# Istanbul and Cappadocia in 8 days Eight days and seven nights bringing together Turkey's two best-known images: four nights in Istanbul, with Topkapı, Hagia Sophia and the Bosphorus, then a domestic flight to Cappadocia for three nights in a cave hotel in Göreme, a sunrise balloon flight, rock-cut churches and an underground city. Source : https://sabaro-travel.com/en/ideas/istanbul-cappadoce-8-jours/ ## How it works Istanbul and Cappadocia are 1 h 20 apart by air, and about 730 km apart by road. This trip links them with a direct Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul Airport to Nevşehir-Cappadocia, then a 36-minute transfer to Göreme. The first half is spent in Istanbul's old city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985; the second in Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia, inscribed the same year: fairy chimneys, valleys, troglodyte villages, rock-cut churches and underground cities. Three nights in Cappadocia leave two mornings for the balloon: if wind cancels the first day's flight, you try again the next. ## At a glance | Day | Plan | Night | |---|---|---| | 1 | Arrive in Istanbul, Sultanahmet in the late afternoon | Hagia Sofia Mansions | | 2 | Guided tour: Topkapı and its harem, Süleymaniye, Grand Bazaar | Hagia Sofia Mansions | | 3 | Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Archaeological Museums | Hagia Sofia Mansions | | 4 | The Bosphorus by ferry to the mouth of the Black Sea | Hagia Sofia Mansions | | 5 | Fly to Cappadocia, sunset over Göreme | Sultan Cave Suites | | 6 | Balloon at dawn, Göreme open-air site, Zelve and Paşabağları | Sultan Cave Suites | | 7 | Derinkuyu underground city, Ihlara Valley | Sultan Cave Suites | | 8 | Fly home from Nevşehir | | ## Days 1 to 4: Istanbul ### Sleeping below Hagia Sophia Istanbul Airport is 46 km from Sultanahmet, about an hour without traffic, by private transfer. [Hagia Sofia Mansions](/en/hotels/hagia-sofia-mansions/), part of Hilton's Curio Collection, occupies 17 historic mansions in the old city; Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Basilica Cistern are less than 500 m away, and every room has its own Turkish bath. The hotel was priced at about €275 a night for early June, room only. ### Topkapı, Hagia Sophia and the museums On day two, a seven-hour guided tour covers [Topkapı Palace](/en/turkey/istanbul-historic-peninsula/), with its treasury and harem, the Süleymaniye and the Grand Bazaar, lunch and tickets included. Topkapı is closed on Tuesdays and the Grand Bazaar on Sundays, so the plan shifts by a day depending on your arrival date. Day three is free in the old city. At Hagia Sophia, a 6th-century basilica that is once again a mosque, foreign visitors reach the upper gallery by a paid visitor route, which closes early on Friday afternoons. The Blue Mosque can be visited outside prayer times, with arms and legs covered and, for women, hair covered. The Istanbul Archaeological Museums, founded in 1869, hold the Alexander Sarcophagus and the Tiled Kiosk of 1472. ### The Bosphorus On day four, the municipal ferry's long route sails up the [Bosphorus](/en/turkey/istanbul-bosphorus/) from Eminönü to Anadolu Kavağı, at the mouth of the Black Sea: about six hours return including the stop, for 320 Turkish lira, about €6. It passes Dolmabahçe Palace, the fortress of Rumeli Hisarı and the yalı, wooden Ottoman mansions on the water. Back in town, you can end the day in Pera, across the Galata Bridge. ## Days 5 to 7: Cappadocia ### A cave hotel facing the balloons The direct flight from Istanbul to Nevşehir takes 1 h 15 to 1 h 20. A private transfer reaches Göreme in 36 minutes. [Sultan Cave Suites](/en/hotels/sultan-cave-suites/) has 35 rooms dug into the hill above the village; the hotel is known for its terraces facing the morning balloons. It was priced at about €280 a night for early June, breakfast included. ### Balloon, Göreme and Zelve Day six starts before dawn. The flight priced here lasts an hour, in a basket of up to 20 passengers, with transfer and breakfast included, for €260 per person; this operator flies from 1 April to 1 November. Every morning, Turkish civil aviation allows or bans flights depending on wind and rain: the [hot-air ballooning in Cappadocia](/en/guides/montgolfiere-cappadoce/) guide explains the rules and cancellations. The rest of the day is spent at the [Göreme site](/en/turkey/cappadocia/), an open-air museum of rock-cut monasteries and frescoed churches. The Dark Church, with the best-preserved frescoes, needs a separate €7 ticket. In the afternoon, head to Zelve, a valley inhabited until the 20th century, and Paşabağları, where the fairy chimneys have several caps. The Museum Pass Cappadocia, included in the price, opens the museums and sites of Nevşehir and Aksaray provinces for three days. ### Underground and down a canyon On day seven, the underground city of Derinkuyu, 33 minutes from Göreme, goes down several levels: it is the deepest of those open to visitors. Then continue to the Ihlara Valley, a canyon in Aksaray province lined with rock-cut churches, 1 h 25 by road from Göreme, for a walk along the river. A group excursion with hotel pick-up is included in the price; entry fees are covered by the Museumpass. ## Day 8: departure Nevşehir airport is 36 minutes from the hotel by private transfer. The way home is usually via Istanbul; Kayseri airport, 1 h 10 from Göreme, also has seasonal direct flights to several German cities, Rotterdam, Basel-Mulhouse and Lyon, mostly in autumn and winter. ## Good to know - **When to go.** In Istanbul, average highs are 26.9 °C in June; in Nevşehir, Cappadocia, 21.2 °C in May and 25.6 °C in June. Cappadocia lies above 1,000 m and dawn is cool all year: a warm jacket is useful for the balloon. - **Ramadan and holidays.** Opening hours change at some places: see [Ramadan and holidays 2027 in Turkey](/en/guides/ramadan-fetes-turquie-2027/). - **Money.** On 9 October 2026, €1 was worth 55.10 Turkish lira. Sites run by the Turkish Ministry of Culture list their prices for foreign visitors in euros. - **Entry requirements.** The [visa and entry requirements](/en/guides/visa-turquie/) guide covers the document required and the length of stay. The rule for your country: (Depends on the traveller's country: see the table on https://sabaro-travel.com/en/ideas/istanbul-cappadoce-8-jours/) - **Safety.** None of the stops is in an area advised against by the foreign ministries Sabaro follows. The [safety in Turkey](/en/guides/securite-turquie/) guide goes through the country area by area. The advice from your country: (Depends on the traveller's country: see the table on https://sabaro-travel.com/en/ideas/istanbul-cappadoce-8-jours/) ## Frequently asked questions ### What if the balloon flight is cancelled? It is usually moved to the next morning, which is why the plan keeps two mornings in Cappadocia. Refund rules depend on the operator; the [hot-air ballooning in Cappadocia](/en/guides/montgolfiere-cappadoce/) guide gives the details. ### Can we choose a more luxurious hotel in Cappadocia? Yes. The [Museum Hotel](/en/hotels/museum-hotel-cappadocia/) in Uçhisar, a Relais & Châteaux member, and [Argos in Cappadocia](/en/hotels/argos-in-cappadocia/), in a restored village, are two higher-end cave hotels, priced at over €600 a night. At the other end, [Taşkonaklar](/en/hotels/taskonaklar-hotel/) offers 24 rooms in stone houses in Uçhisar. ### Can we drive instead? Yes, but Göreme is about 730 km from Istanbul, more than seven hours of driving without stops. The direct flight, of about 1 h 20, saves a day. ### Can we add the Aegean coast? Yes: the [grand tour of Turkey in 12 days](/en/ideas/grand-tour-turquie-12-jours/) idea extends this trip with Ephesus and Bodrum.