Legendary Turkey — Self-Launched

Land at IST or SAW and take the metro/Marmaray into the old city (around £2-3) or the Havalışt airport bus (£5). Check into a hostel or small guesthouse in Sultanahmet or Sirkeci. Spend the late afternoon wandering the Hippodrome, Gülhane Park and the waterfront, climb Galata Tower (timed ticket around £12-15 via GetYourGuide or direct) for sunset over the Golden Horn, then eat a cheap balık ekmek (fish sandwich) at Eminönü or a meyhane dinner in Beyoğlu.

🚌Airport metro/Marmaray ~£2-3; city tram single ~£0.60

🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Sultanahmet/Sirkeci (~£15-20/night)

• →Galata Tower sunset entry
• →Hippodrome & Gülhane Park walk
• →Grand Bazaar browse (free)
• →Eminönü ferry docks stroll

Self-guided day on foot — all four headline sights are within 10 minutes of each other. Book Hagia Sophia timed entry and Topkapı Palace tickets online in advance (Topkapı roughly £25 with Harem; Hagia Sophia around £20 for the upper gallery). The Blue Mosque is free (respect prayer times and dress modestly). Optionally add a Bosphorus ferry cruise — skip the €15 tourist boats and take the public Şehir Hatları ferry from Eminönü towards Anadolu Kavağı for about £2 each way.

🚌All on foot + public ferry ~£2

🛏Same hostel/guesthouse

• →Hagia Sophia timed entry
• →Blue Mosque (free)
• →Topkapı Palace & Harem
• →Public Bosphorus ferry

Cheapest sensible option is a domestic flight: Turkish Airlines or AJet Istanbul–Kayseri/Nevşehir from about £30-45 booked a few weeks out, then the Nevşehir shuttle bus into Göreme (~£5). Budget alternative: overnight intercity bus (~12 hours, £20-25). On arrival check into a cave or stone hostel in Göreme (dorms from £12, private rooms £25-35 — the cave hotels Travel Talk can't offer you). If you fly early, stop at Özkonak or Kaymaklı Underground City independently (dolmuş from Nevşehir, entry ~£3).

🚌Istanbul–Kayseri flight ~£35 + shuttle £5 (or bus £22)

🛏Cave/stone hostel in Göreme (~£15 dorm / £30 private)

• →Özkonak or Kaymaklı Underground City
• →Göreme sunset viewpoint walk (free)

Pre-book a sunrise hot air balloon directly with a licensed operator (Butterfly, Royal or Voyager — roughly £120-160, versus the €250-290 charged on the tour). After landing and breakfast, walk to the Göreme Open Air Museum (£5-8 entry), then hike the Pigeon Valley trail to Uçhisar Castle and loop back via Çavuşin village — all free and far better on foot than by coach. In the afternoon, join a short pottery workshop in Avanos (booked direct, ~£15) to stand in for the tour's crafts demo. Evening: optional whirling dervish ceremony in a cave han (~£20).

🚌On foot, local dolmuş ~£2

🛏Same cave/stone hostel

• →Sunrise hot air balloon (pre-book direct)
• →Göreme Open Air Museum
• →Pigeon Valley to Uçhisar hike
• →Avanos pottery workshop

Take the daytime bus or dolmuş to Konya (~4 hours, £8-12) or the Konya high-speed train from Selçuklu if you're coming via Ankara. Konya is Turkey's most conservative city — dress accordingly. Visit the Mevlana Museum and Mausoleum (free), the Karatay Madrasa tile museum (~£2) and Alaeddin Hill. During the December Şeb-i Arus festival the city fills with whirling dervish ceremonies — book accommodation ahead. Stay in a central budget hotel or guesthouse near Mevlana (from £20).

🚌Bus Cappadocia–Konya ~£10

🛏Budget hotel/guesthouse, Konya (~£20-25)

• →Mevlana Museum & Mausoleum
• →Karatay Madrasa
• →Alaeddin Hill
• →Konya bazaar & etli ekmek dinner

Travel Konya–Antalya by intercity bus (~5-6 hours, £12-15). To reach Perge and Aspendos without a coach, take the Antalya tram to Aksu and a dolmuş to Perge (£1-2, entry ~£3), then a taxi or dolmuş across to Aspendos theatre (~£6 shared) — or simply join a small-group Perge–Aspendos–Side day tour from Antalya (~£35) if you'd rather not navigate. Stay in the Kaleiçi old town: hostels from £15, small pansiyons from £25.

🚌Bus ~£13 + local dolmuş/tram ~£4

🛏Hostel or pansiyon in Kaleiçi, Antalya (~£18-28)

• →Perge ancient ruins
• →Aspendos Roman theatre
• →Kaleiçi old town evening walk

Slow day. Wander Kaleiçi's harbour, Hadrian's Gate and the old Ottoman houses on foot, then take the public bus or tram to Lower Düden Waterfalls (£1, small entry fee) and walk along the cliff path. Afternoon swim at Konyaaltı or Lara beach (free public sections), then a cheap dinner of Antalya piyaz and grilled fish at the harbour.

🚌Local bus/tram ~£2

🛏Same pansiyon, Antalya

• →Kaleiçi & Hadrian's Gate
• →Lower Düden Waterfalls
• →Konyaaltı beach swim

Take an early bus Antalya–Denizli (~3.5 hours, £10-13), then the dolmuş up to Pamukkale village (£1). Buy a Pamukkale + Hierapolis ticket (~£12) and walk the white travertine terraces youself — bring sunglasses, the glare is fierce. Swim in the antique Cleopatra's Pool if you fancy it (~£8). Late afternoon continue by bus Denizli–Kuşadası (~3 hours, £8-10, changing at Aydın or direct overnight services) and check into a guesthouse near the harbour (£20-30).

🚌Bus Antalya–Denizli ~£12 + Denizli–Kuşadası ~£9 + dolmuş £1

🛏Guesthouse/hostel, Kuşadası (~£22-30)

• →Pamukkale travertine terraces
• →Hierapolis ancient city
• →Cleopatra's Antique Pool (optional)

Take the local dolmuş or train from Kuşadası to Selçuk (~£1.50, 30-40 min) and walk 20 minutes to Ephesus, or catch the Selçuk–Ephesus shuttle. Entry is around £20 (Terrace Houses extra ~£8 — worth it). A licensed guide at the gate costs ~£25 for a small group, or pre-book a GetYourGuide Ephesus entry-with-guide slot. Visit the Temple of Artemis ruins (free) and the Selçuk museum, then back to Kuşadası for sunset on the promenade.

🚌Dolmuş/train ~£3 return

🛏Same guesthouse, Kuşadası

• →Ephesus archaeological site
• →Terrace Houses of Ephesus
• →Temple of Artemis
• →Selçuk Ephesus Museum

Long transport day: bus Kuşadası–Çanakkale (~6 hours, £14-18, usually via İzmir or Ayvalık). From Çanakkale it's a 30-minute dolmuş to Troy (£2) — entry ~£8, and the wooden horse from the 2004 film stands at the harbour. Alternatively drop your bag at a hostel in Çanakkale (from £18) and take the afternoon dolmuş out. Evening: walk the seafront to the Çanakkale Martyrs' Memorial views and eat at the fish market.

🚌Bus ~£16 + dolmuş £2-4

🛏Hostel/budget hotel, Çanakkale (~£20-28)

• →Troy archaeological site
• →Troy museum (optional, ~£4)
• →Çanakkale waterfront

The Gallipoli peninsula sites are spread over 30km and poorly served by public transport — the sensible self-launched move is a small-group day tour from Çanakkale covering ANZAC Cove, Lone Pine, Chunuk Bair and the Turkish memorial (roughly £45-60 including lunch and ferry crossings, bookable via GetYourGuide or any Çanakkale agency). Tours usually return late afternoon; catch the evening bus or ferry-plus-bus back to Istanbul (~£18, 5-6 hours) and check into a Sultanahmet hostel.

🚌Gallipoli tour transport included + Çanakkale–Istanbul bus ~£18

🛏Hostel/guesthouse, Istanbul (~£18-22)

• →ANZAC Cove
• →Lone Pine Memorial
• →Chunuk Bair
• →Gallipoli small-group battlefield tour

Last morning for anything you missed — the Süleymaniye Mosque, the Spice Bazaar, a Turkish bath at a historic hamam (~£20-35 for a scrub and wash) or a final simit and çay by the water. Then metro or Havalışt bus to the airport for your flight home. Turkish e-Visa (if required for your passport) is around £25-30 and should be applied for online before travel.

🚌Airport metro/bus ~£3

🛏—

• →Süleymaniye Mosque
• →Spice Bazaar
• →Historic hamam (optional)