From the picture perfect mosques, incredible and diverse landscapes, to its charming cobblestone streets Turkey is one of the most fascinating nation to explore the Islamic culture connecting Eurasia which truly has everything to offer one can ask for in a perfect vacation. Istanbul being so rich in history, culture and incredible food, the hot air balloon rides over Cappadocia, dipping at the pool of Pamukkale hot spring, to some of the postcard perfect beaches, no wonder why Turkey is one of the most visited destination in the entire world by travellers. We believe everyone should experience its beauty once in their life where history meets adventure. We hope this ultimate 10 days travel itinerary for Turkey helps you plan a perfect Turkey Itinerary 10 Days. 10 Days in Turkey we felt is just about right to give you enough time to cover all the best things to do in Turkey.
Here are the list of things you need to know before you visit Turkey.
1.Turkey Currency : Turkey Itinerary 10 Days
You can use Turkish Lira which is easily accepted everywhere. If possible, try to carry some hard cash as most of the local shops don’t accept plastic money apart from few big stores. You would even find ATMs at every corner so don’t have to worry much if you run short of cash.
Tip: We mostly withdrew cash from Halkbank (gov.) that charged less transaction fee.
2. Language in Turkey :Turkey Itinerary 10 Days
Turkish language is spoken all over the nation. More than 85M people lives in Turkey but only 1% of them understands and speaks English. We really had a hard time interacting with people, but they would still try to help you with broken English. We would recommend using google translator whenever necessary.
3. Best time to visit Turkey : Turkey Itinerary 10 Days
If you wish to avoid the scorching heat during the day, we would suggest it would be really nice if you can plan your vacations between April – May and September – October. While the summer months June, July, August are extremely hot and humid, and between November-March it might even snow.
We went in the month of April and the weather was absolutely perfect. The sun was not too scorching and the nights were soothing and pleasant. Also these months of the year are not high season so you can expect less tourists.
4. Is Turkey safe: Turkey Itinerary 10 Days
Turkey as a country is very safe to travel around, even if you are a solo traveller or travelling with friends & family. Still you must take good care of yourself and people around with you as safety should always be the first priority. We felt absolutely safe around every nook and corners.
5. Turkey Mobile Networks : Turkey Itinerary 10 Days
On arrival we issued a Vodafone SIM card worth 46$. Yes that was one of the most expensive SIM card we ever purchased. Stores at the airport would only accept dollar or euro. We would suggest taking a SIM card from any local shop outside airport, that would be pretty cheaper. Our SIM was valid for 28days offering 20GB data+750 min local calls+1000 SMS.
6. How to apply for an E-visa for Turkey : Turkey Itinerary 10 Days
If you have a valid US, Canada or Schengen visa then you can easily apply a single entry Turkish e visa online for a fee of 44$ per person prior to arrival. Apply your online visa here.
Please note: Your US, Canada or Schengen visa needs to be valid during the duration of your stay in Turkey.
7. Food in Turkey : Turkey Itinerary 10 Days
This is our favourite subject. One can never go wrong with food here, this country is an absolute food paradise. You would find hundreds of restaurants at every lanes and corners you step your foot serving cuisines from all around the world.
We ate at multiple restaurants and tried street food too, and found it to be very pocket friendly. We almost ate every strange looking food and seriously had hell of time enjoining Turkish cuisine. Turkish people love having tea, which is basically served in a very stylish pear shaped cup, no need to ask where you would find those, its served almost everywhere around every corner.
Some of our favourite Turkish delicacies are Menemen which is a Turkish style omelet prepared with peppers tomatoes herbs etc. Also you can’t go wrong with Turkish Kabab platters, Shawarma rolls, Burek, Manti (Turkish ravioli served with yogurt). If you have a sweet tooth like us, guys you are at the right destination than. We would recommend trying some of the famous Turkish dessert – Kunefe, Baklava, Turkish delight, Sutlac and lot more, but these were our daily dose.
8.Transportation in Turkey : Turkey Itinerary 10 Days
Both public and local transportations are easily available to go around the city. You would see yellow taxis standing everywhere. At times we tried taking the city bus unaware of the fact that you need to purchase Turkey travel Card (electronic boarding pass) for metro, tram and bus services as they don’t accept direct cash. You can easily buy those cards from the airport itself where it directs to any bus service. We mostly walked everywhere so that we could burn some extra calories. However during rush hours the taxis might charge something unusual than actual so tell them you would prefer going with meter rates.
Turkey Itinerary 10 Days
- Day 1 : Arrive in Istanbul and explore Sulemaniye Mosque and experience the Whirling Dervish Ceremony at Hodjapasha and go for dinner at any Turkish restaurants of your choice.
- Day 2: Fly to Cappadocia and stay in a cave hotel. Full day trip aroundCappadocia.
- Day 3: Go for hot air balloon and full day trip around Cappadocia.
- Day 4: Watch the sunrise and the hot air balloons and explore Cappadocia on foot.
- Day 5: Take overnight bus from Cappadocia and reach Pamukkale, visit the Cotton Castle and Hierapolis.
- Day 6: From Pamukkale drive to its neighboring provinces and explore Cesme, Alacati and Sirince.
- Day 7: Explore Ephesus, Selcuk and Kusadasi and overnight stay at Selcuk or Sirince.
- Day 8: Drive to Izmir and board flight for Istanbul. Go for Bosphorus Cruise, visit Balat and experience Turkish Hammam
- Day 9: Explore the nook and corners of Istanbul including Blue Mosques, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace and Grand Bazar. End the day with shopping.
- Day 10: From Istanbul board flight back home.
Below is the complete breakdown of days on how you can utilize your 10 days in Turkey without missing a bit.
Day 1: Arrive in Istanbul
We boarded direct flight from Nairobi, Kenya and reached Istanbul (IST) by late afternoon. Duration of the flight was 6 hours, unfortunately it got delayed by 2hrs. We pre booked our cab from Get Your Guide which was already there for our pickup once we arrived.
We stayed in Istanbul for 3 nights, for the first 2 nights we stayed at Sultan Ahmed Square and on the 3rd day we shifted to Taksim Square.
Had lots of exciting visions in our mind about Istanbul before landing and surely it is an incredibly fascinating city in every ways, which is a mix of fun, food, fashion, culture, history that feels so contemporary yet ancient.
Click HERE for the perfect travel guide, itinerary, stay options and things to do in Istanbul.
Day 2 : Fly to Cappadocia and soak into its unnatural beauty staying at a cave hotel.
We have been to so many amazing cities around the world, but Cappadocia is one of the most awe-inspiring region we’ve been to thus far which will always hold a special corner in our heart. So spending 3 nights in Cappadocia gives you enough time to cover all the best things you can do in Cappadocia without skipping anything.
Surely this region looks sensational, would rather say it feels like a complete alien world. Cappadocia is so weirdly picturesque that we don’t have suitable term to describe its beauty.
In Cappadocia, you can easily find every type of rooms from luxury boutique cave hotels to backpacker hostels. We would definitely recommend to experience the charm of staying at a cave hotel, for the quintessential Cappadocia experience. These cave hotels are one of the best places to stay in Cappadocia and its something you would not find anywhere else.
Day 3: Go for Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon and explore the valleys.
Hot Air Balloon ride in Cappadocia? Can’t recommend the activity enough!! This would definitely be the magic moment of your life and we can vouch for that.
While Cappadocia is a large region covering 5 Turkish province and the central area of Cappadocia comprises of small towns and villages across hills and valleys making this region extremely dramatic and visit worthy.
Cappadocia region lies in eastern Anatolia consisting of plateaus over 1000m in altitude which are pierced by volcanic peaks called ‘Hoodoo’ or mushroom capped ‘Fairy chimneys’ making it one of the most popular destinations.
Day 4: Watch the sunrise and the hot air balloons and explore the valleys
Not spending the early morning at the hotel terrace watching the hot air balloons fly would be a sin. We have to admit, watching the hot air balloons fly at sunrise from the hotel terrace was the most memorable experience we had, absolutely gorgeous and stunning.
Later in the day you can go for hiking through the innumerable valleys that runs from one town all the way to the other.
Squat-walk in the underground hidden cities from the 4th century BC which are so mind blowing that you cannot miss visiting anyway.
Click HERE for the perfect travel guide, itinerary, stay options and things to do in Cappadocia.
Day 5: Reach Pamukkale and explore the Cotton Castle & The Hierapolis
Pamukkale- which means “Cotton Castle” is one of the most beautiful landscapes on earth and the thought itself has always excited us so much right from the start. Stretching over miles, the dazzling white travertine terraces and 17 hot springs of calcium carbonate look incredibly gorgeous making it every travellers delight, that has been running forth for more than two millennia.
Hierapolis is an ancient Greek city which is located right by the travertine of Pamukkale, which was founded as a thermal spa during the 2nd century BC. The Hierapolis consisted of two Roman baths, a gymnasium and several temples. It covers an area of 2kms layered with several columns and ruins along the side of this plateau with beautiful seasonal flower blooms. It also became one of the most prominent cities in the Roman Empire in the fields of art, philosophy and trade. Together with Hierapolis, Pamukkale has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.
Click HERE for the perfect travel guide, itinerary, stay options and things to do in Pamukkale.
Day 6: Drive to Pamukkale’s neighbouring provinces and explore Cesme, Alacati and Sirince
Start your day early morning and get ready for the wholesome breakfast, that’s the best part we both wait for!
Say goodbye to Pamukkale and yay to Cesme, which is a Turkish resort town located west of Izmir that is famous for clear beaches and diving sites and holds historical value as well. The drive from Pamukkale to Cesme took almost 4 hours and we booked our rented car from Get Your Guide. While other beach locations like Bodrum, Kusadasi, Antalya are more touristy and party friendly, you would find Cesme covered with lesser crowd in comparison. Take out time to grab some coffee and amazing food in this resort town.
You drive for another 20 mins and reach the gorgeous town of Alacati which is famous for old stone houses, cobbled streets filled with bougainvillea’s, windsurfing and also for wine making. This location was definitely a love in first sight for us, truly stunning.
Turn on the GPS, drive for another 15 mins and reach Ilica Plaji beach in Alacati which is a pristine beach that has crystalline turquoise water of the Aegean Sea and powder white sand stretching over 1.5kms. This is a perfect beach with less crowd flocking in, compared to areas in the Southern Aegean and Mediterranean. So if you are looking for a place to unwind and relax, Ilica beach would be a great choice. We really enjoyed our time there sun basking, relaxing on the beach and just doing nothing.
You might either choose to spend a night at Cesme or Alacati, both the towns have amazing boutique hotels and many other budget stay options. While Alacati is pretty expensive in comparison to Cesme making it a happening location with music bars, cafeterias and star rated restaurants around.
While we ditched the urban living and booked our stay at Sirince Village (pronounced Sir-en-jay) which is located about 8 kilometres east of the town Selçuk and about 8 kilometres from Ephesus and just 30 minutes outside Kusadasi. From Alacati we drove for almost 2hrs and reached this tiny miny village which lies between the arms of mountains and lush greens, a hidden gem for sure. There are nothing much to do and see in this small village, apart from finding some inner peace, strolling around the cobbled lanes, trying local wines(must), and interacting with the lovely people out there.
We stayed at a house hotel ‘KIRINKA’ which is managed by an amazing family. The hosts are very friendly and yeah the bonus is that you wake up with the aroma of freshly baked breads and enjoy your breakfast with the view of the mountains, this was our kind of perfect vacation.
Day 7: Explore the ancient city of Ephesus, Selcuk and Kusadasi
The ancient city of Ephesus is a must see for everyone taking a trip to Turkey which was a rendezvous for everyone from Alexander the Great to Cleopatra. Ephesus was known for ages for its sacred shrines, and the temple of Artemis, which was the most famous of all.
It is one of the best-preserved ancient Roman cities along the Mediterranean which was built in the 10th century BC on the west coast of Asia Minor. It is also an easy day trip from Izmir, Kusadasi, or Selçuk(3 kilometres). Ephesus covers an area of 4-5sq km, so it would take almost 2 hours to explore everything on foot at ease.
Listed below few of the main sites that highlights the grandeur of Ephesus former life.
Temple of Hadrian
Facing the Curetes Street stands high a temple-like monument, known as the Temple of Hadrian, which was discovered in 1956. It was built by P. Quintilius and was dedicated to Emperor Hadrian, who came to visit Ephesus from Athens in 128 A.D.
The beautiful Library of Celsus
The Library of Celsus is one of the most prominent tourist attractions in Ephesus which was commissioned in 110 AD. This library is considered as an architectural marvel, and is one of the only remaining examples of a library from the Roman Empire. This library once held over 12,000 scrolls and was the third richest library in ancient times which was built by Gaius Julius Aquila in honour of his father Gaius Julius Celsus Polemaeanus, a governor of Roman Asia who is still buried beneath the library in a decorated marble sarcophagus. Despite being destroyed and damaged by fire and Gothic invasion between 10th -11th century, you would see that the facade of the Library of Celsus has been carefully reconstructed from all original pieces, and it is one of the most well-preserved piece of architecture in Ephesus.
Ephesus Great or Ancient Theatre
This theatre was built in the Hellenistic Period (third century BC) on a slope of a hill bearing a seating capacity of 25,000 and is the largest theatre in Anatolia. The theatre was damaged by the earthquakes between 359 AD and 366 AD however the great theatre of Ephesus was one of the first structures excavated by archaeologists before the First World War. The theatre also hosted plays, concerts as well as gladiator and animal fights too.
Curetes Street
It is one of the main streets of Ephesus, between the Hercules Gate upto the Celsus Library. Along this street you would see ruins of columns all over the place and also fountains, monuments and statues standing high and well preserved till date.
Due to multiple earthquakes, many structures including the Curetes Street were severely damaged. Alongside this street there used to be many houses on the slope which were once used by rich Ephesians.
Temple of Artemis
The Artemision was the most important sanctuary of Ephesus which was counted as the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World also known as the Temple of Diana. It was a Greek Temple dedicated to an ancient, local form of the goddess Artemis. Since the beginning of the iron age, cult practices were attested here. In late antiquity, the temple of Artemis was converted and used as a church.
Explore the beaches, cafes and streets of Kusadasi
From Selcuk we reached Kusadasi just in 15min of driving which is a major cruising port and a resort town. Here, you can have a spectacular view of the Aegean Sea and get a vibe from the 60’s. The beaches here are an ideal place for chilling out and relaxing. You can also walk straight ahead to find the local bazaar which has a wide pathway in the heart of the town filled with high end brand stores and cute cafeterias on both sides. Prices here are generally lower so definitely you can enjoy your shopping and yes bargaining is must. Near the promenade and across the main street there are bunch of hotels and luxury resorts, that can also be your overnight accommodation. We preferred staying at Sirince town for the night.
Day 8: Drive to Izmir and board flight for Istanbul. Go for Bosphorus Cruise, visit Balat and experience Turkish Hammam
Started our day early finished the first meal and from Sirince drove to Izmir(airport) which took nearly 1hr. By 12 noon we arrived at Istanbul. Post lunch we went for famous Bosphorus cruise followed by visiting colorful neighborhood of Balat. Post that we went for a relaxing Turkish Hammam and ended the day admiring Taksim Square.
Day 9: Explore the nook and corners of Istanbul including Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace and Grand Bazar. End the day with shopping.
The following days we explored nook and cranny of Istanbul at its best. We covered Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi palace, visited Grand Bazaar and Galata Tower. Ended the day with shopping till our legs felt tired.
Click HERE for the perfect travel guide, itinerary, stay options and things to do in Istanbul.
Day 10: Boarded flight back home from Istanbul with reminiscence, which we would cherish forever.
That’s all about it, things you can do in Turkey in 10 days. So guys hope you find this blog helpful planning yours, and if you have any queries please write it down in the comment section below. We would try to help with the best of our knowledge.
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