In July 2017 I took a 10 day solo trip to Turkey.
Here is my whirlwind 10 day Turkey Guide!
I wasn’t really planning on going to Turkey with all the recent turmoil in Istanbul and the Syrian refugee crisis a lot of people blacklisted this beautiful place.
I wanted to explore Eastern Europe so I was looking into beaches to visit in Romania and Bulgaria. While trawling through blogs I found an article that compared Turkey’s turquoise coast to Bulgaria’s coast. The writer raved so much about the beauty of Turkey I decided to look into it. Within about a week I had my flights books and a full itinerary organised! Best travel decision I ever made.
Turkey is big and there were a few key things I wanted to do in a short timeframe. First and foremost I wanted to do sail on the coast. A visit to Pamukkale and Cappadocia were also on my hit list. I found a company running cruises called Alaturka and told them about my plans.
They informed me it was totally possible and planned out a full itinerary for me with all transport, transfers, tours, accommodation and the cruise for the week all included for an incredible price. Since it was a solo trip for a short time I just said BOOK ME IN!!
Pamukkale
I took an overnight flight into Dalaman Airport from London and was taken to Fethiye. I caught a bus straight to Pamukkale, also known as ‘Cotton Castle’, for the day.
White Terraces of Pamukkale
What an incredibly beautiful and unique place to visit. There is a huge hill made up of snow white limestone which cascades in terraces down the hill forming dramatic natural pools with calcium-rich bright blue water.
Hierapolis
Perched on top of the limestone formations are ancient ruins of a Greek/Roman city of Hierapolis. The ruins are beautiful and really well preserved.
It’s free to walk up to the white terraces but you have to buy tickets to see the ruins. There is a dramatic amphitheatre and a beautiful pool called Cleopatra’s pool. Cleopatra herself used to frequent Hierapolis and bathe in these pools.
The water is clear and blue and features submerged pieces of ancient pillars. It costs a bit more to enjoy the pool area, but for me, it was worth it! I enjoyed my first (of many) Turkish sunsets and then got on an overnight bus to Cappadocia. Yes, that’s two nights in a row without sleeping in a bed! You gotta do what you gotta do with only 10 days in Turkey!
Cappadocia
I stayed in Goreme in Cappadocia for 2 days. I stayed in a dorm at Shoe String Cave House. An Amazing breakfast was included (it’s standard for breakfast to be included across Turkey!) and even had a really nice pool with a view overlooking the rest of the town and the valley. It was only around 10 euros a night and I’m pretty sure I was the only one staying there!
Cappadocia Valley Tours
The two days I was there I did two separate tours around the valleys of Cappadocia. We did some hiking through nature and visited some museums, churches, a hilarious pottery shop and jewellery shop.
To be honest I could have missed all the cheesy touristy stops (where they try to sell you expensive souvenirs) and the museums. I did learn a lot about the ancient way of life there using the caves, but it’s not really my thing! Hiking through the dramatic valley’s was amazing.
The viewpoints also have awesome little markets to buy unique jewellery and clothes. The markets in the town were also really good. I had really good chats with some shop owners who were so happy to meet a kiwi. New Zealanders and Australians make up a lot of the tourism in this area and it was sad when they told me we had all but disappeared after the recent events in the country. You could feel it, it was really empty when it should have been peak season!
I spent my evening perched up on a hill overlooking Goreme enjoying the sunset with snacks and beer. It doesn’t get much better than that!
Hot air ballooning in Cappadocia
I had an early night for the 3 am wakeup for the hot air ballooning the following day. What an indescribable experience that was! From watching hundreds of giant balloons inflate all around each other on a giant field, to floating off the ground with 20 other souls and dodging the sharp rock formations. Looking into the horizon and seeing balloons scattered across the golden sky and colourful valleys was unforgettable.
It all finished off with a slightly scary landing on the back of a trailer, some champagne and even a certificate! It was a once in a lifetime morning and everyone should do it!!
I left Cappadocia the following night and caught another overnight bus to Antalya for my 3-day boat trip. After all the overnight trips, tours and sightseeing I was damn exhausted and ready for the ocean. These few days were epic though and fully worth the sleepless nights.
Sail Turkey on The Turquoise Coast
The next leg on my 10 day Turkey Guide is the beautiful Turquoise Coast. I spent four days and three nights on a cruise from Olympos to Fethiye with Alaturka Blue Cruises, which I can’t recommend this boat cruise enough! I lucked out and got the best room with a double bed all to myself.
The cruise also includes all your meals, which are mainly vegetarian and healthy Mediterranean food. Drinks aren’t included but are dirt cheap! My last European sail was Sail Croatia so in comparison, this was unbelievable value.
There were about 16 people on my boat, there was a mix of couples, friends and families travelling from Australia, New Zealand and America. Everyone on the boat was amazing, we got on so well and became really fast friends.
Day 1
The first day we stopped at a small seaside town, Kekova and climbed up to a fort with a breathtaking view over the ocean and scattered islands. We a.sl saw ruins from a sunken city beneath the crystal clear water.
The boat stopped in secluded bays for swims and we enjoyed a few too many beverages throughout the day! That night we went to a small pirate-themed bar which people from all the different sails get taken to. It was a wild party!
Day 2
The next day we set off to another town called Kas which is beautiful! Such cute little shops and cafes. Again we stopped in bays for swims in the deep blue waters. That evening we docked at an island with some ancient ruins and an epic spot for sunset up on a hill overlooking the islands and ocean.
Everywhere we docked we’d have people come up to our boat selling us anything from ice cream, crepes, biscuit rides and waterskiing. All were amazing and really cheap!!
Day 3
The last full day we headed to Butterfly Valley which is a beautiful beach wedged in a dramatic mountainous valley. You can also stay and camp at Butterfly Valley and join a hippy paradise!
We spent a few hours docked at the blue lagoon over at Oludinez beach where you could go paragliding. I didn’t do it but it looks amazing and is supposed to be some of the best paragliding in the world!
Each night we docked in secluded bays, enjoyed delicious food, sunsets, long walks on the loungers and endless rounds of drinking games. Most people slept on the tanning beds at night as it was really hot under the deck. Sleeping under the stars with the balmy breeze and waking up to the grumble of the engine as the sun began to rise and sparkle on the calm ocean is unforgettable.
Day 4
The last morning we enjoyed a final breakfast, swims and parted ways at the marina in Fethiye around midday. If you decide to do this cruise make sure you have enough cash left to leave a nice tip for the amazing crew!
Fethiye
Fethiye is the last stop on my 10 day Turkey guide. My flight back to London was the following day so I spent a night in Fethiye. I enjoyed my first Turkish bath, which was given to me for free by Alaturka!
Getting scrubbed down with a glove and bubbles by a man wearing nothing but a Turkish towel was an experience but my skin afterwards was like new! I visited a little beach called Aksazlar just outside of the town and spent the evening walking around the markets and the beautiful marina.
Alaturka organised a transfer for me back to Dalaman Aiport from Fethiye to catch my flight. Everything went pretty smoothly with my organised itinerary, and if I was ever lost there were so many people more than happy to help!
To conclude my 10 day Turkey Guide…
I hope you enjoyed my 10 day Turkey guide! Turkey took my breath away. These 10 days were packed and every single day amazed me. From the scenery to the amazing fresh food, how affordable everything is, the amazing markets, the kindness and generosity of the people and all the travellers I met on the way.
It was the trip of a lifetime for me and a highlight of my travels to date. I felt so safe and taken care of the entire time.
I couldn’t resist returning to Turkey on my way out of Europe in June 2018. You can check out my other posts on Turkey here. Turkey is always on my mind and I can’t wait to return!
2 Comments
Certainly makes the reader want to go visit after your great stories and wonderful photos. Well done.
go to Turkey and take me with you!