Turkey is somewhere I had always dreamt about visiting. The Grand Bazaar, the tiny cups of overly sweetened Turkish coffee and the endless spice markets, all make the whole culture have a sort of romanticism about it. With ten days in my travel schedule I was determined to see as many different regions of Turkey as I could. I planned to spend four days in Istanbul, three days in Cappadocia and three days off the southern coast of Turkey, in Oludeniz.
Not surprisingly, it ended up being the trip of a lifetime. Not only was it a successful ten days visiting three different areas of Turkey, but I managed to do it all at a very reasonable price. Minus airfare getting to and from Turkey and the U.S., I spent around $700. That $700 included three flights within Turkey ($350 total) and ten nights of accommodation, eating out and activities ($350.)
TURKEY ITINERARY
1. Istanbul 4 Days
Istanbul ->Cappadocia (Neveshir Airport)
2. Cappadocia 3 Days
Cappadocia ->Oludeniz (Dalaman Airport)
3. Oludeniz 3 Days
Oludeniz -> Istanbul
First Stop: ISTANBUL
Getting Into Istanbul
I first flew from Newark to Frankfurt. From Frankfurt I took a Turkish Airlines flight to Ataturk Airport. Ataturk is the largest airport in Istanbul and is located on the European side of the city. This means it’s not only a shorter distance to where you’re most likely going to be staying in Istanbul, but your transportation costs will be much lower as well.
We landed around 8pm and took the Havatas bus from Ataturk to Taksim Square. The price of the bus ticket was 11 Liras, a little less than $4. Following the bus we then took a taxi from Taksim Square to our hotel in Sultanahmet. We found this way of taking a bus and a taxi to be cheaper than taking a taxi the whole way from the airport to our hotel. The total travel time was 40 minutes for the bus, and then 10-15 minutes for the taxi. The total cost of transportation was less $10/a person with the bus and taxi combined.
Accommodation in Istanbul
We stayed at Boutique Hotel Ocean’s 7 in Sultanahmet. This charming, family-run guesthouse was one we happened to stumble upon by chance and I’m so happy we did! This guesthouse is only $50/night and it’s clean, comfortable and within walking distance to all the major sites. In fact, just a few minutes away by foot are the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque. The neighborhood around this hotel in the Sultanahmet area is a perfect blend of old and new, with quaint cafes and bars set against an ancient background of palaces and other Ottoman-era wonders.
The breakfast spread at Ocean’s 7 made me never want to leave the rooftop patio. With an assortment of fresh fruit, dates, olives, meats, nuts, breads and cereals, it’s safe to say I left every morning with a very full stomach.
Sites in Istanbul
The surrounding area of Sultanahmet will keep you busy throughout your stay with its bustling streets and endless shops and sites . The bright colors of all the buildings, the vendors selling food everywhere, and the stunning mosques created a amusement park for adults . I was in love.
You can almost do all of the touristy sites in a day since most of them are in walking distance of each other. You can either start at the bottom or the top, and work your way around. Since we had two days we spread out sites and activities a little bit more, rather than do everything in just a day. The tram runs in a line all the way from the Galata Bridge on the Bosphorus to all the major sites. We enjoyed just walking along the tram line, but if you’re not in the mood to walk, you can just buy an extremely inexpensive tram ticket and get off at all the major sites.
Day 1
1: The Blue Mosque
The Blue Mosque took my breath away, it’s truly amazing. There’s no entrance fee which is nice, they only request that you take off your shoes, and cover your head if you’re a woman. The detail work in the ceiling is impeccable.
2: Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia has an entrance fee of 30 Liras. It’s a little pricey (around $10) but I feel if you’re in Istanbul you must see it once. The only reason it felt expensive is because the Blue Mosque is free, and in my opinion the better of the two.
3: The Grand Bazaar
I could spend hours in The Grand Bazaar. Everything from the detailed mosaic lanterns to the antique jewelry, to the traditionally patterned shoes had me mesmerized. The once relentless hecklers have since calmed down due to the rise in tourism over the past few years. You can easily stroll through the Bazaar for hours.
Day 2
1: The Topkapi Palace
The Topkapi Palace was a little overwhelming with the long lines and massive crowds, however, seeing all the rare gems and jewels were the highlight for me.
2: The Basilica Cistern
Located right across the street from the Topkapi Palace and Hagia Sophia is the last surviving Byzantine cistern in Istanbul, The Bailica Cistern, built in the year 532! The Basilica Cistern was pretty neat, just bring your sweater as it tends to cool down when you go underground.
There’s also some great cafes outside just to the right of the entrance. We stopped for a mid day Efes to cool us down from the heat at Omar Restaurant & Cafe. Although we didn’t eat, it was the perfect rest stop for a drink and view of both the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia.
3: A Turkish Bath at Cemberlita’s
If you’re in Turkey you must do a Turkish Bath! We chose to go to Cemberlitas, a more upscale Turkish Bath. I opted for a scrub and a face mask. It’s definitely a different experience, but one I think everyone should have. I paid around $35 total for both services.
First, you go into the main room (yes, naked!) and lay on a huge slab of marble. The room is similar to a steam room but it’s easier to breathe. Within a few minutes a woman (or man depending on your sex) will call you over. You then go to her station and she takes a luffa and scrubs your entire body down. Next, she washes your hair. Minus the semi water-boarding you endure during the hair washing, I loved it! I think some people would think it’s awkward, but if you embrace it and just loosen up a bit, I think everyone can find something they like about it. When in Turkey, do as the Turks do!
Once you’re done you must get an orange-pomegranate fresh-squeezed juice in the main lobby, just delicious!
Day 3
After two days in Sultanahmet we wanted to get a little out of the city and see a different side of Istanbul. My boyfriend grew up spending his summers in Istanbul so he had the perfect place to take us, KANLICA.
We hopped on a ferry from Istanbul to Kanlica around 4pm that day.
The ferry took us past huge mansions and yachts you’ve only seen in your dreams. I couldn’t get over the money in this place. These mansions had to cost a fortune. These mega houses lined the entire Bosporus. The amount of houses and lights that shimmered off into the distance was astonishing. After all, Istanbul is one of the largest cities in the world.
Once in Kanlica we headed out to a dinner at a world famous restaurant, Ikinci Bahar. We wined and dined the night away. We spent the next few hours enjoying various bites of Mediterranean flat breads, platters of meat, huge salads and delicious red wine. The presentation was fabulous.
After dinner we indulged in some famous Kanlica Yogurt. Kanlica is known for this yogurt, “Kanlica Yogurdu.” When you’re ready to eat the yogurt you sprinkle some fresh powdered sugar on top. It’s a staple of Kanlica and a sweet spot you don’t want to miss while in Istanbul.
Next Stop: CAPPADOCIA
Cappadocia is known around the world for it’s unique fairy chimney rock formations. It’s also one of the most popular places in the world to take hot air balloon rides since the landscape is so dramatic and stunning. With the lush valleys, distinctive rock formations, hot air balloon rides and extraordinary cave hotels in this neck of the woods, it’s no wonder this area is a tourist hot spot.
Getting into Cappadocia
From Istanbul we took an airplane ride from Sabiha Goken to Neveshir.
Like I said earlier, flying out of Ataturk is more convenient because it’s closer, but many flights within Turkey fly out of the regional airport, Sabiha Goken, which is located on the Asian side of Istanbul. I believe we paid around $50 for a car to take all four of us from our guesthouse in Sultanahmet to the Sabiha Goken airport. Although farther away, meaning higher transportation costs, these flights will generally be a bit cheaper.
Once we landed in Neveshir we were freezing! Although it was May and it was warm in Istanbul, the Cappadocia region can drop drastically in temperature.
From Neveshir we arranged an airport transfer with our hotel. The hotel shuttle was 12 Euros each from the airport to our hotel door.
Accommodation in Cappadocia
When visiting Cappadocia you have to stay in cave hotel. With all the amazing rock formations in this region, hotels have taken this opportunity to give visitors something special. There are numerous cave hotels in Cappadocia and it can be tricky when trying to decide which is right for you.
Fortunately we had a recommendation to stay at the Kelebek Special Cave Hotel in Goreme. It was exceptional. Everything from the service to the massive breakfast buffet, to the large exquisitely designed rooms, made this a special place to rest our heads.
The hotel room was 70 Euros a night. Between two people that’s only 35 Euros a night. For being a luxury hotel, this is a steal. For more information on the Kelebek Hotel, check out this post!
Sites/Activities in Cappadocia
Goreme
The Kelebek Special Cave Hotel is located in the town of Goreme. Goreme is one of the larger towns in the Cappadocia region and has plenty to offer. You can spend your time exploring the authentic shops or eating traditional Turkish cuisine at fairly reasonable prices. I especially found the rug and vintage stores in Goreme to be some of the best in all of Turkey. My mom ended up having three rugs shipped all the way back to California.
Hot Air Balloon
If you have a little money to spare I would highly recommend doing a hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia. It’s a little on the pricey side but it’s definitely worth it. I was on a very tight budget on my trip to Turkey but by cutting some spending in other areas I was able to afford the balloon ride.
After a lot of research I was able to get a deal on Tours 4 Turkey. They were advertising a winter special on their website. When I emailed them and they quoted me a different price, I countered it. I simply told them there was a different price listed on the website and that they should honor that price, which they did! It ended up being $100 each. This price came with an hour in the hot air balloon, transportation, a light breakfast, and a champagne toast at the end. This price was the cheapest I found anywhere! Shop around and do some research.
Exploring Cappadocia
Many tours are quite expensive in Cappadocia, at least for us they were more expensive than we were willing to pay, at around 50-70 Euros/person. After spending a hundred dollars on the hot air balloon ride we needed to save some cash. Since there were four of us we asked our hotel to book a driver to take us around for the day. We settled on a pretty reasonable set price at $80 for the day. Between four of us that was only $20 each.
Our driver picked us up at 8am and took us all around Cappadocia. He drove us around all day stopping at various sites. Some included:
- Derenkiyu Underground City: Here we paid an older gentleman $20 to give us a private tour. He was great and made the tour much more interesting.
- The Fairy Chimneys
- Urgup
- Dinner at Ziggy’s
We finished up our long day driving around Cappadocia with dinner at Ziggy’s near Urgup. The atmosphere was high-end and the decor was lovely, however the $70/person price tag for an array of dishes was obscenely overpriced. There were other things on the menu but the waitstaff suggested we try their house special. I would recommend Ziggy’s if you want to go somewhere nice with a marvelous atmosphere, but obviously not if you’re looking to save a buck.
After two days of freezing our buns off in Cappadocia we were ready to hit the beach!
FINAL STOP: OLUDENIZ
Getting into Oludeniz
From Cappadocia we again took the hotel shuttle to the airport. We flew from the Neveshir airport to the Dalaman airport, but first had a connection back in Istanbul.
From the Dalaman airport we figured the most cost-efficient way to get from the airport to the beach of Oludeniz was to take public transportation. We found a bus that took us to the town of Fetihye. From Fetihye we were able to find another shuttle that would bring us to Oludeniz. Once in Oludeniz we were set. It cost around $10-15 total for both buses from the airport to the town of Oludeniz, much cheaper than a taxi would’ve been!
Accommodation in Oludeniz
We stayed at the Belcehan Beach Hotel for $30/night. Yes you read that right, we stayed at a hotel located within blocks of the beach, with a swimming pool, for only $30/night. This is the very reason I question everyone who’s going on a beach holiday but doesn’t consider Turkey…it’s so darn inexpensive!
Activities in Oludeniz
Oludeniz itself is a quaint little town that surprisingly gets a little wild after sundown. The restaurants turn into discos and the place gets wild. Besides the crazy partying that goes on, the beach is what we came here for.
Oludeniz is actually the most photographed beach in the Mediterranean. Yup, a beach in Turkey beats out beaches off the coast of Spain and Greece. Here, you can swim, sunbathe, go paragliding, etc. To read more about Oludeniz check out this post…Oludeniz: The Most Photographed Beach in the Mediterranean
Although Oludeniz is famed for it’s pristine beach, the backcountry of Oludeniz, near Fethiye, has several other outdoor activities to keep you busy. There are numerous hikes in the beautiful forest just set behind the beach or you can spend a day visiting the ghost town of Kaya Village. Kaya Village is a now deserted area on the hillside made up of rock houses. The village became a ghost town in 1923 when there was a population exchange between the Greek and Turkish government. You can easily spend the day hiking around the hills exploring the once flourishing community throughout the lush valley.
Final Thoughts
After spending three beautiful, relaxing days in Oludeniz it was time to head back to the states. Although I was disappointed we didn’t have time to visit everything we wanted to in Turkey, like Izmir, I would still say that after ten days and visiting three completely different regions of Turkey, I think we did pretty good for ourselves. Turkey should most definitely be on everyone’s bucket list.
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