A round trip through fairytale Cappadocia with a dreamy landscape, hot air balloons, and Turkey's incredible coastline from Alanya through Alacati is a trip full of wandering and wandering.
This trip can easily be done in 21 days or less on the end of the trip you can choose to fly back from Izmir or Antalya or even the smaller airport of Alanya
Incredible Coastline and Hot Air Balloons
A three-week route guide through Turkey with Hot Air Balloons and a beautiful coastline from Antalya through Alacati. I recommend doing this tour with a flight between Istanbul-Kayseri Kapadokya and Kayseri Kapadokya- Antalya pick up a rental car at the airport so you win a lot of time if you are a budget traveler you can do this route by bus but it takes some time to reach
We start our trip in Istanbul and fly with Turkish airlines from Amsterdam to Kayseri with a stop-over in Istanbul.
You can choose to transport your Luggage to Kayseri when you do a stopover so you don't need all your Luggage with you for one night in Istanbul it will save time for check out and check in again.
Check if you need a visa for Turkey if you need a visa I recommend doing it online at https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/apply/ and downloading it so everything goes smoothly at the airport.
When we landed in Istanbul we take only my camera stuff and some fresh clothes and here we go exploring Istanbul
We take a taxi and within 20 min we are in Balat Fatih exploring the colorful Streets. Here the houses are painted in a myriad of colors, washing lines are strung between buildings, kids play in the streets, and traces of Jewish, Armenian, and Orthodox communities still stand
Time flies when you having fun so we have to hurry to reach our next point before sunset.
We take a taxi to Ortakoy it's not far from our hotel and we were before in Istanbul so we don't need to see all the other highlights again if you are interested in the city you need another 2 days to explore the city it can not be done in the afternoon.
So after a 30 min taxi ride in the crazy busy streets, we reach the beautiful mosque of Ortakoy where we watch the sun go down after the bridge. Ortakoy has also great nightlife and many restaurants for the diner
We stayed at the beautiful Witt hotel Most of Istanbul’s main tourist attractions are just 5-10 minutes away from the Witt Istanbul Hotel. It’s within walking distance of famous spots such as Taksim Square, Istiklal Caddesi, and Istanbul Modern. The Sultanahmet quarter – among others the Topkapi Palace, the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, and the Basilica Cistern – can be equally quickly reached by a short tram or taxi ride.
First-timers to Istanbul tend to stay among the major sightseeing spots in the Sultanahmet quarter or Taksim district. But why miss the opportunity to have the best from both worlds and set up a base in between both?
The next morning we have a great breakfast we drink some coffee on the rooftop looking out over the city before we leave Istanbul for Cappadocia.
Things to do in Istanbul:
Hagia Sophia
Grand Baazar
Galata Tower
Balat
Blue Mosque
Istanbul Nightlife in Ortakoy
Cruise the Bosphorus
Topkapi Palace
Süleymaniye Mosque
Dolmabahçe Palace
Cappadocia
The Fairytale area is called Cappadocia where we will stay 5 nights in different cave hotels to explore the region Cappadocia
Our first hotel is Gamirasu Cave Hotel is located near Urgup, the heart of Cappadocia, Ayvali village, with its 35 meticulously restored and designed cave rooms, it is the first rock hotel in the region, put into service in 1999.
The hotel, which was used as a monastic retreat in the Byzantine Era, offers strikingly beautiful nature, serenity, and contemporary comfort in a pristine village of unspoiled beauty, without distracting from the spiritual feeling of the area which has been known to be inhabited by more than five thousand years. From the hotel, you can easily reach all the highlights of Kapadokya by car for dinner I recommend the restaurant of the hotel they serve delicious food and on the rooftop, you can have dinner during sunset. Letting you rest in a magical atmosphere away from the modern life of the world.
The next day we woke up around 03:00 for a hot air balloon flight with Butterfly Balloons. They pick us up at the hotel and drive to Goreme where we have a small breakfast before we take off. I always dreamed about a hot air balloon flight above Kapadokya or Myanmar these are such dreamy places. Below you is a unique landscape, a combination of natural beauty, and a deep and complex history. From the balloon, you will see it, feel it and fall in love with it.
The Cappadocia region in Turkey is one of those world wonders that came straight out of your dreams.
Moon-like landscapes including hundreds of hot air balloons in the sky are what make Cappadocia a magical place. This is, without any doubt, one of the best experiences you’ll have in your life.
Maybe even better than being in a balloon is experiencing the balloon take off from the hills of Goreme and watching the Sunrise from there.
Rent a motorbike the evening before. Go out at 4:30 AM, search on Google Maps for The Dalton Brothers, follow the sand path for about 3 minutes, and park if you see some balloons lighting up. Hike up on one of the mountains and experience balloon flight all around you.
After our Balloon ride, we drive back to the hotel where we have breakfast and get some sleep.
We wake up a few hours later to the sound of birds and chill by the swimming pool. In the afternoon we drive around the area eat something at the village Urgup and take some pics. The next day we drive to our next hotel Aydinli Cave Hotel a boutique, family-run guesthouse set in the heart of the old town of Goreme. Aydinli Cave Hotel is totally unique. Carved from the natural rock and stone of Cappadocia, the guesthouse is located just a short stroll from the Goreme village center. There are fourteen individually-styled rooms that offer comfortable and relaxed accommodation furnished with beautiful, locally-made carpets and family antiques.
From here it's easy to explore the village of Goreme and the open-air museum
Things to do in Cappadocia:
Sunrise from the hills of Goreme
Cappadocia hot air Balloon ride
Visit Goreme's open-air museum
Stay in a Cave hotel
Pasabag old church
Visit Galeri Ikman
Sunset horse riding
ATV riding
Stay in a typical Cappadocia Cave Hotel
Green & Red Tour & Sight-seeing
Antalya
After 5 days in Cappadocia, we fly to Antalya and stay here one night, you can also drive to the coast or take the night bus to Antalya.
Things to do in Antalya:
Walk around the ruins of Phaselis
Explore Kaleiçi the old town of Antalya
Hadrian's Gate
Shopping
Kas
After some sightseeing, we drive to Kas where we stay at the beautiful Lycia hotel with its own swimming pool and cozy colorful beach where you can relax and swim in the ocean. The rooms are big and have their own terrace with a view over the ocean.
Kas, the former Lycian Habesos, is situated in one of the most beautiful landscapes on the Mediterranean coast. The hotel Lycia is only a few minutes drive from the center of Kas and is easily accessible by the main road through the peninsula. The local minibus stops at the hotel every half hour. In the narrow streets of this ancient port city, you'll find many charming shops and excellent restaurants, cafes, and bars for every taste and every budget. Untouched by mass tourism, Kas retains its authentic character.
Kas is situated on a stunning rocky coast, featuring sand and pebble beaches. The turquoise blue sea is bathed in sunshine for eleven months of the year. The waters are exceptionally clean and the sea temperatures are generally over 20 degrees, from April until December.
Kas is a beautiful old small town. It offers beautiful beaches, great food, and narrow Streets
Don’t forget to visit the picturesque Kaputas Beach.
Whatever type of activity you enjoy, there is something to offer: paragliding, canoeing, sailing, mountain climbing, cycling, or hiking on the famous Lycian trail ... everyone can experience the stunning natural beauty in their own way.
Things to do in Kas:
Visit Kaputas beach
Wandering in the Streets of Kas
Hike up the mountain for a spectacular view over the coastline of kas
Going on a day trip to the Greek island Kastelorizo
Climb up the Amphitheater for Sunset
Grab a drink at Kas Square
Visit the many beaches around Kas
Kekova Sunken City Ruins
Go diving or snorkeling
If you one stay more budget we recommend hotel Cachet a small hotel with a swimming pool its own beach and a beautiful view over the ocean.
Fethiye
Our next stop is Fethiye famous for its Paragliding. We leave in the morning from Kas and drive to Saklikent Gorge, which is a 300-meter-high and 18-kilometer-long canyon, one of the deepest in the world. We had a great lunch at the river and drove farther to Fethiye where we stay at the romantic hotel Nautical Faralya, Fethiye, or stay more budgeted at Oludeniz the town where the paragliding is organized.
Fethiye's natural harbor is perhaps the region's finest, tucked into the southern reaches of a broad bay scattered with pretty islands, including Sövalye Adası, glimpsed briefly in the James Bond film Skyfall.
Fethiye also makes a good base for visiting Ölüdeniz, one of Turkey's seaside hot spots, and the town for paragliding.
Fethiye Rock Tombs
A bit of a pull, but climb up to the main Lycian rock tombs in Fethiye the tomb of Amyntas, and take in the amazing views of the Fethiye marina and the whole of the bay.
Things to do in Fethiye:
Paragliding
Fethiye Old Town
Saklıkent Gorge Canyon
Boat trip to Butterfly beach
Viewpoint Butterfly beach
Fethiye Rock Tombs
Ölüdeniz Beaches
Kayaköy has many ruins left from the population exchange between Turkey and Greece
Patara is home to Turkey's longest strip of sand, so it's the perfect spot for a beach
Hiking in the surrounding areas is popular because Fethiye is the start of the Lycian way trek
Alacati
After a couple of days in Fethiye we drive to Alacati, Alaçatı is a Mediterranean town on the Western coast of Turkey, often noted for its architecture, vineyards, and windmills.
Alaçatı is one of the most traditional towns in Turkey with stone houses, narrow streets, boutique hotels, and restaurants with tables on the Streets.
We stay at the beautiful Boutique hotel La Vela Alacati a great place to discover the old town of Alacati. In a lovely cozy clean place with beautiful colorful balconies and a great swimming pool to relax here, you will find your inner peace.
Sleepy and unspoiled, with low mountains hovering on the horizon, a tranquil turquoise sea, and narrow cobbled streets lined with cozy outdoor cafés and restaurants, the charming port town of Alacati offers an idyllic seaside break on the Turkish Aegean coast. A unique place to fall in love. With its mild climate, a beautiful holiday destination throughout the whole year.
Things to do Alacati:
Discover the old center of Alacati
Visit Ephesus
Relax on the many beaches with crystal clear water
Windsurf course
Diving
Fishing tours with boat
Bicycle rental
From Çesme harbor daily boat and yacht tours
Day trip to Chios (Greece)
Pamukkale:
From Alacati we drive to Pamukkale where we visit the thermal baths
Pamukkale has been famous for its gleaming white calcite terraces overrunning with warm, mineral-rich waters on the mountain above the village.
The surreal, brilliant white travertine terraces and warm, limpid pools of Pamukkale hang, like the petrified cascade of a mighty waterfall, from the rim of a steep valley side. Truly spectacular in its own right, the geological phenomenon that is Pamukkale, literally "Cotton Castle" in Turkish, is also the site of the remarkably well-preserved ruins of the Greek-Roman city of Hierapolis
Staying overnight allows you to visit the site at sunset and dodge some of the crowds.
This also gives time for a day trip to the beautiful and little-visited ancient ruins of Aphrodisias and Laodicea, and to appreciate the village of Pamukkale itself.
Staying at the Venus Suite is just a 5 min walk to the entrance of the thermal bath. Venus Suite Hotel is a family-run hotel with a charming home-like atmosphere and a good choice to stay the night so you can watch the sunset or Sunrise from the thermal baths
From Pammukale we drive all the way back to Antalya and stayed the last days relaxing and sunbathing at Sunprime C Lounge Alanya.
You can also stay the last days in Izmir and fly from there we choose Antalya because it has a better connection with Amsterdam, Alanya also has a small airport with a connection to Amsterdam
Alanya
Sunprime C Lounge is located at the pearl of Mediterranean Alanya Sunprime C lounge is an all-inclusive adult-only hotel with an indoor and outdoor pool, spa, fitness, and its own beach with a Jetty
It's a great place to just do nothing chill by the pool hang out at the beach enjoy a great breakfast, lunch, and dinner with the All-inclusive formula, the standard of the food is really high and I will give it more than 4 stars also the staff is friendly and try to help you with everything you wish. Try breakfast in bed and feel like a king.
We had done a great road trip through Turkey and ending it in this hotel is just perfect so you fly home well rested.
Things to do in Alanya:
Just do nothing
Alanya castle and Red tower
Cleopatra Beach
Stay in an All inclusive hotel I think you’ll be shocked by how affordable hotels are here.
Pirate Ship Cave Tour
Sapadere Canyon Jeep Tour
Standup Paddleboard
Lunch at Dimcayi
After a few days we drive back to Antalya for an hour flight home we take some last photos at the old center and that's it we had an amazing trip
Highlights route:
Istanbul
Kapadokya
Antalya
Kas
Kastelorizo Greece
Saklikent Gorge
Fethiye
Alacati
Ephesus
Pamukkale
Alanya
Thanks for reading and see you on my next trip bye bye