Where Europe meets Asia: Ottoman mosques, Cappadocian balloons, Roman ruins and a coastline of turquoise bays.
Turkey occupies the ground where Europe and Asia meet, and almost every civilisation that mattered in the ancient world left something behind. Istanbul alone was the capital of the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires in turn, and the Hagia Sophia has been a cathedral, a mosque, a museum and a mosque again across fifteen centuries. Straddling the Bosphorus, it is the only major city on two continents, and you can cross between them on a commuter ferry for the price of a bus ticket. Beyond Istanbul the country opens into astonishing variety. Cappadocia in central Anatolia is a landscape of volcanic rock eroded into spires and cones, hollowed out over centuries into cave churches and entire underground cities, and now best known for the hundreds of hot air balloons that rise at dawn. The Aegean and Mediterranean coasts hold some of the best preserved classical ruins anywhere, including Ephesus, alongside a turquoise coastline of hidden bays traditionally explored on wooden gulet boats. Pamukkale's white travertine terraces cascade down a hillside above a Roman spa town. Turkey is also remarkably good value, with a favourable exchange rate, an extensive and cheap domestic flight network, and food culture that ranges from street simit to elaborate Ottoman cuisine. For Indian travellers the e-visa process is straightforward and direct flights connect several cities.
Turkey gave us the single best morning of any trip we have taken, and also the most food we have ever eaten in ten days. We started in Istanbul and stayed in Sultanahmet for the first two nights, which put the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia within walking distance, then moved across to Karakoy where the city felt less like a monument and more like somewhere people live. We took the ferry to Kadikoy on the Asian side almost daily, mostly for the food market and because crossing between continents for a few lira never stopped being funny to us. The Basilica Cistern, an underground Byzantine reservoir held up by columns pulled from older ruins, was eerie and beautiful. Cappadocia was the reason we came. We stayed in a cave hotel in Goreme, and at five in the morning we climbed to the roof with tea and watched roughly a hundred balloons inflate and lift out of the valleys as the sun came up. We flew the next morning, and looking down into the fairy chimneys from a basket was worth every lira. We hiked the Red and Rose valleys in the afternoon, entirely alone among rock churches with faded frescoes still on the ceilings. Kaymakli underground city goes eight levels down and was genuinely claustrophobic. On the coast we based ourselves in Kas and took a boat over sunken Lycian ruins at Kekova, then drove to Pamukkale and walked barefoot up warm mineral terraces. Practical notes: domestic flights are cheap and save long bus rides, the lira has been volatile so prices in guidebooks are unreliable, and dress code applies inside working mosques with scarves usually provided at the door.
Online e-visa available for most nationalities including India. Approval is usually immediate.
Apply for the Turkish e-visa online before you travel; it is quick and much simpler than a consulate appointment. Domestic flights are inexpensive and turn a twelve-hour bus ride into an hour, so use them for Istanbul to Cappadocia. Get an Istanbulkart on arrival because it covers trams, ferries, buses and the metro at a lower fare. Cappadocia balloon flights are cancelled in high wind, so allow at least two mornings there rather than one. Dress modestly inside working mosques, cover your head if you are a woman, and remove shoes; scarves are usually available at the entrance. Bargaining is expected in the bazaars but not in shops or restaurants. The lira fluctuates, so pay by card where possible and check current rates rather than relying on older guides. Vegetarian food is widely available thanks to the meze tradition. Tap water is best avoided outside major cities. Tipping around ten percent is normal in restaurants.
Ten to twelve days covers Istanbul, Cappadocia and one coastal or classical stop such as Antalya, Pamukkale or Ephesus. Istanbul alone justifies four days. The country is large, so use domestic flights rather than long overland hops.
April to June and September to October give warm days, manageable crowds and the best light for both Istanbul and Cappadocia. July and August are hot, especially inland and on the coast. Winter brings snow to Cappadocia, which is beautiful but grounds balloons more often.
Flights are weather dependent and are cancelled outright when wind or visibility fails safety limits, which happens regularly in winter and occasionally year-round. Book for your first morning in Cappadocia so a cancellation still leaves a second chance, and confirm the refund policy before paying.
The lira has weakened considerably, which makes food, transport and domestic flights good value for foreign visitors. Museums, guided tours and balloon flights are often priced in euros and have not fallen in the same way. Check current rates rather than relying on older guides.
Yes, more than its kebab reputation suggests. The meze tradition is largely vegetable based, and dishes such as mercimek çorbası, imam bayıldı, and gozleme with cheese or spinach are everywhere. Ask whether stocks are meat based, as they sometimes are.