Central & Southern Turkey Tour: Istanbul, Cappadocia, Konya, Antalya
Overview
Central & Southern Turkey Tour: Istanbul, Cappadocia, Konya, Antalya
This 7-day, 6-night tour runs from Istanbul through the heart of Anatolia to the Mediterranean. You start with the Byzantine and Ottoman sights of Istanbul, then fly to Cappadocia for two days of fairy chimneys, cave churches and valley walks.
From Cappadocia you travel by bus to Konya, the spiritual centre of the Whirling Dervishes, to visit Rumi's resting place, the Karatay Medrese and Alaeddin Hill. The road then leads south to Antalya for the ruins of Perge and Aspendos, the Kursunlu Waterfall and the old town of Kaleici, before a flight back to Istanbul.
Hotels with breakfast, a professional guide, all flights in the itinerary, air-conditioned vehicles and admission fees (except optional visits) are included. International flights to Istanbul, lunches, dinners and optional activities in your free time are not.
Tour Info
Itinerary
Day 1 – Arrival in Istanbul and Hotel Transfer
When you land at Istanbul airport, a driver is there to take you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free. On the next morning, at 09:30 AM, your guide comes to meet you.
Day 2 – Istanbul Old City Tour
Your guide meets you at the hotel at 09:30 AM, and the rest of the day is spent on foot in the old city, where Byzantine and Ottoman history stand side by side.
Highlights of the day
- Topkapi Palace (optional): For centuries this was home to the Ottoman sultans. Walk through its courtyards and rooms and hear the story behind its fine architecture.
- Blue Mosque: One of the city's best-known landmarks, admired for its grand scale and the blue tiles that line its interior.
- Hippodrome: Chariot races were once held on this square. Today you can see the Egyptian Obelisk, the Serpent Column and the German Fountain here.
- Hagia Sophia (optional): Go inside this UNESCO World Heritage Site to see Byzantine building skill at its height and a vast, richly decorated interior.
- Grand Bazaar: End in the world's oldest covered market, a lively maze of stalls where you can shop for souvenirs, spices and textiles.
When the tour is over, you are driven back to your Istanbul hotel for the night, with breakfast included.
Day 3 – Flight to Cappadocia and North Cappadocia Tour
After breakfast, check out of your hotel and transfer to the airport for your flight to Cappadocia.
Highlights of the day
- Goreme Esentepe panoramic viewpoint: The first stop is Esentepe, a lookout point between Uçhisar and Göreme. From here the fairy chimneys, the wider Cappadocian scenery and the little town of Esentepe spread out below you.
- Zelve Open-Air Museum: Zelve was once a place of monastic life and Christian learning. Its monasteries, churches and chapels still hold well-kept frescoes that show how the valley looked in earlier centuries.
- Pasabag (Monks Valley): Paşabağ, also known as Monks Valley or "Pasha's Vineyard", is famous for fairy chimneys that split into three heads. Some of the most striking rock shapes in Cappadocia stand here.
- Devrent Valley: A short drive brings you to Devrent, where small, pointed fairy chimneys give the ground a moon-like look. Many of the rocks seem to take the form of animals or mythical creatures.
- Avanos Pottery Workshop: Avanos has been a pottery town since 3000 BC, and its craftsmen still shape clay taken from the Red River. In a traditional workshop you can watch them at the wheel.
- Love Valley: The last stop is Love Valley. Millions of years of erosion have carved cones, pinnacles and fairy chimneys here, some as tall as 40 meters, and few corners of Cappadocia are as unusual or as good for photos.
After the tour, check in to your hotel and relax for the evening.
Overnight: Cappadocia
Optional evening activity: A Turkish Night Show with traditional music and dance.
Day 4 – South Cappadocia Tour and Bus to Konya
If you wish, start the day in a hot air balloon (optional) and watch the sun rise over Cappadocia.
As the sky changes colour, you float above the rock formations and fairy chimneys. After landing there is a champagne toast, and then you are driven back to your hotel.
The guided tour usually gets going at about 09:00 and wraps up no later than 16:00.
Highlights of the day
- Meskendir Valley (4.4 km trek): The day opens with a 4.4 km walk through Meskendir Valley near Ortahisar. On the way you can go inside Meskendir Church, painted with bold red geometric patterns and with a large cross carved into the chapel ceiling, and enjoy the scenery around it.
- Rose Valley: Behind Ürgüp lies this quiet valley of unusual rock shapes and churches cut into the stone. Footpaths run through vineyards and gardens between small villages, and locals sometimes hand walkers fresh grapes, apples or apricots.
- Red Valley: Red Valley has the same mix of striking rocks and old cave churches. Its paths cross one another like a spider's web, joining remote villages and farmland, and give a real feel for the region's nature and past.
- Cavusin Valley: Çavuşin Village is one of the oldest settlements in Cappadocia, a maze of homes carved into the rock. It is also where you find the Church of John the Baptist, the biggest cave church in the region, dating from the 5th century.
- Underground City: Early Christians dug 36 underground cities in Cappadocia to hide from persecution. You visit the largest and best known of them, which goes down eight levels; open sections include old wineries, kitchens and living rooms.
- Pigeon Valley: On the edge of Göreme, this valley is named after the pigeon houses cut into its cliffs over the centuries. Farmers once used the droppings to fertilise their fields. Today it offers wide views and good photo spots.
- Uchisar Castle Panorama: The final stop is Uçhisar, the highest point in Cappadocia. Its tall rock castle once served as a fortress, and from the top you look across the whole region to Erciyes Mountain on the horizon.
After the tour you take the bus to Konya, a journey of about 4 hours.
Overnight: Konya
Day 5 – Konya Tour and Drive to Antalya
After breakfast, check out of your hotel.
Highlights of the day
- Mevlana Museum: Visit the tomb of the famous mystic Rumi and learn about the Whirling Dervishes.
- Karatay Medrese: This Seljuk-era school is known for its detailed tilework and its place in local history.
- Alaeddin Hill: Walk up to the top for a view over the whole city.
You then drive to Antalya (about 3 hours) for the night.
Overnight: Antalya
Day 6 – Antalya Tour and Flight to Istanbul
Spend the day seeing the best of Antalya.
Highlights of the day
- Perge Ancient City: Explore the remains of this Roman city.
- Aspendos Theatre: See one of the best-preserved Roman theatres in the world.
- Kursunlu Waterfall: Take a break in the green, peaceful setting of the falls.
- Kaleici (Old Town): Stroll the cobbled lanes, lined with Ottoman houses and busy little shops.
- Hadrian's Gate: This well-kept Roman gate once marked the way into the old city.
After the tour you are taken to the airport for your flight back to Istanbul. Once you arrive, the time is yours to rest or do some last-minute shopping.
Overnight: Istanbul
Day 7 – Departure from Istanbul
Enjoy breakfast, then check out of the hotel. Our representative will see you to your airport transfer for your departure flight, and this is where our services end.
Would you like more time in Istanbul? Extra nights can be added to your stay.
Important Notes
Optional extras
- Cappadocia hot air balloon (Goreme): $310
- One extra hotel night in Istanbul, before or after the tour: $65
- Upgrade to a private tour: $350
Inclusions & Exclusions
- ✓Accommodations with breakfast
- ✓Professional guide
- ✓All flights in the itinerary
- ✓Air-conditioned vehicles
- ✓Admission Fees to enter sights (Except optionals)
- ✕International flights to Istanbul
- ✕Dinner and lunch
- ✕Optional additional tours or activities during free time
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Central and Southern Turkey tour with Istanbul, Cappadocia, Konya and Antalya: the key facts
This 7-day, 6-night group tour crosses Turkey from north to south. After a guided day in Istanbul you fly to Cappadocia for two touring days, take a bus to Konya, drive over the Taurus mountains to Antalya, and fly back to Istanbul from the Mediterranean. The route takes in Konya, Cappadocia and the Antalya ruins, but not Ephesus or Pamukkale.
It suits travellers who like seeing the country change from the road and want Rumi's city and Roman Pamphylia instead of the Aegean sites. The price is from $2,480 per person, including hotels with breakfast, a professional guide, the two flights in the itinerary, air-conditioned vehicles and entrance fees except for optional visits.
| Quick facts | |
|---|---|
| Length | 7 days / 6 nights |
| Route | Istanbul, Cappadocia, Konya, Antalya, back to Istanbul |
| Style | Group tour (private upgrade $350) |
| Start / end | Istanbul airport pickup on Day 1, airport transfer on Day 7 |
| Included | Hotels with breakfast, guide, flights Istanbul to Cappadocia and Antalya to Istanbul, vehicles, entrance fees except optional visits |
| Extra | International flights, lunch and dinner, Topkapi and Hagia Sophia entry, balloon ($310), Turkish night show |
How is the trip split between flights and road?
Two flights and two road legs. You fly Istanbul to Cappadocia on the morning of Day 3 and Antalya to Istanbul on Day 6. Between them you go overland: a bus of about 4 hours from Cappadocia to Konya at the end of Day 4, and a drive of about 3 hours from Konya to Antalya on Day 5, which takes you over the Taurus range. The road days are the reason this route can include Konya without adding a night.
Where do you stay each night?
Two nights in Istanbul at the start, one night in Cappadocia, one in Konya, one in Antalya and a final night in Istanbul. The page does not give hotel names or star ratings, so ask for the hotel list with your quote. With one night in Cappadocia, ask whether a cave hotel is possible for your date; our Cappadocia cave hotels guide explains the room types and areas.
What do you see in Konya and Antalya?
In Konya on Day 5 you visit the Mevlana Museum with Rumi's tomb, the Karatay Medrese and Alaeddin Hill, before the drive south. On Day 6 the Antalya tour covers Perge, the Aspendos Theatre, Kursunlu Waterfall, the Kaleici old town and Hadrian's Gate, then the flight to Istanbul. Our Konya guide and Antalya guide have more on both cities.
Which entrance fees are not included?
Entrance fees to the sights are included, except optional visits. In Istanbul, Topkapi Palace and Hagia Sophia are optional on Day 2 and their tickets are not in the tour price, so budget for them if you want to go in. Our Hagia Sophia ticket price page shows the current fee. The Turkish night show in Cappadocia on Day 3 is also optional and not priced on the page.
Is the hot air balloon included?
No. The sunrise balloon over Goreme costs $310 per person and fits the morning of Day 4, the only morning you wake up in Cappadocia; it ends with a champagne toast before the day's tour at about 09:00. Flights only go ahead when Turkey's civil aviation office clears the weather that morning, and they are cancelled more often in the colder months. If it does not fly, there is no second chance on this route.
How tiring is the tour?
Istanbul on Day 2 is on foot around Sultanahmet. Cappadocia Day 3 is the red tour circuit after the morning flight. Day 4 is the hardest: a 4.4 km Meskendir Valley walk, Rose and Red valleys, Cavusin, an eight-level underground city with low tunnels, Pigeon Valley and Uchisar Castle from about 09:00 to 16:00, then the 4-hour bus to Konya. Day 5 has a morning of sights and a 3-hour drive.
What should we wear at the mosques and the Mevlana Museum?
Cover shoulders and knees at the Blue Mosque and in Konya. Women cover their hair in mosques, and scarves are usually lent at the Blue Mosque entrance. Shoes come off on carpets, and at the Mevlana tomb visitors are usually given shoe covers. The Blue Mosque closes to visitors during daily prayers and Friday midday prayer, so timings may move. See what to wear in Istanbul.
Can we add nights or change the order?
You can add a night in Istanbul before or after the tour for $65 per person, and a private guide upgrade costs $350. A second night in Cappadocia or a beach day in Antalya can be priced as a tailor-made Turkey tour. If you want Ephesus on the same trip, compare the Turkey tour package with Istanbul, Ephesus, Antalya, Konya and Cappadocia.
How do we book?
Choose a date and the number of guests in the booking form on this page, or send your dates and questions on WhatsApp. We confirm the full plan in writing, including hotels, flight and road days and which tickets are included, before you make any payment. Get Turkey Tours is licensed by TÜRSAB under number A-15751.
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