Turkey sits at the crossroads of continents and empires, where Roman forums gave way to Byzantine basilicas and Ottoman palaces. Today, its most storied city—Istanbul—still hums along the Bosphorus, a strait that divides Europe and Asia yet ties them together with ferries, food, and shared rituals. Inland, Cappadocia’s soft volcanic rock has been sculpted by wind, monks, and time into honeycombed valleys and frescoed cave chapels.

Across a week, you’ll sample the essentials: Istanbul’s Old City monuments, neighborhood cafés, and a Bosphorus sunset, then the moonlike landscapes of Cappadocia, best seen from a hot air balloon at dawn. Expect spice-scented markets, slow-cooked kebabs, artisan pottery, and silky Turkish delight, alongside smart shortcuts like skip-the-line tours and airport transfers that save precious hours.

Practical notes: Mosques welcome visitors outside prayer times; shoulders and knees should be covered, and headscarves are required for women in active mosques. Tap into the Istanbulkart for trams, metros, and ferries; consider the Museum Pass Istanbul if you’ll visit multiple sites. Always check current travel advisories and opening hours, and book Cappadocia balloon flights well in advance—they sell out year-round.

Istanbul

Istanbul is a city of seven hills and a thousand stories. The Hippodrome once echoed with chariot races; nearby, Hagia Sophia’s vast dome rewrote what architecture could be. Markets still bustle as they did for caravans centuries ago, but now share streets with specialty coffee, contemporary galleries, and rooftop views that set the evening aglow.

• Top sights: Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapı Palace, Basilica Cistern, Grand Bazaar, Spice Market, Galata Tower, Beyoğlu and Balat neighborhoods, Asian-side Kadıköy.
• Food highlights: Grilled köfte, smoky ocakbaşı kebabs, meze spreads by the water, crunchy simit, pistachio baklava, and velvety Turkish coffee.
• Stay: Explore options on VRBO or Hotels.com. Specific favorites: Çırağan Palace Kempinski for Ottoman-glam on the Bosphorus, Swissotel The Bosphorus Istanbul for resort-style pools and views, Sirkeci Mansion for boutique warmth near Gülhane Park, and budget-friendly Cheers Hostel steps from the Old City.
• Getting in: Search flights to Istanbul on Omio (Europe routes) or globally via Kiwi.com or Trip.com. From IST Airport, take the M11 metro and connect to tram T1 for Sultanahmet or the Havaist bus to Taksim (40–70 minutes); taxis typically run 40–60 minutes depending on traffic.

Day 1: Arrival, First Tastes of the Old City

Afternoon: Arrive and check in. Stretch your legs with a gentle walk through Sultanahmet Square, passing the Hippodrome’s Obelisk of Theodosius and the German Fountain. For a sweet pick-me-up, try pistachio baklava and tea at Hafız Mustafa near Sirkeci.

Evening: Welcome dinner at Hamdi Restaurant (Eminönü): order eggplant “ali nazik” or pistachio kebab with a terrace view over the Golden Horn. Night stroll along Gülhane Park’s lanes toward the Bosphorus—listen for ferry horns and the call to prayer weaving through the city.

Day 2: Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, and the Sultans’ Palace

Morning: Join a small-group tour to efficiently cover the big hitters and learn stories you’d miss on your own:

Istanbul: Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia & opt. Basilica Cistern Tour

Hagia Sophia now uses timed entry for visitors; dress modestly and note prayer breaks. The Blue Mosque sparkles after recent restoration, its İznik tiles bright as ever.

Afternoon: Lunch on classic köfte at Tarihi Sultanahmet Köftecisi (since 1920s; order köfte, piyaz bean salad, and irmik helvası). Continue to Topkapı Palace to see the sultans’ courtyards, the Harem apartments, and views across the Bosphorus from the palace terraces.

Evening: Rooftop time in Beyoğlu: ride the tram or walk up to Galata. Sip Turkish coffee at Mandabatmaz (famously thick foam), then dinner at Yeni Lokanta for refined seasonal Anatolian plates—think grilled Aegean greens, lamb with sumac, and yogurt-laced meze.

Day 3: Markets, Two Continents, and Kadıköy’s Food Scene

Morning–Afternoon: Begin in the Spice Market, then hop onto a curated tasting that crosses from Europe to Asia (breakfast included, ferry rides, and market bites):

Istanbul Taste of Two Continents Food Tour - Spice Market & Ferry

You’ll graze on tahini halva, mussels stuffed with rice, Anatolian cheeses, and more in Kadıköy’s markets while hearing the backstory of each bite.

Evening: Stay on the Asian side for dinner: Çiya Sofrası (Kadıköy) rotates regional recipes—try sour cherry kebab or stuffed lamb ribs. For a seaside nightcap, stroll Moda’s waterfront; grab a dondurma cone and watch ferries trace the horizon.

Day 4: Neighborhoods, Color, and a Bosphorus Sunset

Morning: Start in Karaköy with baklava at Karaköy Güllüoğlu; wander to Galata Tower (reopened after restoration) and along Istiklal’s side streets to find indie boutiques and passages. Coffee at Kronotrop or Petra for specialty roasts.

Afternoon: Head to Balat and Fener, the old Greek and Jewish quarters, where pastel facades, antique shops, and hillside cafes frame the Golden Horn. Lunch at Karaköy Lokantası back in Karaköy—its turquoise-tiled dining room serves superb meze (artichokes, fava, zucchini fritters) and slow-cooked lamb.

Evening: Toast the city from the water:

Bosphorus Sunset Yacht Experience: Istanbul’s Best

Glide past Dolmabahçe Palace and the Bosphorus bridges as minarets silhouette against the sky. After, consider Neolokal (SALT Galata) for modern Anatolian tasting menus with a conscience, or keep it casual with meyhane-style meze in Asmalımescit.

Cappadocia

Cappadocia looks invented: conical “fairy chimneys,” cave houses, pigeon lofts, and valleys streaked pink at dusk. Early Christians carved chapels into soft tuff rock, painting saints on ceilings that still glow in dim light. Above it all, balloons rise at dawn like lanterns.

• Top sights: Göreme Open-Air Museum (UNESCO), Love/Red/Rose Valleys, Uçhisar Castle, Avanos pottery workshops, Pasabağ (Monks Valley), Kaymaklı or Derinkuyu underground cities.
• Stay in a cave: Browse VRBO or Hotels.com. Top picks: Museum Hotel (Uçhisar; fine-dining at Lil’a and panoramic pool), Kelebek Special Cave Hotel (Göreme; terraces and Turkish bath), Aydinli Cave Hotel (family-run warmth), and Sultan Cave Suites (famous sunrise terrace).
• Getting there: Fly from Istanbul to Nevşehir (NAV) or Kayseri (ASR)—about 1h15–1h30—then shuttle 40–75 minutes to Göreme/Uçhisar. Search domestic fares on Trip.com or Kiwi.com. Expect ~$50–120 one-way most seasons.

Day 5: Fly to Cappadocia, Göreme Open-Air Museum, Sunset Views

Morning: Morning flight from Istanbul to NAV or ASR (aim to land by late morning). Arrange a shared shuttle via your hotel—drivers meet you at arrivals—45–60 minutes to Göreme.

Afternoon: Light lunch at Topdeck Cave Restaurant (tiny, family-run; reserve) or Pumpkin Göreme (vegetable-forward set menus). Explore the Göreme Open-Air Museum: stroll through rock-cut churches like Dark Church with vivid 11th–12th century frescoes; bring a light jacket inside the caves.

Evening: Golden hour hike from Göreme to Sunset Point or Red Valley. Dinner at Seten Anatolian Restaurant (terrace views, testi kebab baked in clay, and local wines from Cappadocian grapes like Kalecik Karası).

Day 6: Balloon Sunrise, Underground Cities, and Valley Hikes

Early Morning: Rise for a bucket-list flight:

Cappadocia Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Flight / Discovery Balloons

Watch the valleys blush pink as dozens of balloons drift over fairy chimneys; transfers, a light pre-flight snack, and certificates are typically included. Have a hearty hotel breakfast afterward.

Late Morning–Afternoon: Go underground at Kaymaklı (a warren of ventilation shafts, kitchens, and stables) or deeper Derinkuyu. Continue to Pasabağ (trio-capped chimneys) and Devrent (imagination) Valley. Lunch at Dibek (Göreme) for pottery kebab and manti dumplings served on low tables.

Evening: Avanos pottery demo near the Kızılırmak River—many studios invite visitors to try the wheel. Dinner at Lil’a (Museum Hotel) for a splurge tasting menu celebrating Anatolian terroir, or keep it cozy back in Göreme at Topdeck if you missed it earlier.

Day 7: Uçhisar Castle, Pigeon Valley, Departure

Morning: Coffee and simit at Coffeedocia (Göreme) or a bakery stop at Nazar Börek. Head to Uçhisar Castle—the highest lookout in Cappadocia—for a sweeping 360-degree panorama. Walk part of Pigeon Valley between Uçhisar and Göreme, passing dovecotes carved into cliffs.

Afternoon: Airport transfer (40–75 minutes) for your flight. For onward travel, compare fares on Trip.com or Kiwi.com; if you’re returning to Europe, also check Omio.

Optional Evening Experience in Istanbul (If You Add a Night)

If you route back to Istanbul the night before departure, consider a Bosphorus dinner show with whirling dervishes and folk dances:

Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Show and Private Table

Where to eat and drink along the way (extra picks):

• Breakfast/coffee: Van Kahvaltı Evi (Cihangir; Kurdish-style breakfast spreads), Brew Coffeeworks (Sirkeci; vintage espresso bar), Montag Coffee Roasters (Kadıköy; pour-overs), Şirin Fırın (Balat; simit and poğaça).
• Lunch: Namlı Gurme (Karaköy; deli-style meze and charcuterie), Kanaat Lokantası (Üsküdar; classic home-style stews), Balıkçı Sabahattin (Cankurtaran; Aegean fish).
• Dinner: Karaköy Lokantası (meze and mains), Deraliye Ottoman Cuisine (Sultanahmet; palace recipes), Zübeyir Ocakbaşı (Beyoğlu; counter-seared kebabs), Pumpkin Göreme (set menu with local produce).
• Sweets: Hafız Mustafa (assorted baklavas), Karaköy Güllüoğlu (pistachio-forward), Mado (ice cream and desserts).

For intercity timing, plan a morning flight from Istanbul to Cappadocia on Day 5 (about 3–4 hours door-to-door including transfers), then a midday or afternoon flight back out on Day 7. Booking balloon flights and key restaurants 2–4 weeks ahead is wise, especially in spring and fall.

In one week, you’ve crossed continents by ferry, traced sultans’ footsteps, tasted markets alive with history, and floated above valleys where cave churches glow at dawn. Turkey rewards curiosity—with each sip of tea, each tile, each sunrise, you’ll find another layer waiting to be explored.