Istanbul
+45%€87median tour
€67middle half of tours€180
- 10% under €50
- #42 cheapest of 50
Europe · 17 cities
Things to Do in Turkey
Seventeen Turkish destinations in one place: how Istanbul, Cappadocia and the coast fit together as one trip, what the balloons actually depend on, and what a day out costs.
11,030 tours listed by Viator 17 cities we cover Median tour €87–€87 Free cancellation
Where to go
Cities of Turkey
In the order Viator’s own catalogue puts them — most-booked first, not alphabetical.
What it costs
What tours cost in Turkey
From our own price index — 2,400 tours across 50 cities, collected August 2026. Medians, not averages: a couple of multi-day packages drag an average into fiction.
Vertical line is the global median, €60. Full table for all 50 cities in the Tour Price Index.
Practical info
Know before you book
The things that change a decision — not a retelling of the guidebook.
Cappadocia balloons are cancelled more often than people expect
Flights go only in calm air, and wind grounds them regularly — most often in winter and early spring. Operators rebook you onto the next morning rather than refund on the day. The practical answer is to give Cappadocia two mornings, not one, and to fly on the first of them.
Hagia Sophia is a working mosque again
Which changes the visit rather than preventing it: shoes come off, women cover their heads, and prayer times close parts of the building. Fridays around midday are the busiest for worship. Dress for it and plan the visit for a morning that is not Friday.
The country is enormous and the flights are cheap
Istanbul to Cappadocia is a little over an hour in the air and ten hours or more by road. Domestic flights are frequent and inexpensive, and nearly every sensible multi-day itinerary uses them. A coach-only tour covering both is mostly coach.
Prices are quoted in euros or dollars for a reason
The lira has moved fast for years, so operators and museums price for foreign visitors in hard currency. Compare the total in your own currency rather than converting the lira figure, and expect museum entry to be a separate foreign-visitor rate.
The coast and the interior are different climates
Antalya and the Turquoise Coast are swimmable into November; Cappadocia gets snow and central Anatolia is properly cold. A trip covering both in the same fortnight needs two sets of clothes and a check that the inland tours are still running.
The cheapest coach tours include a shopping stop
Carpet, leather or ceramic workshops are where a very cheap tour makes its margin. That is not a scam and the demonstrations are often genuinely interesting, but it is an hour of your day. The listing usually says so — it is worth reading before choosing on price.
When to visit
Turkey through the seasons
What is open, how busy it gets, and when to book ahead.
Spring
Apr–May
- Best for
- Istanbul at its best, Cappadocia green, the ruins before the heat.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Balloon cancellations are commonest in early spring — keep the second morning free.
Summer
Jun–Aug
- Best for
- The coast, gulets and boat days; the whole Aegean shoreline running.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Ephesus and the inland sites are brutal by midday — take the first departure of the day.
Autumn
Sep–Oct
- Best for
- Everything at once: warm sea, comfortable cities, reliable ballooning weather.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- The strongest month of the year to visit — book Cappadocia accommodation early.
Winter
Nov–Mar
- Best for
- Istanbul without crowds, Cappadocia in snow, the lowest prices of the year.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Coastal resorts largely shut and balloons fly less often — plan cities, not beaches.
Frequently asked
Turkey: common questions
How many days do you need in Turkey?
Ten days is the standard first trip: four in Istanbul, three in Cappadocia, three on the coast or at Ephesus, with domestic flights between them. A week works for Istanbul and Cappadocia alone. Istanbul on its own repays four days easily.
What does a tour in Turkey cost?
Istanbul sits at a median of €87 in our index of 50 cities, against a global median of €60 — one of the higher figures in the study. The composition explains it: Bosphorus cruises, full-day tours and the Cappadocia products sold out of Istanbul are all whole-day items rather than two-hour walks.
Is the Cappadocia balloon flight worth it?
It is the single most-booked experience in the country and very few people regret it. The caveats are practical: it is expensive, it leaves before dawn, and it is cancelled for wind often enough that a one-night stay in Cappadocia is a gamble. Two nights turns it into a near certainty.
Do I need a visa for Turkey?
It depends on nationality: many visitors now enter without one, others use the official e-visa, which is applied for online before travel. The list has changed more than once in recent years — check the official portal for your own passport rather than an older guide.
When is the best time to visit?
April to early June, and September to October. The coast stretches to November, Istanbul is pleasant whenever it is not high summer, and Cappadocia is at its most reliable for ballooning in autumn.
What should I wear for mosques?
Shoulders and knees covered for everyone, heads covered for women, shoes off at the door. Scarves are usually available at the entrance of the big mosques. Away from religious sites Turkey is relaxed about dress, and the coast entirely so.