Turkey is highly underrated by many as a summer travel destination. WHY?? Turkey has stunning coastline. Massive cliffs, coastal highways, baby-blue water beaches, and beautiful cities built into mountains. 🗻🌊🌸 The coast of Turkey will live on in our heads as one of the most amazing things we have ever seen. We enjoyed Turkey so much that we wanted to make the perfect 2 Week Turkey Itinerary that we wish we could have had before visiting. 🇹🇷
What else makes Turkey a great travel destination? Turkey has delicious, high-quality, and cheap food. ☕️ 🍽️ Turkey grows a ton of food in the South of the country, and has no shortage of fresh oranges,🍊 tomatoes,🍅 olives,🫒 and bread.🍞
Finally, transportation is very good in Turkey. 🚗 🚐 The road conditions are great for a road trip, and if you don’t want to rent a car then the public transportation is pretty good. You can get wherever you want to go via planes, trains, and public buses. The buses between cities are reliable, comfortable, and affordable.
🇹🇷 Our Favorite Resources for Turkey 👇
- Discover Cars 🚗 (for rental cars)
- Booking.com 🏨 (for hotels – need a VPN to use this in Turkey!)
- Viator ⛵️ (for tours)
Things to Know – 2 Week Turkey Itinerary
Let’s answer some of the important questions for traveling Turkey before getting into the day-by-day itinerary:
💡Also, checkout our Top 18 Turkey Travel Tips for your trip! 🇹🇷
How Long to Spend in Turkey?
Turkey is a HUGE country with tons to see. We would say 2 Weeks is the minimum if you can swing it. You could easily spend three weeks in this country if you add a day to some of the top beach destinations included here, and then add in places not included in this itinerary like Pamukkale or Marmaris.
➡️ Read: Ultimate Guide to Pamukkale ✨
Best Time to Visit Turkey
Like the rest of Europe, Turkey gets very crowded in the summer time around July and August. It is highly recommended to visit in shoulder season which would be April-May and September-October. Also, if you visit in winter there might be in snow in Cappadocia.
No matter when you visit, you are going to want to pack a variety of clothes as the weather across the country can vary a lot. Istanbul can be quite cold and windy regardless of the month – same with Cappadocia. But the South, especially Antalya, can get pretty hot in the summer.
We visited in the beginning of May and the weather was PERFECT. Not too hot or too cold, and not that many tourists yet at the beaches.
Getting Around Turkey
It would definitely make your life a lot easier when visiting Turkey if you had a car, but you certainly do not need one. All of the spots in this itinerary can be visited via public bus or plane.
When you get to a city and you want to visit spots that are outside of the city, you can easily rent a motor bike for about $10 per day. If you have the money, renting a car is certainly worth it for your trip to Turkey, but if you want to save money, it is not absolutely necessary.
We used Discover Cars to book our rental car in Turkey, and would highly recommend the platform. Checkout our detailed guide to renting a car in Turkey for more.
🚗 Book Your Rental Car for Turkey Here
Is Turkey Safe?
Turkey is very safe. We never had any problems, nor did we ever feel unsafe during our time in Turkey. In general, the country is seen as very safe and is nothing like South or Central America. (Don’t visit Ecuador in 2024!)
Visa Information for Turkey
Americans and Canadians no longer need a Visa to visit Turkey. (just announced at the beginning of 2024) This is big because you used to have to pay $51.50 for an e-visa prior to visiting, but this is no longer needed.
Europeans and others need a Visa to visit Turkey. For most countries, this is possible to purchase upon arrival at the desk right outside passport control.
➡️ Read: 🇹🇷2 Week Turkey and Greece Itinerary 🇬🇷
Places Not Included in this 2 Week Turkey Itinerary
Pamukkale – World famous on Instagram for it’s salt travertines and unique landscapes, millions of people visit Pamukkale each year. We came here during our Turkey trip. However, with just 2 weeks in Turkey we don’t think it’s worth it to come here. If you have more time, we would recommend adding Pamukkale to your trip. Pamukkale is about 2.5 hours North of Fethiye by car.
🚌 View Pamukkale Organized Tours Here ✈️
Ephesus – One of the best preserved ancient Roman ruins in the world, home to the temple of Artemis (one of the original 7 wonders of the world!)
Izmir (to visit the ancient city of Troy) – This is the third-largest city in Turkey. It’s a beautiful coastal city equipped with an international airport.
Bodrum & Marmaris – These are two beautiful destinations on the Southern Coast we wish we would have visited, but did not. It’s also very easy to visit the Kos (Greece) from Bodrum & Marmaris. (as well as Fethiye, what we did)
⭐️ 2 Week Turkey Itinerary ⭐️
This itinerary hits a bit of everything. Istanbul (big city), the Turkish Riviera coastline (aka the Turquoise Coast), and Cappadocia (inland, mountains, hiking, etc.). If you really like beaches, coastline, and sun, spend more time on the coast and trade Istanbul and Cappadocia for Marmaris/Bodrum and more time in Fethiye/Kas/Antalya.
Don’t just do Istanbul because you feel like you have to. If you’re not a big city person … skip it. Otherwise you’ll spend 2-3 days of your trip wishing you were on Turkey’s stunning coast already!
Here is the map of our 2 Week Turkey Itinerary. For us, the highlight was the South of the country. For you … time will tell.
Day 1 : Fly into Istanbul ✈️
Fly into Istanbul. The big airport is IST and is about 45 – 60 minutes outside the European side of Istanbul. We recommend taking the Havaist bus into the city from the airport so you don’t have to deal with the notoriously scummy Istanbul taxi drivers.
We recommend you stay near Beyoglu for your couple days in Istanbul. This is a trendy, hip neighborhood in Istanbul that is close by to some of the top sights you are going to visit. There are plenty of hotels in this area.
🏨 Book Your Stay in Istanbul Here 🇹🇷
Day 2 : Istanbul
Istanbul is a large and crowded city – it’s actually the largest city in Europe even though most of it’s actually in Asia! Istanbul has a unique culture to it and tons of history, as the city was occupied by the Persians, Athenians, Spartans, Macedonians, etc. Since Istanbul straddles the Bosphorus Strait, its location has been fought over a bunch, and the city has changed hands many times. (Formerly called Constantinople!)
With a day in Istanbul you can see the Galata Tower in Beyoglu, the Hagia Sophia in Sultanahmet, and maybe even visit the Asian side by crossing the Bosphorus on a ferry!
One full day in Istanbul isn’t much. If you have more time, make this 2 or 3 days to see all that Istanbul has to offer.
➡️ Read: 3 Day Istanbul Itinerary ✨
Day 3 : Istanbul to Fethiye
Fly from Istanbul to Dalaman Airport, then take the 45 minute bus ride into Fethiye. If you want to rent a car for your Turkey Road Trip, here would be the place to do it. 🚗 Spend the evening watching the beautiful sunset at Calis Beach.
We recommend you stay near Calis Beach for your time in Fethiye. This is a very spacious, chill neighborhood with tons of public restaurants, parks, and cafes. In general, we don’t recommend you stay near Old Town as it’s really not that nice.
🇹🇷 Book Your Stay in Fethiye Here
Days 4 – 5 : Fethiye
There is a ton to do in Fethiye and the surrounding area. Your first day in Fethiye should be spent at Oludeniz Beach and The Blue Lagoon. We also recommend driving up to the Butterfly Valley Viewpoint if you have a car for some amazing pics! You can also visit Butterfly Valley by boat from Oludeniz Beach if you have time. (the hike down to Butterfly Valley is notoriously dangerous!)
🚤 Book Your Boat Tour to Butterfly Valley Here 👈
On your second full day in Fethiye, you could go paragliding. Fethiye’s cliffs are enormous, and if you are going to paraglide once in your life – this is the spot. If not, then visit the Ghost Town of Kalekoy about 15 minutes outside of Fethiye. If you don’t have a car then you’re going to want to visit Saklikent National Park today as well. (if you have a car it’s best to do this on the way to Kas) Saklikent is a HUGE gorge that you can hike up into for some amazing views!
👉 Book Your Paragliding Adventure in Oludeniz 🪂
Day 6 : Fethiye to Kas (2 Week Turkey Travel Guide)
If you have a car, visit Saklikent National Park and Gizlikent Waterfall on your way to Kas. This is where having a car will help you a lot. After these stops, get back on the road and continue back to the coast, and onwards to Kas. This drive is absolutely stunning – this is probably the most scenic drive we’ve ever taken in our lives!
You will be driving the last 45 minutes or so on coastal highway with amazing views! About 20 minutes before you get to Kas you will pass Kaputas Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches in Turkey. If you have the energy, pull off the road and check it out. Otherwise you’ll have to come back here during your time in Kas because Kaputas definitely cannot be missed!
If you don’t have a car, there are buses that go to Kas from Fethiye every day, not to worry. The ride should only be a few hours. Once you get to Kas, you can easily rent a motorbike and visit the important sights like Kaputas Beach!
READ: 🌊 Top 10 Things to Do in Kas 👈
Days 7 – 8 : Kas
Kas is a stunning little town nestled in between the mountains and the sea. There are tons of beaches to explore here. We recommend you visit Kaputas Beach, as well as Belediyesi Beach on the peninsula. You should also do the Sleeping Giant Hike from Kas one morning – it’s about 2 hours round-trip and comes with stunning views of the surrounding area.
READ: 👉 Top 8 Things to Do in Milos, Greece 🇬🇷
You’ll also want to budget a day to visit the Kekova Sunken City as well as the Simena Castle. These are right next to each other, off the coast of Kaleucagiz. You are going to need to join a tour to visit these sights as going without one just isn’t possible. A kayaking tour to visit the ruins of the Kekova Sunken City is very popular for visitors to Kas.
🚣♀️ Book the best kayak tour of Kekova Sunken City HERE ⬅️
Day 9 : Kas to Antalya
Hop in your car or bus and head the 2-3 hours to Antalya. We recommend staying near Old Town to be near the action. Antalya’s Old Town is very impressive and historic, and was by far our favorite Old Town to visit in Turkey. Catch the sunset from Old Town while sitting on some of Old Town’s historic stone walls.
Antalya is a very impressive and livable place. There are tons of public parks and cliffs overlooking the sea to visit while you’re here! This was easily our favorite “city” that we visited in Turkey.
🇹🇷 View Your Hotel Options in Antalya Here
Day 10: Antalya – 2 Week Turkey Itinerary
One day isn’t much in Antalya as there is a ton to see and do. Konyaalti Beach is a beautiful beach about 20 minutes from Old Town that should definitely be visited. There is also Lower Duden Falls, Upper Duden Falls, and Kursunlu Waterfalls – all located near the city. Lower Duden Falls drops off the huge Antalya cliffs into the sea. We recommend visiting Lower Duden Falls at night for an even more amazing sight!
READ: 👉 Top 8 Things to Do in Antalya 🌊
If you’re into Ancient Ruins, there is the famous Purge Ancient City located about 20 minutes outside of the city. We visited this and would highly recommend it!
If you don’t have a car for your time in Antalya, we would recommend booking a tour to see all of these things as there simply is not enough time to do them all with public transport. Or, just pick one activity then spend the rest of your time relaxing on the beach before you head to Cappadocia.
👉 Checkout all the tours in Antalya Here!
Day 11: Antalya to Cappadocia (stay in Goreme)
Today is the day you fly to Cappadocia – one of the most Instagram-worthy spots in the world. There are direct flights to Kayseri Airport from Antalya, and from Kayseri you’re going to want to go to Goreme, which is where most people stay when they go to Cappadocia.
SEE: 👉 Top 5 Things to Do in Cappadocia 🥾
We recommend booking your airport transfer from Kayseri Airport to Goreme in advance. It is possible to go to Goreme with public transport, but it will take a lot longer and you won’t actually save that much money. You can find direct transport to Goreme from Kayseri for as little as $10 in a shared van.
🏨 Book Your Hotel in Goreme HERE
Days 12 – 13: Cappadocia
There is a ton to do in Cappadocia. We recommend you spend your first morning on a hot-air balloon. The balloons are known to be cancelled quite frequently due to wind and poor weather, so make sure you budget time for this in case the balloons are cancelled during your first day in Cappadocia.
On your second day in Cappadocia, we recommend you do a tour of the underground caves, which were built by the Christians to hide from the invading Muslims and Arabs during the Arab-Byzantine Wars between the years 780 and 1180. These are fascinating to see. Another option would be to do some hiking through the famous Pigeon Valley, or, a sunset ATV tour of Cappadocia. This leg of the trip will probably be your most expensive one but it will all be worth it in the end. Cappadocia is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
🎈 Book Your Cappadocia Tours Here
Day 14: Cappadocia to Istanbul to Home
Time to head home. Fly from Kayseri to Istanbul, then back to your home country. As we’re sure you will realize, you could have easily spent another week or two in Turkey. There’s just so much to see and not enough time.
🇹🇷 Travel Insurance 💌
Don’t forget Travel Insurance for your trip. Safety Wing covers emergency medical, dental, trip interruption, lost luggage, and more.
Other Things to Note – 2 Week Turkey Itinerary
Paying – 💵 The currency is the Turkish Lira. Turkey is constantly suffering from inflation, and prices are changing rapidly. As I am writing this, 1 USD is about 32 Turkish Lira. Almost all restaurants in Turkey accept credit card. We were very surprised by the ubiquity of credit card machines in Turkey. They quite honestly were almost everywhere we went. We hardly ever needed to pay with cash. Only to pay some entrance fees at local waterfalls or to pay taxi drivers.
Checkpoints – ✅ Police checkpoints are common on roads outside the city. Police will be waiting along the side of the road, ask you to pullover, and ask for your passport. We encountered 2 of these stops during our Turkey Road Trip and never had any problems. The police just looked at our passports and let us go within a few seconds.
💡 Checkout our Top 18 Turkey Travel Tips for more! 🇹🇷
Summary – 2 Week Turkey Itinerary
Turkey is our favorite country that we have ever visited – anywhere in the world. The coastline is absolutely amazing, and we will no doubt be back. Driving along the coastal highway to places like Fethiye and Kas was an unbelievable experience, and we would recommend everyone who comes to Turkey experience it as well. 💗
After Turkey, we spent over a month in Greece. (We took the ferry to Rhodes 🇬🇷 from Fethiye)
We hope you enjoy your trip to Turkey! Leave any questions you may have on the comments down below! Make it longer than 2 Weeks if you can!
