Eviano

Country · 35 destinations

Turkey

Turkey is where Eviano started: from Istanbul to Mesopotamia, 35 destinations in seven regions, each with honest costs, hotels in three price ranges and the kind of tips you otherwise only get from relatives who live there.

Getting there
Flights from Zurich approx. EUR 268 to 482, 3 to 4 hours
Money
You pay in Turkish lira (TRY). The exchange rate moves a lot, which is why all prices here are given in francs and euros. Cards are accepted almost everywhere; you need cash for the dolmuş, markets and tips.

Destinations in Turkey, region by region

The Bosphorus, fairy chimneys and 8000 kilometres of coast

Marmara

Istanbul, Ottoman capitals and the Dardanelles

Istanbul Flights approx. 235 EUR
Marmara

Istanbul

What a long weekend or a week in the city on two continents really costs, which neighbourhoods you actually need, and where the locals eat.
Bursa Flights approx. 300 EUR
Marmara

Bursa

What a few days in the first Ottoman capital really cost, where the İskender kebab was invented and how to experience Uludağ without the tourist markup.
Çanakkale Flights approx. 321 EUR
Marmara

Çanakkale

What a week on the Dardanelles really costs, how to see Troy without disappointment and why Bozcaada is the most beautiful island hardly anyone outside Turkey knows about.
Edirne Flights approx. 300 EUR
Marmara

Edirne

What two days in the second Ottoman capital really cost, why Sinan's masterpiece is worth any journey and how to eat the liver like a local.
İznik Flights approx. 300 EUR
Marmara

İznik

What a few quiet days on Lake İznik cost, why the city of the councils and the tiles deserves more than a side trip, and where to buy the genuine ceramics.

Aegean

Ancient cities, vineyards and turquoise bays

Izmir Flights approx. 321 EUR
Aegean

Izmir

The most open-minded city in Turkey: a long waterfront promenade, a living bazaar quarter and the best-preserved ancient city, Ephesus, only 40 kilometres away.
Bodrum Flights approx. 310 EUR
Aegean

Bodrum

Whitewashed lanes, a Crusader castle on the harbour, one of the Seven Wonders in ruins and the quietest bays on the Aegean coast: Bodrum is more than a summer party destination.
Kuşadası Flights approx. 321 EUR
Aegean

Kuşadası

Gateway to Ephesus, three more ancient cities and the wine village of Şirince: Kuşadası is the best base for the ancient west coast of Turkey.
Pamukkale Flights approx. 375 EUR
Aegean

Pamukkale

What the white travertine terraces really cost, why you should stay one night and how to see Hierapolis without the tour buses.
Çeşme Flights approx. 300 EUR
Aegean

Çeşme

What a week at the tip of the Aegean really costs, where Alaçatı is more show than substance and which bays are worth it.

Mediterranean

Turkish Riviera, Lycia and 300 days of sun

Antalya Flights approx. 268 EUR
Mediterranean

Antalya

Direct flights from Zurich, turquoise water, a 2,000-year-old old town, and far more than the all-inclusive resort most people book.
Fethiye Flights approx. 332 EUR
Mediterranean

Fethiye

Turquoise lagoons, ancient Lycian rock tombs and one of the wildest gorges in Turkey: Fethiye is more than the most famous paragliding spot in the country.
Kaş Flights approx. 375 EUR
Mediterranean

Kaş

What a week in the most relaxed town on the Turkish Mediterranean costs, why no package-tour buses stop here and which experiences are really worth it.
Alanya Flights approx. 321 EUR
Mediterranean

Alanya

What a week in Alanya really costs, why the castle and the Dim River are more than a resort add-on and how to combine all-inclusive and city cleverly.
Side Flights approx. 321 EUR
Mediterranean

Side

What a week in Side costs, how to combine antiquity and beach in a single day and which excursions from the resort are really worth it.

Central Anatolia

Cappadocia, the Hittites and the heart of the country

Cappadocia Flights approx. 342 EUR
Central Anatolia

Cappadocia

What a week among the fairy chimneys really costs, how to avoid the tourist traps once you are there, and which experiences are worth your money.
Ankara Flights approx. 225 EUR
Central Anatolia

Ankara

The underrated capital: a world-class museum, Atatürk's mausoleum, hardly any tourists and prices that make Istanbul look expensive.
Eskişehir Flights approx. 332 EUR
Central Anatolia

Eskişehir

UNESCO World Heritage, meerschaum craftsmanship and canal boats beneath Ottoman timber houses: Eskişehir is the most interesting hidden gem in Turkey.
Konya Flights approx. 375 EUR
Central Anatolia

Konya

What Konya really costs, where you can see the whirling dervishes without the tourist-show feel, and why the city is more than a stop on the way to Cappadocia.
Hattuşa Flights approx. 321 EUR
Central Anatolia

Hattuşa

How to reach the 3500-year-old Hittite capital, what the visit really costs and why you will walk through the Lion Gate and the rock sanctuary almost alone.

Black Sea

Tea plantations, monasteries and green highland pastures

Trabzon Flights approx. 375 EUR
Black Sea

Trabzon

What a week on the Black Sea really costs, why you should not visit Uzungöl in August and which experiences around Trabzon are worth your time.
Rize Flights approx. 385 EUR
Black Sea

Rize

What a week between tea plantations and high pastures costs, when Ayder is empty and how to experience the Fırtına valley without a tour bus.
Amasya Flights approx. 407 EUR
Black Sea

Amasya

What two days in the most beautiful river town in Anatolia cost, which konak you should sleep in and why the royal tombs look best at night.
Safranbolu Flights approx. 321 EUR
Black Sea

Safranbolu

What a night in an Ottoman konak costs, when the old town is empty and why Safranbolu deserves more than a day trip from Ankara.
Sinop Flights approx. 407 EUR
Black Sea

Sinop

What a week in the quietest harbour town on the Black Sea costs, why the prison is the main reason to visit and where you can really swim.

Eastern Anatolia

Ararat, Lake Van and the end of the world

Van Flights approx. 407 EUR
Eastern Anatolia

Van

What a week on Lake Van really costs, why breakfast here is a full-day programme and which corners beyond Akdamar Island are worth the trip.
Kars Flights approx. 428 EUR
Eastern Anatolia

Kars

What a trip to Kars and the ghost city of Ani really costs, when winter is worth it and how to book the famous train without losing your nerve.
Erzurum Flights approx. 396 EUR
Eastern Anatolia

Erzurum

What a ski holiday in Palandöken costs compared with the Alps, which Seljuk buildings you have to see and why the cağ kebab is different here.
Doğubayazıt Flights approx. 417 EUR
Eastern Anatolia

Doğubayazıt

What a trip to the foot of Ararat really costs, how to see İshak Pasha Palace without the coaches and what the climb actually involves.
Malatya Flights approx. 385 EUR
Eastern Anatolia

Malatya

What a trip to Malatya really costs, how to reach Nemrut from the quiet northern side and why the apricots here are more than a souvenir.

Southeastern Anatolia

Mesopotamia, Göbekli Tepe and the best food in Turkey

Mardin Flights approx. 449 EUR
Southeastern Anatolia

Mardin

What a week in the golden stone city really costs, how to combine Mardin, Midyat and the monasteries sensibly and which experiences are worth it.
Gaziantep Flights approx. 407 EUR
Southeastern Anatolia

Gaziantep

What a few days in Turkey's culinary capital really cost, where to find the best baklava and which experiences beyond the food make the trip worthwhile.
Şanlıurfa Flights approx. 428 EUR
Southeastern Anatolia

Şanlıurfa

What a trip to the oldest temples in the world really costs, how to plan Göbekli Tepe and Harran sensibly and where to eat like a local in Urfa.
Diyarbakır Flights approx. 428 EUR
Southeastern Anatolia

Diyarbakır

What a trip to the city behind the black walls really costs, how safe it is today and which experiences make the journey to the Tigris worthwhile.
Mount Nemrut Flights approx. 449 EUR
Southeastern Anatolia

Mount Nemrut

What sunrise among the stone heads of Nemrut really costs, how to reach the mountain without a package tour and which Commagene sites you should take in.

All destinations →

Itineraries through Turkey

Ready-made combinations for one to three weeks: road trips, rail tours, van trips and city trios, with driving times, costs and the destinations from this site.

All itineraries →
Road trip · 10 days
Turkey · 3 stops

Lycian Coast

Antalya · Kaş · Fethiye

The D400 along the Lycian Coast is the most beautiful coastal road in Turkey. You drive it in ten days from Antalya to Fethiye, with swimming stops, ruins and three bases instead of packing your bags every morning.
Cities & culture · 8 days
Turkey · 3 stops

Istanbul and Cappadocia

Istanbul · Cappadocia

The city on two continents and the fairy chimneys in one week: this route is the reason most people travel to Turkey for the first time, and it works entirely without a car.
Road trip · 12 days
Turkey · 5 stops

Aegean Round Trip

Izmir · Çeşme · Kuşadası · Pamukkale · Bodrum

Ancient cities, wine villages, travertine terraces and the most beautiful coves of the west coast in one loop from Izmir. Twelve days, five bases, around 800 kilometres on good roads.
Road trip · 12 days
Turkey · 5 stops

Black Sea Road Trip

Trabzon · Rize · Amasya · Safranbolu · Sinop

Tea plantations down to the sea, monasteries on cliff faces, Ottoman timber houses and a coast hardly any Swiss traveller has ever seen. Twelve days, a good 1,200 kilometres, a lot of green and a lot of rain.
Road trip · 10 days
Turkey · 4 stops

Eastern Turkey Round Trip

Van · Doğubayazıt · Kars · Erzurum

Plateaus at 1,700 metres, a lake the size of the canton of Bern, Armenian churches, a palace in front of Ararat and the ruins of a capital on the border river. Eastern Turkey is vast, empty and hospitable.
Food · 9 days
Turkey · 5 stops

Culinary Mesopotamia

Gaziantep · Şanlıurfa · Mardin · Diyarbakır · Nemrut

The best cuisine in Turkey is in the south-east: baklava, lahmacun, kebab in twenty varieties and liver for breakfast. Plus the oldest temples in the world, a stone city above the plain and the heads of gods at 2,150 metres.

What to eat where

Six dishes worth a detour, each with the place or market to find them.

BaklavaGaziantep · İmam Çağdaş (Uzun Çarşı, old town) and Koçak Baklava (branches in the centre)Paper-thin layers of pastry, pistachios and butter, crisp rather than soggy; fıstıklı with pistachio, şöbiyet with cream. A plate of four to six pieces costs CHF 4 to 6 (about EUR 4.30 to 6.50), a kilo CHF 20 to 30.Balık EkmekIstanbul · Eminönü, boats by the Galata BridgeGrilled mackerel in white bread with onions, lettuce and lemon. Tastes of smoke and sea, costs CHF 3 to 5 (about EUR 3.20 to 5.40). The cheapest meal with a Bosphorus view you will find.BoyozIzmir · Dostlar Fırını, AlsancakFlaky, oily pastry of Sephardic origin, fresh from the oven, with sesame. The breakfast of Izmir. CHF 0.80 to 1.50 (about EUR 0.85 to 1.60) a piece.MuhlamaRize · Breakfast places and lodges in Ayder Yaylası, ÇamlıhemşinCornmeal, plenty of butter and kolot cheese, stirred in the pan until the cheese pulls threads. The breakfast of the Hemşin valleys, CHF 4 to 6 (about EUR 4.30 to 6.50) per pan, with bread and tea a whole meal.Testi KebabıCappadocia · Avanos, restaurants along the Kızılırmak riverLamb or beef with tomatoes, peppers and garlic, braised for hours in a sealed clay jug. The jug is cracked open at your table and the meat falls apart. CHF 15 to 25 (about EUR 16 to 27) per jug depending on the place, usually meant for two.İskender KebapBursa · Kebapçı İskender, Atatürk Caddesi by Heykel squareThinly sliced döner on cubed flatbread, topped with tomato sauce and sizzling hot butter, yoghurt on the side. CHF 10 to 14 (about EUR 11 to 15) at the original, CHF 7 to 10 at the imitators.

Activities in Turkey

All activities →
Trekking and Hiking Cycling and Bike Tours Camping and Vanlife Diving and Snorkelling Paragliding and Tandem Flights Skiing and Winter Sports Surfing, Kiting and Sailing Golf in Belek Rafting and Canyoning City Breaks

What is on when in Turkey

Open the calendar →
Dec 17

Şeb-i Arus Commemoration Konya

Culture · Turkey

17 December 2026 7 to 17 December, culminating on 17 December Konya

The wedding night: that is what the Mevlevi call the anniversary of the death of the mystic Rumi on 17 December 1273. For ten days Konya hosts daily sema ceremonies of the whirling dervishes in a large hall, plus concerts and lectures. The ceremonies are not a show but a religious service: stay quiet, do not applaud. Tickets through the city of Konya, often free but limited and gone weeks in advance.

For travellers: Konya is fully booked around 17 December and the high-speed train from Ankara and Istanbul is full then; organise tickets and hotel early.

Jan 1

New Year's Day (Yılbaşı)

Public holiday · Turkey

1 January 2027 1 January, public holiday Nationwide

1 January is a public holiday in Turkey. New Year's Eve is celebrated mainly in Istanbul, Izmir and the resort towns, with fireworks on the Bosphorus and gala dinners in hotels. Government offices and banks are closed on 1 January; restaurants and shops in tourist areas are mostly open. Hotel prices over the turn of the year are noticeably higher.

For travellers: New Year's Eve in Istanbul hotels is often only bookable with a compulsory gala package, and on 1 January some museums are closed.

Jan 17

Selçuk Camel Wrestling Festival

Festival · Turkey

17 January 2027 Third Sunday in January Selçuk near Ephesus

The biggest camel wrestling event on the Aegean: around a hundred decorated camels face off in pairs in Selçuk, a few kilometres from Ephesus, accompanied by music, grill stalls and thousands of spectators from the region. The animals are not injured; the bouts are more shoving than wrestling. Entrance costs a few francs; you sit on the ground or on plastic chairs.

For travellers: Selçuk and Kuşadası are full this weekend; otherwise January on the Aegean is quiet and cheap.

Feb 8

Ramadan (Ramazan)

Public holiday · Turkey

8 February 2027 Movable; 2026 roughly 18 February to 19 March, 2027 roughly 8 February to 8 March Nationwide

During the fasting month of Ramadan, practising Muslims abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset. Little changes for travellers: restaurants stay open in cities and resort towns, while in conservative regions (Konya, south-eastern Anatolia) many places close during the day. In the evening, at the breaking of the fast (iftar), streets and squares fill up, in Istanbul around the Sultanahmet Mosque for instance.

For travellers: Eat and drink discreetly during the day in conservative cities, book a table early in the evening, and expect heavy traffic just before iftar.

Or rather Japan?

Japan

Temples, the Shinkansen, onsen and the best food on earth

Or rather Switzerland?

Switzerland

The Matterhorn, Lake Lucerne and the most punctual railway in the world

Or rather Germany?

Germany

Berlin, the Baltic, the Black Forest and the Alps on your doorstep

Or rather Austria?

Austria

Vienna, Salzburg, lakes and the mountains that would cost too much at home