Backpacking Turkey travel guide

ARTICLES : 12

Welcome to Turkey, an incredible country for backpackers! And yes, Turkey isn't just a destination for city trips or all-inclusive beach vacations. Don't get me wrong, this intro is deliberately a little ironic, but it's true that very often when we tell people we've been to Turkey, they either imagine we've spent a few days in Istanbul or that we've gone to a resort on the Mediterranean or the Aegean ;) On this page, we've put together some general information that will be useful if you're planning an itinerant trip to Turkey and want to visit several regions using public transport (or your own vehicle).

Our blog posts about Turkey on a map

In all, we've written 12 blog posts about Turkey. To find them on a map, click on the button below. Alternatively, you'll find them at the end of the page. Enjoy your reading!

Turkey: Weather, Currency, Language, Capital and other useful info

Although Istanbul is often considered the cultural and economic heart of the country, Ankara has been its capital since 1923. This modern, dynamic city is home to the mausoleum of Atatürk, founder of the Turkish Republic, as well as the Museum of Anatolian Civilization, a must-see for history buffs.

Climate and best time to travel

Turkey's climate varies from region to region:

The Mediterranean climate to the south and west (Antalya, Bodrum) offers hot, dry summers, ideal for swimming.
The continental climate of the interior (Cappadocia, Ankara) means cold winters and hot summers.
The oceanic climate on the northern coast (Black Sea) is more humid and temperate.

👉 Best time of the year to travel in Turkey ? Spring (April-June) and autumn (September-October) are ideal for exploring the country without suffering from the summer heat.

Currency and cost of living

The official currency is the Turkish lira (TRY). Turkey remains a relatively affordable destination, especially for meals and transport, although inflation has recently impacted the cost of living.

💡 Useful tip : It is advisable to carry some cash, especially in small towns, but credit cards are accepted in most establishments.

Language and communication

The official language is Turkish, but English is understood in tourist areas. A few words of Turkish, such as “Merhaba” (good morning) or “Teşekkür ederim” (thank you), will always be appreciated by the locals!

Religion & traditions

Turkey is a Muslim-majority country (around 99% of the population), but the Turkish Republic is secular. Mosques punctuate daily life with the call to prayer, and certain rules of respect apply, such as covering one's shoulders when visiting religious sites.

Travel budget in Turkey

Before talking about the budget, I'd like to make a very important point about inflation in Turkey and the absolutely stratospheric evolution of the exchange rate in recent years...

For more than 10 years (roughly from 2005 to 2015), we could assume that €1 was roughly equivalent to 2 Turkish lira. Today, as I write these lines (February 2025), we're at €1 for 38 Turkish lira!

So why is the country so over-inflated? It's hard to give an ultra-detailed explanation, but here are a few points that may help explain the phenomenon

Expansionary monetary policy: The Turkish central bank, under the influence of the government, has long maintained low interest rates despite rising inflation. This policy led to a devaluation of the Turkish lira and higher prices for imported goods.
Currency crisis and loss of confidence: the Turkish lira underwent sharp devaluations, increasing the cost of imports and accentuating inflation.
Rising energy and raw materials costs: Turkey's dependence on energy imports has amplified inflationary pressure, especially with fluctuations in world prices.
Rising wages and strong domestic demand: The government raised the minimum wage to support purchasing power, but this also fuelled the inflationary spiral.
Economic instability and market perception: The Turkish government's controversial economic decisions have reduced investor confidence, accentuating currency volatility.

Although the central bank recently changed course by raising interest rates in an attempt to curb inflation, the situation remains tense and may require deeper economic adjustments to stabilize the economy.

In short, all this to say that talking about travel budgets in Turkey is a tricky business, because things change very quickly. One thing's for sure: speaking in Turkish lira is unfortunately almost impossible!

To give you an idea, when we visited Istanbul in 2015 (during our world tour), admission to the Tokapi palace and harem cost 45 lira (roughly equivalent to €20). Today, that same ticket costs... mind you... 2,000 Turkish lira! At today's exchange rate, that's equivalent to €52! The price in euros has therefore been multiplied by 2.5, while the price in lira has been multiplied by 44...

In short, in an attempt to give you a slightly more perennial estimate, I've decided to use the euro as the reference currency to give you an idea of current prices (updated to 2025).

1. Transport

Airfare: Between €150 and €500 for a round trip from Europe, depending on the season and airline. To find a flight, the easiest way is to compare prices onskyscanner.
Local transportation : Metro, streetcar and bus fares range from €0.50 to €1 per journey in the cities. For trips between cities, we found the prices to be very reasonable indeed. For details of our different journeys and the associated prices, you can read our review here.
Car rental: Between €20 and €40 per day, depending on vehicle category and period. You can compare rates on Booking.com

2. Accomodation

Youth hostels: 10 to 20€ per night. Here it obviously depends on the city and location, but it's generally still possible to find a bed in a dormitory for less than €20 (even in Istanbul). To find youth hostels, we advise you to compare on Hostelworld.com

Mid-range hotels and small apartments: €30 to €80 per night. This is the category of hotels we generally stay in. Personally, we generally try to aim for accommodation under 50€ per night, and in Turkey there are plenty of options at these prices (although Istanbul is a bit of an exception... on average, the city is still a little more expensive than the others). To find accommodation (whether a hotel or an apartment), you generally go through booking.
Luxury hotels & resorts : starting from 100€ per night.

3. Food

Street food and small restaurants: A simple meal costs between €2 and €5.
Mid-range restaurants: €10 to €20 per person.
Upscale restaurants: €30 or more per person.
Food shopping: Around €30 to €50 per week if you cook for yourself.

4. Activities & visits

Admission to museums and historic sites: Between €3 and €15.
Excursions and organized tours: From €20 to €100, depending on duration and destination. The most popular and exclusive excursions can cost a little more. I'm thinking of hot-air ballooning in Cappadocia, for example.

5. Total estimated budget

Backpacker budget: €25 to €50 per day per person. This is the budget we generally aim for on our trips. In Turkey, we ended our roadtrip on an average of 23€ in 2022, but in 2025 I think we'd be closer to 30-35€ on a similar type of trip.
Average budget: €60 to €120 per day.
Luxury budget: €150 and more per day.

Our suggested travel itineraries for Turkey

Itinéraire Istanbul - Cappadoce (1 semaine)

A perfect trip to discover both the history and the incredible landscapes of Turkey.

Day 1-3 : Istanbul

Day 1: Arrival in Istanbul, visit of the Blue Mosque, Sainte-Sophie, and the Topkapi Palace.
Day 2: Exploration of the Grand Bazaar, the Spice Market, thenBosphorus cruise.
Day 3: Stroll through the Balat district and visit the Galata Tower and Istiklal Street.
See our blog post about Istanbul

Day 4: Flight to Cappadocia & discovery

journey from Istanbul → Nevşehir/Kayseri.
Visit to the Göreme open-air museum and fairy chimneys.
Sunset in Love Valley.
See our article on hiking in Cappadocia

Day 5: Exploring Cappadocia

Sunrise hot-air balloon ride.
Hiking in the Rose et Rouge valley.
Visit the underground cities of Derinkuyu or Kaymaklı.

Day 6 : Last day in Cappadoccia

Excursion to Uçhisar and its castle.
Relaxation break in a hammam.
Return trip to Istanbul at the end of the day.

Day 7 : Last moments in Istanbul

Morning shopping or a final coffee on the Bosphorus.
stay end

Aegean and Mediterranean Coast Itinerary (1 week)

A journey between heavenly beaches, ancient sites and turquoise waters.

Day 1: Arrival in Izmir & Ephesus

Arrive in Izmir and drive to Ephesus, one of the most beautiful ancient cities. Read our article on Izmir
Visit to the House of the Virgin Mary.
Overnight in Selçuk or Kuşadası.

Day 2-3 : Pamukkale & Fethiye

Drive to Pamukkale and swim in its natural pools.
Visit to the ancient city of Hierapolis. See our article on Pamukkale and Hierapolis
Overnight in Pamukkale, then on to Fethiye the next day.
Explore Ölüdeniz beach and the butterfly valley.

Day 4-5 : Kas & Antalya

Drive to Kas, a charming village with a bohemian atmosphere. See our article on Kas
Boat trip to Kekova and the sunken city.
Continuation to Antalya, visit of the old town and Düden Falls.

Day 6-7 : Aspendos & back

Discover the Aspendos amphitheatre and Side.
Last moments on the beach before the return flight from Antalya.

More complete itinerary in Turkey (3 weeks)

A well-balanced itinerary that combines big cities, nature and the coast.

Week 1 : Istanbul & Cappadoce

Day 1-4 : Istanbul (monuments, Bosphorus, historical district).
Day 5-7 : Cappadocia (hot air baloons, hikes, underground cities).

Week 2 : Anatolia & Aegean coast

day 8-9 : Pamukkale & Hiérapolis.
day 10-11 : Ephesus and the aegean coast
day 12-13 : Bodrum (castle, beaches festive vibes).

Week 3 : Méditerrean Coast & Antalya

day 14-16 : Fethiye & Kas (Saklıkent national park, boat tour to the islands).
day 17-18 : Antalya & surroundings (Aspendos, beaches, mount Taurus).
day 19-20 : Mont Nemrut or Göbekli Tepe (if you like historical visits).
day 21 : Back to Istanbul and journey back home

Of course, these itineraries are just a few ideas, and it's possible to discover many other treasures, particularly in the northern and eastern parts of the country. We've mainly decided to concentrate on the parts we already know ;)

Turkey by van / converted vehicle

Now that we have a van, we can't help but think back to the countries we've already visited and wonder what it would be like to make that trip again with our vehicle! Well, let me tell you, I think Turkey would easily top our list of countries we'd love to return to with Dahu! :)

Turkish roads are generally in good condition, and having your own vehicle means you can get to places that would be difficult to reach by public transport (I'm thinking in particular of certain hiking and climbing routes) ;).

After that, it's important to note that Turkey isn't exactly next door if you're coming from France or Switzerland ;) Count on at least 2400km to get to Istanbul (land entry point into Turkey from Europe). In short, Turkey in a van is not exactly the destination for a short 2-week stay, but more a larger project ideally spread over several months (in our humble opinion).

If I'm being 100% honest, the only thing that would make me hesitate at the moment about going to Turkey in a van would be the fact that we're currently traveling with our dog. Turkey is a country where there are still a lot of stray dogs. Backpacking with just Benoit, we encountered no problems whatsoever (they're generally very friendly to humans, as many people in Turkey take care of stray dogs and cats by feeding them). But traveling with our pet dog would personally scare me a little... Stray dogs are often pack animals, and bringing a new animal into their territory isn't usually the best idea (in my opinion).

Some useful Turkish words for your trip

French	English	Turkish
Bonjour	Hello	Merhaba
Merci	Thank you	Teşekkür ederim
S'il vous plaît	Please	Lütfen
Excusez-moi	Excuse me	Affedersiniz
Où sont les toilettes ?	Where is the restroom?	Tuvalet nerede?
Combien ça coûte ?	How much does it cost?	Bu ne kadar?
Je ne parle pas turc	I don't speak Turkish	Ben Türkçe konuşmuyorum
Pouvez-vous m'aider ?	Can you help me?	Bana yardım edebilir misiniz?
Je voudrais de l'eau	I would like some water	Biraz su istiyorum
Où est l'hôtel ?	Where is the hotel?	Otel nerede?
À quelle heure part le bus ?	What time does the bus leave?	Otobüs saat kaçta kalkıyor?
J'ai besoin d'un médecin	I need a doctor	Bir doktora ihtiyacım var
Je suis perdu(e)	I am lost	Kayboldum
Pouvez-vous répéter ?	Can you repeat?	Tekrar edebilir misiniz?
Je voudrais commander	I would like to order	Sipariş vermek istiyorum
Avez-vous un menu en anglais ?	Do you have a menu in English?	İngilizce menünüz var mı?
Où est la gare ?	Where is the train station?	Tren istasyonu nerede?
Je suis allergique aux noix	I am allergic to nuts	Fındıklara alerjim var
Quelle est la spécialité locale ?	What is the local specialty?	Yerel spesiyalite nedir?

Useful resources for your trip to Turkey

To conclude this page, I've included a few links to useful resources to help you prepare for your trip to Turkey.

Official e-Visa website for Turkey: https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en
For accommodation and car reservations, as always, we advise you to compare prices on Booking.com
for activities, we recommend that you always keep an eye on Getyourguide as well as on Civitatis (and compare the two). Frankly, depending on the destination in Turkey, the offers are better on one or the other, but there isn't one that really stands out (personally, we use both sites very regularly).