All About Turkey — Self-Launched 19-Day Loop from Istanbul

Land at Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) and take the Havaist airport bus (about £4-5) or the M11 metro line into the city, then tram to Sultanahmet. Check into a Sultanahmet or Karaköy guesthouse/hostel. Spend the late afternoon wandering the Hippodrome, grabbing simit and tea, and getting your Istanbulkart travel card from a kiosk (about £2 card + top-ups). Evening: rooftop dinner in Sultanahmet or a cheap meyhane in Kumkapı.

🚌Havaist bus from IST ~£4.50; Istanbulkart ~£2 + £5 credit

🛏Sultanahmet or Karaköy hostel/guesthouse, dorm £12-18 or private twin £30-40

• →Self-guided walk Hippodrome & Sultanahmet Square
• →Istanbulkart purchase
• →Rooftop sunset viewpoint (free)

Do the big four on foot in one day. Book a timed Hagia Sophia entry online (free for the mosque section, ~£20 for the upper gallery/museum areas if applicable) and a Topkapı Palace ticket via the official muze.gov.tr site or Klook (~£22-25, plus Harem ~£8). Blue Mosque is free — dress modestly and avoid prayer times. In the afternoon, hop the tram to Eminönü for the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar (both free), or take the public Bosphorus ferry (about £1.50 one way with Istanbulkart) rather than the £13 tourist cruise — the same views for a fraction of the price.

🚌Tram T1 and public ferry with Istanbulkart, ~£3 total

🛏Sultanahmet or Karaköy hostel/guesthouse

• →Hagia Sophia
• →Blue Mosque
• →Topkapı Palace & Harem
• →Grand Bazaar & Spice Bazaar
• →Public Bosphorus ferry (instead of €15 cruise)

Take the morning high-speed train or bus from Istanbul to Çanakkale/Eceabat (roughly 5-6 hours; Kamil Koç or Pamukkale bus ~£12-15, or train to Çanakkale with a ferry hop). Base yourself in Eceabat — the closest town to ANZAC Cove. Afternoon: join a half-day Gallipoli battlefield minibus tour from Eceabat (about £30-40 including ANZAC Cove, Lone Pine, Chunuk Bair and the Turkish memorials) — this is the one place where a local guided vehicle genuinely beats DIY, as the sites are far apart with no public transport.

🚌Istanbul–Eceabat bus ~£13; Çanakkale ferry ~£1

🛏Eceabat guesthouse/hotel, twin £20-30 pp

• →Gallipoli battlefield half-day minibus tour (ANZAC Cove, Lone Pine, Chunuk Bair)

Morning dolmuş to Troy (Truva) archaeological site (~£2), entry ~£17 with the on-site audio guide via your phone. Back to Çanakkale, then catch the afternoon bus south to Selçuk (about 5 hours, ~£12-15). Selçuk is a far better base than Kuşadası for independent travellers — quieter, walkable, and right by Ephesus. Evening stroll past the floodlit Artemis temple remains and the basilica of St John.

🚌Dolmuş to Troy ~£2; Çanakkale–Selçuk bus ~£13

🛏Selçuk pansiyon/guesthouse, twin £18-28 pp

• →Troy archaeological site
• →Temple of Artemis
• →Selçuk evening walk

Get to Ephesus for the 08:00 opening (or take the free short walk / £1 dolmuş from Selçuk). Buy tickets on the official site or Klook (~£20-22; the Terrace Houses add-on ~£6 and is worth it). Two to three hours is enough; then visit the Ephesus Archaeological Museum in Selçuk (~£6). Late afternoon bus from Selçuk to Fethiye (about 4 hours, ~£10-12). Check into Fethiye old town or Çalış Beach area.

🚌Dolmuş ~£1; Selçuk–Fethiye bus ~£11

🛏Fethiye guesthouse/hostel, twin £15-25 pp

• →Ephesus ancient city + Terrace Houses
• →Ephesus Museum, Selçuk

Take the local Saklıkent dolmuş from Fethiye otogar (~£2, or a shared minibus arranged at your guesthouse). Walk the canyon boardwalks — entry ~£2-3 — and optionally do the zip-line or river tube float. In the afternoon, head to Ölüdeniz by dolmuş (~£2) and swim at the Blue Lagoon (beach club entry ~£4, or free public beach section). If you want to paraglide, book with a licensed operator (Sky Sports / Gravity) directly — about £75-90 including photos, cheaper than the onboard €120 offer.

🚌Local dolmuşes ~£6 return total

🛏Fethiye guesthouse/hostel

• →Saklıkent Canyon walk
• →Ölüdeniz Blue Lagoon swim
• →Optional paragliding via direct operator (~£80)

Dolmuş or bus to Dalyan (~£4, about 1.5 hours). Join a public/shared river boat from the Dalyan jetty (about £12-15) to the Lycian rock tombs, the mud baths (~£6 entry) and Iztuzu turtle beach (~£2). Boats run as shared trips so you don't need to charter. Return to Fethiye in the evening.

🚌Bus/dolmuş Fethiye–Dalyan ~£8 return

🛏Fethiye guesthouse/hostel

• →Dalyan shared river boat trip
• →Lycian rock tombs
• →Mud baths
• →Iztuzu Beach

This is where the Blue Cruise starts. Book a shared-cabin 7-night Fethiye–Fethiye gulet directly with a small local operator (e.g. Alaturka, Before Lunch or a boat booked via your guesthouse) — roughly £380-480 pp all-in including cabin, all meals and fuel, versus the equivalent inside a packaged tour. Boarding late morning, first swim stop at Samanlık Bay, dinner on deck.

🚌Gulet cruise (included in cruise price)

🛏Gulet twin/double cabin (shared boat)

• →Board gulet
• →First swim stop at Samanlık Bay
• →Sunset on deck

Morning swim stop at Butterfly Valley (Kelebekler Vadisi) — walk up to the waterfall if the boat allows a shore stop. Afternoon at Ölüdeniz lagoon and then anchor off Gemiler (St Nicholas) Island to explore the Byzantine ruins and swim to the beach. All meals on board.

🚌Gulet

🛏Gulet cabin

• →Butterfly Valley + waterfall walk
• →Ölüdeniz lagoon swim
• →Gemiler/St Nicholas Island ruins

Sail to Kaş, a genuinely charming small harbour town. Wander the Tuesday/local market, buy fruit and gözleme from street stalls, and swim off the small pebble beaches. Late afternoon move to Limanağzı Bay for an evening swim and dinner on deck.

🚌Gulet

🛏Gulet cabin

• →Kaş harbour & market
• →Swim stops
• →Limanağzı Bay anchorage

The highlight of the cruise: sail over the Kekova sunken ruins (no swimming over the protected site — the boat will slow past them), then stop at Kaleköy to climb to Simena Castle for the classic Lycian sarcophagi view. Multiple swimming stops in the afternoon.

🚌Gulet

🛏Gulet cabin

• →Kekova sunken ruins
• →Simena Castle climb
• →Swim stops

Anchor near Demre for snorkelling and swimming. If you want the ruins, take a local dolmuş or taxi from the harbour to Myra ancient city and the rock tombs (~£10 entry) and St Nicholas Church (~£6) — both can be done independently in 2-3 hours. Evening back on the boat.

🚌Gulet + local dolmuş/taxi ~£5

🛏Gulet cabin

• →Snorkelling at Demre
• →Optional Myra ancient city
• →St Nicholas Church

Sail past the Turquoise Coast to Kalkan — an upscale-but-walkable harbour town with lovely rooftop terraces. Stretch your legs through the old town and buy supplies at the market, then move to Firnaz Bay for an afternoon of swimming in deep turquoise water.

🚌Gulet

🛏Gulet cabin

• →Kalkan old town walk
• →Swimming at Firnaz Bay

Final morning swim, then the gulet docks back in Fethiye around midday. Disembark and check into a Fethiye guesthouse for the night. If you still have energy, take the dolmuş back to Saklıkent National Park or just do laundry and eat a proper non-boat dinner in the fish market (balık pazarı) — pick your fish and have a restaurant cook it for ~£10-14.

🚌Gulet + local dolmuş ~£4

🛏Fethiye guesthouse/hostel

• →Disembark in Fethiye
• →Fish market dinner
• →Optional Saklıkent return trip

Morning bus Fethiye to Pamukkale/Denizli (about 4 hours, ~£10-12). Check into a village guesthouse right by the travertines. In the late afternoon (cooler, better light, fewer crowds) walk the white terraces barefoot and explore Hierapolis ruins and the antique pool — combined ticket ~£20-22 booked on muze.gov.tr or Klook. Evening: cheap village restaurants and a bottle of local wine.

🚌Fethiye–Denizli/Pamukkale bus ~£11

🛏Pamukkale village guesthouse, twin £15-22 pp

• →Pamukkale travertines
• →Hierapolis ancient city + theatre
• →Cleopatra's Antique Pool (optional ~£10)

Long transport day: bus Denizli to Nevşehir/Göreme (7-8 hours, ~£15-18), or take an overnight bus to save a night's accommodation. On arrival, check into a Göreme cave guesthouse (plenty of small family-run cave hostels from £18-25 pp). If time allows, stop at Özkonak or Derinkuyu underground city on the way (~£5-6 entry) — doable by dolmuş from Göreme on another day too.

🚌Denizli–Göreme bus ~£16

🛏Göreme cave guesthouse, twin £20-30 pp

• →Optional Özkonak/Derinkuyu underground city

Start before dawn if you're doing the balloon — book direct with a licensed operator (Royal, Butterfly or Voyager) or via Klook; expect £150-200 pp including transfer and breakfast, well under the €250-290 onboard price. If you skip the balloon, hike instead. Day plan: Göreme Open Air Museum (~£10-12), then the Red/Rose Valley loop on foot or a rented scooter, Uçhisar Castle (~£5), Paşabağ/Cavusin fairy chimneys, Pigeon Valley viewpoint, Devrent Valley. Evening: a local pottery workshop in Avanos (many are free to browse, ~£10-15 to actually throw a pot) and dinner in Göreme.

🚌Dolmuşes and walking, ~£5; or scooter hire ~£18/day

🛏Göreme cave guesthouse

• →Optional hot air balloon (~£175 direct)
• →Göreme Open Air Museum
• →Uçhisar Castle
• →Pigeon Valley & Devrent Valley
• →Avanos pottery workshop

Morning free for one last valley walk, then fly Nevşehir (NAV) or Kayseri (ASR) to Istanbul — domestic flights on AJet/Pegasus/Turkish are often £25-45 booked a few weeks ahead, and cut 11 hours of bus travel. Land at SAW or IST and transfer back to your Istanbul guesthouse. Evening: sunset from Galata Bridge with a balık ekmek (fish sandwich, ~£3), or climb Galata Tower (~£18, book a slot online).

🚌Dolmuş to airport ~£3; Cappadocia–Istanbul flight ~£35; airport transfer ~£5

🛏Sultanahmet/Karaköy hostel or guesthouse

• →Domestic flight to Istanbul
• →Galata Bridge sunset
• →Optional Galata Tower

Final morning: a Turkish breakfast (serpme kahvaltı, ~£8-10) in Beşiktaş or Balat, a last wander through Fener/Balat's colourful streets, and any souvenir shopping at the bazaars. Take the Havaist bus or metro to the airport for your flight home.

🚌Havaist airport bus ~£4.50

🛏None (departure day)

• →Turkish breakfast
• →Balat/Fener neighbourhood walk
• →Last-minute shopping