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Istanbul, Cappadocia & Antalya: Route Guide

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Hot-air balloons drifting over Cappadocia's fairy chimneys
Photo: Wolfgang Moroder · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Travel with a driver from Istanbul's historic neighbourhoods through Ankara and Göreme's rock landscape to Konya and Antalya. Ten days allow for long road journeys between cities, with time for Cappadocia's village heritage and Antalya's old town and archaeology. Balloon flights, underground-city trips, performances and longer hikes are separate activities to arrange.

Istanbul, Cappadocia & Antalya is a 1280 km one-way journey (with a driver). It works best as a 10-day trip; the plan below is the 10-day version for May, built from 368 verified places, with planned transit times, opening hours and daylight checked.

10
days
1280km
distance
10
Stops
368
curated stops

View ready-made plans 10-day plan · best time to go

The route

Istanbul public imperial heritage day→Istanbul public Bosphorus neighbourhood day→ 450 kmAnkara reserved long-transfer and public arrival day→Ankara public civic heritage day→ 280 kmGöreme reserved long-transfer and public arrival day→Göreme public Cappadocia heritage day→ 230 kmKonya reserved transfer and public Seljuk heritage day→ 320 kmAntalya reserved long-transfer and public arrival day→Antalya public Kaleiçi heritage day→Antalya public archaeology and museum day
The carved stone entrance and domed roof of Karatay Medrese in Konya

Konya · Day 7

Karatay Medresesi Museum

View exquisite Seljuk tiles in a historic medrassa.

10-day plan →

Photo: Dosseman · CC BY-SA 4.0

What you'll see

Hagia Sophia
Marvel at the towering dome and intricate pendentive architecture.
Istanbul public imperial heritage day
Dolmabahce Palace
Marvel at lavish Ottoman architecture and grand state halls.
Istanbul public Bosphorus neighbourhood day
Ankara reserved long-transfer and public arrival circuit
Use the confirmed long road transfer and a bounded public Ankara arrival orientation.
Ankara reserved long-transfer and public arrival day
Kocatepe Mosque
Marvel at the neoclassical Ottoman architecture of this grand mosque.
Ankara public civic heritage day
Göreme reserved long-transfer and public arrival circuit
Use the confirmed long road transfer and a bounded public Göreme arrival orientation.
Göreme reserved long-transfer and public arrival day
Göreme Open Air Museum
Marvel at frescoed cave churches and unique fairy chimneys.
Göreme public Cappadocia heritage day

Choose your length

10-day plan16 stops · 22.2 h transit1.6 stops/day · 2.2 h transit/daySee the full plan →

When to go

Best months: April, May, June, September, October

The reviewed shoulder-season baseline still requires same-day heat, weather, roadworks, traffic and site-access checks across the long cross-country corridor.

See the month-by-month breakdown →

Similar journeys

View ready-made plans