An 80-day passport to every side of Türkiye
Türkiye is really several countries in one: a Byzantine and Ottoman capital straddling two continents, a lunar landscape of hot-air balloons and cave hotels in the Anatolian heartland, marble hot-spring terraces above an ancient spa city, a coastline of Greco-Roman ruins and turquoise water, and a WWI battlefield turned peace memorial. Seeing all of it properly takes time — which is exactly what this package is built for.
Discover Türkiye in 80 Days is not a single fixed coach tour. It is a modular grand-tour framework built from more than 30 individually guided experiences, organized into six regions. Every module includes a professional licensed guide, air-conditioned transport, entrance fees and lunch on touring days, exactly as they would if booked separately — bundled together, sequenced sensibly, and priced as one journey.
Most travelers select a subset — two to four weeks covering the essentials — while others use the full 80 days to move at a genuinely relaxed pace, with rest days, optional add-ons like a Cappadocia balloon flight, and time to simply sit in a çay garden and watch the Bosphorus traffic go by.
Why This Package Works
- Fully modular — build a 10-day taster or the full 80-day grand tour
- Every leg run by licensed, English-speaking local guides
- Domestic flights or trains handled between regions
- Local lunches included on every touring day
- Private and group pricing available on every module
- One point of contact plans your entire route
The Full 80-Day, Day-by-Day Itinerary
Every one of the 80 days is mapped below across 9 phases — including arrival, transfer, rest and departure days, not just guided tours. Prefer a shorter trip? Any phase can be shortened or removed; see Pricing for the popular 14- and 30-day versions of this same route.
| Days | Phase | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 1 – 18 | Istanbul & the Sea of Marmara | Old City, Bosphorus, islands & nearby escapes |
| 19 – 26 | Thrace, Gallipoli & the Aegean Gateway | Troy, Gallipoli, Edirne, Kırklareli |
| 27 – 34 | Cappadocia | Fairy chimneys, valleys, balloon flight (optional) |
| 35 – 42 | Central Anatolia | Kayseri, Konya, Hattusha, Safranbolu |
| 43 – 50 | Aegean & Ionian Coast | Ephesus, Pamukkale, Salda Lake |
| 51 – 60 | Turquoise Coast & Antalya | Kaleiçi, ancient cities, coastline |
| 61 – 70 | Flex Week | Extend any region above, at your own pace |
| 71 – 77 | Return to Istanbul | Family day, farewell Bosphorus cruise |
| 78 – 80 | Departure Window | Free time, packing, airport transfer |
The journey begins where the city itself began: on the peninsula where the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires each built their capital on top of the last. From here it fans out to the Bosphorus, the Asian side, the Princes' Islands, and a handful of green escapes just outside the city.
Day 1 Arrival in Istanbul — Airport transfer, hotel check-in and a welcome briefing on your route ahead.
Day 2 Free day — Rest and orientation walk near your hotel.
Day 3 Istanbul Old City Tour — Hippodrome, Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace & Grand Bazaar. Guide, entries and lunch included.
Day 4 Istanbul Highlights & Bosphorus Cruise — Dolmabahçe, Ortaköy, Rumeli Fortress and a guided boat ride between two continents. Cruise included; private charter is a paid upgrade.
Day 5 Princes' Islands — Ferry to car-free Büyükada & Heybeliada. Ferry, guide and lunch included; horse-carriage rides are a local add-on.
Day 6 Asian Side Tour — Beylerbeyi Palace, Üsküdar and the panoramic view from Çamlıca Hill. Fully included.
Day 7 European Coast Monuments — Yıldız Palace grounds, Ortaköy and Rumeli Fortress in more depth. Fully included.
Day 8 Fener, Balat & Golden Horn Christian Heritage — Pastel Ottoman-era houses, the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Chora Church mosaics. Fully included.
Day 9 Full-Day Islamic Heritage Tour — A deeper look at Istanbul's imperial mosque architecture. Fully included.
Day 10 Free day — Leisure time, or add any optional Istanbul extra.
Day 11 Şile & Ağva Day Trip — Black Sea fishing villages and coastline. Guide, transport and lunch included.
Day 12 Bursa Day Trip — Cumalıkızık Ottoman village, Uludağ views and the Grand Mosque. Fully included.
Day 13 Sapanca Nature Day Trip — A forested lakeside escape. Fully included.
Day 14 Yalova Thermal Springs Day Trip — Guide, transport and lunch included; spa and thermal-pool upgrades are excluded.
Days 15 – 16 Free days — Rest, or revisit a favorite Istanbul neighborhood.
Day 17 Free day — Packing and preparation for the road west.
Day 18 Depart Istanbul — Overland transfer toward Çanakkale.
Heading toward the Aegean, the route passes through the battlefields and ancient cities that guarded the entrance to the Dardanelles.
Day 19 Transfer to the Çanakkale region — Included in this leg.
Day 20 Gallipoli Peninsula Tour — ANZAC Cove, Lone Pine and the WWI memorials with a specialist battlefield guide. Wreath-laying arrangements for dawn services are excluded.
Day 21 Troy & Pergamon — Homer's Troy (UNESCO) and the hilltop acropolis of Pergamon. Entries and guiding included.
Day 22 Transfer to Edirne — Via Kırklareli.
Day 23 Kırklareli Historical Heritage Tour — Fully included.
Day 24 Edirne Daily Tour — Mimar Sinan's Selimiye Mosque and Ottoman heritage. Overnight hotel included on this module.
Day 25 Free day in Edirne — Local exploration at your own pace.
Day 26 Transfer back toward Istanbul — Connecting for your onward flight to Cappadocia.
A domestic flight brings you to Central Anatolia's surreal volcanic landscape, best explored slowly over several days.
Day 27 Fly to Cappadocia — Istanbul → Nevşehir/Kayseri, transfer and check-in.
Day 28 Red (North) Tour — Göreme Open-Air Museum's rock-cut churches. Optional sunrise Hot Air Balloon Flight beforehand (add-on, weather permitting).
Day 29 Green (South) Tour — Ihlara Valley, Derinkuyu Underground City and Selime Monastery. Fully included.
Day 30 Soğanlı Valley Hiking — A quieter valley of cave churches, away from the main crowds. Included as a half-day.
Day 31 Horse Riding, Camel Riding & Jeep Safari — Vehicle and guide included; individual riding sessions are optional extras.
Day 32 Sunset Jeep Safari — Rose and Red Valleys at golden hour, free evening after.
Day 33 Free day — Rest, or catch up on any missed optional add-on.
Day 34 Free day — Avanos pottery workshop and local exploration.
The Anatolian heartland, less visited than the coasts, holds Seljuk architecture, Sufi heritage and one of the oldest empires in history.
Day 35 Transfer to Kayseri — From Cappadocia.
Day 36 Kayseri Old City & Armenian Churches — Including the Surp Krikor Lusavoriç church. Guide and entries included.
Day 37 Kayseri & Talas Region Tour — Fully included.
Day 38 Transfer to Konya — By flight or high-speed train, included in this module.
Day 39 Konya Mevlana & Islamic Heritage Tour — Mevlana Museum, Karatay and İnce Minaret madrasahs, Alaaddin Mosque. Fully included.
Day 40 Ankara & Hattusha Day Tour — The Hittite capital's Lion Gate and rock sanctuary of Yazılıkaya. Included when routed via Ankara.
Day 41 Transfer toward Safranbolu — Included.
Day 42 Safranbolu UNESCO Heritage Tour — Ottoman half-timbered old town. Overnight hotel included on this module.
Turkey's Aegean coast holds two of the ancient world's best-preserved sites.
Day 43 Transfer to İzmir/Selçuk — By domestic flight, included.
Day 44 Ephesus & House of the Virgin Mary — Library of Celsus, the Great Theatre and the hillside shrine. Entries and guide included.
Day 45 Free day — Şirince village or Kuşadası leisure time.
Day 46 Transfer to Pamukkale — Included.
Day 47 Pamukkale Travertines & Hierapolis — Entry fees included; the Cleopatra thermal pool is an optional paid extra.
Day 48 Salda Lake, Pamukkale & Hierapolis Exclusive Tour — Turkey's "Maldives," a turquoise crater lake. Fully included.
Day 49 Free day — Rest.
Day 50 Transfer toward Antalya — Included.
The core touring closes on the Mediterranean, mixing archaeology with genuine beach and adventure time.
Day 51 Arrival in Antalya — Hotel check-in.
Day 52 Antalya Old City Tour — Kaleiçi and the Düden Waterfalls. Guide, transport and entries included.
Day 53 Ancient Cities & Waterfalls Tour — Aspendos, Perge, Side & Kurşunlu Waterfall. Fully included.
Day 54 Green Canyon Boat Trip — Manavgat River cruise with swimming stops. Standard shared boat included; private charter excluded.
Day 55 Land of Legends Theme Park (optional add-on) — Bookable separately.
Day 56 Scuba Diving Experience (optional add-on) — Beginner-friendly Mediterranean dive.
Days 57 – 58 Free beach days — Time on the Turquoise Coast at your own pace.
Days 59 – 60 Free days — Rest, or add any optional Antalya extra.
This is what turns the trip from a highlights tour into a genuine 80-day journey: ten open days to spend however suits you best. Popular choices among travelers on this route:
Extra nights on the Turquoise Coast — More beach time, a second Green Canyon trip, or the Land of Legends / scuba diving days if you skipped them earlier.
Return to Cappadocia — A second attempt at the hot air balloon if weather cancelled your first booking, or simply more valley time.
Deeper exploration of any region above — Repeat a favorite guided day, or ask us to slot in a nearby site not listed in the core itinerary.
Simply rest — Ten fewer transfers than the rest of the trip; many travelers use this week to slow down completely.
The journey loops back to where it started, with a lighter, family-friendly close.
Day 71 Fly to Istanbul — Antalya → Istanbul, transfer and check-in.
Day 72 Istanbul Old City Alternative Historical Tour — A second, different angle on the Old City's history. Fully included.
Day 73 Miniatürk, Vialand, Pierre Loti Hill & Rahmi M. Koç Museum — A family-friendly day of miniature landmarks, a cable car up Pierre Loti Hill, and Istanbul's transport museum. Fully included.
Day 74 Free day — Shopping, hammam, leisure.
Day 75 Farewell Bosphorus Dinner Cruise — An evening cruise with dinner to close the trip. Included.
Days 76 – 77 Free days — Rest, or repeat a favorite Istanbul tour.
A gentle close to the trip, with no tours scheduled so nothing is rushed on your way to the airport.
Days 78 – 79 Free days — Last-minute shopping and packing.
Day 80 Departure — Transfer to Istanbul Airport for your flight home.
A handful of the places you'll stand in front of
Hagia Sophia
Byzantine cathedral turned Ottoman mosque, standing for nearly 1,500 years at the center of Sultanahmet.
Topkapi Palace
The Ottoman sultans' seat of power for 400 years, overlooking where the Bosphorus meets the Sea of Marmara.
Göreme Fairy Chimneys
Volcanic rock cones carved into homes and churches over a thousand years, best seen from the ground and, optionally, the sky.
Pamukkale Travertines
Cascading white mineral terraces formed by hot springs, above the Roman ruins of Hierapolis.
Library of Celsus
The best-known façade of ancient Ephesus, one of the largest and best-preserved classical cities in the Mediterranean.
Kaleiçi Old Town
Antalya's walled Ottoman quarter around a Roman-era harbor, opening straight onto the Mediterranean.
ANZAC Cove
The 1915 landing beaches and memorials of the Gallipoli campaign, visited with a specialist military history guide.
Mevlana Museum
The mausoleum of the 13th-century poet Rumi and the historic home of the Whirling Dervishes.
What's included — and what isn't
These apply across the package as a whole. Each region above also notes anything specific to that leg — most notably the Cappadocia balloon flight and the Antalya theme park and diving days, which are genuinely optional everywhere in the Turkish tourism market, not just here.
Included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off for every touring day
- Licensed, English-speaking local guide throughout
- Air-conditioned, non-smoking transport
- Entrance fees to every site listed in the itinerary
- Traditional lunch on all full-day touring modules
- Domestic flights or trains between regions where specified
- Hotel nights on designated overnight legs (e.g. Cappadocia, Edirne, Safranbolu)
- Local taxes and service charges
Excluded
- International flights to and from Türkiye
- Hotel nights outside the designated overnight legs
- Drinks and beverages during lunch
- Optional activities — hot air balloon, scuba diving, theme parks, spa treatments
- Personal expenses and souvenirs
- Travel insurance
- Tips and gratuities for guides and drivers
- Turkish e-Visa fees, where applicable to your nationality
Approximate pricing in today's Türkiye tourism market
Figures below are indicative, based on current rates among licensed guided-tour operators in Türkiye. Final pricing depends on season, group size, hotel category, and which optional add-ons you include — request a free personalized quote for an exact figure.
Any one guided day, e.g. Istanbul Old City
A useful reference point: the going rate for one full-day guided tour with lunch and entries included, per person, based on two travelers sharing a private vehicle.
Istanbul · Cappadocia · Pamukkale · Ephesus
The most requested combination: enough time to properly see the country's four essential stops without needing 80 days to do it.
Adds the Turquoise Coast, Central Anatolia & Thrace
Everything in the 14-day highlights, plus Antalya's ancient cities and coastline, Konya, Kayseri, and Gallipoli.
Every module, unhurried pace, custom-built with you
The complete catalogue across all six regions, including every optional add-on you choose, with rest days and flexible pacing built in.
AI Trip-Planning Recommendations
A few pointers we'd give any traveler building an itinerary from this catalogue, based on how the modules above actually fit together in practice.
Don't default to 80 days
Unless you have the time to spend, 14–21 days covering Istanbul, Cappadocia, Pamukkale and Ephesus captures the country's essentials without diminishing returns on the later weeks.
Reserve the balloon flight first, with a backup day
Cappadocia balloon flights are cancelled on windy mornings industry-wide. Book it for your first morning there and keep a spare day free in case of a weather reschedule.
Mix flights and trains deliberately
Use short domestic flights for long hops like Istanbul–Antalya, and the high-speed train for scenic, historically interesting routes like Istanbul–Konya or Istanbul–Edirne.
Travel shoulder season if you can
April–June and September–November avoid both the summer heat inland (Cappadocia, Konya) and peak-season pricing on the coast.
Match tour style to your group
Private tours suit families, older travelers, or anyone short on time. Scheduled group departures are better value for solo travelers and budget-conscious groups on standard day modules.
Budget separately for extras
Keep a rough daily allowance in Turkish lira for tips, drinks, souvenirs and optional add-ons — tour pricing itself is typically quoted in euros.
Best time to visit
What to bring
Frequently Asked Questions
Book Your Discover Türkiye in 80 Days Journey
This journey is fully custom — send an inquiry with your dates and interests for a tailored plan and quote, or reserve your spot on our flagship 14-Day Türkiye Highlights module below with a per-person deposit; we'll follow up with your full itinerary and balance due.
- Domestic transport between regions
- Licensed English-speaking guides
- Traditional Turkish lunches
- All listed entrance fees
- All airport & city transfers
- Secure payment options
- Free cancellation (48 hrs prior)
0090 536 560 10 38
Tell us how many days you'd like, which regions interest you most, and your rough travel dates — we'll draft a personalized 80-day-catalogue itinerary and price within a few hours.
Reserve your flagship 14-Day Türkiye Highlights module now with a per-person deposit. We'll confirm availability and send your detailed day-by-day plan within a few hours.
Cancellation Policy
Free cancellation up to 48 hours before your first touring day. Cancellations within 48 hours are non-refundable. Date and module changes are accommodated subject to availability.