Türkiye sits at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, where empires rose and flavors mingle. In seven days, you’ll trace Byzantine mosaics and Ottoman courtyards in Istanbul, then fly to Cappadocia to sleep in caves and float over moonlike valleys at sunrise. This itinerary balances world-famous sights with local cafés, markets, and neighborhoods.

From Hagia Sophia to the Grand Bazaar, Istanbul is a living museum—yet it’s also a city of third-wave coffee, contemporary art, and music that spills into alleyways by night. Cappadocia contrasts with quiet valleys, underground cities carved by hand, and vintners reviving ancient Anatolian grapes.

Practical notes: carry a contactless card and some Turkish lira; modest dress helps when entering mosques; book hot-air balloons well in advance (weather can cancel flights). For international flights, compare fares on Omio and Kiwi.com; for regional and domestic options, check Trip.com.

Istanbul

Istanbul dazzles with layers: Roman hippodromes, Ottoman palaces, Art Nouveau arcades, and waterfront mansions. The Bosphorus isn’t just a strait—it’s the city’s stage, where ferries, fishermen, and seabirds create a film reel you never tire of watching.

• Top sights: Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern, Topkapi Palace, Galata Tower, Grand Bazaar, Spice Bazaar.
• Neighborhoods to savor: Sultanahmet for history, Karaköy for meze and baklava, Beyoğlu for galleries and jazz, Kadıköy-Moda for markets and seaside strolls.
• Where to stay: Waterfront icons and Sultanahmet boutiques keep you close to the action (see picks below).
• Fun fact: Istanbul straddles two continents; a ferry ride is the easiest “intercontinental” commute on earth.

Stay in Istanbul (bookings): Search stays on Hotels.com – Istanbul or VRBO – Istanbul. Top options: Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul (Ottoman palace on the Bosphorus), Swissôtel The Bosphorus Istanbul (panoramic terraces), Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus (grand waterfront), and budget-friendly Cheers Hostel (social vibe near Sultanahmet). For Old City boutique service, see Sirkeci Mansion.

Getting there: Fly into IST or SAW. Compare fares on Omio (to/from Europe), Kiwi.com, or Trip.com. IST to Sultanahmet is ~45–75 minutes by taxi; airport buses take ~60–90 minutes. Prices vary by traffic and time of day.

Cappadocia

Cappadocia is a geologic poem—eroded tuff cones, honeycombed cliffs, and rock-hewn churches. Towns like Göreme, Uçhisar, and Ürgüp make a perfect base for hot-air balloons, hikes, and slow dinners under extraordinary skies.

• Top sights: Göreme Open-Air Museum, Love Valley, Rose/Red Valleys, Uçhisar Castle, Kaymaklı or Derinkuyu Underground City, Avanos pottery ateliers.
• Signature experiences: Sunrise balloon flight, “testi kebabı” clay-pot stew, vineyard tastings, and hammam time after a dusty hike.
• Where to stay: Cave hotels with terraces so close to the balloons you’ll sip coffee as they drift overhead.

Stay in Cappadocia (bookings): Outstanding choices include Museum Hotel (Relais & Châteaux flair), Kelebek Special Cave Hotel (beloved terraces and hammam), Sultan Cave Suites (classic balloon-view rooftop), Shoestring Cave House (great value), and Kayakapi Premium Caves - Cappadocia (luxury in Ürgüp). Or search broadly on Hotels.com – Cappadocia or VRBO – Cappadocia.

Getting there from Istanbul: Morning flights to Nevşehir (NAV) or Kayseri (ASR) take ~1h20m; typical one-way fares are ~$40–120. Compare on Trip.com, Omio (if originating in Europe), or Kiwi.com. Shared shuttles to Göreme/Uçhisar take ~60 minutes (budget ~$10–15); private transfers run ~$45–70 depending on distance.

Day 1: Arrive in Istanbul, Sultanahmet Stroll, and Bosphorus Glow

Morning: In transit. If you’re booking flights, compare options on Omio, Trip.com, or Kiwi.com. Aim to land midday to settle in.

Afternoon: Check into your hotel—classic picks are Çırağan Palace Kempinski for waterside grandeur or Swissôtel The Bosphorus for sweeping views. Shake off the flight with a gentle walk past the Hippodrome obelisks to the courtyard between the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, where centuries of prayer meet birdsong.

Evening: Dinner at Balıkçı Sabahattin (old-world seafood—try the meze spread and grilled sea bass) or Giritli (Aegean mezes in a leafy garden). Cap the night with a sunset ferry loop from Eminönü for budget Bosphorus magic; back on land, pistachio baklava awaits at Karaköy Güllüoğlu.

Day 2: Hagia Sophia to Grand Bazaar—Old City Deep Dive

Morning: Turkish coffee at Mandabatmaz (famously thick), then queue early for Hagia Sophia to admire its vast dome and faint mosaics; dress modestly and note prayer times. Walk to the Basilica Cistern’s forest of columns before crossing to Topkapi Palace to wander courtyards, the Imperial Council chamber, and the Harem apartments.

Afternoon: Lunch at Pandeli above the Spice Bazaar—its tiled dining room is a time capsule; order lamb stewed with quince when in season. Shop for saffron and lokum downstairs, then head to the Grand Bazaar to meet craftsmen in copper, leather, and kilim stalls; detour to the Sahaflar book market for Ottoman map prints.

Evening: Reserve Karaköy Lokantası for glossy blue tiles and textbook mezes (artichokes with olive oil, stuffed grape leaves), or splurge on Neolokal for a contemporary Anatolian tasting menu rooted in heritage recipes. Nightcap with Bosphorus panoramas at 16 Roof atop Swissôtel or live jazz at Nardis near Galata Tower.

Day 3: Beyoğlu to Kadıköy—Modern Istanbul and Asian Shore

Morning: Simit and clotted cream at Van Kahvaltı Evi in Cihangir. Climb Galata Tower for skyline views, then amble along İstiklal Avenue to peek into Pera Museum’s rotating exhibitions and the historic Çiçek Pasajı’s stained glass arcade.

Afternoon: Ferry to Kadıköy; graze at Çiya Sofrası, Istanbul’s culinary atlas (seasonal stews from all over Anatolia). Browse Kadıköy’s produce and pickle shops, then stroll to Moda’s seaside path for tea under plane trees at a classic “çay bahçesi.” Coffee fix at Petra or Kronotrop.

Evening: For a destination dinner, book TURK Fatih Tutak (two Michelin stars; innovative but deeply Turkish), or keep it local with raki-and-meze at Akın Balık in Kadıköy’s fish market lanes. Cross back to Europe for cocktails at Alexandra in Arnavutköy and a luminous Bosphorus drive.

Day 4: Fly to Cappadocia, Göreme Open-Air Museum, Rose Valley Sunset

Morning: Fly Istanbul to Nevşehir or Kayseri (~1h20m). Check schedules and fares on Trip.com or Kiwi.com; shared shuttle to Göreme takes ~60 minutes. Check into a cave hotel—favorites include Kelebek Special Cave Hotel or Sultan Cave Suites for sunrise terraces.

Afternoon: Explore the Göreme Open-Air Museum’s rock-cut chapels; look for the Dark Church’s vivid frescoes. Lunch at Nazar Börek for flaky gözleme and ayran, then decompress at your hotel with tea and that unreal valley view.

Evening: Drive or taxi to Rose/Red Valley trailheads for a soft-gold sunset among fairy chimneys. Dinner at Seten Anatolian (hand-rolled mantı, local cheeses) and early to bed if you’re ballooning tomorrow.

Day 5: Balloon Sunrise, Love Valley Hike, Underground City and Uçhisar

Morning: Hot-air balloon flight at sunrise (weather-dependent; book early). Back on land, a Turkish breakfast spread at your hotel—olives, cheeses, tomatoes, honeycomb, and fresh bread—fuels a gentle walk through Love Valley’s white spires.

Afternoon: Head to Kaymaklı Underground City to navigate tunnels, churches, and ancient ventilation shafts; a guide brings the layers to life. Continue to Uçhisar Castle for a top-of-the-world panorama over the Cappadocian plain.

Evening: Dine at Lil’a (refined regional dishes with a view) or Pumpkin Göreme (seasonal set menu; soulful, candlelit). Sip local Emir or Kalecik Karası wines; if you’re curious, plan a tasting tomorrow at a winery in Ürgüp.

Day 6: Avanos Pottery, Valley Wanders, Ürgüp Wine and Meze

Morning: Avanos has thrown clay since Hittite times—join a wheel demo at a family atelier or visit a pottery museum to see red Kızılırmak River clay traditions. Coffee at Coffeedocia by the river, then cross the footbridge for a stroll.

Afternoon: Choose a scenic loop: Zelve–Paşabağı (Monks Valley) for mushroom-capped chimneys and soft, photogenic paths. Late afternoon, head to Ürgüp for a tasting at a local winery to sample Anatolian grapes and learn about volcanic terroir.

Evening: Dinner at Dibek in Göreme, sitting on cushions beneath timbered ceilings; order testi kebabı, cracked open at your table. For night skies, walk to the Göreme sunset point—on clear nights, the Milky Way puts on a show.

Day 7: Slow Morning, Hammam, and Departure

Morning: Leisurely breakfast—try Cafe Şafak’s menemen and strong brew. Browse Göreme’s carpet and ceramics shops for a final souvenir and a chat about natural dyes and regional motifs.

Afternoon: Reward your legs with a hammam session at a local bathhouse before your transfer to NAV or ASR. Flights to Istanbul or onward destinations take ~1h20m; compare schedules on Trip.com. If connecting to Europe, also check Omio.

Evening: In transit. If you have an Istanbul layover, consider a quick meze-and-baklava reprise near Karaköy before heading home.

Additional dining and coffee short list (Istanbul): Meze meccas like Meze by Lemon Tree and Karaköy Lokantası; seafood at Arnavutköy’s row of grill houses; dessert at Karaköy Güllüoğlu; coffee at Mandabatmaz, Kronotrop, and Petra. For views, 16 Roof at Swissôtel The Bosphorus pairs sunsets with a smart cocktail list.

Additional dining and coffee short list (Cappadocia): Seten, Pumpkin, Topdeck Cave, Old Greek House in Mustafapaşa for village ambiance; gözleme stalls along valley trailheads for a simple, perfect lunch; tea gardens in Uçhisar for lingering over a samovar.

In a week, you’ll have seen Istanbul’s marble-and-mosaic grandeur and Cappadocia’s wind-sculpted mystique, tasted Anatolia’s pantry, and crossed continents by ferry. Keep this guide handy—you’ll want to return to dig deeper into Türkiye’s layers.