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Planning to spend 4 days in Turkey? We received you coated! On this put up, I’d wish to share with you our 4-day itinerary for Turkey. Throughout 4 days in Turkey, we managed to go to Istanbul and Cappadocia. Whereas it doesn’t feels like a lot time, we had been really capable of see a number of the primary landmarks in Istanbul and even take pleasure in a stunning scorching air balloon journey!
Our itinerary is fairly tiring and be at liberty to repeat it should you actually wish to journey as a lot as doable, as a result of it includes one night time with out sleep. In any respect. Not even 2 hours of sleep (except you’re a type of folks, who can sleep effectively on the airplane). However let’s get straight to the itinerary:
4-day itinerary for Turkey: Istanbul and Cappadocia
Earlier than we begin with the itinerary, right here’s the transient overview of what we did in 4 days in Turkey:
Day 1: Arrive in Kayseri for Cappadocia (early morning). Day in Cappadocia. Keep at Cappadocia Cave Suites. Quad safari tour round Cappadocia (verify availability right here)
Day 2: Early scorching air balloon journey (verify availability and e book upfront), flight to Istanbul, keep at Boutique Saint Sophia
Day 3: Discover Istanbul – take a half-day tour of the town (e book right here) and a Bosphorus cruise (verify availability)
Day 4: Breakfast in Istanbul, a visit to the markets and a flight again dwelling
Alright, let’s take a look at the itinerary in additional element!
Day 0 – Flying to Istanbul & Kayseri at night time. On the day 0 of our journey, we awakened, went to work after which went on to the airport to take the 23:55 flight from London to Istanbul with Pegasus airways. The flight from London to Istanbul takes roughly 4 hours. You may verify the costs for the flights on-line right here.
Day 1. Cappadocia & AMV tour
We determined to go to Cappadocia immediately and took a home flight from Istanbul to Kayseri (1.5 hours of flying). In Kayseri, we took our pre-booked shuttle (organized by our lodge) and headed to our pretty lodge Cappadocia Cave Suites.
The explanation why we selected Cappadocia Cave Suites – fabulous Instagrammable terrace overlooking dawn and scorching air balloons in Cappadocia. If you need a photograph just like the one beneath – this lodge is your finest guess. It’s undoubtedly one of the Instagrammable locations in Cappadocia.
Cappadocia Cave Suites is commonly bought out, so it is sensible to verify its availability upfront. Verify it now!
In case, Cappadocia Cave Suites is absolutely booked, these are some good options:
Museum Resort
Sultan Cave Suites
Rox Goreme
Since Cappadocia is getting incresingly common as a result of Instagram (effectively, to be trustworthy, Cappadocia is without doubt one of the most Instagrammable locations on this planet), I like to recommend reserving the accommodations at the very least 4-5 months upfront!
After arriving on the lodge, we went for a late breakfast in one of many eating places in Goreme (One Method restaurant – that’s the title) and received again to the lodge to take a Quad Safari round 2 valleys of Cappadocia. I strongly advocate taking an AMV (quad bike) tour, because it’s the easiest way to discover the valleys.
If that’s not your cup of tea, listed below are another superb excursions to absorb Cappadocia:
The very best of Cappadocia with lunch
Full-day personal tour of Cappadocia
After taking the quad bike tour, we went again to our room, modified and headed to the lodge terrace to take some pictures of the sundown in Cappadocia. Afterwards, we went to the restaurant Seten for dinner – it was superb and I undoubtedly advocate you visiting this restaurant. Throughout the excessive season and the weekends, contemplate making a reservation, in any other case, the restaurant is likely to be absolutely booked!
Day 2: Scorching air balloon flight & going again to Istanbul
We awakened at 4:30 am to be picked up from the lodge to go to the recent air balloon journey. Our flight was critically spectacular – it was like a correct tour of various valleys and the balloon was contantly getting up and down. Nonetheless, we began flying too late when the solar has already risen, so we missed the superb pink gentle. Some corporations that supply low-cost costs have low score as a result of the balloon simply stays within the air at one spot and does nothing.
Contemplate taking a dearer flight package deal as effectively. We purchased the most cost effective one paying £130 per individual, nonetheless, we had been packed like sardines within the scorching air balloon basket. If you need some good photographs of you within the balloon – contemplate getting a package deal, the place there are solely 8-12 folks within the basket. For instance, this tour ensures small teams within the basket.
Alternatively, you’ll be able to take a personal scorching air balloon tour! You may verify the worth and availability right here >
If you wish to learn a bit extra about flying scorching air balloons in Cappadocia, head to my information to flying how air balloons in Turkey >>>
After taking the recent air balloon journey, we returned to our lodge and slept for a few hours earlier than really beginning packing and getting a shuttle again to the Kayseri airport.
We flew to Sabiha Airport in Istanbul and it took us practically 2 hours to get to our lodge. So it was already 8 pm, once we arrived at our lodge. We determined to go for some meals and the night stroll round Istanbul. Istanbul appears superb at night time! The realm we determined to discover was Taksim. We walked all the way in which to gorgeous Galata tower after which went again to the lodge.
Learn my put up about essentially the most Instagrammable locations in Istanbul >>>
The place to remain in Istanbul
Istanbul has loads of completely different accommodations for any funds. Probably the greatest-rated accommodations that we’d advocate is Boutique Saint Sophia (verify availability right here, because it sells out fairly quick).
In the event you’re on a funds, verify La Maison Story Resort out.
If you wish to deal with your self, 4 Seasons Sultanahmet is totally superb. We stayed there 5 years in the past (when it was £250 an evening and never £850) and liked each minute of it.
Day 3 in Turkey: Istanbul & 4 Seasons Resort
In the event you haven’t been to Istanbul earlier than and want to study extra about this metropolis, I like to recommend taking a metropolis tour like this 6-hour small-group highlights tour of Istanbul.
In the event you’re on a funds, right here is a tremendous half-day sightseeing tour of Istanbul.
I additionally advocate taking a Bosphorus cruise should you’re in Istanbul on a heat and beautiful day and naturally, this superb night stroll and meals tour of the town!
Within the morning, we went to Hagia Sofia (the queue wasn’t that massive, however nonetheless, we spent about half-hour there), so we determined to purchase the Istanbul move – this card often provides you entry to essentially the most museums in Istanbul (and you’ll skip the queues too).
Later, we went to the Blue Mosque, that, unluckily, was closed for visits (it was below reconstruction) and walked to the Topkapi Palace, the place we stepped the queue and efficiently received in! We additionally received inside essentially the most spectacular a part of the Topkapi palace – the Harem with its unbelievable tiles.
Afterwards we went to eat in certainly one of these touristy eating places close to the Topkapi palace – we tried the well-known Turkish pancake and had a Combined kebab. The restaurant was okay, however completely overpriced for Turkey! The title of the restaurant is Han, by the way in which, so you’ll be able to keep away from it should you want.
After spending an hour within the lodge and enjoyable for some time, we determined to go on stroll across the embankment of Bosphorus and watch the sundown from there. We walked all the way in which from our lodge to Karakoy, the place we discovered the well-known fish stall of Turkish Tremendous Mario. The fish wrap we tried there was one of the best one we ever tried, so this place is unquestionably really helpful to you – that is the deal with – Makaracilar Caddesi 3-45A.
We ended the day consuming Turkish Tea and consuming a number of the most well-known Turkish delight, ice-cream and pahlava within the well-known Turkish chain Hafiz Mustafa.
Day 4. Istanbul + flying again to London
On the day 4 in Turkey, we awakened a bit late, checked out from our lodge and went to have breakfast in one of many panoramic cafes with the normal Turkish breakfast – Saade Kahvati positioned on the final ground of the lodge Darussaade. The breakfast was 55 Turkish lira per individual – round 12 euros, nevertheless it was merely superb!
Afterward, we went to the Basilica Cistern that was spectacular as effectively and went contained in the Hagia Eirene church positioned in entrance of the Topkapi palace. From there, we walked all the way in which to the Grand Bazaar and the Egyptian Bazaar and acquired some fairly superb Turkish delight there.
We nonetheless had a while earlier than our flight at 9:30 pm, so we walked all the way in which to Balat – a really vibrant hipster district of Istanbul that appears like Lisbon or Porto in Portugal.
With a view to return to the lodge and decide up our luggage, we took Uber and it took us 1.5 hours to get from Balat to Sultanahmet due to Istanbul’s loopy visitors. To not danger our flight, we really determined to take a practice, metro and a taxi to the Sabiha airport (took us 1.5 hours in whole) – would have been greater than 2.5 hours by a shuttle bus or taxi!
That was just about it – we managed to see loads throughout these 4 days in Turkey and we’d undoubtedly return to this superb nation once more. We preferred the hospitality and the friendliness of the folks, in addition to tasty meals and nice public transport.
If in case you have any questions, be at liberty to DM me at @lizatripsget – I would have the ability to assist!
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