Magnificent Turkey, Self-Launched: Istanbul to Cappadocia, Pamukkale, Ephesus & Troy
10 days · Turkey
Greca charges £1,030
No-markup version: ~£580 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Greca's 10-day "Magnificent Turkey" coach circuit, covering the same big-hitters — Istanbul's Ottoman and Byzantine monuments, Ankara, the fairy chimneys of Cappadocia, the white terraces of Pamukkale and Hierapolis, Ephesus, Pergamon and Troy — but booked and travelled independently. Instead of a 30-seat coach and 4-star half-board hotels, you'll use Turkey's excellent intercity buses, one cheap domestic flight, budget guesthouses and cave pensions, and self-bookable guided day tours where a guide genuinely adds value (Ephesus, Cappadocia, Gallipoli). Long driving days are the main weakness of the original trip, so this version trims the worst leg by flying Istanbul–Kayseri and uses night/early buses elsewhere. All costs are approximate per person in GBP, based on 2025–26 backpacker and budget-traveller rates.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Istanbul — Sultanahmet orientation
Istanbul
Fly into Istanbul (IST or SAW) and take the Havaist airport bus or M11 metro + Marmaray into the old city (approx. £4–6). Check into a hostel or small guesthouse in Sultanahmet or Karaköy. Spend the late afternoon walking the Hippodrome, the exterior of the Blue Mosque and the Arasta Bazaar, then eat a cheap pide or kebab dinner in Sultanahmet. Book your Bosphorus sunset ferry (public Şehir Hatları commuter ferry, ~£2) for tomorrow evening rather than a £90 dinner cruise.
🚌Havaist bus or metro from IST/SAW, ~£5; on foot + Istanbulkart tram
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Sultanahmet/Karaköy (~£18–25/night)
- →Havaist airport bus into the city
- →Hippodrome & Blue Mosque exterior
- →Arasta Bazaar
- →Public Bosphorus commuter ferry at sunset
Istanbul's imperial core — self-guided with an audio guide
Istanbul
Do the full-day city tour independently and in your own order. Pre-book a skip-the-line Hagia Sophia entry plus an optional guided entry slot (~£22), then Topkapı Palace (~£25, Harem extra) and the Blue Mosque (free, dress modestly, avoid prayer times). Break for lunch at a lokanta near Eminönü (~£5) and finish with the Grand Bazaar, which is free to wander. A downloadable audio guide or a GetYourGuide small-group walking tour (~£25) replaces the coach tour guide. Evening: sunset Bosphorus commuter ferry from Eminönü to Anadolu Kavağı and back.
🚌Tram T1 + walking; Istanbulkart ~£4
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Sultanahmet (~£18–25/night)
- →Hagia Sophia (timed entry)
- →Topkapı Palace & Harem
- →Blue Mosque
- →Grand Bazaar
- →Public Bosphorus ferry
Istanbul to Ankara by high-speed train
Ankara
Swap the coach for the YHT high-speed train from Istanbul (Pendik or Söğütlüçeşme) to Ankara — about 4.5 hours, roughly £12–18 booked on TCDD Taşımacılık. Stay near Kızılay or Ulus so you're actually in the city centre (a common complaint about the coach tour's out-of-town Ankara hotel). Afternoon: walk to Anıtkabir (Atatürk's mausoleum, free) and the old citadel quarter, dinner in Kızılay (~£8).
🚌High-speed train YHT, ~£15; Ankara metro ~£1
🛏Budget hotel or hostel, Kızılay/Ulus (~£20–28/night)
- →YHT high-speed train Istanbul–Ankara
- →Anıtkabir
- →Ankara Citadel
- →Kızılay evening
Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, then overnight bus to Cappadocia
Ankara → Göreme
Morning at the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations (~£4), one of Turkey's best archaeological museums and a good primer for the Hittite and Phrygian sites ahead. Lunch at a cheap esnaf lokantası. In the late afternoon take a direct overnight or late-evening bus from Ankara's AŞTİ terminal to Göreme/Nevşehir (~7 hours, ~£12–15, Metro or Süha). Buses are comfortable, with wifi and tea service — bring an eye mask.
🚌Ankara AŞTİ–Göreme overnight bus, ~£13
- →Museum of Anatolian Civilizations
- →Ankara street food lunch
- →Overnight intercity bus to Cappadocia
Cappadocia: Red Valley, Üçhisar and Devrent self-drive or day tour
Göreme, Cappadocia
Arrive early morning and check into a cave pension in Göreme (~£18–25). Rather than a fixed coach itinerary, either rent a scooter/car (~£30/day split) or join a small-group Green or Red Line tour on GetYourGuide (~£30–35) covering Göreme Open-Air Museum (~£12), Üçhisar Castle, Devrent (Imagination) Valley, Avcılar and the underground city at Kaymaklı or Derinkuyu (~£6). Skip the carpet and onyx workshop stops — instead browse the Göreme co-ops at your own pace. Dinner: testi kebab in a cave restaurant (~£8).
🚌Shared minibus (dolmuş) or scooter hire ~£15
🛏Cave pension, Göreme (~£20–25/night)
- →Göreme Open-Air Museum
- →Üçhisar Castle
- →Devrent & Avcılar valleys
- →Kaymaklı underground city
- →Cave pension stay
Sunrise balloons (optional) and the road south to Pamukkale
Cappadocia → Pamukkale
Optional hot-air balloon flight at sunrise — book direct with a licensed operator or via GetYourGuide for ~£150–190, considerably less than the tour's €230 add-on. Watch free from Lovers' Hill if you'd rather save the money. Mid-morning bus to Kayseri or Nevşehir, then an intercity bus or a cheap flight to Denizli. Most travellers take the overnight bus Göreme–Denizli (~10 hours, ~£18) to save a hotel night; alternatively fly Nevşehir–Izmir and bus to Pamukkale.
🚌Overnight intercity bus Göreme–Denizli, ~£18
- →Optional sunrise hot-air balloon
- →Lovers' Hill viewpoint
- →Overnight bus to Denizli/Pamukkale
Pamukkale travertines and Hierapolis
Pamukkale
Arrive early and head straight to the travertines as they open (combined Pamukkale + Hierapolis ticket ~£18) before the coach crowds and heat arrive. Walk barefoot on the white terraces, then explore the Hierapolis ruins: the theatre, the Necropolis, the Roman baths (now a museum, small extra fee) and the Antique Pool. Stay in Pamukkale village, which is walkable from the site gate (~£18–22/night). Evening bus or train to Selçuk next morning.
🚌On foot from village to site gate; dolmuş to Denizli ~£1
🛏Family pension, Pamukkale village (~£20/night)
- →Pamukkale travertine terraces
- →Hierapolis theatre & Necropolis
- →Antique Pool
- →Cleopatra's thermal springs
Ephesus, House of the Virgin Mary and Selçuk
Selçuk / Ephesus
Take the morning train or dolmuş from Denizli to Selçuk (~£4, 2.5 hours). Base yourself in Selçuk (~£18–22/night). Join a small-group half-day Ephesus tour via GetYourGuide (~£35 including entry, or ~£22 if you buy the ~£15 site ticket yourself) to cover the Library of Celsus, the Great Theatre, the Odeon, the Temple of Hadrian and the Agora with context. Then take a dolmuş up to Meryemana (House of the Virgin Mary, ~£4) and finish at the Basilica of St John and the Isa Bey Mosque, both walkable from town.
🚌Denizli–Selçuk regional train ~£4; dolmuş to Meryemana ~£2
🛏Guesthouse, Selçuk (~£20/night)
- →Ephesus archaeological site
- →House of the Virgin Mary
- →Basilica of St John
- →İsa Bey Mosque
- →Selçuk Museum (optional)
Pergamon and Troy — the long haul north
Bergama → Çanakkale
Early bus from Selçuk/Izmir to Bergama (~3.5 hours, ~£8). Take the cable car or taxi up to the Pergamon Acropolis (~£7 entry) for the steepest theatre in the ancient world, the Library of Pergamum and the Altar of Zeus viewpoint, then the Asclepion sanctuary if time allows. Continue by bus Bergama–Çanakkale (~4 hours, ~£9). This is a genuinely tiring day — the coach tour does the same route in one go, so consider splitting it with a night in Bergama (~£18) if you prefer a slower pace. Evening in Çanakkale's waterfront bars.
🚌Intercity buses Selçuk–Bergama–Çanakkale, ~£18 total
🛏Budget hotel, Çanakkale (~£20–25/night)
- →Pergamon Acropolis
- →Asclepion
- →Altar of Zeus
- →Çanakkale waterfront
Troy and Gallipoli, then back to Istanbul
Troy / Gallipoli → Istanbul
Morning dolmuş to Troy (~£3) — the wooden horse and the nine archaeological layers with an audio guide or small-group tour (~£20 incl. entry). In the afternoon take a Gallipoli day tour from Çanakkale if you want the ANZAC sites, Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair covered (~£45 incl. ferry and lunch), or simply ferry across the Dardanelles (~£2) to Eceabat and continue by bus. Return to Istanbul by bus (~6 hours, ~£15) or fly Çanakkale–Istanbul if a cheap seat is available. If you need a final night, a Sultanahmet hostel is ~£20–25.
🚌Dolmuş to Troy ~£3; Çanakkale–Istanbul bus ~£15
- →Troy archaeological site
- →Gallipoli ANZAC sites (optional)
- →Dardanelles ferry crossing
- →Bus back to Istanbul
Self-launched vs. Greca
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Greca | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£580 | £1,030 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £450 per person (44%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Greca-style trips? Check them out here.~£580
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Magnificent Turkey, Self-Launched: Istanbul to Cappadocia, Pamukkale, Ephesus & Troy cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £580 per person for 10 days in Turkey. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Greca?+
Yes — Greca charges around £1,030 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £580 — a saving of roughly £450 (44%) per person.
How long is the Turkey trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 day-by-day stops through Turkey.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, adventure, budget trip through Turkey, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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