Best Turkey Travel Itinerary 4 nights 5 Days: One Of The Recommended Short Tours Visiting Istanbul And Cappadocia In Turkey

What to see: Best places to visit in Turkey in 5 days.

When we talk about tourism in Turkey, of course, what we will often hear is Istanbul and Cappadocia.

Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey. Long before being conquered by the Ottomans, Istanbul was Constantinople.

If the earth were a single state, Istanbul would be its capital.

NAPOLEON BONAPARTE

Certainly not without reason why Napoleon quoted that statement. There must be something in Constantinople (Istanbul).

And it turns out to be true, Istanbul has a lot of history and culture.

Istanbul today is a fine amalgamation of history and modernity.

Don’t just stay overnight in one of the best hotels in Istanbul. Of course, you can’t see all the tourist spots in one day. Consider stopping for a few days in Istanbul, and grab some Istanbul city tour packages.

There are so many things to do in Istanbul. And what is currently only being sought after by tourists are private tours and luxury tours in Istanbul, including food tours in Istanbul.

>> Read also: A special guide to having a memorable vacation experience in Istanbul.

The next destination in this itinerary is Cappadocia.

Cappadocia is located in central Anatolia. Where in modern Turkey today, Cappadocia is a mainstay for Turkish tourism.

The atmosphere of Cappadocia is unique.

All the cities are full of neat stone arrangements, which in fact the majority of the stones here are natural because of the result of volcanic eruptions that have occurred very ago in Cappadocia.

And what you certainly shouldn’t miss, you have to experience riding a hot air balloon in Cappadocia. By riding a hot air balloon you will be able to see the whole uniqueness and beauty of Cappadocia from above.

And while in Cappadocia, make sure you experience staying at one of the best cave hotels.

Istanbul’s top places to visit.

Hagia Sophia.

Hagia Sophia is now officially the Hagia Sophia Holy Grand Mosque.

This building was originally the Church of Hagia Sophia which was built as the patriarchal cathedral of the imperial capital of Constantinople in 537.

Hagia Sophia was once the largest church of the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire) and the Eastern Orthodox Church.

The story began to change when Constantinople was conquered by the Ottoman Empire in 1453.

After Constantinople fell, on 29 May 1453, Sultan Mehmed entered the city and performed Friday prayers for the first time at the Hagia Sophia. This moment is also a sign of the beginning of the Hagia Sophia to officially turn into a mosque.

Since then, Hagia Sophia has changed its function to become a mosque.

The story changed again in 1935, whereby the Republic of Turkey, Hagia Sophia was turned into a museum.

And now, in 2020 Hagia Sophia is again functioning as a mosque in Istanbul Turkey.

Until this article was written, in its history, Hagia Sophia has experienced several changes:

1. Church of Constantius II.
2. Church of Theodosius II.
3. Church of Justinian I.
4. Mosque (1453-1935).
5. Museum (1935-2020).
6. And back to being a Mosque (2020-present).

The Blue Mosque.

The mosque, which is located near the Hagia Sophia and Hippodrome Square, is actually the Sultan Ahmed Mosque.

This mosque was built by Sultan Ahmed I in 1609 and was completed in 1616.

This mosque was built because Sultan Ahmed I wanted to show again the power of the Ottomans because he had lost the war with Persia in 1603-1618.

Not only as a mosque, but there is also a madrasa, a hospice, and the tomb of Sultan Ahmed I and Mehmed Agha (the architect who built this mosque).

The mosque, which is no less magnificent than the Hagia Sophia, has five main domes, six minarets, and eight secondary domes, later known as the Blue Mosque because at first the majority of the interior walls of this mosque were made of handmade blue ceramic.

There are at least 20,000 handcrafted ceramics with 60 different tulip patterns decorating the interior of the Blue Mosque.

The architectural style of this mosque is unique. Mehmed Agha succeeded in marrying Byzantine elements with traditional Islamic architecture.

The Blue Mosque is then considered to be the last great mosque of the classical period.

Topkapi Palace Museum.

Topkapi Palace has the same meaning as Cannon Gate Palace.

The palace which later became a museum was the main residence and administrative center of the Ottoman sultans in the 15th and 16th centuries.

This palace was requested by Sultan Mehmed (the conqueror) exactly six years after the conquest in 1459.

The purpose of making this palace is to replace the Old Palace in Beyazit Square. Therefore, at first, Topkapi was called by the name “New Palace.”

The name Topkapi itself then appeared in the 19th century.

Over the centuries, the Topkapi palace complex has continued to expand. There are noted four main courtyards and several small buildings around it. And it turns out that this palace had undergone major renovations caused by an earthquake in 1509 and because of a fire in 1665.

After the 17th century, Topkapi began to lose its importance.

Sultan Abdulmejid I, in 1856 decided to move all of his activities to the new palace along the Bosphorus which became known as Dolmabahce Palace.

The Turkish government through the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, on April 3, 1924, finally turned Topkapi into a museum.

Topkapi Palace currently still keeps imperial treasures and several other Islamic historical items.

Grand Bazaar.

This bazaar is not an ordinary bazaar in general.

The Grand Bazaar is one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world.

Its area is at least 30,700 square meters, of which there are 61 covered roads with more than 4000 shops inside.

History speaks, the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is the first shopping mall in the world.

This market easily accommodates 250,000 – 400,000 visitors every day.

And in 2014, with 91,250,000 visitors per year, the Grand Bazaar has named the number one tourist destination most visited by tourists in the world.

Today the Grand Bazaar, one of Istanbul’s major landmarks, is a growing complex that employs more than 26,000 people.

The beauty of the Grand Bazaar is the main weapon of this market that can still get the attention of visitors when this market has to compete with other modern shopping centers in Istanbul.

Basilica Cistern.

Basilica Cistern is the largest of the hundreds of cisterns under the city of Istanbul Turkey.

Located 150 meters southwest of Hagia Sophia, this cistern was built by the Byzantine Emperor, Justinian I in the 6th century.

This cistern is named Basilica because previously this area was under a large public square on First Hill of Constantinople, namely the Stoa Basilica.

In the past, before the creation of the cistern, a large Basilica stood here.

Built-in the 3rd and 4th centuries, this basilica is the commercial, artistic and legal center of the Early Roman Age.

According to history, the structure was first built by Emperor Constantine and then rebuilt and expanded by Emperor Justinian.

And from the ancient writings that can be found here, it is indicated that this basilica previously faced the Hagia Sophia, had gardens, and was surrounded by a colonnade.

This expanding cistern used to provide water filtration systems to the Great Palace of Constantinople and several other buildings on First Hill and continued to do its part in supplying water to Topkapi Palace after the Ottomans conquered Constantinople in 1453.

The Basilica Cistern currently retains a small amount of water and is open to the public.

Galata Tower.

Galata Tower in Latin is “Tower of Christ.”

This building is a mid-century stone tower in Istanbul’s Galata quarter.

Overall height is 66.9 m or 62.59 m when counted without the ornament on the top. And at an altitude of 51.65 m, there is an observation deck.

Galata Tower when it was built in 1348 was the tallest structure in the city.

The outer diameter is 16.45 m at the base, the inner diameter is 8.95 m, and the wall thickness is 3.75 m.

The cone-shaped roof has undergone several renovations during the Ottoman period.

Currently, on the upper floor of the tower, you can find restaurants, cafes, and nightclubs showing a Turkish show. From here you can also see Istanbul and the Bosphorus.

To go up you can use the two elevators provided.

Camlica Hill and its new mosque named Camlica Mosque.

To distinguish it from the nearby Little Camlica Hill, then this hill is often called the Big Camlica Hill.

This hill is located in the Uskudar district of Istanbul, on the Asian side.

The hill, which is 288 m above sea level, has a panoramic view of the southern part of the Bosphorus and the mouth of the Golden Horn.

Currently, this hill is one of the favorite tourist attractions in Istanbul.

There you can find a historical-designed teahouse, cafe, and restaurant within the public garden, complete with monumental trees, fountains, and flower gardens.

In the same area, in 2019, stands the magnificent Camlica Mosque which is the largest mosque in Asia Minor.

This mosque can accommodate at least 63,000 people.

Not only as a mosque, here you can find a museum, library, art gallery, conference hall, and underground parking.

And there are many more excellent tourist attractions in Istanbul, Turkey.

Each person may have plans for visits to different tourist attractions. This is because everyone must have different interests.

How about you? Are some of the tourist attractions above according to your interests?

Here are also some recommended top things to do in Istanbul from Viator:

>> Click here for more complete top things to do in Istanbul.

Do you still want to visit more tourist attractions? Click here for the guide: A complete list of tourist attractions in Istanbul based on traveler visits and local insights.

TRAVEL TIPS.
Istanbul is the home of a lot of history and culture. To explore it, you can consider taking the Istanbul city tour package.
>> You can see some recommendations here: Recommended Istanbul city tour packages.

Cappadocia’s top places to visit.

Uchisar Castle.

Uchisar is one of the settlements in Cappadocia that you can find 5 km from Goreme, 7 km east of Nevsehir, 12 km west of Urgup, and 10 km south of Avanos.

This settlement is on the edge of Goreme National Park, which is dominated by a castle mountain with a height of about 60 m. This structure became known as Uchisar Castle.

The perforated rooms in this castle are connected by stairs, tunnels, and passages.

Just like the ones in the underground city, at each entrance of this hollow room, there is a millstone door.

This castle used to be a residential area as well as a monastery during the Byzantine period.

Uchisar Castle at that time could at least accommodate about 1000 people living in the castle.

This castle is currently uninhabited.

From the top of Uchisar Castle, you can see a panoramic view of the surrounding environment and you can even see Mount Erciyes from up here.

Pigeon Valley.

This valley is known as the Pigeon Valley because here you can find many pigeon houses on the cliffs and rocks.

In ancient times, the pigeons had a very important role for Cappadocia. The local people use pigeon dung as fertilizer.

Even though currently the pigeons don’t play the same role as before, the houses in the valley are still being looked after by locals.

The number of pigeons now is not as much as before.

But in this valley, you can still find some pigeons and you can feed them. Usually children like this feeding activity.

Pigeon Valley is one of the best places you can use for hiking in Cappadocia.

This valley is located between Uchisar and Goreme. And between the two there is a hiking trail.

Along the hiking trail, you can find a rock-hewn Christian church, several abandoned and uninhabited cave houses, earth pillars, ancient paintings, and of course the pigeons that will accompany your walk.

You can choose to start your walk from Uchisar and ends at Goreme or vice versa.

However, usually more people choose the ones that end up in Goreme because there are more downhill paths on the path. And people who stay in Cappadocia usually choose to stay at one of the best hotels in Goreme.

Other adventures that you can experience in Pigeon Valley are horse riding and jeep safaris.

And because it is located close to Uchisar, of course when you visit this spot you can also take the time to go to Uchisar Castle. From the top of the castle, you can see a panoramic view of the environment around the valley.

Devrent Valley: the imaginary valley.

This valley, which is also known as Pink Valley, is different from other valleys in Cappadocia.

Here you will not find a church. There are also no Roman castles or Roman tombs.

And in fact, this Devrent Valley is never inhabited.

Devrent Valley became very famous in the world because this valley offers a unique view.

There are many rock formations you can find here. And if you glimpse the stones, you will imagine that they are shaped like animal shapes such as camels, seals, snakes, and dolphins.

Pasabag (Monks Valley).

You can find this valley only a few kilometers from Goreme, to be precise on the road to Zelve from Goreme or Avanos.

In this valley, you will be amazed by tall pillars with a roof topped with cone-shaped stones, or what is commonly called Fairy Chimneys.

Pasabag valley is also known as Monks Valley. This name was obtained because in the past the cone top made of soft stone was the place for the monks to shelter.

Some of these cones split into smaller cones at the top, so they could become a great place for the monk to meditate.

St. Simeon is one of the monks who were here. He was happy that the area here was separate and isolated from other areas.

It is believed that St. Simeon built his house 15 meters above the ground in one of the fairy chimneys. He only came down to get food and drink from what his followers had brought.

Facts show, in the 4th century, Cappadocia began to be inhabited by monks. And some of the houses that were excavated are in this valley.

Monks used to be able to perforate soft volcanic tuffs inside pillars to create a ladder up to the cone-shaped place they lived above.

Fairy Chimneys in the Pasabag valley are among the most impressive in Cappadocia. Some of the pillars are 15 meters high and split into two or even three chimneys.

The roof is shaped like a mushroom because of the continuous wind and rain on the soft rock. But legend also says that this structure was made by fairies for their underground house.

That is the reason why until now these structures are often referred to as fairy chimneys.

In this valley, there is also a chapel dedicated to St. Simeon and some of the abandoned Hermit cave houses.

Derinkuyu underground city.

There are many underground cities in Cappadocia. And Derinkuyu underground city is the biggest.

This city is an ancient multi-level underground city in the province of Nevsehir, precisely in the Derinkuyu district.

This underground city used to be continuously developed to a depth of 60 meters. Its size is so large that it can accommodate 20,000 people living here including their livestock and food stores.

Amenities can be found in the underground complex across Cappadocia such as chapels, storage rooms, stables, refectories, and wine and oil presses.

What is unique about the Derinkuyu basement house, on the second floor, there is a large room that was said to have been used for a religious school.

The underground city in ancient times was used by locals as a place to live as well as a place to shelter from war.

The underground cities in Cappadocia are connected by tunnels.

Here are some recommended top things to do in Cappadocia:

>> Click here for more complete top things to do in Cappadocia.

There are still a few more tourist attractions that you can visit in Cappadocia. Click here for the guide: A complete list of tourist attractions in Cappadocia based on traveler visits and local insights.