Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Turkey for Families: Istanbul, Cappadocia and the Antalya Coast
10 days for families with children 7 and up: three nights in old Istanbul, three in a Cappadocia cave hotel and three by the sea at Antalya, with two short flights instead of two long road days.
10 days · Istanbul to Antalya · up to 12 guests
Balloons over the Cappadocia valleys at sunrise Photo: Daniela Cuevas danielacuevas, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cappadocia,_Turkey,_2015-06-09_(Unsplash).jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 10 days, 9 nights
- Start and end
- Istanbul to Antalya
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Activity level
Moderate
Moderate for families: about 2 to 3 hours on foot on most mornings, on paving, cobbles and some steps in Istanbul. The Pigeon Valley walk is about 4 km downhill on a dusty path, about 1.5 hours with stops. Derinkuyu has steep, low passages and narrow stairs over several levels below ground. The boat day is about 6 hours on the water. Every afternoon has a rest, and any parent or child can sit out a walk or a level with the guide nearby.
- Meals included
- 9 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 3 dinners
- Room of your own
- + CAD 715 (estimated price)
- Season
- April to October
Highlights
Why this trip
- Two underground cisterns in one morning: the forest of columns and the Medusa heads in the Basilica Cistern, then the Theodosius Cistern
- Rolling and cutting your own Turkish delight with a confectioner in Istanbul
- A boat for our group up the Bosphorus between Europe and Asia
- A cave hotel in Göreme and a 4 km walk down Pigeon Valley past dovecotes cut into the rock
- Derinkuyu, the deepest of Cappadocia's underground cities open to visitors, at opening time
- Throwing a pot on the wheel in Avanos, the river town of potters
- A full day on a boat from Kemer, swimming off the deck in clear Mediterranean bays
- The Kurşunlu waterfall and its shaded pools, then a last afternoon on the beach
What makes this trip different
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 715 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Istanbul
Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) to Sultanahmet, then a short evening walk
- Dinner
- Stay in Istanbul
- Drive about 1 h
Fly into Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gökçen (SAW). Our driver meets the family in arrivals with child seats or boosters for the ages you booked, and the drive to the hotel in Sultanahmet, the old city between the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara, takes about an hour.
Evening
To join the walk and dinner, plan to land by about 2 pm; the meeting time comes with your final itinerary. After a rest, your See Sight Tours guide meets the families for a short briefing on the ten days, then walks the group into Sultanahmet Park, a few minutes away, where Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque face each other across a fountain and children can run on the grass after the flight. Your guide hands out a small challenge for the week: spot a cat in every place we stop, which is easy in Istanbul. The welcome dinner sits down at about 6 pm at a restaurant nearby, early enough for younger children.
Included
- Pick-up at Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gökçen (SAW)
- Welcome briefing with your guide
- Evening walk in Sultanahmet Park
- Welcome dinner in Sultanahmet
Free time: Free until the late-afternoon briefing
Activity: The walk is short and flat, about 1 km.
Two cisterns and a Turkish delight workshop
Sultanahmet: the Hippodrome, the Basilica Cistern, the Theodosius Cistern and the Blue Mosque
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Istanbul
We start at about 8:30 with a walk through the Hippodrome, where Byzantine chariots raced, past an Egyptian obelisk carved about 3,500 years ago. Then we go down into the Basilica Cistern when it opens at 9, before the queue builds (we reconfirm the hours at booking): a 6th-century underground reservoir held up by 336 columns, dimly lit, with walkways over the water. Children hunt for the two carved Medusa heads at the far end, one upside down, one on its side. A few minutes' walk away, the smaller Theodosius Cistern is quieter, with a light show on its columns.
Afternoon
We finish the morning at the Blue Mosque, timed between prayers, and sit down to lunch together nearby. The early afternoon is free for a rest at the hotel. At about 4 pm the group walks to a confectioner's workshop, where a confectioner shows how Turkish delight is boiled, set and dusted, and each child rolls, cuts and boxes a batch to take away. We confirm the workshop when we confirm your dates.
Evening
Dinner is on your own.
Included
- Walk through the Hippodrome
- The Basilica Cistern at opening (about 9 am)
- The Theodosius Cistern
- The Blue Mosque, between prayers
- Sit-down lunch in Sultanahmet
- Turkish delight workshop with a confectioner
Easier option: Skip the Theodosius Cistern and rest in Sultanahmet Park with a parent while the group goes in.
More active option: After the workshop, walk with your guide down to the Galata Bridge to watch the fishermen at sunset.
Free time: Early afternoon free for a rest; evening free
Activity: About 3 km on foot in the morning, on paving and cobbles. The Basilica Cistern has steps down and is cool and damp; bring a layer.
Topkapı Palace and a boat on the Bosphorus
Topkapı Palace, Eminönü and the Spice Bazaar, then a boat up the Bosphorus
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Istanbul
- Drive about 18 min
We are at the gate of Topkapı Palace when it opens. The palace is closed on Tuesdays, so this day never falls on one. For nearly four centuries the Ottoman sultans ruled from these courtyards, and children head straight for the treasury, with its emerald dagger and the big Spoonmaker's Diamond, then the terraces over the water over the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmara. A licensed guide joins your See Sight Tours guide inside.
Afternoon
We walk down to Eminönü for lunch together, then through the Spice Bazaar, where the stalls give out tastes of dried fruit and lokum; we take you to no shop and earn no commission. After a rest stop, a boat for our group leaves Eminönü at about 3:30 pm and runs up the Bosphorus between Europe and Asia, past Dolmabahçe Palace, the wooden waterside mansions and the walls of Rumeli Hisarı fortress, under the bridges and back by about 5:30.
Evening
Dinner is on your own; your guide suggests places near the hotel.
Included
- Topkapı Palace at opening with a licensed guide, including the treasury
- Sit-down lunch in Eminönü
- Walk through the Spice Bazaar
- Two-hour boat for our group on the Bosphorus
Optional experiences
- The Harem at Topkapı (separate ticket; we can add it at booking)
Easier option: Return to the hotel after lunch and meet the group at the boat, a short ride away.
More active option: In the evening, take the public ferry with your guide across to Kadıköy on the Asian side for dinner.
Free time: Evening free
Activity: About 2.5 hours on foot at Topkapı on cobbles and some steps, then a seated boat ride.
Fly to Cappadocia, sunset in the Red Valley
Istanbul by air to Kayseri or Nevşehir, then Göreme and the Red Valley
- Breakfast
- Stay in Göreme
- Drive about 2 h
Morning
A short morning flight, about an hour and twenty minutes, replaces the overnight bus or full day on the road that other trips use to reach Cappadocia. Our driver takes the families to the airport after breakfast, and we fly to Kayseri or Nevşehir, whichever has the better time that day; your guide flies with you and handles the bags. A vehicle and driver meet the flight for the drive to Göreme, about an hour from Kayseri.
Afternoon
Home for the next three nights is a cave hotel, with rooms cut into the soft volcanic rock, which most children want to explore before lunch. Lunch is on your own in Göreme, then the early afternoon is for a rest.
Evening
In the late afternoon we drive a few minutes to the edge of the Red Valley and walk an easy stretch of its path, then climb to a viewpoint as the rock turns red and pink at sunset. Dinner is on your own; your guide books an early table for families who want one.
Included
- Flight Istanbul to Kayseri or Nevşehir, with luggage handled
- Transfers from the hotel to the airport and from the airport to Göreme
- Easy walk in the Red Valley and the sunset viewpoint
Easier option: Drive straight to the viewpoint and skip the valley walk.
Free time: Early afternoon free
Activity: The Red Valley walk is about 2 km on a sandy path with a short climb to the viewpoint.
Balloons at dawn and the Pigeon Valley walk
Göreme: an optional balloon flight, then Uçhisar and the Pigeon Valley path down to Göreme
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay in Göreme
- Drive about 30 min
Morning
Before sunrise, families who booked the optional balloon flight are collected about an hour before dawn, watch the envelopes fill in the half dark and fly for about an hour as the sun lights the valleys. Turkish civil aviation decides each morning whether balloons may fly; if this morning is cancelled, the operator tries the next day. Everyone else can sleep in, or come with your guide to a viewpoint above Göreme to watch dozens of balloons rise, which children often like as much as flying. After breakfast we drive to Uçhisar, at the top of the valley, and walk down Pigeon Valley to Göreme, about 4 km and downhill most of the way, past dovecotes cut into the cliffs where farmers once collected pigeon droppings to grow grapes. The vehicle waits at the halfway point for anyone who wants to stop.
Afternoon
Lunch is on your own in Göreme, and the afternoon is free for the pool or a nap.
Evening
In the evening the group has dinner together in Göreme at about 6 pm.
Included
- Dawn balloon viewpoint above Göreme with your guide
- The Pigeon Valley walk from Uçhisar down to Göreme
- Dinner together in Göreme
Optional experiences
- Sunrise hot air balloon flight, about an hour in the air; price given at booking, operator's minimum age or height applies
Easier option: Walk the first half of Pigeon Valley and meet the vehicle at the halfway point.
More active option: Climb Uçhisar Castle, the rock honeycombed with old rooms at the top of the valley, before the walk.
Free time: Afternoon free
Activity: The valley walk is about 4 km, mostly downhill on a dusty path, about 1.5 hours with stops. There is little shade; bring water and hats.
Derinkuyu underground and a pottery class in Avanos
Göreme to Derinkuyu Underground City, then Avanos and back to Göreme
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Göreme
- Drive about 1.5 h
We drive about 40 minutes south to Derinkuyu and are there when it opens, before the tour coaches arrive. It is the deepest of Cappadocia's underground cities open to visitors, dug into the soft rock over centuries so that whole villages could hide from raiders with their animals and food. A licensed local guide leads the group down through stables, kitchens, wine presses, a chapel and air shafts, and shows the round stone doors that rolled across the tunnels to seal them. Children usually love the low passages; anyone who does not can stay on the upper level with the guide.
Afternoon
We drive north to Avanos, a town of potters on the Kızılırmak, the Red River, and have lunch together by the water. In the afternoon a potter teaches the families to throw a pot on a kick wheel, the way it has been done in Avanos for centuries, and each child shapes a piece to take home.
Evening
Back at the hotel by about 4 pm, the evening is free.
Included
- Derinkuyu Underground City at opening with a licensed local guide
- Sit-down lunch in Avanos
- Pottery class on the wheel in Avanos
Easier option: Stay on the upper levels of Derinkuyu, which are higher and wider.
More active option: In the evening, walk with your guide up to the Sunset Point above Göreme.
Free time: Late afternoon and evening free
Activity: Derinkuyu has steep, narrow stairs and low passages where adults stoop; it is not for anyone uneasy in tight spaces. The pottery class is seated and messy; wear old clothes.
Fly to Antalya and the sea
Göreme to Kayseri, fly to Antalya, then the beach hotel and an evening in Kaleiçi
- Breakfast
- Stay in Antalya
- Drive about 2 h
Morning
After breakfast we drive about an hour and a quarter to Kayseri Airport and fly south over the Taurus Mountains to Antalya, about an hour and ten minutes where a direct flight runs that season; otherwise we connect in Istanbul, which makes this a longer travel day, and we tell you which when we confirm your dates. Other family trips cross this distance by road in a long day via Konya.
Afternoon
Our driver meets the flight, and the beach hotel, home for the last three nights, is about 20 minutes from Antalya Airport, with a pool for the afternoon. Lunch is on your own.
Evening
In the early evening, once it cools, your guide takes anyone who wants to go into Kaleiçi, the walled old town above the harbour, through Hadrian's Gate, built for the emperor's visit in 130 AD, to the clock tower and down the lanes to the old Roman harbour. Antalya is known for its fruit jams and Turkish delight, and your guide points out where locals buy them. Dinner is on your own.
Included
- Flight Kayseri to Antalya, with luggage handled
- Transfers to Kayseri Airport and from Antalya Airport to the hotel
- Evening walk in Kaleiçi: Hadrian's Gate, the clock tower and the old harbour
Easier option: Stay at the hotel pool and skip the Kaleiçi walk.
Free time: Afternoon free at the pool or beach; dinner free
Activity: The Kaleiçi walk is about 2 km on cobbles and some steep lanes down to the harbour.
A boat day from Kemer
Antalya to Kemer harbour, a day boat along the coast, then back to Antalya
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Antalya
- Drive about 1.5 h
We drive about 45 minutes south along the coast to the harbour at Kemer, where the pine-covered mountains come down to the sea, and board a boat chartered for our group alone, never shared with other passengers. The boat sails along the coast for the day, stopping at two or three bays where the water is clear enough to see the bottom, and everyone can jump off the deck, swim to the rocks or float in a life jacket; life jackets for children are on board. Bring masks and snorkels if you have them; the rocky edges are full of small fish.
Afternoon
Lunch is cooked and served on board, and there is shade on deck for the middle of the day. The exact route depends on the wind, and the crew picks the calmest bays. We are back in Kemer by mid-afternoon and at the hotel by about 5 pm. If the sea is too rough to sail, your guide swaps the day for a beach and a swim with lunch and moves the boat to day 9 if the forecast allows.
Included
- Transfers to and from Kemer harbour
- Day boat for our group alone along the coast with swimming stops
- Lunch on board
Easier option: Stay on deck in the shade and swim only at the calmest stop.
More active option: Snorkel along the rocks at each stop with your guide.
Free time: Evening free
Activity: About 6 hours on the water. Bring sunscreen, hats and motion-sickness tablets for anyone who needs them. Children swim only with a parent watching.
The Kurşunlu waterfall and a beach afternoon
Antalya to the Kurşunlu Waterfall Nature Park and back, then the beach
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Antalya
- Drive about 1 h
We leave at about 8:30 for the half-hour drive to the Kurşunlu Waterfall Nature Park, east of the city, and arrive before the heat and the day groups. A shaded path loops down through the woods past a string of pools to the main fall, where the water drops in a white curtain into a green pool; children look for the ducks, the fish and the turtles in the stream. The full loop takes about an hour, with steps down and back up.
Afternoon
We sit down to lunch together in a garden restaurant on the way back, and are at the hotel by about 1:30 pm. The afternoon is for the beach or the pool, the last long swim of the trip.
Evening
In the evening the group gathers for a farewell dinner at about 6:30 pm, where your guide hands out the cat-spotting prizes and the children show off their pots and Turkish delight boxes. Families who want to can walk along the seafront afterwards.
Included
- The Kurşunlu Waterfall Nature Park, entry included
- Sit-down lunch in a garden restaurant
- Farewell dinner
Easier option: Stay at the top viewpoint above the falls instead of walking the loop.
Free time: Afternoon free at the beach or pool
Activity: The waterfall loop is about 1 km with steps down and back up; the paths can be wet.
Fly home from Antalya
Your Antalya hotel to Antalya Airport (AYT)
- Breakfast
- Drive about 30 min
Morning
The trip ends after breakfast. The morning is free for a last swim or a walk along the seafront, and our driver takes each family to Antalya Airport (AYT), about 20 minutes away, at the time your flight needs. Antalya has direct flights to many European cities and frequent flights to Istanbul for long-haul connections home to Canada and the US; we can book the Antalya to Istanbul flight with the trip if you ask. Allow at least two hours at the airport before an international departure, as Antalya is busy in season, and if you connect in Istanbul, leave three hours or more between flights. If your flight is late in the day, the hotel can usually keep your bags, and your guide checks everyone's flight times before saying goodbye. Families who want more beach days can add nights at the same hotel before or after the trip, and we arrange the later transfer.
Included
- Drop-off at Antalya Airport (AYT)
Free time: Free until your airport transfer
Activity: Any flight time works; a flight after about 11 am avoids an early start with children.
- Istanbul3 nights
- Göreme3 nights
- Antalya3 nights
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: April, May, September and October are warm and easier on children, with fewer crowds; the sea at Antalya is cool in April and May, so the hotel pool takes over. June to August is school-holiday peak: hot on the coast, busy in Istanbul, and Cappadocia's mornings stay fresh. Balloon flights are cancelled on windy mornings in any month.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Families with children aged 7 and up who like to make things, walk and swim
- Parents who want Istanbul and Cappadocia without long road days, and a beach at the end
- Families who like a plan in the morning and a free afternoon at the pool
- Single parents who want other families around and a fair room price
Not for you if you want
- Children under 7: Derinkuyu, the valley walk and the boat day are long for very young children (ask us about a private trip)
- Anyone uneasy in tight, low spaces underground (Derinkuyu can be skipped, the rest cannot)
- Step-free access or pushchairs: old Istanbul, the valleys and the waterfall path have steps and uneven ground
- Families who want Ephesus or the Aegean; see our Istanbul and Cappadocia trip
- Grandparents travelling with grandchildren at a gentler pace; see our three-generation Turkey trip
Minimum age: 7
Most guests are 7 to 60
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
9 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Istanbul3 nights
- Göreme3 nights
- Antalya3 nights
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 9 nights in hotels of at least a 3-star-plus standard: 3 in Sultanahmet, Istanbul, within walking distance of the Cistern; 3 in a cave hotel in Göreme; 3 in a beach hotel with a pool in Antalya
- Family or connecting rooms where available, or your own room for a supplement
- We name each hotel when we confirm your dates
Transport
- Pick-up at Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) and drop-off at Antalya Airport (AYT)
- Flights Istanbul to Kayseri or Nevşehir, and Kayseri to Antalya (direct where it runs, otherwise via Istanbul)
- Our own vehicle and driver for every transfer and touring day, with child seats or boosters
- A two-hour boat for our group on the Bosphorus
- A day boat from Kemer for our group alone
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide with the group for the whole trip, including both flights
- Licensed local guides at Topkapı Palace and Derinkuyu
Activities
- Istanbul: the Hippodrome, the Basilica Cistern, the Theodosius Cistern, the Blue Mosque, a Turkish delight workshop, Topkapı Palace and its treasury, the Spice Bazaar, the Bosphorus boat
- Cappadocia: the Red Valley at sunset, the dawn balloon viewpoint, the Pigeon Valley walk, Derinkuyu Underground City, a pottery class in Avanos
- Antalya: an evening walk in Kaleiçi, a boat day from Kemer with swimming stops, the Kurşunlu Waterfall Nature Park
Meals
- Breakfast daily (9)
- 5 lunches: Sultanahmet, Eminönü, Avanos, on the Kemer boat, near Kurşunlu
- 3 dinners: welcome in Istanbul, together in Göreme, farewell in Antalya
Not included
- International flights to Istanbul and home from Antalya
- The Turkish e-Visa, if your passport needs one
- Travel insurance
- The hot air balloon flight (optional; price given at booking)
- The Harem at Topkapı (optional)
- Meals not listed: lunches on days 1, 4, 5, 7 and 10, and dinners on days 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 10
- Drinks, except water at included meals
- Sunbeds and umbrellas on public beaches
- Tips
- Personal expenses
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 715 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the price include?
Nine nights in hotels, including a cave hotel in Göreme and a beach hotel in Antalya, breakfast daily, five lunches, three dinners, both domestic flights, airport transfers, our own vehicle and driver, your See Sight Tours guide throughout, licensed local guides, and every visit in the day plan: two cisterns, Topkapı, a Turkish delight workshop, the Bosphorus boat, Derinkuyu, a pottery class, the Kemer boat day and Kurşunlu.
What is the minimum age, and is it right for my kids?
Children must be 7 or older. Most days have one main activity in the morning, lunch, and a free afternoon. The busier days are the Pigeon Valley walk, about 4 km downhill, Derinkuyu's low tunnels and a six-hour boat day. No day has more than about 2 hours of driving. For younger children, a private trip lets us shorten the days.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests, counting adults and children together, so it is usually three or four families. We never merge groups to fill a bus, so the cap of 12 holds on every departure.
Who leads the trip?
A See Sight Tours guide travels with the group from the first evening in Istanbul to the last morning in Antalya, on both flights and every day. Licensed local guides join us at Topkapı Palace and Derinkuyu. Our own vehicle and driver meet every flight.
Is the hot air balloon included?
No, it is optional, and we give you the price at booking so you can decide at home. Operators set a minimum age or height for children. Families who do not fly come with the guide to a viewpoint to watch the balloons rise at dawn. Nobody is sold the flight on the trip, and flights are cancelled on windy mornings.
I'm a single parent. Is there a single supplement?
A parent sharing a room with a child pays the normal per-person price for both, with no supplement. An adult who wants a room alone pays a supplement from CAD 715, shown before you book. If you travel alone, we can try to match you with another solo adult of the same gender to share a twin room at no supplement; if no match is found, the supplement applies. Solo adults join the same meals, visits and boat day as everyone else.
Do you stop at carpet or leather shops?
No. We never take the group to a carpet, leather or jewellery shop, and we earn no commission on anything you buy. The Spice Bazaar is a walk through a market, and the Turkish delight workshop and the pottery class are hands-on activities you have already paid for.
When is the best time to go?
April, May, September and October are the easiest months: warm, with fewer crowds; the sea is cool in spring, so the hotel pool helps. July and August fit school holidays but are hot on the coast, often above 35°C, so we start early and keep afternoons free. Cappadocia mornings are cool all season.
How does booking work?
Choose a departure and send a request to book. We check availability and provide the final quote, itinerary and booking terms before you accept. No payment is taken when you send the request. Tell us your children's ages and any dietary needs when you request, so we can arrange family rooms, child seats and meals.
Can we travel on our own dates?
Yes, as a private trip for your family only, on a date you choose, with your own guide, vehicle and boat. If you would rather travel independently, ask us from the dates section and we will quote the same hotels, flights and activities without a See Sight Tours guide.
Do we need a visa for Turkey?
Check the current rule for your passport on the Turkish foreign ministry or e-Visa site; US and Canadian citizens have been visa-free for short tourist stays since 2024 per most sources, and we confirm at booking. Passports should be valid for at least 6 months beyond travel, and every child needs their own passport.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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