Türkiye in 15 days is the grand tour: you have time for the classics, the exotic and the places few visitors ever reach. This itinerary includes deep south-eastern Anatolia, an experience that stays with you.
Itinerary: the Grand Tour of Türkiye in 15 days
Days 1–3: Istanbul
Sultanahmet, Topkapı Palace, the Grand Bazaar, the Bosphorus, Balat, Kadıköy and Galata. All about Istanbul.
Days 4–6: Cappadocia
Balloon flight, Göreme, the underground cities, Ihlara Valley and Avanos. All about Cappadocia.
Day 7: Konya
Sultanhanı Caravanserai, the Mevlana Museum and the whirling dervishes. Konya guide.
Days 8–9: Pamukkale and Ephesus
The Pamukkale terraces, Hierapolis, Ephesus, the House of the Virgin Mary and Şirince.
Day 10: The coast — Antalya or Fethiye
Fly to Antalya: the old town of Kaleiçi and the Düden waterfalls. Or head to Fethiye for paragliding over Ölüdeniz.
Day 11: Beach day
The Turquoise Coast: Ölüdeniz, Kabak, the 12 Islands boat trip or diving. A well-earned rest halfway through the trip.
Days 12–13: The south-east — Gaziantep and Şanlıurfa
Fly to Gaziantep: the Zeugma Mosaic Museum, the coppersmiths' bazaars and a baklava and kebab tasting. Transfer to Şanlıurfa: Göbekli Tepe (the oldest temple in the world), the Pool of Abraham and the most authentic oriental bazaar in Türkiye.
Day 14: Mardin
Mardin: a city of golden stone perched above the plains of Mesopotamia. Deyrulzafaran Monastery, medieval madrasas and sunset from the terraces.
Day 15: Departure
Fly from Mardin to Istanbul and connect with your international flight. Or add an extra night in Istanbul for last-minute shopping and a farewell dinner.
Who is the 15-day tour for?
For travellers who want to go beyond the tourist trail. South-eastern Türkiye (Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa, Mardin) is the most authentic and surprising part of the country: fewer tourists, more living culture and better food.
See the 15-Day Grand Tour, with a private English-speaking guide.
An alternative 15-day route: the west instead of the south-east
Fifteen days let you add places that most visitors never see and that, for me, are Türkiye at its most authentic. If the south-east is not for you, this version takes everything in the 12-day tour and adds three extra days in some extraordinary places in the west.
Days 1–12 — The classic tour
Follow the 12-day itinerary: Istanbul (3 days), Cappadocia (2 days), Konya, Pamukkale, Ephesus, the Turquoise Coast (2 days) and Antalya.
Day 13 — Inland: Aspendos and Perge
From Antalya, a trip to Aspendos (the best-preserved Roman theatre in the world, with 15,000 seats and perfect acoustics) and to the ancient city of Perge (Roman stadium, agora and baths). A gem of a day for history and archaeology lovers.
Day 14 — Troy and Çanakkale
Fly to Çanakkale (or go by road if you prefer). Visit the archaeological site of Troy (a UNESCO World Heritage Site with 4,000 years of history in 9 layers of civilisation), its interactive museum and the famous Trojan Horse. In the afternoon, a walk along Çanakkale's charming waterfront on the Dardanelles.
Day 15 — Back to the Bosphorus
A last free morning in Çanakkale, or a flight back to Istanbul with time for some final shopping at the Spice Bazaar and a farewell dinner by the Bosphorus. The perfect finale to an unforgettable trip.
Is it worth extending to 15 days?
Absolutely. The three extra days let you visit Troy (hard to fit into shorter itineraries) and explore sites like Aspendos without rushing. The whole pace of the trip also relaxes: "seeing" Türkiye is not the same as "living" it.