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What to book before you travel to Turkey?

Most visits can be booked on the spot. A few sell out days ahead. Here they are, stop by stop, with what you can do without booking underneath. Keep the rest of your time free.

Trip length
WeekendOne weekTwo weeks

8 activities to book · about €377 per person

Istanbul

Days 1-3
Days 1-3Hagia Sophia and the Basilica Cistern, guided3hA church from 537 that became a mosque, then a museum, then a mosque again, and the sixth-century cistern held up by 336 columns.€40Book on GetYourGuide →
Days 1-3Bosphorus cruise2hTwo hours on the strait that divides Europe from Asia, past wooden waterfront houses and two Ottoman fortresses.€25Book on GetYourGuide →

No booking needed: The Blue Mosque · The Grand Bazaar · Balat district · Sultanahmet Square

All activities in Istanbul on GetYourGuide

Cappadocia

Days 4-5
Days 4-5Hot air balloon at sunrise1hAn hour over the valleys as the light arrives. Wind cancels flights often, so book early in your stay and keep a spare morning.€180Book on GetYourGuide →
Days 4-5The valleys by quad bike or on footHalf dayHalf a day through Rose Valley and Love Valley, which no road reaches.€45Book on GetYourGuide →

No booking needed: Love Valley and the fairy chimneys · The cave village of Uchisar · Sunset over Göreme · An underground city

All activities in Cappadocia on GetYourGuide

Pamukkale and Hierapolis

Day 6
Day 6The travertine pools and HierapolisHalf dayBarefoot up the white terraces, which is the rule, then the Roman theatre and necropolis of the spa town above.€15Book on GetYourGuide →
Day 6Cleopatra's antique pool1hA warm spring pool with fallen marble columns lying on the bottom since an earthquake brought them down.€12Book on GetYourGuide →

No booking needed: Sunset on the terraces · The Hierapolis site · Pamukkale village

All activities in Pamukkale on GetYourGuide

Antalya and the coast

Day 7
Day 7Kaleici old town, guided2hOttoman houses, the Roman harbour, and Hadrian's Gate, raised for the emperor's visit in the year 130.€20Book on GetYourGuide →
Day 7Boat trip to the covesFull dayA day along the coast, stopping in inlets that open only from the water.€40Book on GetYourGuide →

No booking needed: The Düden waterfalls · The Roman harbour · Konyaalti beach · Hadrian's Gate

All activities in Antalya on GetYourGuide

Indicative prices per person, checked when written. The button opens the GetYourGuide search for the activity and the town, on the days of the stop once your dates are known. Some links are affiliate links: we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.

Frequently asked questions

How much do the activities to book in Turkey cost?

€377 per person if you do them all, across 8 bookings. The most expensive is "Hot air balloon at sunrise" at €180, the cheapest "Cleopatra's antique pool" at €12. Prices checked when written: confirm them when you book.

What can you do in Turkey without booking anything?

15 visits on this itinerary need no ticket or time slot, starting with The Blue Mosque, The Grand Bazaar, Balat district, Sultanahmet Square. They make up most of your days: booking ahead only concerns a handful of sites with limited places.

At which stop should you book earliest?

Istanbul, with 2 activities to book, against 2 at the quietest stop. That is where slots go first.

How long do these activities take?

From 1h for the shortest to Full day for the longest. Fit them into your days before filling the rest: a guided visit often takes half a day.

The rest of the trip

📒 The free printable Turkey guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→ 🗓️ Best time to visit Turkey, month by month→ 🎟️ What to book: all our destinations→