7 days Turkey: Istanbul + Cappadocia (hot air balloon)

Trip map

Click each numbered marker to see the corresponding day.

Day by day

1. 1

   Day 1

   Arrival Istanbul

   Direct Paris-Istanbul flight (3h30, Turkish Airlines/Pegasus, €200-400 return). No visa for French (90 days, passport 6 months validity). Land at IST (new airport, 35 km from centre). Hotel transfer: M11 metro + T1 tram (1h, €1.50) or taxi (€15-25). Settle in Sultanahmet district (close to Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque) or Beyoglu (cosmopolitan, nightlife). Evening first baklava (Karakoy Gulluoglu, institution since 1843, €2-3) + Turkish black tea.

   Tips

   • · No visa for French (90 days), passport valid 6 months after entry
   • · IST airport (new): direct M11 metro to centre (€1.50, 1h)
   • · Istanbulkart €10 rechargeable for metro/tram/bus/ferries
   • · Sultanahmet hotels: Hotel Empress Zoe boutique (€90-150), Four Seasons palace (€300-500)
   Istanbul →
2. 2

   Day 2

   Hagia Sophia + Blue Mosque + Topkapi

   Imperial day in Sultanahmet. Morning Hagia Sophia (6th c. Byzantine basilica turned mosque, €20 entry). Afternoon Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet, free, closed during 5 daily prayers). Lunch break at Cigdem Pastanesi cafe (kebab and pide institution €10-15). Topkapi Palace visit (Ottoman sultans' residence, €25 + €10 for Harem). Sunset from Galata Tower (€15, panoramic view over Bosphorus and Golden Horn).

   Tips

   • · Mosques closed 5 times/day for prayer (check posted schedules at entrance)
   • · COVERED dress mandatory in mosques: sarong rental €1-2 at entrance
   • · Buy Istanbul Tourist Pass (€100-130/person) for 5+ sites = 30-40% saving
   • · Hagia Sophia: prefer 9am opening (reduced crowds before groups)
   Istanbul →
3. 3

   Day 3

   Grand Bazaar + Bosphorus cruise

   Morning Grand Bazaar (Kapali Carsi, covered market since 1455, 4,000 shops on 30,000 m2: carpets, jewellery, spices, ceramics). Systematic negotiation (-30 to -50%). Free tea break in a friendly shop. Lunch Hamdi Restaurant (Golden Horn view, kebabs €15-25). Afternoon Bosphorus cruise (2h from Eminonu, €15-30/person): view of Dolmabahce Palace, Bosphorus bridges, coastal villages Ortakoy, Rumeli Hisari fortress. Sunset over the strait. Dinner Asitane (historic Ottoman cuisine €50-80/person) or Ciya Sofrasi (Anatolian cuisine €25-40).

   Tips

   • · Grand Bazaar: NEGOTIATE 30-50% of starting price, take time (sellers love the game)
   • · Bosphorus cruise: prefer Tursab private company (€15-30) rather than public ferries (€1-2 but no guide)
   • · Authentic shopping: Arasta Bazaar behind Blue Mosque (less touristy)
   • · Avoid Sultanahmet taxis (meter often cheats), prefer BiTaksi app
   Istanbul →
4. 4

   Day 4

   Istanbul flight to Cappadocia (Goreme)

   Internal flight Istanbul -> Kayseri or Nevsehir (1h, Pegasus/Turkish Airlines, €40-100 return). Private transfer to Goreme (45 min from Kayseri, included in most cave hotels). Settle in a troglodyte cave hotel (Museum Hotel 5* €200-400/night, Sultan Cave Suites €100-180, Local Cave House €50-90). Afternoon free exploration: Goreme Open Air Museum UNESCO (7th-13th c. rock churches with Byzantine frescoes, €20), Uchisar Castle (rock citadel, €5, 360° view). Sunset from Sunset Point. Traditional dinner testi kebab (sealed pottery cooking, €15-25).

   Tips

   • · Internal flight mandatory (Istanbul-Cappadocia = 730 km, 12h drive)
   • · Book cave hotel 2-3 months ahead (limited places, 80% capacity high season)
   • · Goreme Open Air Museum: 2h tour, AVOID midday (heat + crowds), prefer 9am or 4pm
   • · Testi kebab: order 1h ahead (long sealed pottery cooking)
   Göreme →
5. 5

   Day 5

   Cappadocia: hot air balloon + valleys

   Wake 4:30am for hot air balloon flight (Cappadocia's flagship experience, €150-250/person, 1h flight over the valleys at sunrise, 100-150 hot air balloons in the sky simultaneously). Unforgettable show. Champagne breakfast at landing. Back to hotel. Afternoon Rose Valley + Red Valley hike (3h, free, trails between pink and red fairy chimneys), or Pasabag (Monks Valley) (geological formations + 4th c. hermit caves). Evening whirling dervishes show (Sema, €25-35) or hotel-cave pool relaxation.

   Tips

   • · Hot air balloon BOOKING 2-3 months ahead (limited places, x2 price if last minute)
   • · Weather conditions: flight cancelled if wind > 25 km/h (free rebooking, but limited season March-November)
   • · Recommended companies: Royal Balloon, Voyager Balloons, Turkiye Balloons (all accredited)
   • · Iconic photo: position on Sunset Point at 5:45-6:30am (sunrise + balloons together)
   Göreme →Hot Air Balloon →
6. 6

   Day 6

   Underground Cappadocia + back Istanbul

   Morning Derinkuyu underground city (8 floors, 60m depth, Byzantine refuge sheltering 20,000 people, €10, claustrophobia warning) or Kaymakli (shallower alternative). Visit traditional ceramic workshop in Avanos (along the Kizilirmak river, free pottery wheel demonstration + shop). Lunch before airport transfer. Flight Kayseri/Nevsehir -> Istanbul (1h, €40-100). Arrive IST late afternoon, back to Istanbul hotel. Farewell dinner Mikla Restaurant (modern Turkish cuisine, panoramic view, Michelin star €80-120) or bohemian bistro Karakoy Lokantasi (€40-60).

   Tips

   • · Derinkuyu underground city: claustrophobia WARNING (narrow 60 cm passages)
   • · Avanos ceramics: watch free demonstration, don't feel obliged to buy (pushy sellers)
   • · Book Mikla 1 week ahead (1 Michelin star, limited seats)
   • · 3h IST airport margin for internal flight (controls + long taxiing time)
   Istanbul →
7. 7

   Day 7

   Istanbul morning + Paris return

   Free Istanbul morning depending on flight. Options: last Grand Bazaar shopping or Spice Bazaar (Misir Carsisi, smaller and more authentic), traditional hammam (Cagaloglu Hamami 1741 or Cemberlitas Hamami 1584, €50-100/person for 1h scrub + massage), last Bosphorus photo from Maiden's Tower (€15 by boat). Hammam or local cafe brunch (simit + black tea + olives + white cheese €5-10). IST airport transfer. Direct Istanbul-Paris flight (3h30) early afternoon. End of trip.

   Tips

   • · Authentic hammam: Cagaloglu (1741, more historic) or Cemberlitas (1584, more accessible)
   • · Spice Bazaar more authentic than Grand Bazaar for spices/turkish delights (also fewer pushy sellers)
   • · 3h IST airport margin MANDATORY (exit tax included in ticket, controls)
   • · Typical souvenirs: kilim rugs (negotiate hard), Iznik ceramics, apple tea, lokum, Aleppo soap
   Istanbul →

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