Straddling two continents, Turkey stacks up worlds: Hagia Sophia and the mosques of Istanbul above the Bosphorus, the fairy chimneys of Cappadocia overflown by a hundred hot-air balloons, the white pools of Pamukkale, the ruins of Ephesus and the turquoise coves of the Lycian coast. You eat divinely, get around easily, and the value remains among the best in the Mediterranean.
Itineraries
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Itineraries available in Asia
We don't sell an itinerary in Turkey yet. Here are the ones already on sale, for other countries.
Classic
Four days in Tokyo, one night in Hakone, five in Kyoto with a day trip to Nara, and a last one in Osaka, by train, subway and on foot.
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Classic
The northern island in two weeks: Sapporo, Otaru, the Furano hills, the Shiretoko Peninsula, the eastern lakes and Hakodate.
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Classic
Japan's hidden side in two weeks: Kinosaki Onsen, the Tottori dunes, Izumo, the Shimanami Kaido and the Iya valley.
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Module
Five days in Gyeonggi province: the cosmopolitan port of Incheon and the futuristic city of Songdo, the border island of Ganghwa and its dolmens, the UNESCO-listed fortresses of Namhansanseong and Hwaseong, the folk village and Everland.
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The right season
April-June and September-October offer the best: gentle heat, a sea already (or still) swimmable, luminous Cappadocia. July-August crush the interior with heat and fill the coast, without making it unpleasant for a beach stay. Winter, cold and sometimes snowy in Anatolia, turns Cappadocia into a fairy-tale set and empties Istanbul of its crowds.
Quick guide
Domestic flights are cheap and cover the whole country; the comfortable night buses do the rest. In Istanbul, the Istanbulkart pays for tram, ferry and metro. A rental car is king on the Lycian coast.
The Turkish lira (₺), whose rate moves fast: withdraw small amounts regularly. Cards work almost everywhere, but the bazaars and small lokantas prefer cash. Customary tip, 5 to 10%.
Turkish, in the Latin alphabet, is easy to decipher. English is common in the tourist areas, rarer in Anatolia. A few words of Turkish (merhaba, teşekkürler) change the welcome.
BiTaksi or Uber for Istanbul taxis, the digital Istanbulkart for transport, Obilet to book long-distance buses and domestic flights.
Cave hotels of Cappadocia, characterful pensions on the Bosphorus, wooden gulets on the coast: Turkey takes care of the setting. Book the cave hotels with a terrace early for the balloon sunrises.
Shoes off in the mosques, shoulders and knees covered, a headscarf for women. The offered tea is rarely refused, and bargaining in the bazaar is done with a smile.
Must-sees
Istanbul
Byzantine basilica, Ottoman mosque, a mosque again today: fifteen centuries of history under a 56 m dome that defies time.
Göreme
Fairy chimneys, rock-cut churches and underground cities, overflown by hot-air balloon at sunrise. One of the most surreal landscapes in the world.
Denizli
The cotton castle: pools of white travertine filled with turquoise thermal water, with the ruins of Hierapolis at the top.
Selçuk
The great ancient city of Asia Minor, its Library of Celsus and its 25,000-seat theatre. The Rome of the East, remarkably preserved.
Fethiye
The blue lagoon at the foot of Mount Babadag, the finest paragliding spot in Europe. The Lycian Way trail starts just above.
Adiyaman
Colossal toppled heads of gods on the summit of a tumulus, at 2,150 m. Grandiose at sunrise or sunset.
Pick a point on the map, or browse the list below.
Also on the map
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