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๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท Turkey

Straddling two continents, Turkey serves up Istanbul's mosques and bazaars, Cappadocia's balloon-filled skies and turquoise Mediterranean coves.

eVisa ๐Ÿ“… Best: Aprโ€“Jun, Sepโ€“Nov ๐Ÿ’ต $70/day avg
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Capital
Ankara
๐Ÿ’ฑ
Currency
Turkish Lira (โ‚บ TRY)
๐Ÿ—ฃ๏ธ
Language
Turkish
๐Ÿ“…
Best time
Aprโ€“Jun, Sepโ€“Nov
๐Ÿ›‚
Visa
eVisa
๐Ÿ’ต
Avg daily budget
$30 โ€“ $220
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Safety
Generally safe
โœˆ๏ธ
Main airport
Istanbul (IST)
Overview

Why travellers love Turkey

Istanbul alone โ€” with the Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque and Grand Bazaar straddling Europe and Asia โ€” justifies the trip.

Add Cappadocia's fairy chimneys and hot-air balloons, the ruins of Ephesus and the beaches of the Turquoise Coast for a remarkably good-value adventure.

Where to go

Top places in Turkey

The destinations worth building your trip around.

Istanbul

Istanbul

๐Ÿ—“ 3 days

Hagia Sophia, bazaars and the Bosphorus.

CultureFood
Cappadocia

Cappadocia

๐Ÿ—“ 2 days

Fairy chimneys and sunrise balloon flights.

AdventureRomance
Antalya

Antalya

๐Ÿ—“ 2โ€“3 days

Turquoise Coast beaches and ruins.

BeachFamily
Pamukkale

Pamukkale

๐Ÿ—“ 1 day

White travertine terraces and ancient Hierapolis.

Nature
Plan day by day

Turkey itineraries

Ready-made routes โ€” tap a duration to see the plan.

Route
Istanbul โ†’ Cappadocia โ†’ Antalya
Trip length
5 days
Est. budget
$150 โ€“ $1,100
1–2

Istanbul

Hagia Sophia, bazaars and the Bosphorus.

๐Ÿ—“ 2 daysโœจ Culture ยท Food
3–4

Cappadocia

Fairy chimneys and sunrise balloon flights.

๐Ÿ—“ 2 daysโœจ Adventure ยท Romance
5

Antalya

Turquoise Coast beaches and ruins.

๐Ÿ—“ 1 dayโœจ Beach ยท Family
Route
Istanbul โ†’ Cappadocia โ†’ Antalya โ†’ Pamukkale
Trip length
7 days
Est. budget
$210 โ€“ $1,540
1–2

Istanbul

Hagia Sophia, bazaars and the Bosphorus.

๐Ÿ—“ 2 daysโœจ Culture ยท Food
3–4

Cappadocia

Fairy chimneys and sunrise balloon flights.

๐Ÿ—“ 2 daysโœจ Adventure ยท Romance
5–6

Antalya

Turquoise Coast beaches and ruins.

๐Ÿ—“ 2 daysโœจ Beach ยท Family
7

Pamukkale

White travertine terraces and ancient Hierapolis.

๐Ÿ—“ 1 dayโœจ Nature
Route
Istanbul โ†’ Cappadocia โ†’ Antalya โ†’ Pamukkale
Trip length
10 days
Est. budget
$300 โ€“ $2,200
1–3

Istanbul

Hagia Sophia, bazaars and the Bosphorus.

๐Ÿ—“ 3 daysโœจ Culture ยท Food
4–6

Cappadocia

Fairy chimneys and sunrise balloon flights.

๐Ÿ—“ 3 daysโœจ Adventure ยท Romance
7–8

Antalya

Turquoise Coast beaches and ruins.

๐Ÿ—“ 2 daysโœจ Beach ยท Family
9–10

Pamukkale

White travertine terraces and ancient Hierapolis.

๐Ÿ—“ 2 daysโœจ Nature
โœจ Build a custom Turkey itinerary โ†’
Visa & entry

Turkey visa requirements

Visa required?
eVisa for many
Allowed stay
90 days / 180
Visa on arrival
Limited
eVisa
Yes (official e-Visa)
Passport validity
6 months
Visa type
eVisa
โš ๏ธ

Visa rules change frequently. Many nationalities are visa-exempt or get a quick online e-Visa before travel. Always verify with the official Turkey immigration / e-visa website before travelling.

Full Turkey visa guide โ†’Use the visa checker โ†’
Money

Turkey budget guide

Budget

$30/day
  • Hostels & guesthouses
  • Local food & markets
  • Public transport
  • Free sights & nature

Luxury

$220+/day
  • 4โ€“5โ˜… hotels & resorts
  • Fine dining
  • Private transfers
  • Premium experiences
Full Turkey budget guide โ†’
Things to do

Top attractions in Turkey

๐Ÿ•Œ

Hagia Sophia & Blue Mosque

Istanbul's twin architectural marvels.

๐ŸŽˆ

Cappadocia balloons

Sunrise flights over fairy chimneys.

๐Ÿ›๏ธ

Ephesus

One of the best-preserved ancient cities.

๐Ÿ’ง

Pamukkale

Cotton-castle thermal terraces.

๐Ÿ›๏ธ

Grand Bazaar

4,000 shops in a 15th-century maze.

Blog

Turkey travel articles

All guides