is Cappadocia to the coast, about 8–9 hours. A night bus is easiest: you wake up in Antalya without losing a day.
Transfers: plane, bus, car
Istanbul to Cappadocia: fly to Kayseri or Nevşehir, about 1.5 hours in the air. Cappadocia to Antalya: a night bus or a drive through the mountains, about 8–9 hours. Antalya to Kemer: a bus or taxi, about an hour.
Which way round?
Start in Istanbul and finish by the sea: the last days are a rest before flying home, and Antalya has many direct flights. You can also do it in reverse, flying into Antalya.
Turkey in 10 days or 2 weeks
Ten days — add Side and Alanya, or a day on Istanbul's Asian side. Two weeks — the coastal road trip from Antalya to Bodrum: Kaş, Fethiye, Marmaris and Bodrum.
How to do it right
- Book domestic flights early — morning flights are handier and cheaper.
- Topkapı is closed on Tuesdays, Dolmabahçe on Mondays, the Grand Bazaar on Sundays.
- The night bus from Cappadocia saves a day — sit near the front.
- Book the balloon for your first Cappadocia morning, so a second one is left if the weather cancels.
- The Antalya Archaeological Museum is closed — see antiquity at Perge and Phaselis.
Questions
What is a good Turkey itinerary for 7 days?
Three days in Istanbul, two in Cappadocia and two on the coast in Antalya and Kemer.
Is a week enough for Turkey?
For Istanbul, Cappadocia and a taste of the coast, yes; the rest of the coast needs another week.
How do I get from Cappadocia to Antalya?
By night bus or car, about 8–9 hours.
Should I fly between Istanbul and Cappadocia?
Yes: about 1.5 hours to Kayseri or Nevşehir instead of a 10–12 hour bus.
What about Turkey in 5 days?
Take Istanbul and Cappadocia in 5 days.
What to add for 10 or 14 days?
Side and Alanya, or the coastal road trip from Antalya to Bodrum.
When is the best time to go?
May–June and September–October.
Is it good with kids?
Yes, but the transfers are long; 'Turkey with kids' stays on the coast.
Where should I start?
In Istanbul, finishing by the sea — or the reverse, from Antalya.
Can I change the itinerary?
Yes: remove or add a stop in any day and the times recalculate.
Sources and fact-check
- Prices, opening hours and time on site come from each place's page, with its own sources and check date
- Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism: museum and archaeological site hours and tickets
- Kayseri and Nevşehir-Kapadokya airports: domestic flights
- Nevşehir and Antalya bus stations: intercity buses
