Self-Launched Essential Turkey: Istanbul to Antalya in 10 Days

Welcome to Istanbul — the only city in the world straddling two continents! Arrive at Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gokcen (SAW) and take the Havaist airport bus to Taksim Square (~£5) or a metro connection, rather than a pricey taxi. Check into your hostel or budget hotel in the Sultanahmet or Beyoğlu neighbourhood — both perfectly placed for sightseeing. Spend the afternoon wandering the Grand Bazaar and hunting down a proper doner kebab and authentic Turkish delight. In the evening, consider joining other travellers for dinner in Sultanahmet.

🚌Havaist bus from Istanbul Airport to Taksim ~£5; metro/tram Istanbulkart for city travel ~£1-2 per ride

🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in Sultanahmet/Beyoğlu (e.g. Cheers Hostel or Sultan Hostel) — ~£15-20/night

• →Arrive and take Havaist airport bus to city centre (~£5, avoid taxi where possible)
• →Stroll the Grand Bazaar — free to enter
• →Visit the Blue Mosque — free entry
• →Try a traditional doner kebab and Turkish coffee in Sultanahmet
• →Optional: Bosphorus public ferry cruise from Eminönü (~£2)

Spend the day exploring Istanbul's unmissable Old Town. You don't need a guided tour — the historical peninsula is very walkable and well-signposted. Start at the Blue Mosque (free), then cross to the Hagia Sophia (~£25). Wander to Topkapi Palace or the Archaeology Museum. In the afternoon, take the public Bosphorus ferry from Eminönü for stunning city views (~£2). End the day with a tea and nargile (shisha) at a local tea house in Karaköy or climb the Galata Tower for panoramic views (~£30). Book any activities via GetYourGuide for self-guided audio tours.

🚌Istanbulkart tram/metro for city travel ~£1-2 per ride; public Bosphorus ferry ~£2

🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in Sultanahmet/Beyoğlu — ~£15-20/night

• →Visit the Blue Mosque — free
• →Hagia Sophia entry — ~£25
• →Topkapi Palace or Archaeology Museum — ~£15
• →Public Bosphorus ferry from Eminönü — ~£2
• →Optional: Galata Tower — ~£30
• →Optional: Turkish hammam experience — ~£30-50 (budget options available vs. EUR100 on tour)
• →Optional: Whirling Dervish show — book via GetYourGuide ~£20-30

Take an early morning public bus from Istanbul's Esenler otogar (bus station) to Çanakkale (~5.5 hours, ~£15-18 with Metro Turizm or Kamil Koç). En route, cross the Dardanelles by ferry. From Çanakkale, join a local Gallipoli day tour operated by companies like Hassle Free Tours (Troy-Anzac Tours) — these run daily and cost around £30-40 per person, covering all the key ANZAC memorials and battlefields with a knowledgeable local guide. Book directly or via GetYourGuide. In the evening, settle into Çanakkale's lively student atmosphere — grab a drink on the shore of the Dardanelles.

🚌Public bus Istanbul → Çanakkale ~£15-18; local ferry crossing included in bus journey

🛏Budget hotel or guesthouse in Çanakkale (e.g. Anzac Hotel or Yellow Rose Pension) — ~£18-25/night

• →Public bus Istanbul to Çanakkale with Metro Turizm/Kamil Koç — ~£15-18
• →Gallipoli Battlefields guided day tour (self-booked via GetYourGuide or direct with Troy-Anzac Tours) — ~£30-40
• →Evening stroll along the Dardanelles waterfront
• →Dinner in Çanakkale town centre — ~£8-12

Start the morning with a visit to the ancient ruins of Troy — take a dolmuş (shared minibus) or local bus from Çanakkale to the Troy archaeological site (~£2-3 each way, 30 mins). Entry to Troy is around £10-12 and you can easily self-guide with a map or hire a local guide on-site for ~£15-20 extra. Climb the replica Trojan Horse, explore the 4,500-year-old ruins and gaze across the Troad plains to the Dardanelles. In the early afternoon, take a public bus from Çanakkale south to Selçuk (~5 hours, ~£12-15 with Kamil Koç). Arrive in Selçuk and explore this charming town in the evening.

🚌Dolmuş to/from Troy ~£3; public bus Çanakkale → Selçuk ~£12-15

🛏Budget guesthouse or hostel in Selçuk (e.g. Homeros Pension or Jimmy's Place) — ~£14-20/night

• →Dolmuş to Troy from Çanakkale — ~£3 return
• →Troy Archaeological Site entry — ~£10-12
• →Self-guided exploration with map or optional on-site guide ~£15-20
• →Public bus Çanakkale → Selçuk — ~£12-15
• →Evening wander around Selçuk town — visit the stork-topped aqueduct, free

Head out to the ruins of Ephesus — one of the best-preserved Greco-Roman cities in the world. It's just 3km from Selçuk town and easily reachable by local dolmuş (~£1) or a pleasant walk/cycle. Buy your entry ticket at the gate (~£20-25) and self-guide using a free map or a GetYourGuide audio tour. Highlights include the Library of Celsus, the Great Theatre, public baths and the Temple of Artemis ruins (free, just outside town). In the afternoon, take a local bus to Kuşadası beach (~30 mins, ~£2) or make the short trip to the charming hilltop village of Şirince for local fruit wine — shared taxi ~£4.

🚌Dolmuş Selçuk ↔ Ephesus ~£1 each way; local bus to Kuşadası or Şirince ~£2-4

🛏Budget guesthouse or hostel in Selçuk — ~£14-20/night

• →Dolmuş from Selçuk to Ephesus — ~£1
• →Ephesus Archaeological Site entry — ~£20-25
• →Optional: Terrace Houses add-on — ~£15
• →Temple of Artemis ruins — free
• →Optional: Basilica of St John — ~£6
• →Optional: Afternoon at Kuşadası beach or Şirince village — local bus ~£2-4

Take a public bus from Selçuk to Pamukkale (~4 hours, change at Denizli, ~£10-12 total). Entry to the Pamukkale travertines and Hierapolis ancient city is combined in one ticket (~£15-18). Spend the afternoon wading through the famous chalk-white calcium terraces and hot spring pools — the views are stunning and the water is genuinely warm. Explore the ancient city of Hierapolis above, including the vast necropolis and the well-preserved amphitheatre. The Hierapolis Museum is free. Stay in Pamukkale village — guesthouses here are excellent value and many have their own hot spring pools.

🚌Public bus Selçuk → Denizli, then minibus/dolmuş to Pamukkale — ~£10-12 total

🛏Budget guesthouse in Pamukkale village (e.g. Melrose House or Kervansaray) — many with rooftop pools — ~£14-20/night

• →Public bus Selçuk → Denizli → Pamukkale — ~£10-12
• →Pamukkale Travertines & Hierapolis combined entry — ~£15-18
• →Wade through the hot spring terraces
• →Explore Hierapolis ancient city and amphitheatre
• →Hierapolis Museum — free
• →Sunset from the Acropolis viewpoint — free
• →Optional: Antique Pool (Cleopatra's Pool) swim — ~£15

Wake early for sunrise over the travertines — magical and free. If your budget stretches, book a hot air balloon over Pamukkale in advance via GetYourGuide (~£150-180). Then take a public bus south to Kaş (~7 hours via Fethiye or Antalya, ~£15-20). Kaş is a gorgeous whitewashed harbour town on the Mediterranean with a laid-back vibe. Spend the evening wandering the Old Town of Antiphellos, exploring Lycian rock tombs, and finding a rooftop restaurant for dinner overlooking the sea. The town is very walkable and full of independent restaurants and bars.

🚌Public bus Pamukkale → Kaş — ~£15-20 (book with Kamil Koç or Pamukkale Turizm online)

🛏Budget guesthouse or pension in Kaş (e.g. Nur Pension or Hideaway Hotel) — ~£18-25/night

• →Optional: Hot air balloon over Pamukkale — book via GetYourGuide ~£150-180
• →Public bus Pamukkale → Kaş (via Fethiye or direct) — ~£15-20
• →Explore Kaş Old Town (Antiphellos ancient city) — free
• →Visit Lycian rock tombs above the town — free
• →Sunset dinner at a rooftop restaurant overlooking the Mediterranean — ~£10-15

Today's highlight: a day sailing trip along the Turkish Mediterranean coast. Book a shared day boat tour from Kaş harbour directly with local operators or via GetYourGuide (~£35-50 per person including lunch). The itinerary typically includes snorkelling over the mysterious sunken Lycian city of Kekova, exploring rock tombs by boat, swimming in crystal-clear coves, and visiting the charming village of Üçağız. Lunch is usually included on the boat. Return to Kaş by late afternoon for a free evening — grab a beer at a harbour-side bar or browse the boutique shops and galleries in the Old Town.

🚌Boat trip included in day tour; no additional transport needed

🛏Budget guesthouse or pension in Kaş — ~£18-25/night

• →Shared day sailing tour from Kaş harbour (book direct or via GetYourGuide) — ~£35-50 including lunch
• →Snorkelling over sunken Lycian city of Kekova
• →Swimming in Mediterranean coves
• →Visit Üçağız village by boat
• →Free evening in Kaş — harbour bars and Old Town

Take a public bus from Kaş to Antalya (~4.5 hours, ~£10-12 with Kamil Koç). Antalya is one of Turkey's most beautiful cities — its Roman-era old harbour (Kaleiçi) is framed by the Taurus Mountains and packed with Ottoman mansions, Roman ruins and atmospheric restaurants. Self-guide a walk through Kaleiçi using a free map from the tourist office: see Hadrian's Gate, Hidirlik Tower, and the old Roman harbour. Jump on the Nostalgic Tram (Antalya Tramvayı) for a scenic ride. Head to Konyaaltı or Lara Beach in the afternoon. Tonight, find a rooftop restaurant in Kaleiçi for a last group dinner and drinks — Antalya has a fantastic nightlife scene.

🚌Public bus Kaş → Antalya ~£10-12; city tram ~£1

🛏Budget guesthouse or hostel in Kaleiçi Old Town (e.g. Sabah Pension or White Garden Pension) — ~£18-25/night

• →Public bus Kaş → Antalya — ~£10-12
• →Self-guided walk through Kaleiçi Old Town — free
• →Hadrian's Gate — free
• →Nostalgic Tram ride — ~£1
• →Konyaaltı Beach — free
• →Optional: Aspendos ancient theatre (book shared tour via GetYourGuide) — ~£25-35
• →Optional: Antalya Archaeological Museum — ~£5-8
• →Evening dinner and shisha in Kaleiçi — ~£10-15

Your Turkish adventure wraps up today in Antalya. There are no set plans — enjoy a final Turkish breakfast at a local café, do some last-minute souvenir shopping in the Kaleiçi bazaar, or take one last swim at Konyaaltı Beach. Antalya Airport (AYT) is well-connected with regular buses from the city centre (~£2-3). If continuing your travels, buses connect Antalya to Cappadocia (~10 hours overnight, ~£20) or you can fly domestically with Pegasus or Turkish Airlines.

🚌City bus to Antalya Airport (AYT) — ~£2-3

🛏Check out — no accommodation needed

• →Final Turkish breakfast at a local café — ~£4-6
• →Last stroll through Kaleiçi and souvenir shopping
• →Optional: Morning swim at Konyaaltı Beach — free
• →Transfer to Antalya Airport by city bus — ~£2-3
• →Optional onward: overnight bus to Cappadocia — ~£20