An athens istanbul cappadocia tour joins Greece and Turkey in one eleven-day route. Read it alongside these tours in Greece.
The page covers the Athens and Mykonos days, the season, the Istanbul and Ankara stops, Cappadocia, the flights, the entry rules, money and packing, and a short FAQ.
What is an athens istanbul cappadocia tour, and how does the route work?
An athens istanbul cappadocia tour is an eleven-day plan across two countries. It starts in Athens, crosses by boat to Mykonos, and returns to Athens. After that, three flights and one road leg link Istanbul, Ankara and Cappadocia. The plan ends back in Istanbul for the departure.
The eleven days of an athens istanbul cappadocia tour run in a fixed order. Days one and two are Athens. Days three to five are Mykonos and the boat back. Day six is the flight to Istanbul, and day seven is the city tour. Days eight and nine cover Ankara and Cappadocia. The last two days lead home.
Greece comes first because the plan begins with arrival in Athens, and the island fits inside the Greek days. Wikipedia places Mykonos in the Aegean Sea, 150 kilometres to the east of the Greek capital. After the boat returns, a flight leaves Greece for Turkey. That change of country is the hinge of this athens istanbul cappadocia tour.
The rest of this page follows the athens istanbul cappadocia tour stop by stop. It covers Athens, the Acropolis and Mykonos, then the change of country and the Istanbul sights. After that come Ankara, Cappadocia, the flights home, and a section on entry rules, money and packing. A final FAQ answers the questions left over.
Wikivoyage pictures Cappadocia as a surreal landscape in South Central Anatolia. It holds underground cities, cave churches and houses carved in the rocks. It also notes that Kemal Ataturk moved the capital to Ankara, in the centre of the new republic. Both places sit on an athens istanbul cappadocia tour, one after the other.
Istanbul, as Wikipedia states, is a city on two continents, with about two-thirds of its people in Europe. The city lies on the Bosphorus in northwestern Turkey. The plan therefore changes scene as well as country. Greek islands give way to Turkish city streets and rock valleys.
Which season suits an athens istanbul cappadocia tour?
An athens istanbul cappadocia tour suits spring and autumn. In Istanbul, Wikivoyage finds the weather pleasant in late spring and again in early autumn. It calls autumn mild and dry in Cappadocia, especially September. Summers are hot, and Cappadocia winters are cold and snowy.
The Greek half of an athens istanbul cappadocia tour meets a Mediterranean pattern. Wikipedia calls Mediterranean the predominant climate of Greece. Summer days are sunny and dry, it says. Very windy days also appear, especially across the Cyclades.
Wikipedia classes the Mykonos climate as hot semi-arid, with rain from October to March. Average highs are about 27 degrees Celsius in summer and about 15 in winter. Wikivoyage says July and August bring heavy crowds on the island. Calmer times run from late spring into June, then from September until the middle of October.
The boat legs matter for an athens istanbul cappadocia tour. Wikivoyage notes that the Piraeus to Mykonos ferries stop working by the end of October and resume by April. It also says the constant meltemi wind in July and August softens the heat a little.
Wikivoyage counts the months from April to June as spring in Istanbul, with September to November as autumn. Both seasons are mild, and rain and sun share the days. Days in July and August average about 26 degrees, and nights about 17. From December to March, days average about 8 and nights about 2, with frequent rain and occasional snow.
Cappadocia is the continental stop of an athens istanbul cappadocia tour. Wikivoyage describes hot, dry summer days, chilly nights and cold, snowy winters. Spring brings thunderstorms with heavy downpours, and autumn is mild and dry. Wikipedia adds that the region sits on a high plateau over 1,000 metres in altitude.
What is the plan for each day of an athens istanbul cappadocia tour?
An athens istanbul cappadocia tour fills eleven days, and each day has one clear task. Athens opens the plan, Mykonos gives two island days, and Istanbul, Ankara and Cappadocia follow. Eleven short lines follow, one for each day, in travel order.
- Day 1: Arrive in Athens and settle in, with the evening left free.
- Day 2: Tour the city, from the Parliament to the Acropolis and its museum, then enjoy a free afternoon.
- Day 3: Go to the port in the morning and cross the sea to Mykonos.
- Day 4: A free day on Mykonos for the beaches, the town and the evening life.
- Day 5: Enjoy a free morning, then take the boat back to Athens.
- Day 6: Fly from Athens to Istanbul and keep the evening free.
- Day 7: Spend a full day in Istanbul at Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the palace of Topkapi and the Grand Bazaar.
- Day 8: Fly to Ankara for the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations and Anitkabir, then drive to Cappadocia via the Sultanhan caravanserai.
- Day 9: Spend a full day in Cappadocia at the Kaymakli underground city, the Goreme valley, Zelve, Uchisar and Avanos.
- Day 10: Go to Ankara airport and fly back to Istanbul.
- Day 11: Head to the airport and board the flight home.
Five days sit in Greece and six sit in Turkey. This split gives the athens istanbul cappadocia tour a lighter first half and a busier second half. Days one to five hold Athens and Mykonos, and day six is the flight that crosses the border.
The athens istanbul cappadocia tour has three flights: Athens to Istanbul, Istanbul to Ankara, and Ankara back to Istanbul. Between them runs one road leg, from Ankara to Cappadocia on day eight. Flight times and baggage rules differ by airline, so check them before booking.
The sea crossing happens twice, once to Mykonos on day three and once back on day five. Wikivoyage notes that boat services can be cancelled in strong wind and rough seas. Summer cancellations are very rare.
A boat on day five is followed by a flight on day six. Ask the provider about a spare buffer between them.
How do the Athens days work on an athens istanbul cappadocia tour?
An athens istanbul cappadocia tour opens with two Athens days: arrival comes first, then a sightseeing tour. Wikipedia ranks Athens International Airport as the fifteenth busiest in Europe and second busiest in the Balkans, after Istanbul Airport. That link, Athens first and Istanbul next, fits the plan.
Day one of the athens istanbul cappadocia tour asks very little of a traveller. The flight lands, the road leads into the city, and the evening stays open. The airport began operation on 28 March and replaced the older Ellinikon airport, which had no room to grow. It is named after Eleftherios Venizelos.
Two parallel runways measure 4 and 3.8 kilometres, as Wikipedia states. The airport has two terminals, and an underground link joins the satellite building to the main one. The A380, the largest passenger jet, is approved to land. For the athens istanbul cappadocia tour, check the official airport page for ride times, because this page found none.
Day two of the athens istanbul cappadocia tour is a sightseeing tour by road. The Parliament is the first stop, and a visit to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier comes next. The tour then climbs to the Acropolis and its museum. Hadrian’s Arch, then the Temple of Olympian Zeus, follow. The Olympic stadium closes the route.
The Panathenaic Stadium has the clearest story of these stops. Wikipedia says the Ilissos river once ran in front of its entrance. Today it flows underground below the avenue. Lykourgos built the first stadium there. Herodes Atticus later gave it 50,000 seats. Wikipedia adds that it was refurbished before the first modern Olympics began.
The athens istanbul cappadocia tour passes a stadium that still finishes the Athens Classic Marathon each year. Wikipedia states that the Olympic flame handover to each host nation takes place there. Wikipedia says the stadium was largely abandoned after Christianity rose in the fourth century. The free afternoon afterwards is a time for rest.
What do the Acropolis and its museum add to an athens istanbul cappadocia tour?
An athens istanbul cappadocia tour gains its ancient Greek centre from the Acropolis and its museum. Wikipedia describes the museum as an archaeological museum built around the findings of the Acropolis site. The Parthenon stands 280 metres away, or 400 metres on foot.
Behind this stop of an athens istanbul cappadocia tour lies a long story. Wikipedia lists four design competitions, and the fourth was the final one. The first was open only to Greek entrants. The third, an international one, went to two Italian architects. Work stopped when sensitive remains appeared, and that competition was annulled.
The final design is by Bernard Tschumi, working with the Greek architect Michael Photiadis. Wikipedia says the building rests on pillars that reach the bedrock. Glass panels in the floor let visitors see the dig. Visitors reach part of that site through the museum courtyard.
The shop, the cafe and the offices share the middle level, between the collection floors. Visitors are sent to the highest level first and then walk down, so the displays keep time order. Wikipedia counts more than 4,250 exhibits across 14,000 square metres. That order helps an athens istanbul cappadocia tour with limited hours.
The Weiler Building is an old neoclassical barracks block. The renovated building holds a museum of its own for the Acropolis studies centre. The main museum faces the Theater of Dionysus. On an athens istanbul cappadocia tour, the entrance on Dionysiou Areopagitou Street is next to the Akropoli metro station.
A smaller museum on the rock itself dates to the nineteenth century, says Wikipedia. The new one has won an award for excellence and sustainability from the International Association of Lighting Designers. Check the Ministry of Culture page for opening days and entry rules before an athens istanbul cappadocia tour.
What does Mykonos add to an athens istanbul cappadocia tour?
Mykonos adds sea, wind and slow days to an athens istanbul cappadocia tour. Wikipedia sets the island in the South Aegean region and gives it 10,704 inhabitants at its census. Days three to five swap city streets for island life, with one free day in the middle.
Day three starts with the road to Piraeus. It is the home of the largest harbour in Greece, Wikipedia says. A colossal lion statue once stood at the harbour entrance, and the medieval name Porto Leone came from it. On this athens istanbul cappadocia tour, the boat leaves from there.
In the Cyclades the nearest neighbours of Mykonos include Tinos, Syros, Paros and Naxos. This page found no sailing time in its sources, so check the timetable for your date. Day five reverses the trip, with a free morning and an afternoon boat. That return matters for the athens istanbul cappadocia tour, since day six brings the flight to Istanbul.
Wikipedia reports that Herodotus mentions Carians as the original inhabitants, with Ionians from Athens following. French archaeologists began work on nearby Delos, and tourism soon followed. The athens istanbul cappadocia tour touches that long story. Two theories explain the name. One ties it to a mythical first ruler, the other to a pile of stones.
Day four is the free day of the athens istanbul cappadocia tour. In the main town, Wikipedia lists Little Venice, four windmills and a statue of Manto Mavrogenous. She was a heroine of the Greek Revolution, and her portrait hangs in the Aegean Maritime Museum. The main town is also named Chora, meaning Town.
The island is built of granite, is very rocky and has no rivers, says Wikipedia. Wikipedia explains that scarce rain brings a hot, semi-arid climate to the island. Winter highs are around 15 degrees Celsius, and summer nights stay over 24 degrees. After two nights, this stop of the athens istanbul cappadocia tour gives way to Istanbul.
How does the change of country work on an athens istanbul cappadocia tour?
An athens istanbul cappadocia tour changes country on day six, when the flight leaves Athens for Istanbul. Turkey stands outside the Schengen Area, so the entry rules differ from that day onward. Check them early.
Wikipedia describes Schengen as open borders between 29 European countries, which scrapped checks at their shared frontiers. Turkey is not one of them. The Schengen zone touches Turkey along a land border in the east. So an athens istanbul cappadocia tour crosses a real frontier on day six.
Turkey asks every visitor without the right to live there for entry permission. Wikipedia sorts travellers into two groups. The first group travels without a visa for up to ninety days in a 180-day period. The second group must obtain a visa before the journey.
Citizens of certain countries can apply online for an electronic visa, called an e-Visa, for a short stay. Which group fits you depends on your passport. Read the official Turkish pages before you book an athens istanbul cappadocia tour, and again before you fly.
Passports need a long validity too. Wikipedia names a margin of 60 days after the longest permitted stay. It also lists countries whose citizens can enter on an ID card instead. Check your own country’s rule, as three flights leave no room for error on this athens istanbul cappadocia tour.
Wikipedia quotes Istanbul figures in the Turkish lira, so expect a new currency after the flight. It places Istanbul on UTC+3, called TRT. The city has two international airports. Read the flight ticket to learn which one the athens istanbul cappadocia tour uses on day six.
The change of country also brings the largest city in Turkey, home to over 15 million people. Wikipedia states that Greek colonists founded Byzantium there in the seventh century BC. For an athens istanbul cappadocia tour, day six therefore links back to Greece.
What do Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque add to an athens istanbul cappadocia tour?
Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque add the old centre of Istanbul to an athens istanbul cappadocia tour. Hagia Sophia dates from the sixth century AD, and the Blue Mosque is the Sultan Ahmed Mosque.
Wikipedia calls Hagia Sophia a mosque and a major cultural and historical site. Before the Ottoman conquest it was a church. Later it served as a museum. A Council of State decision then made it a mosque again. Approach the stop on an athens istanbul cappadocia tour with the respect due to a mosque.
Look up first. Wikipedia notes that the church, finished in AD 537, was an early user of the fully pendentive dome. At that time no interior space in the world was bigger. The building is 82 metres long and 55 metres high at its tallest point.
Emperor Justinian I built the church. Two Greek geometers, Anthemius of Tralles and Isidore of Miletus, drew up the design. A Greek design in Istanbul links this stop to the first days in Athens. It gives an athens istanbul cappadocia tour a thread between the two countries.
Hagia Sophia is the third church of its name on the site, as Wikipedia states. The earlier one was destroyed in the Nika riots. For nearly one thousand years the church was the spiritual centre of the Eastern Orthodox Church. That history sits well with the Greek start of an athens istanbul cappadocia tour.
The Blue Mosque is the Sultan Ahmed Mosque. Wikipedia states that it replaced Hagia Sophia as the main mosque of Istanbul after its construction in the seventeenth century. Ottoman mosques also copied the style of Hagia Sophia a thousand years after it was built.
Wikipedia places both buildings in the historical peninsula of Istanbul. UNESCO recognised the Historic Areas of Istanbul as a World Heritage Site. Opening hours and dress rules differ between mosques, so read the notices at the door. Then the athens istanbul cappadocia tour moves on to the palace.
What do Topkapi Palace and the Grand Bazaar add to an athens istanbul cappadocia tour?
The last stops of the Istanbul day on an athens istanbul cappadocia tour are Topkapi Palace and the Grand Bazaar. The palace housed the sultans, and the bazaar holds 61 covered streets.
Topkapi stands in the Fatih district and works today as a museum with a library. The sultans governed and lived here before Dolmabahce Palace took over. Work began six years after the conquest of Constantinople. On the athens istanbul cappadocia tour, the name Topkapi, meaning Cannon Gate, is easy to remember.
Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror ordered the building work. The buildings are low and spread out. Wikipedia counts four main courtyards plus the harem. High walls and gates controlled entry. In Greek and Byzantine times, the acropolis of ancient Byzantion stood on this ground.
The first courtyard was the easiest to enter, and the harem the hardest. Two parts draw the visitor on the athens istanbul cappadocia tour. Female members of the sultan’s family lived in the harem. The treasury, called hazine, displays the Spoonmaker’s Diamond and the Topkapi Dagger.
Wikipedia says visitors see only the key rooms. The museum also holds Ottoman clothing, weapons, armour and manuscripts. After the palace, the bazaar is a change of pace. Kapalicarsi means Covered Market. Wikipedia counts over 4,000 shops along 61 covered streets, on 30,700 square metres. It ranks among the oldest and biggest covered markets in the world.
The bazaar lies in Fatih, between the Beyazit and Nuruosmaniye mosques. Trams link it with Sultanahmet and Sirkeci. A walk through it fills the end of the athens istanbul cappadocia tour in Istanbul.
Early in the seventeenth century the bazaar had a square plan. Two main roads crossed at the centre, and a third ran round the edge. Each road took its name from the sellers of one good. Eighteen gates opened each morning. The old core, the Bedesten, has four gates, among them the Jewellers’ Gate in the east.
How does the Ankara day work on an athens istanbul cappadocia tour?
The Ankara day of an athens istanbul cappadocia tour is day eight. A flight from Istanbul lands in Ankara, the capital of Turkey, in the central part of Anatolia. Ankara replaced Istanbul as capital early in the twentieth century. The plan then moves on by road to Cappadocia.
Ankara is Turkey’s second-largest city by population, after Istanbul. Its historical centre is a rocky hill beside the Ankara River, rising above its left bank. The ruins of Ankara Castle still crown that hill. Well-preserved Roman and Ottoman buildings also stand across the city. Ankara sits at the centre of Turkey’s road and railway networks.
Ankara Castle has the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations on its southern side. It occupies two Ottoman buildings: an old bazaar storage hall and an inn called Kursunlu Han. The exhibits fill the old bazaar building, while the inn holds work rooms and a library. On an athens istanbul cappadocia tour, the museum is a main stop of day eight.
On an athens istanbul cappadocia tour, the displays run in time order from the Paleolithic era. They continue through the Neolithic, Bronze Age, Hittite, Phrygian, Seljuq and Ottoman periods. The Hittite section shows a God of War relief from Hattusa, taken from its King’s Gate. Over 20,000 clay tablets in Assyrian cuneiform shed light on early trade.
Anitkabir is a complex in the Cankaya district of Ankara that holds the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. Visitors enter along the Lion Road, which leads to a ceremonial plaza. The complex also has ten towers and the Ataturk and War of Independence Museum. Check the official page for opening rules before an athens istanbul cappadocia tour.
After Ankara, the road to Cappadocia passes the Sultan Han, a Seljuk caravanserai. A caravanserai was a roadside inn where caravans and travellers rested overnight. It stands in Sultanhani town, about 40 kilometres west of Aksaray on the Konya road. The Sultan Han is one of three monumental caravanserais near Aksaray. An athens istanbul cappadocia tour stops here.
What is Cappadocia on an athens istanbul cappadocia tour?
On an athens istanbul cappadocia tour, Cappadocia is a historical region in Central Anatolia, Turkey. The tourist part of it lies in Nevsehir province. It is known for its fairy chimneys. It also holds hundreds of churches and monasteries, such as those of Goreme and Ihlara. The plan spends the night of day eight in the region.
Cappadocia lies in central Anatolia, in the heartland of Turkey. Its relief is a high plateau over 1,000 metres in altitude, pierced by volcanic peaks. Near Kayseri, Mount Erciyes rises to 3,916 metres, the highest of those peaks. This is the landscape that an athens istanbul cappadocia tour reaches after Ankara. The western boundary is vague.
Eruptions long ago at Erciyes, Hasan and Golludag laid down thick volcanic deposits. Wind and water shaped the soft rock into fairy chimneys and rock formations over millions of years. Harder layers at Uchisar and Ortahisar stayed standing and were later used for rock-cut castles. Uchisar is on the plan for day nine.
UNESCO has put Goreme National Park, plus other rock sites in Cappadocia, on its World Heritage List. The listing includes the Kaymakli and Derinkuyu underground cities. The listed area covers almost 9,884 hectares. Day nine of an athens istanbul cappadocia tour visits two places from this listing. The region was also a centre of early Christian learning.
Goreme is a town in Nevsehir Province, surrounded by valleys full of rock formations. It became the tourist capital of Cappadocia, and almost all its old cave houses are now hotels. Nevsehir, Avanos, Uchisar and Urgup are towns around it. Goreme has a population of 2,034. An athens istanbul cappadocia tour spends the night in this area.
Underground cities were dug here to give protection during periods of persecution. Fairy chimneys here were hollowed out into churches, houses and underground cities. Wikipedia explains the old name Korama as words meaning “you cannot see this place”. Goreme is also known for hot air balloon rides. That history shapes day nine of an athens istanbul cappadocia tour.
What do the underground city and the Goreme valley add to an athens istanbul cappadocia tour?
On an athens istanbul cappadocia tour, day nine opens with Kaymakli, an underground city, and the Goreme valley. Kaymakli lies in Nevsehir Province. It dates to the eighth century, when Christians dug it to defend themselves from invaders and bandits. It is one of the largest underground settlements in the region.
The village houses of Kaymakli are built around nearly one hundred tunnels of the underground city. Four of its floors are open to tourists. Each of those spaces is organised around ventilation shafts. An athens istanbul cappadocia tour that enters Kaymakli walks through that layout. Tunnels of eight to nine kilometres once linked it with Derinkuyu.
The rock around Goreme is soft, and people have carved cave homes there since at least the third century. Underground complexes across Cappadocia have stables, cellars, storage rooms, wine presses and chapels. At Derinkuyu, small air vents link rooms to the wider central shafts. An athens istanbul cappadocia tour shows this style of living on day nine.
Valleys full of rock formations spread around Goreme. No other place in Cappadocia has more painted churches, hermitages and monasteries. In Byzantine times, the land of today’s Open Air Museum belonged to a village called Korama. On an athens istanbul cappadocia tour, the valley is where the rock-cut churches come into view.
The rock-hewn churches carry frescoes of Bible scenes and the lives of Jesus, Mary and the saints. Certain simpler cave churches around the village date from the sixth and seventh centuries. Others belong to the tenth and eleventh centuries, also an age of fresco painting. The Dark Church is one of the finest frescoed churches in the museum.
These churches were places of worship for early Christians, so a quiet visit suits them. Goreme was an important centre of Christianity between the sixth and the ninth century. About 400 churches stand near Goreme, including churches in and around Zelve and Uchisar. Check the official pages for opening rules before an athens istanbul cappadocia tour.
What do Zelve, Uchisar and Avanos add to an athens istanbul cappadocia tour?
On day nine, an athens istanbul cappadocia tour spends its second half in the villages of the valleys. Zelve is an abandoned rock-cut village. Uchisar is a rock castle on a hill. Avanos is a pottery town on the Kizilirmak river.
The Zelve stop of an athens istanbul cappadocia tour shows a village that people left. Wikipedia states that Zelve belongs to the Zelve Open Air Museum, between Urgup and Avanos. It lies 10 km from Goreme on the Avanos road. Three valleys form the site, and a tunnel joins two of them.
Zelve was a monastic retreat between the ninth and thirteenth centuries, as Wikipedia states. The last inhabitants moved to a new town, Yeni Zelve, 2 km away. Zelve lacks the rich frescoes of Goreme. Its sights are rooms, passages and pointed fairy chimneys. A mill, a small mosque and dovecotes also stand there.
Uchisar is the next name on day nine of this athens istanbul cappadocia tour. Wikipedia explains that rock formations such as Uchisar are made of harder volcanic rock layers. These layers resisted erosion better than the softer deposits around them. They stayed high over time and were later adapted for rock-cut castles and settlements.
Avanos closes the valley loop of the athens istanbul cappadocia tour. The town stands on the banks of the Kizilirmak, the longest river of Turkey. It lies 18 km north of Nevsehir. Wikipedia names pottery as its main industry. The craft uses clay from the red silt of the river.
Time for shopping fits Avanos well, because the pottery work happens in the town itself. Wikipedia adds that old Avanos is riddled with small underground cities, now mainly used by the pottery enterprises. A traveller can watch the craft and ask questions. A small day bag keeps room for a light piece of clay work.
How do the flights back to Istanbul and the last day work on an athens istanbul cappadocia tour?
On day ten, an athens istanbul cappadocia tour leaves Cappadocia for Ankara airport and flies back to Istanbul. Day eleven is the departure day. Istanbul has two international airports, and Istanbul Airport is one of them. Plan a spare buffer before every flight.
Day ten of the athens istanbul cappadocia tour is a travel day. The road leads from Cappadocia to Ankara airport, and a flight returns you to Istanbul. Wikipedia gives the altitude of Cappadocia as over 1,000 m. Keep your passport and boarding documents in your day bag, not in the suitcase.
The evening in Istanbul is free, and it closes the city story of this athens istanbul cappadocia tour. Wikipedia states that Istanbul straddles the Bosphorus and sits on two continents. A short walk near the hotel is enough after a travel day. An early night helps before the departure.
Day eleven starts with a transfer to the airport. Wikipedia states that Istanbul Airport is in the Arnavutkoy district on the European side of the city. Its control tower has the shape of a tulip, the national flower. Your ticket names the airport for your departure flight on this athens istanbul cappadocia tour.
A spare buffer helps on day eleven of an athens istanbul cappadocia tour. Wikipedia lists Istanbul Airport among the busiest airports in Europe, and its flights reach up to 122 countries. Luggage allowance differs by airline, so check the airline for each flight. This plan has flights on days six, eight, ten and eleven.
Wikipedia names Sabiha Gokcen as the other international airport of Istanbul. It also states that scheduled passenger flights moved from the old Ataturk Airport to Istanbul Airport. Older printed notes can therefore carry the old airport name. Always compare the name on your own ticket with the transfer details.
Which entry rules, money and packing points matter on an athens istanbul cappadocia tour?
Check three things before an athens istanbul cappadocia tour: your passport, your money and your bags. The plan crosses from Greece to Turkey. Read the official entry pages for your own passport. Then pack for a dry, high inland region as well as for the sea.
A passport is the first item for an athens istanbul cappadocia tour. Check the official pages for the rules of your own passport, including how long it must stay valid. Wikipedia states that the Schengen Area has 29 European countries with open borders and shares land borders with Turkey. The e-visa question belongs to the same check.
Money changes at the border. Turkey has its own currency, the Turkish lira, as the Wikipedia page on Istanbul shows. Bring a payment card and a small amount of cash. Ask your bank how the card works abroad. This keeps the athens istanbul cappadocia tour simple at markets and cafes.
Wikipedia describes a continental climate in Cappadocia, with dry heat in summer and snow with cold in winter. Its altitude is over 1,000 m, so evenings feel cooler. Pack a sun hat for the day and a warm layer for the night. Shoes with good grip suit marble steps, cobbles and rock floors on an athens istanbul cappadocia tour.
The meltemi is a north wind of the Aegean, and Wikipedia says it blows in spells until around mid-September. Afternoons bring its strongest gusts, and nights are calmer. Winds of force 7-8 are possible, and island ferries cannot run then. Keep a spare buffer around days three and five of the athens istanbul cappadocia tour.
Zelve spreads over three valleys joined by a tunnel. Rooms and passages mean stairs and tight spaces on that day. Children need breaks on long days. Wheelchair access varies between sites, so ask the provider before booking. Read the dress rules for mosques and rock churches on each official page. Add travel insurance to the list.
Save your tickets for the athens istanbul cappadocia tour in one folder, and keep a copy on your phone.
What else do travellers ask about an athens istanbul cappadocia tour?
Does an athens istanbul cappadocia tour work with Turkey first and Greece last?
Yes, an athens istanbul cappadocia tour can run the other way round, starting in Turkey and ending in Greece. The cities stay the same, and only the order of the flights changes. Wikivoyage lists Nevsehir Kapadokya Airport, 30 km north of Nevsehir town, with flights from Istanbul.
Wikipedia adds that Istanbul has two international airports, so check which one each flight uses. The sea part matters more. Wikivoyage says the Piraeus to Mykonos ferries it lists stop by the end of October and restart by April.
Wikipedia describes Cappadocia winters as cold and snowy, with summers hot and dry. A Turkey-first order puts that cold at the start of a winter trip. Timetables differ from season to season, so ask the provider and leave a spare day before any flight home.
Is one more night in Cappadocia possible when the plan feels tight on an athens istanbul cappadocia tour?
Yes, a traveller can ask for one more night. This athens istanbul cappadocia tour then runs at a calmer pace. Wikivoyage says sunrise and sunset are the times when slanting light colours the rock formations. It also says balloons launch at sunrise.
A balloon ride is a one-hour trip in a 20-person basket, and Goreme has the biggest concentration of operators. An extra evening also opens a walk in Pigeon Valley, the canyon between Uchisar and Goreme. The tiny doors on its cliff sides were pigeon coops.
Wikivoyage places Ihlara Valley in the Guzelyurt area. It also says hiking trails run from easy strolls to long treks through canyons. Ask the provider whether the flight back to Istanbul can move by a day. Ask too whether the transfers move with it.
How can a free evening be spent on an athens istanbul cappadocia tour?
Each free evening of an athens istanbul cappadocia tour has a different mood. Wikivoyage says Mykonos Town has streets lined with little shops, galleries, cafes, bars and restaurants. Wikipedia describes the island as known for its vibrant nightlife.
Ano Mera, about 7 km east, has a large central square with Greek tavernas on three sides. In Istanbul, Wikivoyage names Istiklal Avenue and Taksim Square as the heart of modern Istanbul. It also lists a classic Bosphorus cruise, including a trip on a public transport ferry.
Kadikoy, on the Asian side, is named a lively district with a rich cultural scene. In Cappadocia, Wikivoyage lists local dishes such as manti and testi kebap. It also calls the region a major wine-producing area, so an evening meal can be a tasting of local food.
Which greetings in Turkish and Greek suit an athens istanbul cappadocia tour, and is English understood?
Two words in each language add warmth to an athens istanbul cappadocia tour. The Wikivoyage Turkish phrasebook gives Merhaba for hello and Tesekkurler for thank you, with Selam as the informal hello. It also shows that Turkish can render a whole English phrase as one word.
Two travel pages give the Greek words: Kalimera means good morning, and Efharisto means thank you. One of them says kalimera works until around noon. Another gives Kalispera for good evening, which suits the free evenings. Say the words slowly and with a smile.
On Mykonos, Wikivoyage states that Greek is the official language. It adds that a foreign visitor will have no problem communicating, mainly in English. A travel page on Turkish phrases says Turks speak English in urban areas and tourist hotspots. It adds that an effort in Turkish is appreciated.
Can the free day on Mykonos be used for Delos on an athens istanbul cappadocia tour?
The plan has a free day on Mykonos, and an athens istanbul cappadocia tour can use it for Delos. Wikipedia places Delos 2 km from Mykonos. Wikivoyage adds that the recommended excursion to Delos can be booked independently, either with a tour guide or without one.
Wikipedia gives Delos an area of 3.43 square kilometres and calls it one of the important archaeological sites in Greece. Its highest point is Mount Kynthos, at 112 metres. On the World Heritage List, UNESCO cites its exceptional archaeological site.
The Archaeological Museum of Delos displays the artefacts found there. Before that, the island had been a holy sanctuary for a millennium, as Wikipedia states. Wikivoyage warns that boat services can stop in strong wind and rough seas. Ask the provider about the return boat.