How to plan your first visit to Turkey

How to plan your first visit to Turkey

 An Ultimate Guide

Planning to visit turkey and not sure how many days are enough? And what is must to see and good to see? Let me make it easy for you.

How to get Turkish Visa

• Getting Turkish tourist visa was never easy before. If you are resident of USA, UK, Schengen States or Ireland (or even you have a valid visa of these countries on your passports) then you can get 6-Months Tourist visa through ONLINE system. Just fill the form and pay the fees 60USD and you will receive the PDF copy of visa on your email within a minute. I personally had a USA visa on my Pakistani passport and got the online Turkish visa very easily.
• (For Pakistani Citizens): In case you guys don’t have valid visa’s of USA, UK, Schengen or Ireland then you have to apply to Turkish Embassy through GERRY’s Pakistan drop box visa service. You must apply for visa atleast 2 ~ 3 weeks before your actual travel to turkey. Gerry’s takes  2500 Rs other than Visa fee to provide their services.

Purchasing the Air ticket

Although the best and cheapest option is to travel through Turkish Airline however before booking your tickets through a Travel Agent, you must check cheapest flight to Turkey using online Flight search engines like SKYSCANNER.COM  or  KAYAK.COM

TRAVELING AROUND TURKEY

“ISTANBUL !! The only city in the world where you can visit ASIA and EUROPE at the same time.”

Where to Stay in Turkey:

If you want to experience the deep culture of Istanbul then your Hotel must be in SULTAN AHMET area. However if you want modern touch then you can get your hotel around ISTIKLAL STREET. I personally recommend Sultan Ahmet area because you would love roaming around streets of Istanbul and meeting local Turkish people and eating in local food restaurants

You can book your Hotel/ Hostel through booking.com or agoda.com. I am personally using booking.com from last 6 years because they dont charge from your credit card before arrival and also their help in case of wrong charging or any dispute with Hotel is remarkable.

What Transport to be used:

Istanbul has a very well established Metro Trains and Bus system. Just buy ISTANBUL KART (Istanbul Metro card) and you can visit around Istanbul from Europe to Asian sides of Istanbul using this card. Never use Private Taxis as these are 10 times expensive. In case you are with family you should use APP Taxis like CAREEM which are much cheaper.

Day-1 | I S T A N B U L

Morning: Start exploring Turkey from the most iconic Sultan Ahmet Mosque which is also called Blue Mosque. I am not writing any history here. Just Go ! and Explore yourself 🙂

Afternoon: Topkapi Palace/ Hagia Sofia

For Muslims, Topkapi palace is one of the best History Museum in the world. You would have a chance to see lot personal things of many Prophets and companions of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) such as

• Hair of Prophet Muhammad PBUH
• Foot print of Prophet Muhammad PBUH
• Sword of Prophet Muhammad PBUH (Azab)
• Miraculous Stick of Prophet Musa (A.S)
• Turban of Prophet Yousaf (A.S)
• Dresses of Hazrat Imam Hussain R.A and Hazrat Fatima R.A

Don’t forget to visit the backside of Topkapi where you would see amazing scenic view of River Marmara

Useful Info

Topkapi Palace Timings:   9:00 AM to 04:30 PM
Topkapi Entrance: 40 TL (Turkish Lira)
Hagia Sofia (Aya Sofia) Entrance: 40 TL

Evening  should be spent in Istiklal Street/ Taksim Square , one of the most happening and lively street in the world. You would love walking, shopping, eating and specially THE ISTIKLAL TRAM. I would always love to spend evening in Istiklal street.

Day-2 | I S T A N B U L

Morning: Grand Bazaar

Grand Bazaar (constructed in 1455 AD) in Istanbul is one of the largest covered markets in the world with 04 Gates, 60 streets and 5,000 shops. In Turkish it is named as Kapalıçarşı, meaning ‘Covered Market’

Useful Info

Opening Times: Monday to Saturday  9:00 – 19:00 hrs

The Grand Bazaar is around 15 minutes walk from the Aya Sofya/Blue Mosque area.

Afternoon: Spice Bazaar

I could not visit Spice bazar during my first visit to Istanbul. However lot of people recommend it and I would definitely visit spice bazar during my next visit.

Evening: Bosphorus Cruise and Dance Dinner

This is must to experience! You can book this tour through any tour operator in Istanbul however if you want it cheap, directly go to KABATASH PIER and book your tour from ticket window. It includes dinner, Turkish girls dance, Sufi Dance at bottom deck and then Turkish Belly dance at the Top Deck of cruise.

Useful Info

Timing: 7.30 PM to 10.30 PM
Dinner Cruise Ticket:  120 TL (You will get expensive rates if you book it through tour agents)

Day-3 | I S T A N B U L

Morning: Buyuk Ada – Prince’s Island

Lets relax today and have a visit to famous Prince’s Island. You can take the Ferry from KABATASH PIER that will drop you at Buyuk Ada island. Don’t forget to taste delicious 5-Scoops ice cream there. You must know that no fuel car/ motorbike is allowed in Buyuk Ada. You can only roam around beautiful streets either renting a Horse Carriage or Riding on a bicycle. If you are young and have enough time then Cycling is recommended.

Useful Info

Ferry Fare (one side) = 7.5 TL
Bicycle Rent = 10 TL for one hour and 20 TL for full day

Late Afternoon: Asian side of Istanbul

Take the Marmara Metro Train (which travel under the sea) from EMINONU station and travel from Europe to Asian side of Istanbul. You would love walking along Marmara and beautiful view of Bosphorus Bridge that is connecting Europe and Asia in air.

IMPORTANT! Everything related to your Kapadokya tour should be “pre-booked” from Istanbul.  Otherwise you will waste your time in managing things after arrival. 

Travelling to Kapadokya

1. BY AIR: If you have less time in turkey (and also you can afford it) then you should take flight from Istanbul to NEVSEHIR or KAYSERIA Airports (as Kapadokya has no airport). From there your hotel van will pick you and take you to Goreme town in Kapadokya.
2. BY BUS: If you are on budget travel then you should take a night bus from Istanbul main Bus station. As i was traveling solo so i chose this option.

Useful Info

Bus Starte at: 9:00 PM and reach at: 07:45 AM (Nevsehir Main Bus station)
Then further 1 hour travel to your hotel in  Goreme Caves Valley
Bus Fare: 65 TL

Where to stay in Kapadokya

Kapadokya is a valley of Fairy chimney having caves. Make sure you experience your stay in a Cave Hotel. However you should always pre-book your hotel before leaving for Kapadokya because you need their pickup service at Airport or Bus station which is 1 hour away from Goreme Valley of Kapadokya.

Day-4 | K A P A D O K Y A

Red Tour: After your arrival, you would be taken to Red tour which includes visiting ancient times  Cave City. The reason of calling this tour “Red” because chimney rocks gives reddish shades.

Useful Info

Tour Avg Booking Price: 100 ~ 120 TL
Tour Timings: 9.30 AM to 04:00 PM

Day-5 | K A P A D O K Y A

Hot Air Baloon: Next day you will be picked early morning before sunrise and will taken for amazing Hot Air Baloon ride.

Useful Info

Balloon ride cost = 75 ~ 100 Euro
Pickup time from Hotel: 04:00 AM
Flight time: 1 hour (5:00 AM to 6:00 AM)
Drop off back to Hotel: 07:00 am

Green Tour: After coming back from Hot Air balloon , you will be taken to Green Tour at 0930 hrs. This includes visiting under ground city and Ihlara Valley and Selime Cathedrale. This tour is called “Green” because you would see more greenery and trees in this tour as compared to Red Tour.

Useful Info

Green Tour Cost = 100 ~ 120 TL
Timing: 09:30 AM to 06:30 PM

NOTE: Red and Green are the most famous tours in Kapadokya however it has another tour named as BLUE TOUR. If you are staying another day in Goreme valley then you must take this tour aswel

Day-6 | F E T H I Y E

Getting there: You can travel from Kapadokya to Fethiye using Night Bus. These buses starts in the evening at center of Goreme Valley nearby all hotels and arrives at Fethiye in the early morning.

Useful Info

Bus Fare = 70 TL

Bus starts from Kapadokya : 07:00 PM and arrives Fethiye next day at 06:30 AM

Paragliding: Although Fethiye is a beach city but I recommend visiting this place to experience adventurous Para-gliding flight over an amazing landscape. You can book it from your Hotel reception. The tour includes Pick/ drop , Paragliding jump, official Pictures and Videos (they do not allow to take your personal camera)

Useful Info

Price = 250 ~ 340 TL (depends on season to season)
Pickup time from Hotel: 04:30 PM
Arrival at Jump location: 05:45 PM
Total Para-gliding time: 30 ~ 40 min
Drop off back to your hotel: 07:30 PM

OPTIONAL Day: Visiting Saklikent Gorge

If you have an extra day or time other than para-gliding then you must visit this place. You have to walk through knee high cold rushing water stream and then you walk along the gorge.

Useful Info

Getting there: Using local van from Fethiye bus stop to Saklikent

Van fare: 11 TL (one side)

Travel time: 1 hour (one side)

Entrance ticket for Saklikent = 6 TL

Day-7 | P A M U K K A L E

Getting There: Take evening bus from Fethiye at 1800 hours and you will arrive Pamukkale at 10:30 PM in 55 TL. Make sure your next day tour is already booked which should cover visiting Hierapolis and Thermal Pools

Morning: Visit Hierapolis

Hierapolis (Holy City in Greek) ruins are UNESCO World Heritage site, adjacent to Pamukkale Thermal pools. You must read its details HERE before visiting.

Afternoon: Visit Thermal Pools

Pamukkale, meaning “cotton castle” in Turkish, is a natural site having hot springs (natural hot water due to underground volcanic activity) and terraces of white colored carbonate minerals left by the flowing water. There are 17 hot water springs in which the temperature ranges from 35 °C (95 °F) to 100 °C (212 °F)

Useful Info

Tour Cost = 100 TL (Includes Pick and Drop + Hierapolis and Thermal Pools entry tickets and a Guide)

Tour timing : 0930 AM to 4:00 PM

Shoes are not allowed while entering in Thermal Pools

(You can go to both places on your own too however it will waste lot of your time in managing transport etc)

Getting There: You should book your travel from Pamukkale to Izmir through tour agent (within 40 ~ 50 TL). The van will pick you in the evening and will drop at your Izmir hotel in the night. Izmir is 4 hours away from Pamukkale.

Visiting Ephesus

Ephesus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is an ancient Greek city built in the 10th century BC, three kilometers southwest of present-day Selçuk in Izmir.

Useful Info

Ephesus Tour cost = 100 ~ 120 TL
Tour Timing: 09:30 AM to 0:30 PM

OPTIONAL CITIES

You can always customise your tour and can include cities/places like Antalya, Konya, Bodrum etc

Turkey Travel Video Highlights

Disclaimer: All images used in this blog are my personal and subject to copyright