Turkey gives a first trip two very different halves. In Istanbul you walk from Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque to Topkapı Palace and the Grand Bazaar, then ride a public ferry across the Bosphorus between Europe and Asia. In Cappadocia, in central Anatolia, balloons rise at dawn over the fairy chimneys, and painted churches and whole underground cities are carved into the soft volcanic rock. You reach Cappadocia by flying into Kayseri or Nevşehir airport.
This page starts with our ranked picks for a first visit, best first, each with a practical tip on timing, tickets or etiquette. Below them you will find every sight we cover in Istanbul and Cappadocia, city by city, with opening notes and checked entry fees where we have them, then answers to common questions.
The 18 best things to do in Turkey
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- 1Istanbul
Stand under the great dome of Hagia Sophia
Emperor Justinian had Hagia Sophia built by the architects Anthemios of Tralles and Isidoros of Miletus, and it opened on 27 December 537. It served as a church for 916 years, became a mosque after the Ottoman conquest of 1453, was a museum from 1934 and has been a mosque again since 2020. Its dome, unusually large for its time, dominates the central space, and Ottoman minarets, fountains and the tiled library of Sultan Mahmud I, from 1739, were added over the centuries. Sightseers follow a route up to the gallery floor, where the Byzantine mosaics are, and look down into the prayer hall. It stands on Sultanahmet Square, reached by tram to the Sultanahmet stop.
Tip: Foreign visitors use the separate tourist entrance on the south side, with the ticket office facing the Fountain of Ahmed III, and can hear commentary in 23 languages through their own headphones by scanning a QR code.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Türkiye Kültür Portalı (Ministry of Culture and Tourism); Ministry of Culture and Tourism (press office); GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official); UNESCO World Heritage CentreVisitor ticket: €[fee] - 2Istanbul
Walk the four courtyards of Topkapı Palace
Sultan Mehmed II built Topkapı Palace from 1460 to 1478, soon after he conquered Istanbul, on the Sarayburnu headland at the southern mouth of the Bosphorus. For nearly four centuries it was the sultan's home and the center of Ottoman government, until Dolmabahçe Palace replaced it in the mid 19th century, and in 1924 it became the first museum of the new Republic. You pass through the Imperial Gate and the Gate of Salutation into the court of the State Council, then the Gate of Felicity into the inner court with the Holy Relics and the treasury. Beyond lie the terraced pavilions of the fourth court, among them the tiled Baghdad and Revan kiosks, and the Harem, the sultan's private home.
Tip: The palace is closed on Tuesdays, and the combined ticket covering the Harem and Hagia Irene is valid only on the day you buy it, so give it a full morning.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Presidency of National Palaces (Milli Saraylar); GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official)Entry: ₺2,750 (about $55) · Includes the Harem and Hagia IreneLast verified
- 3Istanbul
See the İznik tiles of the Blue Mosque
Sultan Ahmed I began this mosque in 1609 on the square that carries his name, and his architect, Sedefkâr Mehmed Ağa, was a student of Mimar Sinan. It is the only mosque in Turkey with six minarets, and Europeans named it the Blue Mosque for its blue, green and white tiles: 21,043 tiles from İznik and Kütahya in more than fifty designs, mostly floral. The prayer hall measures 64 by 72 m, the central dome rises 43 m, and 260 windows light the interior. The complex once also held a madrasa, a hospital and a market, and the tomb of Ahmed I, where Kösem Sultan, Osman II and Murad IV also lie. Take the tram to the Sultanahmet stop.
Tip: It is a working mosque, so plan your visit between prayer times, when visitors are welcome.
Search tours on TiqetsSources: Ministry of Culture and Tourism (official); Türkiye Kültür Portalı (Ministry of Culture and Tourism); GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official)Free to visit - 4Istanbul
Walk among the columns of the Basilica Cistern
This vast underground reservoir was built under the Eastern Roman emperor Justinian I (527 to 565) and stored water from aqueducts and rain for the Great Palace and the buildings around it. Locals call it Yerebatan Sarayı, the sunken palace, for the marble columns that seem to rise endlessly from the water: 336 of them, each 9 m tall, in 12 rows of 28, filling a hall about 140 m long and 70 m wide. Its two Medusa heads, reused as column bases in the northwest corner, one upside down and one on its side, were uncovered during the 1985 to 1987 restoration, and nobody knows which building they came from. It opened as a museum in 1987, with a walkway raised above the water.
Tip: The ticket desks take only bank cards and İstanbulkart, not cash, and the cistern is open every day until 10:00 PM, so it also works as an evening stop.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: İBB Kültür AŞForeign visitor, daytime: ₺1,950 (about $39) · Foreign visitor, night: ₺3,000 (about $60) · Daytime admission is 9:00 AM to 6:30 PM. Night tickets cover 7:30 PM to 10:00 PM.Last verified
- 5Istanbul
Bargain in the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar
The Grand Bazaar dates its founding to 1461, when Mehmed II built two covered markets, the bedestens, to earn income for Hagia Sophia, and the bazaar grew around them over the next 250 years. Today it spreads over about 110,000 square meters, with some 3,600 shops on 65 streets and 14 hans, and street names such as Kalpakçılar and Yorgancılar still tell you which trade once worked there. In Eminönü, by the New Mosque, the Spice Bazaar was begun in 1660 to pay for the mosque's upkeep. It took its Turkish name, the Egyptian Bazaar, from the taxes and goods that came from Egypt, and its shops now sell spices and Turkish delight alongside jewelry and souvenirs.
Tip: Bargaining is part of shopping here, so compare a few shops before you settle on a price for carpets, lamps or jewelry.
Sources: Grand Bazaar Tradesmen Association (Kapalı Çarşı, official); Türkiye Kültür Portalı (Ministry of Culture and Tourism); GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official)Free to visit - 6Istanbul
Admire Sinan's masterpiece, the Süleymaniye Mosque
Mimar Sinan built the Süleymaniye Mosque for Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent in the 1550s, and UNESCO counts it among the high points of Ottoman architecture. Its main dome rises 53 m, carried on four massive piers and four granite columns brought from Alexandria, Baalbek and two sites in Istanbul, and 64 clay jars set into the dome help the sound carry. The calligraphy is by Ahmed Karahisari and his student Hasan Çelebi. Around the mosque, its madrasas now house the Süleymaniye Library, and behind the prayer hall stand the tombs of Süleyman and his wife. The complex once also had soup kitchens and baths, and its courtyard looks out over the Golden Horn.
Tip: Visit outside prayer times, then take your time in the courtyard and grounds for the view over the Golden Horn.
Search tours on TiqetsSources: Türkiye Kültür Portalı (Ministry of Culture and Tourism); UNESCO World Heritage Centre; GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official)Free to visit - 7Istanbul
Cruise the Bosphorus between two continents
The Bosphorus splits Istanbul between Europe and Asia, and in places the strait is only about 500 m wide. From the water you see the waterfront palaces, Dolmabahçe and Çırağan on the European shore and Beylerbeyi on the Asian side, along with the Rumeli Fortress, the Ortaköy Mosque and some 360 surviving yalı, the Ottoman mansions that line both banks. A boat tour along the strait lets you get off at the small historic piers of the neighborhoods on the way. Or simply ride a public ferry across with the locals, such as Eminönü to Kadıköy or Üsküdar, the quickest way to cross from one continent to another.
Tip: Buy a simit, the sesame bread ring, before you board; eating one on deck while the seagulls follow the ferry is an Istanbul ritual.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official); GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official); Türkiye Kültür Portalı (Ministry of Culture and Tourism); GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official) - 8Istanbul
Climb Galata Tower at sunset
The Genoese built Galata Tower in the mid 14th century as part of the walls of Galata, then their colony in the Byzantine city. The Ottomans used it as a dungeon and later as a fire lookout, and it was one of the tallest buildings in Istanbul until the mid 20th century. After a restoration in 2020 it reopened as a museum, with exhibits from every period of the city's history and a panoramic view from the top floor. Legend says that Hezârfen Ahmed Çelebi flew from here across the Bosphorus to Üsküdar on wooden wings, a story recorded by the traveler Evliya Çelebi, though modern historians doubt it. The tower stands at one end of İstiklal Avenue.
Tip: Time your visit for sunset, since the tower stays open into the evening, then walk up İstiklal Avenue for dinner.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Museums (muze.gov.tr, official); GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official); GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official)Entry: €30 (about $34)Last verified
- 9Istanbul
Tour Dolmabahçe Palace on the Bosphorus shore
Sultan Abdülmecid replaced the old Beşiktaş waterfront palace with Dolmabahçe, built from 1843 to 1856 on a bay filled in from the 17th century onward, which gave it its name, the filled garden. Six sultans and the last caliph lived here, and Atatürk spent a total of four years in the palace between 1927 and 1938, working here and dying here. With 285 rooms, 44 halls and six Turkish baths, it is the largest palace in Turkey as a single building. Inside, a traditional Turkish house plan meets Baroque, Rococo and Neoclassical decoration, with Hereke carpets, Baccarat crystal and Sèvres porcelain. It has been a palace museum since 1984 and faces the Bosphorus in Beşiktaş.
Tip: The palace is closed on Mondays; arrive early so you have time for both the Selamlık, the state rooms, and the Harem.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Presidency of National Palaces (Milli Saraylar); Presidency of National Palaces (Milli Saraylar); GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official)Entry: ₺2,000 (about $40) · Includes the Harem and the Painting MuseumLast verified
- 10Istanbul
Ferry over to Kadıköy on the Asian side
A ferry ride from the historic sights brings you to Kadıköy, on the Asian shore, where the mood is more relaxed than on the busier European side. The streets stretching out from the ferry port are full of coffee shops, cafés that double as bookshops, retro stores, bars and casual restaurants, and the fish market sells fresh fish along with organic honey and Turkish cheese. North of the center, the backstreets of Yeldeğirmeni carry about two dozen multi-story murals painted for the Mural İstanbul Festival. To the south, Moda sits on the Sea of Marmara, a neighborhood of cafés, bars and shops that locals love for its laid-back feel. It makes an easy half day or evening out.
Tip: Take the ferry from Eminönü, and try a balık ekmek, the grilled fish sandwich, around the Kadıköy fish market.
Sources: GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official); GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official); GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official); Türkiye Kültür Portalı (Ministry of Culture and Tourism)Pay as you go - 11Istanbul
Take the ferry to the Princes' Islands
The Princes' Islands, nine islands in the Sea of Marmara off Istanbul, are among the city's most popular day trips, and the four largest, Büyükada, Heybeliada, Burgazada and Kınalıada, have regular ferries from both the European and Asian shores. The islands are closed to ordinary motor traffic, so you get around on foot, by bike or in the electric buses that work as taxis. Büyükada, the largest, has grand wooden mansions from its days as a 19th-century resort for wealthy Istanbulers, a huge wooden former orphanage on Hristos hill, the hilltop church of Ayia Yorgi with a café, and the house where Leon Trotsky lived from 1929 to 1933.
Tip: The islands are busiest in summer, so go early, and walk away from the ferry piers for quieter lanes and better swimming spots.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official); GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official) - 12Cappadocia
Float over Cappadocia in a balloon at sunrise
Flying over the fairy chimneys at dawn is the experience most people come to Cappadocia for, and it has grown into the center of hot air ballooning over the past 20 years. Balloons take off from the trails around Göreme just before sunrise, so expect to be up at about 4:00 AM for your hotel pickup. A standard flight lasts at least an hour, with 14 to 20 people in a basket split into sections, while smaller balloons for 10 to 12 people fly for 75 to 90 minutes. Pilots must renew their international licenses every two years, and an official assessment of the wind decides whether balloons may fly that morning. Flights run all year, with spring and autumn the steadiest seasons.
Tip: Book ahead, especially in peak season, and schedule the flight for your first morning in Cappadocia so a weather cancellation can be moved to a later day.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official); GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official) - 13Cappadocia
Step into the painted churches of Göreme
Monks lived in Göreme from the 4th to the 13th century, and the valley now protected as the Göreme Open-Air Museum is packed with churches, chapels and refectories cut into the rock. The Cappadocian Fathers, Basil the Great among them, shaped the monastic life practiced here. Scenes from the Bible and the life of Christ are painted straight onto the rock or in tempera, and UNESCO ranks them among the finest Byzantine art from after Iconoclasm, which ended in 842. Look for the Apple (Elmalı), Snake, Sandal (Çarıklı), Saint Barbara and Tokalı churches. The Dark Church, from the late 11th and early 12th centuries, has a separate entrance; so little light reaches it that its frescoes have kept their color.
Tip: The Dark Church has its own entrance and ticket, so plan for it before you go in; its frescoes are the most vivid on the site.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Museums (muze.gov.tr, official); Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Museums (muze.gov.tr, official); UNESCO World Heritage CentreOpen-air museum: €20 (about $22) · Dark Church: €6 (about $7) · The Dark Church has its own ticketLast verified
- 14Cappadocia
Climb Uçhisar Castle for the widest view
Uçhisar Castle is a giant natural rock rising above Uçhisar village, and it is the highest point in the area for a panoramic view of Cappadocia. From the top you look out over Göreme, Avanos, Çavuşin, Ortahisar and Pigeon Valley, which makes it a good first stop for understanding the landscape. Below it, one of the region's loveliest walking paths runs through Pigeon Valley, past tunnels carved by the stream and tall formations shaped by nature, with pigeons flying from their nests in the rock. Shops and stalls around the base of the castle sell carpets, marble ornaments, mirrors, and dried fruit and nuts.
Tip: Start your first day in Cappadocia here, since the view shows how Göreme, Çavuşin and the valleys fit together before you explore them.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official); GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official)Entry: ₺[fee] - 15Cappadocia
Hike Rose Valley and watch sunset over Red Valley
Cappadocia's valleys are best seen on foot. Popular trails through Pigeon Valley, Love Valley, Rose Valley and Sword Valley each take a few hours, passing rock-cut churches, old necropolises and eroded rock formations. Red Valley, near Çavuşin and Ortahisar, is the classic evening walk: set off among its red tuff formations shortly before sunset, then take your place at the viewing terrace as the sky turns crimson. In Çavuşin, a path from the village square leads up to the ruins and fairy chimneys of the old village and the Church of St John the Baptist, one of the oldest and largest in Cappadocia. You can also ride horses through valleys where vehicles cannot go.
Tip: Begin the Red Valley walk shortly before sunset so you reach the viewing terrace as the light changes.
Search tours on TiqetsSources: GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official); GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official); GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official)Free to visit - 16Cappadocia
Descend into Derinkuyu Underground City
Between 150 and 200 underground settlements are thought to lie beneath Cappadocia, carved downward into soft tuff as refuges from attack, and UNESCO notes that communities banded together in them to resist Arab invasions. Derinkuyu reaches about 85 m deep, with stables, cellars, dining halls, churches, a room for boiling grape molasses and a missionary school on the second floor, plus a 55 m ventilation shaft that also served as a well. It opened to visitors in 1965, and only about a tenth of it can be visited. Kaymaklı, on the road from Nevşehir, has low, narrow, sloping passages over four excavated floors and is the widest of the explored underground cities.
Tip: Passages are low and narrow with steep steps, so wear flat shoes and think twice if you dislike tight spaces.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Museums (muze.gov.tr, official); Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Museums (muze.gov.tr, official); UNESCO World Heritage Centre; GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official)Entry: €13 (about $15)Last verified
- 17Cappadocia
See the fairy chimneys of Paşabağ and Zelve
Paşabağ, once known as the Valley of the Priests, has the most famous fairy chimneys: cones of soft volcanic tuff topped with caps of harder rock, many with several stems and heads. People hollowed some of them into chapels and homes, and one three-headed chimney holds a chapel and hermit's cell dedicated to St Simeon. Nearby Zelve is an old village spread over three valleys, with the Balıklı and Üzümlü churches, a mill, a monastery complex carved into a rock dome, a mosque and painted dovecotes high on the slopes. Both belong to one archaeological site off the road from Göreme to Avanos, the town on the Kızılırmak River known for pottery since Hittite times.
Tip: Finish in Avanos, where pottery workshops let you try the wheel with a master potter beside you.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Museums (muze.gov.tr, official); GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official); GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official); GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official)Entry: €12 (about $13) · One ticket covers Paşabağ and ZelveLast verified
- 18Cappadocia
Walk the frescoed canyon of Ihlara Valley
Ihlara Valley, in the Güzelyurt district of Aksaray province, is a canyon about 14 km long and up to 120 m deep, cut by the Melendiz Stream. In early Christian times it was an important religious center, and churches carved into its walls still hold their frescoes: Ağaçaltı Church has scenes painted between the 9th and 11th centuries, and Kırkdamaltı Church in Belisırma was decorated in the late 13th century for a patroness shown holding a model of the church. Fourteen churches are open along the valley. Nearby, the rock-cut Selime Cathedral, from the 8th and 9th centuries, is the largest in Cappadocia and once sheltered passing caravans.
Tip: Wear good walking shoes, allow up to four hours for a long walk, and rest at the tea stops beside the Melendiz Stream.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Museums (muze.gov.tr, official); GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official); GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official)
Every sight, city by city
Avanos
A pottery town on the Kızılırmak river, where workshops show you the wheel.Entry: Free to visitÇavuşin
A village below a cliff of abandoned cave houses, at one end of the Rose Valley trails.Entry: Free to visitDerinkuyu Underground City
A city dug several levels into the rock, where thousands could shelter.Search tickets and tours on TiqetsGöreme Open-Air Museum
Rock-cut churches and chapels with painted frescoes, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site.Entry: The Dark Church has its own ticketSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsGöreme village
The village at the heart of Cappadocia, its main streets lined with restaurants among the fairy chimneys.Entry: Pay as you goLove Valley
A valley of tall fairy chimneys that the morning balloons often float over.Entry: Free to visitSearch tours on TiqetsPaşabağ (Monks Valley)
Fairy chimneys with several caps, some carved into hermits' cells.Entry: One ticket covers Paşabağ and ZelveSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsPigeon Valley
A valley of dovecotes cut into the soft rock, with a walking trail between Göreme and Uçhisar.Entry: Free to visitSearch tours on TiqetsRose Valley
Pink and orange rock walls that glow at sunset, with walking trails and cave churches.Entry: Free to visitSearch tours on TiqetsUçhisar Castle
A rock pinnacle riddled with old rooms, and one of the best views over Cappadocia.Entry: ₺[fee]Search tickets and tours on TiqetsUçhisar village
The village below Uçhisar Castle, with terrace restaurants looking out over the valleys.Entry: Pay as you goÜrgüp
A bigger town east of Göreme, with old stone houses, restaurants and local wineries.Entry: Pay as you goZelve Open-Air Museum
An abandoned cave village spread over three valleys, with houses and chapels cut into the rock.Entry: One ticket covers Zelve and PaşabağSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsBasilica Cistern
A 6th-century underground water store with a forest of columns and two Medusa heads.Entry: Daytime admission is 9:00 AM to 6:30 PM. Night tickets cover 7:30 PM to 10:00 PM.Search tickets and tours on TiqetsBlue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque)
Six minarets outside and thousands of blue İznik tiles inside.Entry: Free to visitSearch tours on TiqetsDolmabahçe Palace
The lavish 19th-century palace on the Bosphorus that replaced Topkapı.Entry: Includes the Harem and the Painting Museum. Closed MondaysSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsGalata Tower
A medieval stone tower with a balcony view over the old town and the Bosphorus.Search tickets and tours on TiqetsGrand Bazaar
One of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world, with thousands of shops.Entry: Free to visit. Closed SundaysHagia Sophia
Built as a church in 537 and a mosque again since 2020, with one of the largest domes of the ancient world.Entry: Visitor ticket: €[fee]Search tickets and tours on TiqetsIstanbul Modern
Modern and contemporary art from Turkey and beyond, in a waterfront building in Karaköy.Closed MondaysSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsKadıköy market streets
Fish, meze, pickles and sweets in the market lanes by the Asian-side ferry pier.Entry: Pay as you goKumkapı
An old fishing quarter by the Sea of Marmara, its lanes lined with fish restaurants and meyhanes.Entry: Pay as you goLittle Hagia Sophia
A 6th-century Byzantine church, now a mosque, a short walk from the Sea of Marmara shore.Entry: Free to visitSearch tours on TiqetsMaiden's Tower
A tower on a tiny island off Üsküdar, now a museum reached by boat.Entry: The boat over is paid separatelySearch tickets and tours on TiqetsModa Coastal Park
A seaside park on the Moda headland in Kadıköy, busy with walkers at sunset.Entry: Free to visitSearch tours on TiqetsNevizade Street
A narrow Beyoğlu lane of meyhanes, taverns serving meze, fish and rakı, off İstiklal Avenue.Entry: Pay as you goOrtaköy kumpir stalls
A lane of stalls beside Ortaköy Mosque selling kumpir, baked potatoes loaded with toppings.Entry: Pay as you goOrtaköy Mosque
A domed 19th-century mosque on the water, right below the Bosphorus Bridge.Entry: Free to visitSearch tours on TiqetsRüstem Pasha Mosque
A small Mimar Sinan mosque raised above the market streets, covered in İznik tiles.Entry: Free to visitSearch tours on TiqetsSpice Bazaar
Spices, Turkish delight, dried fruit and tea by the Eminönü ferry piers.Entry: Free to visitSüleymaniye Mosque
Mimar Sinan's masterpiece on a hill above the Golden Horn.Entry: Free to visitSearch tours on TiqetsTarihi Sultanahmet Köftecisi
A long-running köfte (grilled meatball) house on Divanyolu Avenue, by the Sultanahmet tram stop.Entry: Pay as you goTopkapı Palace
The palace of the Ottoman sultans, with courtyards, treasuries and Bosphorus views.Entry: Includes the Harem and Hagia Irene. Closed TuesdaysSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsQuestions travelers ask
What are the best things to do in Turkey for a first trip?
Start in Istanbul's historic peninsula with Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapı Palace, the Basilica Cistern and the Grand Bazaar. Add a Bosphorus boat ride, Galata Tower at sunset and a ferry to Kadıköy on the Asian shore. Then fly to Kayseri or Nevşehir for Cappadocia: a sunrise balloon flight, the painted churches of Göreme Open-Air Museum, the view from Uçhisar Castle, a valley walk and an underground city such as Derinkuyu.
Sources: UNESCO World Heritage Centre; GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official); GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official)How many days do you need in Turkey?
For Istanbul and Cappadocia together, plan at least five or six days. Give Istanbul three days: one for Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapı and the cistern, one for the bazaars and Süleymaniye, and one for the Bosphorus, Galata and Kadıköy. Two days cover Cappadocia's highlights, and an extra morning is worth having, because balloon flights are sometimes canceled for weather. With a week or more, add the Princes' Islands, Dolmabahçe Palace and a day in Ihlara Valley.
Sources: GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official); GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official)When is the best time for sightseeing in Turkey?
Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons. In Istanbul, spring brings Judas trees in flower along the Bosphorus and tulips across the city, with the Tulip Festival in Emirgan Forest and Göztepe Park. In Cappadocia, September and October are the best months, with milder weather, and spring and autumn also bring the steadiest weather for balloon flights. Balloons fly all year, though, and a winter flight over snow-covered rock formations is a very different sight if you don't mind the cold.
Sources: GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official); GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official); GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official)Which Turkey attractions should you book ahead?
Book your Cappadocia balloon flight before you travel, especially in peak season, and put it on your first morning there. State museums such as Göreme Open-Air Museum, Derinkuyu and Galata Tower sell e-tickets online through the Ministry of Culture and Tourism's museum site, and the National Palaces app sells e-tickets for Topkapı and Dolmabahçe. Check closing days before you plan: Topkapı Palace closes on Tuesdays and Dolmabahçe on Mondays, while Göreme, Derinkuyu and Galata Tower open every day.
Sources: GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official); Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Museums (muze.gov.tr, official); Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Museums (muze.gov.tr, official); Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Museums (muze.gov.tr, official); Presidency of National Palaces (Milli Saraylar); Presidency of National Palaces (Milli Saraylar)How do you get around Istanbul and Cappadocia?
In Istanbul, an İstanbulkart, a reloadable card sold at kiosks and machines near stops, pays for the metro, trams, buses and ferries. The Kabataş to Bağcılar tram stops at Sultanahmet for Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, and ferries link Eminönü with Kadıköy and Üsküdar on the Asian side. For Cappadocia, fly into Kayseri Erkilet or Nevşehir Cappadocia airport and continue by public transport or a tour company's vehicle. By road, Cappadocia is about three hours from Ankara.
Sources: GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official); Türkiye Kültür Portalı (Ministry of Culture and Tourism); GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official)Can tourists visit mosques in Istanbul?
Yes. Istanbul's mosques, Hagia Sophia included, welcome visitors outside prayer times, so plan around them and remember that these are working places of worship. At Hagia Sophia, sightseers use a separate entrance under the minaret of Bayezid II on the south side and follow a route to the gallery floor, which keeps the prayer hall undisturbed below. Commentary in 23 languages plays through your own headphones so the building stays quiet. Keep your voice low inside every mosque, and check prayer times on the day.
Sources: GoTürkiye (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, official); Ministry of Culture and Tourism (press office)