Two weeks in Turkey! When we arrived in Turkey, we did not expect to encounter so much beauty and variety in every corner we explored. Turkey is a country full of so much natural and historical beauty, it is a melting pot of cultures and flavours, of religion and modernisation. We are already looking forward to returning there to explore more of all its aspects!
Below is the guide to our two-week on-the-road itinerary in Turkey, starting and ending in Istanbul.
Itinerary
Interactive map
Technical information
Our journey began in the beautiful city of Istanbul. We landed at Sabiha Gökçen airport. From the airport there are two ways to get to the city centre: pay for an uber/taxi, which is certainly the more convenient option but also more expensive (the trip will cost around 30 euros), or take the M4 metro, which will take you practically to the centre of Istanbul in an hour.
To take transport in Istanbul, you will need to buy a transport card from the automatic machines. You can buy the card for about 70 liras (a little over 2€) and then reload it by inserting money (you can buy one card and pass it on if there are two of you). One ride costs about 15 liras (0.5€). An alternative are the daily tourist cards, which cost around EUR 10 and which you can use all day long on as many means of transport as you wish, and are rechargeable daily.
For our on-the-road tour, however, once we had explored Istanbul, we rented a car with Greenmotion Car Rental through DiscoverCars.com which compares the different local car rental companies and show you the lowest price. You can check DiscoverCars.com to compare rental prices for cars in Turkey here. We managed to get a car for around 45 euros per day with full insurance included!
1. Istanbul
Time: days 1-3
Istanbul, the historic capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, is the only metropolis in the world belonging to two continents, Europe and Asia. Walking through Istanbul’s neighbourhoods you feel like you are experiencing different histories. At times you feel like you are in a conservative Muslim country full of history and tradition, and others you feel like you are in a completely modernised European city, full of hipster bars and trendy cafés. These two realities create a unique harmony, making Istanbul one of the most fascinating cities we have ever visited.
Istanbul is also famous for being known as the city of cats, loved by all the locals, because you will find so many of them, in the most diverse places!
We have provided here a list of the main attractions to visit in Istanbul with a limited time frame of two or three days, depending on their location:
Day 1
Historic part of Istanbul, with the iconic mosques, the beautiful Ottoman sultan’s residence and the fascinating
Day 2
We recommend that you get lost walking in the Eminönü quarter! In addition to the Egyptian bazaar, you will find a host of open-air markets and you can really lose yourself in the colours and smells of the place!
- Bosphorus Sunset Tour
Keep in mind that you can also take a local boat to explore the Bosphorus, without relying on the overpriced tourist boats. Locals use them to get from one part of the city to another, for example to visit the beautiful Asian part of the city!
- Karaköy area for a drink in the evening
Day 3
- Departure: after collecting your rental car, on your way out of Istanbul stop to visit the Dolmabahçe Mosque
We stayed in the Golden Metro Boutique Hotel, located in the old town, and it was perfectly situated to see all of the tourist sites. Just 10-15 minutes walk to all of the places we listed above, and rooms can be had for as little as 30 euros a night. Check the hotel out here.
Hotels in Istanbul View all
2. Ephesus, Selçuk
Time: Day 4
In about five and a half hours from Istanbul you will arrive in Selçuk, a small town on the outskirts of the Ephesus Archaeological Museum. You can sleep near the town and take the whole of the following day to explore the beautiful archaeological site. The museum’s holdings include buildings and objects mainly from classical antiquity and the medieval period, which are extraordinarily beautiful and beautifully preserved. The cost of the ticket is about 8 euro, and you can stay inside and explore this wealth of history for as long as you like.
Once the tour is over, you can leave for Pamukkale!
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3. Pamukkale
Time: Day 5
In 2½ hours you will arrive in Pamukkale. Pamukkale is a famous spa area in Turkey, with a distinctive white mountain made up of small terraced pools with views over the horizon. In Turkish, Pamukkale means ‘cotton castle’, and it is indeed true, it feels like walking on clouds! You can stay in the area for the night, and take the whole next day to walk up the beautiful white hill and enjoy the archaeological park above, in which there is also a thermal pool for a fee, Cleopatra’s Pool. Especially beautiful is the ancient theatre of Hierapolis, don’t miss it!
Note: Our advice is to arrive early in the morning to enjoy the Cotton Castle almost alone (towards the afternoon many tourists arrive intent on taking photos of themselves with angel wings hired on site!), and then devote yourself to the archaeological site, and descend again to the white hill from before sunset until the end, because that will be the time of day when the colours will be extraordinary!
In the evening you can set off again and head for Lake Salda, sleeping in the area.
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4. Salda Gölü Paji
Time: day 6
In an hour and a half, you will have arrived in the area of Lake Salda, the Maldives of Turkey. When you see this lake, you will immediately understand why it is called Salda! It is not possible to get to the lake viewpoint on your own, so when you approach the lake by car you will be stopped at a car park where you will have to park, and then a guide will take you by golf cart to the viewpoint to observe the lake from afar. You can stay there as long as you like, and ask another guide to take you back at any time. Lake Salda is a protected area now, and for the conservation of the area, direct access to the lake is denied. You can still enjoy a beautiful view from the viewing platform, and possibly explore other areas of the lake that are accessible on foot, which still have beautiful white sandy beaches.
5. Meke Tuzlasi Krater Gölü
Time: days 7 and 8
Once we had visited Lake Salda, our next stop was Cappadocia, but as the journey was 7½ hours long, we decided to break it up by visiting the Meke Crater Lake and staying overnight near the town of Konya. The drive from Salda Lake to Konya takes about 4½ hours, and Meke crater is about 1½ hours from Konya.
Meke Crater Lake is a lake in the Karapınar district of Konya, which turned into what it is today as a result of the flooding of the crater of an extinct volcano, which took shape when the volcano erupted. A second eruption then formed the volcanic cone inside the lake. You can walk the ring around the crater, both above and below the base of the volcanic cone, if no water is present. The area is really beautiful, too bad it was not kept particularly clean. Be responsible tourists and take care not to leave rubbish on the streets.
Note: Konya is the most conservative city in Turkey. Don’t expect the same openness as Istanbul! The stares of the locals become more present and insistent. We never felt in danger, but always better to be careful and dress appropriately for the place (for both men and women).
6. Cappadocia
Time: days 9-11
About a three-hour drive from Meke Crater, you will find magnificent Cappadocia. Cappadocia is one of the most magical places we have ever been to. Waking up in the morning at dawn to see dozens and dozens of hot-air balloons take off all at once (about 100 fly every day!) is something out of a fairy tale. You have the chance to see them light up and inflate slowly in the morning darkness, and then watch them all fly together in the colours of dawn over the beautiful valleys. Cappadocia is not only hot-air balloons, but also spectacular rock formations and dwellings and churches built within them.
In a maximum of 20 minutes you can drive to all points in Cappadocia, but if you want to optimise your time in the morning to see the hot-air balloons, Göreme is definitely the ideal starting point. Regardless of where you sleep, these are the activities we suggest you do not miss in Cappadocia, with their respective locations:
- Get up at dawn to view hot air balloons (hot air balloons usually fly between 5:30 and 6:00am).
- Trek through Love Valley, famous for its phallic rock formations, and lose yourself at sunset in Red Valley
- Explore the rock-hewn churches in Pink Valley:
- Take a tour of Cappadocia’s natural park by car and drive through the Imagination Valley to Urgüp
- Derinkuyu Underground City: on the way back you can stop and explore this beautiful underground city
We stayed in the heart of Göreme, in Tibet Stone House. Breakfast was included and consisted of a full Turkish style breakfast, that you could enjoy from the rooftop veranda overlooking the city. Check out the hotel here.
Hotels in Cappadocia View all
7. Tuz Gölü
Time: day 11
On your third day in Cappadocia, you can start your return tour, and in three hours you will arrive at Ankara, the capital of Turkey. On the way, don’t miss the Tuz Salt Lake!
Tuz Gölü is a beautiful salt lake in central Turkey, about 150 km southeast of Ankara. You can stop at the northern part of the lake here: Tuz Gölü and enjoy a good coffee while strolling through a white expanse with pink hues. If you are lucky, you may even spot some flamingos!
8. Ankara
Time: day 12
After a three-hour drive and a visit to Lake Tuz, Ankara is definitely the ideal stop to break up the journey back to Istanbul. Turkey’s capital is definitely worth a visit of at least one day. Here are the things not to miss in Ankara:
- Mausoleum of Anıtkabir, founder and first president of modern Turkey. You will find his pictures everywhere in Turkey, they have a real adoration for him!
- AnkaraKalesi, or Ankara Castle
- Kocatepe Mosque
- Southern district of Ankara to enjoy food and drinks, here are some of the best we tried (recommended by a local friend of ours!):
- Kıtır: this pub is one of the oldest restaurants in the Ankara region Tunali Hil
- Kruvasante: never had such huge sweet and savoury croissants!
- Stüdyo Pizza: pizza so good that they run out at weekends!
Hotels in Ankara View all
9. Istanbul
Time: day 13 and 14
On the last day you have a five-hour drive back to Istanbul. If you still have time once you arrive, we recommend exploring the Asian part of the city, taking the boat that will take you across the Bosphorus, or simply getting lost in the streets of Europe’s most fascinating city!
Useful Information
- The best time to visit Turkey is between May and October.
- Travel insurance is a must for any holiday abroad. Although problems rarely arise, you want to be covered in the case that they do. We use SafetyWing and recommend it for anyone travelling around the world.
- Car rentals can be found for cheap by comparing different companies. We use DiscoverCars.com to check local car rental company prices.
- When spending money abroad we use the WISE international debit card. You can withdraw up to 200 euros in cash per month free of charge. After that, you only pay a very low withdrawal fee.
- Turkey is a popular tourist destination, and hotels and hostels book up far in advance, especially in peak times. Best to book before you arrive to avoid any issues!
Conclusion
This is the tour we did for two weeks in Turkey, I hope you enjoy it! It is a long hours drive, but the sights you will encounter on the way are breathtaking, so you will never get tired! You will encounter mountains, lakes, and you can take your time.
If you have any suggestions or comments, don’t hesitate to let us know by leaving a comment! For more of our itineraries click here, or discover more articles here on the rest of the blog!
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