إسطنبول وكابادوكيا من بريطانيا: الباقات، والرحلات الجوية، وعدد الليالي

From the UK, an Istanbul and Cappadocia holiday works best as five to nine nights: a direct flight of about four hours to Istanbul, then a domestic hop of about 1 hour 20 minutes to Cappadocia. Our packages for this route start from $840 per person for five nights as a group trip, and from $2,023 per person for a private five-night version, such as the 6-day Istanbul and Cappadocia package with flights and a cave hotel. Every package below includes the domestic flights between the two regions. You book the flight from Britain yourself, which lets you use your own airport, airline and points.

This page explains how the trip fits together from a British starting point: which UK airports have direct flights, how to split the nights, what a package covers, the entry rules on a British passport, and which months suit each region.

How the trip works from Britain

There are three legs: UK to Istanbul, Istanbul to Cappadocia, and back again. Neither Cappadocia airport has a year-round scheduled route from the UK. Nevşehir Kapadokya Airport is served only from Istanbul, and Kayseri's only UK link is a seasonal service from Stansted. So almost every British traveller changes in Istanbul, and it makes sense to spend nights there rather than just change planes.

The usual pattern is:

1. Fly from the UK to Istanbul. Spend the first nights in the city while you get over the early start.
2. Fly to Cappadocia. Domestic flights land at either Kayseri or Nevşehir, about 1 hour 20 minutes in the air.
3. Fly back to Istanbul for your flight home, or for a final night in the city.

Kayseri Airport is about 75 km from Göreme, roughly an hour and a quarter by road. Nevşehir is closer, about 40 km, or around 45 minutes. In a package, the transfer at each end is arranged for you, so the choice of airport depends mostly on which has the better flight times on your dates.

UK airports with direct flights to Istanbul

Istanbul has two international airports. Istanbul Airport (IST) is on the European side and is the hub of Turkish Airlines. Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) is on the Asian side and is the base of Pegasus Airlines. Both have onward flights to Cappadocia: from IST with Turkish Airlines to both Kayseri and Nevşehir, and from SAW with AJet to both airports and with Pegasus to Kayseri.

From London, the flight takes a little under four hours. From Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh it is slightly longer. Direct routes in recent schedules include:

• London Heathrow: Turkish Airlines and British Airways to IST.
• London Gatwick: Turkish Airlines to IST, plus Pegasus to SAW in the summer season.
• London Stansted: Turkish Airlines and Pegasus.
• Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh: Turkish Airlines to IST and Pegasus to SAW.
• Bristol: Pegasus to SAW.

Frequencies change by season, so check the airline timetable before booking. If you have a choice, land at IST. Our packages start with an Istanbul airport transfer, and an IST arrival makes the later domestic flight simpler.

Time difference. Turkey stays on UTC+3 all year: three hours ahead of the UK in winter and two hours ahead during British Summer Time. A morning departure from London lands in Istanbul in the afternoon.

Five, seven or nine nights: our packages compared

These are the Istanbul and Cappadocia packages that fit a UK holiday of five to nine nights. Prices are per person in US dollars, as listed today. All include the domestic flights between Istanbul and Cappadocia, hotels with breakfast, guided days and transfers. The balloon flight is an optional extra on every one of them.

Group or private. On the group packages, guided days are shared with other travellers, and they are the cheapest way to see both regions. On the private ones, you have your own guide and vehicle, and the pace is yours. The private 8-day and 10-day packages also include extras such as a Bosphorus dinner cruise or a Turkish night show, depending on the package.

If you only have four nights, the Istanbul and Cappadocia 5-day package with flights and a cave hotel starts from $1,150 per person. It is a tighter trip, but it works for a long weekend plus two days of leave.

How to split the nights

The split matters more than the total. Cappadocia needs at least two nights, because balloons fly only at sunrise and each night gives you one more chance. Istanbul needs at least two full days for the Old City alone.

• Five nights. Two in Istanbul and three in Cappadocia gives you three balloon mornings and time for the Red and Green tours. Four in Istanbul and one in Cappadocia suits people who are more interested in the city and treat Cappadocia as a short add-on.
• Seven nights. Three and four, or five and two. Three in Istanbul covers Hagia Sophia, Topkapı, the bazaars and a Bosphorus cruise. Four in Cappadocia leaves room for a horse ride or a valley walk.
• Nine nights. Five and four is the relaxed version. You can add the Asian side of Istanbul, a food tour and a hammam without rushing.

Which end first? Most packages begin in Istanbul. If you would rather finish in the city, so that your last day is close to the airport, ask before you book. The order can often be swapped, subject to flight and hotel availability.

For more on the two regions, see our Istanbul and Cappadocia tour package guide, our Cappadocia tour from Istanbul guide and our Cappadocia for first-timers article.

What a package covers, and what you book yourself

Usually included: hotel nights with breakfast, the domestic flights, airport and hotel transfers, guided days with a licensed guide, entrance tickets on those days, and lunch on most tour days. Each package page lists exactly what is included.

Not included:

• Your flights from and to the UK. Leave enough time between your international and domestic flights, especially if you change airports in Istanbul.
• The balloon flight. It is optional and weather-dependent. Shared flights start from $199 per person with us. Our balloon price update explains the options.
• Dinners and drinks, apart from any shows or cruises listed.
• Tips and travel insurance.

Hotels. The private packages use a four-star hotel in the Old City of Istanbul and a mid-range cave hotel in Cappadocia as standard, with upgrades for an extra nightly fee. Our guides to where to stay in Cappadocia and Cappadocia cave hotels explain the differences between villages and room types.

Prices in dollars. We price in US dollars, with a euro option, and do not quote in pounds. A UK card will convert at the bank's rate on the day you pay, so it is worth using a card without foreign transaction fees.

Passport, entry and money on a British passport

• No visa for British citizens. With a British citizen passport, you can visit Turkey for tourism for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. There is no e-Visa to buy, so ignore any website that offers you one. Other British passports, such as British National (Overseas), follow different rules.
• Passport validity. UK government travel advice says your passport must have an expiry date at least 150 days after the day you arrive, and at least one blank page.
• Travel advice. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office advises against travel only within 10 km of the Syrian border. Istanbul and Cappadocia are hundreds of kilometres away.
• Money. The currency is the Turkish lira. Cards are widely accepted in Istanbul and in the larger Cappadocia hotels and restaurants. Carry some lira for small shops, tips and village cafés.
• Plugs. Turkey uses the two-pin European plug, so pack a UK-to-EU adapter.

Our Turkey visa requirements page covers other nationalities if you are travelling with friends or family on different passports.

When to go from the UK

Istanbul and Cappadocia have different climates. Istanbul is mild and damp in winter, and warm and humid in summer. Cappadocia is on a high plateau, so it is hotter by day in summer, much colder in winter, and cold at dawn all year.

Long-term averages from the Turkish State Meteorological Service (MGM) show the contrast:

• April: Istanbul 17.4°C by day. Nevşehir, the nearest station to Göreme, 16.0°C by day and 5.1°C at night.
• July: Istanbul 29.7°C. Nevşehir 28.5°C by day but only 13.7°C at night, with rain on about 2 days in the month.
• October: Istanbul 20.6°C. Nevşehir 18.3°C by day and 6.8°C at night.
• January: Istanbul 9.6°C. Nevşehir 4.0°C by day and minus 3.6°C at night.

For most British travellers, April to June and September to October are the best months. The weather suits walking in both places, and balloon flights run more often than in winter. The UK school summer holidays fall in Cappadocia's driest months, with steady flying weather, although middays are hot. Winter is quieter, and snow on the fairy chimneys is beautiful, but balloon flights are cancelled far more often. Our winter balloon report has the figures.

Tours that cover this

• Istanbul and Cappadocia Tour Package: 6 Days, Flights and Cave Hotel: from $2,023 per person. Private, two nights in Istanbul and three in Cappadocia.
• Istanbul and Cappadocia Tour Package: 8 Days, Flights and Cave Hotel: from $2,400 per person. Private, three nights in Istanbul and four in Cappadocia.
• Istanbul and Cappadocia Tour Package: 10 Days, Flights and Cave Hotel: from $2,499 per person. Private, five nights and four nights, with a hammam, food tour and horse ride.
• 8-Day Istanbul and Cappadocia Tour Package: from $1,048 per person. Group, five nights in Istanbul and two in Cappadocia.

For longer trips that add Ephesus or Pamukkale, see our Turkey tour packages from the UK. If you only want Istanbul, our Istanbul city break from the UK guide has a three-to-five-night plan.

Frequently Asked Questions