How to Spend 10 Days in TURKEY | The Ultimate Travel Guide with COSTS

Toki, the land of turquoise blue waters and stunning historical landscapes. A country full of ancient bazaars that evoke old glory and chic neighborhoods that paint new stories. A culture trip where swirling mystiques lead you to early relics. Bygone caves open up to enchanting valleys and colossal monuments make their way into bustling markets. All under the watchful eyes of its most notable and sometimes notorious residents. Looking at the sheer vastness of this country and the abundance of things there is to see, smell, taste and explore, it does get a bit overwhelming, even on the best of days. In a place with such a rich history of exploration, the last thing a traveler would want is to come out feeling like a complete tourist. This video is a perfect platter to get you initiated into all things Toki. 10 days across 3 different pit stops, with a little bit of everything. A slice of the old, a dash of the urban and a chunk of the unusual. We walk you through our favorite travel hacks, detailed cost breakdowns and our ticket to the best vegetarian friendly eats, so you can spend less time planning and more time exploring. Welcome to our guide on how to spend 10 days in Toki. Toki has been one of the main characters in history for many many centuries. Some even consider it the capital of the world and we would hardly argue with that. It's seen a confluence of cultures, the east, the west, the old, the new, the crowded, the quiet, the trashy, the chic. A typical tale of the opposites. And 10 days is probably just not enough. But with an itinerary that blends its history and its culture, its mountains and its valleys, its people and their food, in just the right proportions, it might be possible to create 10 days of pure Mediterranean magic. We break our itinerary into 3 parts. 4 days in the cultural capital of Istanbul, 3 days in the heritage Karavansaray town of Safranbolu and 3 days in the stunning valleys of Cappadocia. The Toki travel playlist on our channel has a dedicated video for each of these pitstops. Do check them out after watching this video. And while you're at it, don't forget to hit the subscribe button with the bell icon. Having said that, let's dive into it. First stop, Istanbul. When starting to explore one of the most fascinating megacities in the world, you need to go in with a clear-cut game plan. Given that this old capital is full of ancient monuments, urban haunts and jaunty bylanes, it's just super easy to feel lost. Getting to know Istanbul inside out could take you months or years or even a lifetime. So to make sure you can soak it all in, you should try and explore the thumbprints of the city through its many iconic neighbourhoods. All with a quest to unlock Istanbul. Istanbul has two sides, the European side and the Asian side, divided by the Bosphorus. The Golden Horn further divides the European side to the old city, that is Fatih, known for its many historical gems and the new city, Karaköy, oozing with vibrant energy. A little north of Fatih is one of the more hipster neighbourhoods of Balat, brimming with colourful houses and cafes. A short ferry ride takes you over to the Asian side, which is terribly underrated and has some of the most laid-back vibes this city has to offer. Each of these locales have a flavour of their own, but at their core, make Istanbul the city it is today. We kick off our trip on a high note, by exploring the neighbourhood of Karaköy on the European side as soon as we land in Istanbul. Begin at the back streets of Beyoglu, which can get pretty animated thanks to these devious kitties and its vibrant graffiti. This takes you up to the Banker Street and down the most curio-filled lanes, ending at the iconic Galata Tower. Once you get up there, brace yourself to be greeted by the gorgeous vistas of the city in every direction. Istanbul, for all its gravity, knows how to keep it casual. No one place describes this better than Istiklal Street, which attracts people in droves no matter the time of the day. You can walk into one of its many dondurma joints or land in this impressive Roman Catholic church, St. Anthony of Padua. You may also choose to battle the heat at the Taksim Square for a bite of the best shawarma in town. Hop onto this cherry red tram that runs along the length of the street before hitting this famous baklava parlour. Elbowing through the crowds on Istiklal Street post sound down is a necessary ritual. Once you get there, you start to see what the fuss is all about, because it feels like one big late night party to wrap up day one. On day two, we explore the Asian side of the city, Karaköy. The morning ferry across the Bosphorus takes you straight to the more chill, less fuss kind of Istanbul. The kind of place that sleeps in late and wakes up to the smells of freshly baked cement, meant to be guzzled over a stunning view. Riding the Asian Twin to the European Cherry Tram is the best way to soak up the feel of this neighbourhood while deciding where you want to pull up. In Karaköy, it's all about the atmosphere. A casual stroll across this weekend bazaar could lead you to stumble upon this Gözleme kiosk run by gifted home cooks. A hop, skip or a tram stop away takes you towards the Atsi Maç Yelde Yirmeni neighbourhood. The murals on its walls will have you gaping in all directions with zoomed in eyes. As the sun sets, you could wind down by basking in the warmth of the orange fireball in true Karaköy spirit with endless cups of hot Turkish tea at the Moda Tea Gardens. You couldn't possibly exit Karaköy without sampling its exceptional culinary offerings. Try out a range of Turkish fares at Netflix featured restaurants before signing off with a trademark dessert that is the Kükriye. Say goodbye to this lively neighbourhood by watching the ferry lights lead you back home. By now, since we have been properly introduced to this great metropolis, we can step into the offbeat, grungier side of the town aka Balat. Roam its jazzy lanes peppered with spunky cats that match its uber hipster vibe. This would mean hopping across its many breakfast cafes downtown to sample a modern take on a Turkish breakfast or get a taste of a vegetarian kebab platter. Walking uptown would place you amongst the iconic Fenogreek Orthodox College where you could choose to be a quiet bystander to the lives of its many colourful residents. But one of the best ways of understanding Balat is by having lengthy conversations with its super friendly residents, so we highly recommend to always look out for a few connections. At sundown, make your way to the Galata Bridge to watch fishermen and tourists bear witness to the countless ships and boats tooting across the Golden Horn. As the night falls, watch the dovishes reeling in a dreamlike trance. We dedicate our last day to exploring the most legendary side of Istanbul, which also naturally means its most touristy side, otherwise known as the Old City or Fatih. You can start out by losing yourself in one of its many historical gems. The Hagia Sophia, the Basilica Cistern, the Blue Mosque, the Grand Bazaar or the Topkapi Palace. Each of these are unique in their own ways but if we just had a day to spend, we would pick and explore any two of these completely. As for us, we decided to spend our day exploring the domes of the Hagia Sophia. The Hagia Sophia has seen several reinventions in its lifetime, once a Byzantine church, then a museum and now a mosque. The stunning structures with large domes, open archways and ornate gilded interiors will make sure to have you stop and stare. After a quick brunch, walk the corridors of the complex maze that is the Grand Bazaar. Sift through its many wares and pause for sips of chai or a gulp of lemonata at one of its courtyards to beat the afternoon sun. Once you've had your share of window shopping, make your way to the Süleymaniye Mosque which is a short ride away. The quiet dignity of this marble monument is a testament to all the glory this city has seen. Immerse yourself in the gorgeous architecture both inside and out at the gardens of the mosque. You can then end your evening with a bath at a Turkish hammam or by grabbing a meal at the soup kitchens next door before signing off on Istanbul. If you'd like to watch a highly detailed video about this leg of the itinerary, we'd recommend you to add our Istanbul travel documentary to your watchlist. You shall not be disappointed, pinky promise. We now get started on the second leg of our journey by hopping on a bus to reach the magical heritage town of Safranbolu. This little lesser known town a few hours by road from Istanbul is a perfect stop for a couple of days before we move on to the more familiar finds. Discovering Safranbolu is all about digging in the fields, with no particular agenda in mind by walking its obscure alleys with your explorer hats on. This entire town was built by the affluent Ottoman merchants back in the heyday of old trade and what's unique about it is that it still looks like what it used to centuries ago. Each home designed to not block out the beautiful panoramic views of its neighbourhood. On your first day, you should keep it casual by taking a small stroll around the streets leading to the market downtown. For your first meet cute, visit a local artist to get initiated to this town the proper way. We promise the stories will be incomparable to the ones you can ever find online. After that intro, you can blend in with the crowds to sample the many offerings from Lavender to Lokum and engage your senses. Get your touristy trinket shopping out of the way at the local handicraft stores. You can choose to grab a cone of ice cream or potato skewers at one of the street kiosks before stopping to check out the music scene at one of the many restaurants over dinner. Sign off with a midnight coffee in true Turkey fashion. On our second day in Safranbolu, we get better acquainted with this town the right way by getting up close and personal with the locals. As daylight strikes, meet the local bakers for a very good morning. The smells of freshly baked cement from a warm oven is so so underrated, we can't even begin to describe it. Step out into the streets to check out the Karavansaray town for yourselves. Karavansarays were like inns or rest houses for traders and riders of the old silk route. You can see this in the way the mosque, the hamam and the markets are all set around the epicentre that is the Karavansaray Sinsihan. Back in the day, camels and horses stopped by its cobblestone pathways for a fitting up and smithery florist. You can see traces of this rich history in the blacksmiths market where you can trade stories over tea or meet the local locksmiths to see the craftsmen in meditative action. Watch the local foundry man create a barbecue grill from scratch before moving to the crux of this town that is the Sinsihan for lunch. Do a coffee ritual to wrap this meal up in a nice little packet with a dash of sweet sherbet. End your day with a high by catching bird's eye views of this gorgeous town from the hillock climbing the edge of the town. On your last day in the area, you can step away from the bustling town towards greener pastures by heading to hike the forests at Yeniche. Be prepared to cross a bridge or two and see moss-laden trees on your way. Walk beside the aqua blue waters of a stream while taking the winding roads leading up to nowhere. You might, like us, end up meeting friendly strangers, encountering surprise showers and hitching rides to get back home. It's all part of the adventure so long as you allow it to be. Take the noon bus for a 6-hour drive to reach your next pit stop by the time the moon rises. The last leg of our itinerary is going to be, you guessed it right, at the valleys of Cappadocia. I mean come on, could there be any Turkish itinerary that does not include Cappadocia? And with good reason. Because this region is a goldmine for travellers, nature lovers and tourists all at the same time. Its eccentric terrains are dotted with bustling tourist towns and then there are the trails that begin somewhere and end nowhere. But leave you feeling that little something that you have never felt before. If it were left to us, we would suggest spending an entire week here. But since the pockets are tight and time isn't very loose either, let's take three days to explore what we believe is classic Cappadocia. We begin our first day very early. The mornings here are all about the hot air balloons and you can either choose to ride them or watch them. And trust us when we say this, both are equally magical. If you choose to ride them, the plan is as easy as it can get. Sign up with one of the many agencies that do these tours and submit yourself to the tour guides on the morning of the balloon ride. The rides usually last for about an hour and you'll be back in your hotels before breakfast. But if you, like us, choose the latter, it would mean getting to one of the many viewing spots before the first rays of sunlight hit the Cappadocian valleys. So you can witness the most magical morning there could ever be. After the balloons have taken off and are midway into their expedition, we can set off on our first Anatolian trail. Hiking the Love Valley The Love Valley is called the Love Valley for many obvious reasons. And each of us is free to pick what that reason could be. While there is no denying that the valley is one big joke that planet Earth has played on all of us, there is more to this valley than what meets the eye. For starters, you get up close and personal with almost all of the balloons if you time it right. The terrain is uniquely Cappadocian with dry desert land right next to super dense flora and fauna. And the best part, since everyone's busy riding the balloons in the morning, you will always get this entire trail all for yourself. It's a hiker's jackpot. After a couple of hours, end your hike with a glass of fresh pressed orange juice. Disclaimer, it can put a pretty big dent into your pockets. So to compensate, you can hitch a ride to Goreme and grab a quick brunch of sorts. After this, we head to our next stop, the town of Avanos. About 10 minutes from Goreme is the town of Avanos. And courtesy the Red River that's been blessed with quality clay, the town of Avanos is synonymous with pottery. After a little stroll across the banks of this river, we highly recommend trying one of the many pottery classes here. It's a great way to practice a native craft while staying indoors from the punishing Cappadocian afternoons. You can get your hands as muddy as you'd like over some local stories from your newfound friends. After that most likely failed attempt at pottery, we can grab some pottery kebabs and rest for the rest of the afternoon. In the evening, you can venture out into a slightly different kind of a trail. A gastronomical one. There are many different cooking classes listed either on Google or Airbnbs across Cappadocia. And we are all for it. Cooking classes have been our go-to hack to meet locals and learn all about their culture. The food you get in the end is a mere byproduct. We strongly recommend the one we took in the town of Nevsehir. We were hosted by some of the most friendliest people who taught us how to make some local favorites like the manti and the dolma. This was easily one of the best meals we had in all of Turkey. We begin day 9 with a one-hour drive from Goreme to the town of Derinkuyu. This little-known town came into spotlight 50 years ago when one of its residents accidentally discovered a series of underground tunnels. And on further exploration, this turned out to be the biggest of the many underground cities spread all throughout Cappadocia. Once you descend through the narrow entrance, be ready to get lost in a maze of halls and passages that once used to shelter as many as 20,000 residents. With fully functioning stables, chapels, schools and markets, these underground cities were almost at par with their counterparts up top. Today though, these cities have turned into walk-in museums for the curious minds to explore and for the claustrophobic ones to maybe avoid. After spending an hour or two navigating through the multiple stories of the underground city, we ride back to Goreme and catch a much-needed afternoon nap. Around late afternoon is when we will get out for our second Anatolian trail through the Red Valley. Like every other valley in Cappadocia, the Red Valley is named as the Red Valley for obvious reasons. If you get lucky, you'll be accompanied by some free tour guides, though we can almost guarantee that they will not speak a common language. Though the sheer natural beauty of this trail is enough to demand a visit, the many cave churches hidden in the Red Valley make this hike all the more special and unique. You will soon realize that what started as a scenic hike between towering brick red walls has turned into an archaeological expedition of sorts. We decided to spend time exploring two of these cave churches, the Hasili Kilise or the Cross Church and the Kolonlu Kilise or the Column Church. These churches are relatively easy to access compared to the others and are also the best preserved ones. We highly recommend reading a little bit about their history before you visit. It always makes the exploration a lot more intriguing. Depending on the time you have in your hands and the amount of Tomb Raider spirit in your heads, you can either decide to explore as many churches as you'd want to or to march forward. The viewpoint at the end of this trail is one of the best spots to witness the famed Anatolian sunsets. So do plan to finish the hike before the sun goes down. Day 10 We will spend our last day in Cappadocia visiting a structure that stares dead straight at you irrespective of where you were during your stay here. The Uchisar Castle. But before we get there, might we suggest a small detour and visit the lesser-known Tiraz Castle right under the nostrils of the Uchisar Castle. Unlike its counterpart, the Tiraz Castle is usually unguarded, tourist-free and a perfect playground for those curious explorers within us. So feel free to spend all the time you'd like squeezing through its many narrow passages and imagining stories about the people who once lived here many years ago. After you've had your share of adventure, you can move on to the granddaddy of all castles in Cappadocia. The different floors of the castle are now converted into a museum which you are free to explore. But the grand prize is at the top. Because nothing and absolutely nothing beats the views of Cappadocia from up here. And we believe that this is the most beautifully perfect way to bid farewell to the magical valleys of Cappadocia. You can spend the rest of the evening packing up and catching a flight back to Istanbul and from there, do the overseas journey back home. Food. Now to be honest, you don't really need a guide when it comes to food in Turkey. Because no matter where you are in this country, you're always sure to see, smell or savour a real good grub right around the corner. But if you, like us, belong to the sometimes slightly stubborn community called as the vegetarians, things might seem a little tricky. Not for me. Don't you worry though, because Turkey is way more vegetarian-friendly than you think. Because there are loads of authentic Turkish vegetarian dishes that you can find no matter the time of the day. And here's our laundry list. You can start your day either the quick grab-and-go way or the lazy Susie sort of way. If you are the former, there is nothing more Turkish than stopping at one of the street carts to have the Turkish bread, simit. Simit is a circular bread with sesame or poppy seeds stocked up in carts or bakeries all over Turkey. In our books, it's a must-have snack if you don't intend to wait at the long queues without getting hungry. And if you're hoping for something that is a little more loaded, you can always go for the vegetarian Turkish sandwiches that are super yum and easy on the wallet. However, if you're someone who likes to have a long-drawn-out lazy breakfast feast which extends all the way till noon, you are in the right country. Introducing the kahvalti or the traditional Turkish breakfast. Kahvalti is an elaborate breakfast table with an assortment of cheeses, olives, jams, honeys, fruits and breads. The star of the show though is the menemen which is like an eggy, peppery, tomatoey, gooey, hot, bubbly omelette that is served on a cast iron pan which leaves you feeling super duper wholesome. Top it off with a Turkish tea and you know it's time for a long afternoon nap. Thanks to its European influences, Turkey is also one of the best places to try out a continental breakfast. There are far too many funky cafes that serve you some of the best European all-veggie breakfasts, of course, with a Turkish twist. As the day progresses, you will more often than not crave for some hydration. We highly recommend trying the icy cold lemonadas and fresh pressed orange juice from one of the street kiosks before heading on to your next stop. We could say that they are the best that we have ever had. When in Turkey, you always split your day into two halves and sandwich a long, fat lunch break in between. It's the smartest hack to escape the scorching midday heat and these are our favourite dishes of the lot. Hands down, the most soul-satisfying meal we had was the gözleme. Gözleme is the Turkish doppelganger of the Indian aloo paratha. Our favourite was at the farmer's market at Kadikoy where these culinary goddesses crafted them straight from the tawa to the table. For that Indian soul feeling a little homesick and craving that hot bowl of dal, we recommend the lentil soup dipped in freshly baked bread. You can pretty much find it all over Turkey and it's basically a portkey that takes you back home for a few seconds and brings you back to Turkey with every sip. If you find yourself in the valleys of Cappadocia, do try the pottery kebab. Almost every restaurant serves a vegetarian version and we've been told that it's as good as its meaty counterpart. And last but not the least is the vegetarian pide, Turkey's answer to the Italian pizza. You can grab these no matter where you are and they are instant hunger killers. During the day, there are an assortment of snacks that can help you sail through the tourist traffic. We don't really have to tell you about the Turkish ice cream or the dondurma, there are far too many reels about it. There is also the lokum or the Turkish delight, small bites to pop in the mouth for the ones with a sweet tooth. And then the roasted chestnuts for the feed me all day but keep me healthy kinds. As you get closer to sundown, you would want to get yourself to a tea garden with a nice view. Almost every city or a town has a social spot where people gather over tea to meet family and friends for banter and board games. We spent one of our evenings in the tea gardens of Kadikoy watching the sunset behind the skylines of Istanbul. It ranks very high amongst our favourite core memories in Turkey. When the sun goes down, the gastronomical scene in Turkey only goes up by a notch and the vegetarians aren't forgotten. These were our personal favourites. Kuru fasulye, our trusted plate of comfort when in Turkey was an improvised dish brought by the chefs of the Ottoman sultans to the soup kitchens in the alleyways. And if you are a rajma chawal fiend, rest assured, this hot bowl of white bean stew will leave you feeling just as weak in the knees. The place to try it at its authentic best is in the bylanes of the Suleymaniye Mosque. Food culture in Turkey is all about bringing people together. In that sense, it does more than just filling your tummies. Take for instance the mandi or the Turkish dumpling which, in our honest opinion, can only be made over chit-chat and banter with new friends. And after a wholesome day of exploring, end your day with a sugar high. The baklava at the Hafiz Mustafa is THE way to bring the curtains down at the culinary Turkish theatre. The cost of a trip is always subjective to your style of travel. But when in Turkey, there are a few easy hacks that could help you save a decent amount. When in Istanbul, we recommend staying close to either the Galata Tower or near Sultanahmet. Though the hotels in these locations are a little more costly, you will end up saving a lot of time and energy on internal transit which will eventually lead to cutting down costs. We also highly recommend using the IstanbulKart for all metro and bus rides within Istanbul. On similar lines, when in Cappadocia, we recommend you to stay in the town of Goremi since it's pretty much at the geographical centroid of all the attractions. Most of the places you might want to explore in Cappadocia are a few minutes to an hour's bike ride from Goremi and renting a scooter is the way to save time, energy and money. Plan to stay in Cappadocia for a minimum of 2-3 days if you intend to ride the balloons. This is the only way to ensure yourself against any ride cancellations owing to bad weather. Balloon tour cancellations are more common than you think. If you plan to hike, do use Google Maps or apps like AllTrails to chalk out your route before you start. Not all hiking trails in Cappadocia are well marked and you can, or rather you will, get lost midway if you haven't planned well. When it comes to restaurants, check the prices before you step in. You'd be surprised how overpriced some of these eateries can get. In Safranbolu, when it comes to a hotel, the choice is very simple. Everything you'd want to see here is walkable and within the Old Town. So pick one of the heritage hotels in the Old Town region and you will not regret it. Turkey has an excellent network of buses and they are not just the easiest but also the cheapest way to hop across pit stops. And by choosing an overnight bus to go to your next pit stop, they can also be a means to saving some extra money on accommodation. And with that, this is how much we spent or shall I say decided to spend on our trip. Our channel hosts similar guides for Iceland, Japan and other destinations and if you like this video, we can almost guarantee that you're going to love the other ones as well. So do consider hitting that subscribe button. It surely helps us stay motivated to make more such videos. Until we meet you again in the next one, stay healthy and keep exploring.