Honeymoon Packages in Turkey: Istanbul, Cappadocia, the Coast

A honeymoon in Turkey normally mixes three backdrops: Istanbul with its streets and the Bosphorus, Cappadocia with a cave room and balloons at dawn, and the Mediterranean shore for lazy days by the water. Our packages that combine two of these begin at $450 per person (Istanbul and Cappadocia, 6 days) or at $750 (Istanbul and Antalya, 8 days), with hotels added on top. Rates shift with the season, the hotel and the inclusions, so contact us for the current price.

Picking the right one depends less on which destinations rank highest and more on the trip you both have in mind: a packed short week, or ten days or longer with time off in the afternoons. If your plan is Istanbul plus a quick Cappadocia trip, our page on the honeymoon package for Istanbul explains that shorter option and the city extras more fully. Here we look at Turkey as a whole. Couples coming from the Gulf can read how we plan Arabic-language honeymoons, covering everything from the itinerary to private transfers, on our Turkey honeymoon page for couples from the Gulf.

Comparing four routes for newlyweds

Couples who can only take one week off are best served by the 6-day package. The Istanbul and Antalya trip over 8 days is the least demanding of the four, with an Antalya free day, a Suluada island boat trip including lunch, and a dinner cruise on the Bosphorus in Istanbul. The 10-day option brings in Pamukkale and Ephesus with private guiding, and its price already covers entrance fees and internal flights. Only the 15-day package includes every backdrop: Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus and Pamukkale, followed by free beach days close to Antalya, and a Turkish hammam and spa session is part of it.

Not covered by any of them: tips, most dinners, the balloon ride and international flights. You choose hotels city by city on each package page.

Cappadocia: your cave room and the balloon

On a honeymoon, choosing the Cappadocia hotel tends to be the largest single decision. Our luxury selection features Museum Hotel in Uçhisar, Kayakapı Premium Caves in Ürgüp and Sultan Cave Suites in Göreme, plus others listed on our page of hotels in Cappadocia. Staying in Göreme puts the dawn balloons right above you, and it is the busiest village. Uçhisar is set higher up and is calmer. Ürgüp is a real town with a wider choice of restaurants at night. For a comparison of cave hotel districts, balloon classes and two budgets for 4 days, see our article on planning a Cappadocia honeymoon.

We book the balloon on its own because both the cost and the risk of cancellation vary by date. A private basket for the two of you is many times the price of a shared standard flight. Our guide to Cappadocia balloon prices sets out the whole range. Strong wind grounds the flights, which happens most in winter, so reserve the balloon for your first morning there and leave another morning open.

Couples who have already planned the rest of Turkey and want Cappadocia alone can book the Cappadocia package over 4 days, which offers the Red Tour, a cave-style hotel option and a tour of an underground city and the valleys.

The coast: Antalya, or seven days on a gulet

Antalya offers the simplest option. A short internal flight gets you there from Istanbul, the Kaleiçi old town rises above a little harbour, and the package covers the Düden Waterfalls and the boat trip to Suluada. Many hotels on that stretch are big resorts, which after a week of sightseeing is either exactly what you are after or precisely what you want to avoid.

A gulet cruise gives you the slower, calmer alternative: a traditional wooden boat that drops anchor in bays so you can swim, with breakfast, lunch and dinner served on deck. We offer a 7-day round trip by gulet from Fethiye to Kekova and an 8-day gulet trip from Fethiye to Bodrum. Since prices vary with the date and the cabin, we quote them on request. Know two things before choosing it: weather and sea conditions can alter the route, and the price excludes transfers to Fethiye. Gulet cabins are small, so if space matters to you, ask about the specific boat before you book.

Istanbul as a couple, briefly

Each of the routes above begins or finishes in Istanbul, where two extras change the most. One is hiring a private Bosphorus yacht: our private yacht cruise of 2 hours is priced per boat and includes a guide plus tea and coffee, while hourly rentals with no guide have a minimum of 2 hours. The other is the rooftop photo shoot in a flying dress. If you want to propose or celebrate on the water, read our guide to a marriage proposal on a Bosphorus yacht.

Season by season

• April to June: the best all-round period. Istanbul is pleasant, the balloons go up on most mornings, and by June the sea is warm enough to swim.
• July and August: peak time for gulets and the coast, but Ephesus and Istanbul are hot, and the shore is at its busiest and most expensive.
• September and October: the period we like best for honeymoons. The water stays warm, sightseeing is cooler and families are back home.
• November to March: a popular wedding season for Indian couples. Istanbul and Cappadocia remain good, and in deep winter snow can cover the fairy chimneys, but more balloon flights are cancelled and the coast is too cool for the beach.

What sets the price for a couple

The tour portion is charged per head, and internal flights and the hammam come included in the 15-day package. Most couples add two extras: a private yacht and the balloon. After that come the hotels, whose rates swing most with the season; a coastal room facing the sea or a luxury Cappadocia cave suite can cost more than the entire package.

For different combinations, browse our Turkey trips covering several cities and Cappadocia tour packages, or request a Turkey tour made to measure.

Frequently Asked Questions