Turkey and Greece Itinerary: 10- and 14-Day Routes with Costs, 2027

Turkey and Greece itinerary: for a first visit, 10 days (9 nights) is the minimum and 14 days (13 nights) is the comfortable length. Start with 3 nights in Istanbul, 2 in Cappadocia and 2 to 3 in Kuşadası near Ephesus, cross to Athens by plane or ferry, and on 14 days finish in Santorini, which involves the least backtracking. A 15-day package that bundles this order with hotels, domestic flights, ferries and guided tours starts at $4,200 per person (approx. 5.64 million won) and is listed under Turkey and Greece packages; other combinations are on the Turkey tour packages page.

We have run tours in Istanbul since 2010 (TÜRSAB group A, no. 15751). Dollar prices below come from our tour pages; won amounts are approximations at the European Central Bank rates of 2 November 2026 ($1 ≈ 1,343 won, €1 = 1,506.20 won).

Turkey and Greece itinerary at a glance: 10 days, 14 days and the pilgrimage route compared

Cappadocia sunrise balloon flight, standard – from $199

A trip through Turkey and Greece comes down to three routes. With ten days you take the 10-day route through Istanbul, Cappadocia and Ephesus and on to Athens; with two weeks you add Pamukkale and Santorini for the 14-day route; and church groups have the pilgrimage route built around Ephesus and the Seven Churches. All three assume two one-way air tickets, into Istanbul and out of Athens. Coming back the way you went costs a whole day.

The 10- and 14-day plans are not ready-made products but private itineraries built from the hotels, domestic flights and ferries of our 15-day package, so send us your dates and we will return price and timetable in writing.

Turkey and Greece 10-day route: Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus and Athens day by day

Private Istanbul and Ephesus tour package, 8 days – from $1,880

The frame of the 10-day route is two domestic flights and one ferry: Istanbul to Cappadocia, Cappadocia to İzmir, then a morning ferry from Kuşadası to the Greek island of Samos. The table is the day structure of our 15-day package without Santorini and Pamukkale.

The nights are grouped as 3 in Istanbul, 2 in Cappadocia, 2 in Kuşadası and 2 in Athens in middle-class hotels with breakfast. Book the Cappadocia sunrise balloon flight separately for the early morning of day 5; standard is from $199 (approx. 267,000 won). Strong wind cancels flights, so keep at least 2 nights in Cappadocia.

Ephesus and Sirince tour from Kuşadası port – from $300

Ephesus on day 7 has the most walking, and there is almost no shade, so in summer go in early. To add Şirince village, the Ephesus and Sirince tour is from $300 (approx. 403,000 won); the tour page states what the price covers. The tightest day is day 8: you leave Kuşadası port in the 08:00 hour, clear entry at Samos and reach your Athens hotel the same day. Treat it as a travel day with no sightseeing.

The Parthenon on the Acropolis in Athens

In Athens you have a day and a half, enough for the Acropolis and the Erechtheion in the morning of day 9 and the museum and Plaka after lunch. A route that joins Greece and Turkey for travellers from Europe is in our Greece and Turkey tour 2027 guide.

Turkey and Greece 14-day route: adding Pamukkale and Santorini

The travertine terraces of Pamukkale

The 14-day route keeps days 1 to 7, inserts a Pamukkale day trip on day 8 and adds 3 nights in Santorini after Athens. Pamukkale is a day out from Kuşadası: travertine terraces, the ancient city of Hierapolis and the necropolis, an optional swim in Cleopatra's Pool for an extra fee, and back in Kuşadası in the evening.

Aegean Legends Turkey and Greece, 15 days – from $4,200

For a honeymoon we recommend the 14-day route. Three nights on Santorini separate the travel days from the rest days, and if cloud spoils the sunset at Oia on day 12 you can try again on day 13. Island timetables shift with the weather, so leave half a day of slack before the flight home. Mykonos can take the same slot as Santorini.

How to get from Turkey to Greece: ferries and flights

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Kuşadası harbour, departure point for the Samos ferry

There are two ways across: a ferry from an Aegean port to a Greek island and a flight from Istanbul to Athens. Kuşadası to Samos, close to Ephesus, is the natural crossing. In 2026 the operators are Meander Travel and Tilos Travel, boats are for foot passengers only, they leave Kuşadası at 08:00 or 08:15 in summer and the return from Samos runs between 16:00 and 18:15. Arrive 1 hour before departure and swap your online ticket for a boarding pass (feribotseferleri.com.tr, 2026 guide).

Other fares and times follow Ferryhopper's guide of 27 April 2026; won amounts use the ECB rate above. For flights, tracking sites list Turkish Airlines TK9193 (operated by Aegean Airlines, non-stop, about 1 hour 30 minutes) as a daily service (checked 3 November 2026). Timetables change with the season, so check the airline site before you book.

The harbour on Samos

From Samos on to Athens you go by air or ferry, depending on the season; our 15-day package says "flight or ferry via Samos" and we confirm which fits your date. The reverse day trip is in our Samos to Ephesus day trip guide. In winter the boat runs 3 to 4 days a week, so plan on flying.

How much does a Turkey and Greece trip cost?

All dollar amounts are our "from" prices per person; won uses $1 ≈ 1,343 (ECB, 2 November 2026). For the balloon flight and the Ephesus tour, the tour page states what the price covers.

The Aegean Legends 15-day package includes 14 hotel nights (breakfast, middle class), domestic flights, the flight or ferry from Turkey to Athens, the Athens to Santorini ferry, transfers, the guided tours listed and entrance fees. Not included are international flights from Incheon, lunches and dinners, the balloon flight, a Greek visa if required, personal expenses and tips. For the flights, price two one-way tickets, into Istanbul and out of Athens.

The 10- and 14-day routes are tailored, so their price depends on dates, group size and hotel class; prices vary with season, hotel and what is included, so ask us for the price on your date.

Turkey and Greece pilgrimage route: from Ephesus to Athens and Corinth

The Monastery of St John on Patmos

The Turkish side centres on the Seven Churches of Revelation 2 and 3: Ephesus, Smyrna (İzmir), Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea, all in western Turkey within driving distance of Kuşadası and İzmir. Our private pilgrimage tours start at $1,800 (approx. 2.42 million won) for 5 days, $2,050 (approx. 2.75 million won) for 7 days with Istanbul and $2,750 (approx. 3.69 million won) for 10 days including Cappadocia; see our Seven Churches tour guide.

St Paul's trail in Greece is confirmed by the biblical text: Philippi in Acts 16, Athens (the Areopagus) in Acts 17 and Corinth in Acts 18, and Patmos, named in Revelation 1:9 as the island where John was held, is also Greek. Philippi lies in northern Greece and needs another domestic flight from Athens, and for Patmos the boat schedule must be checked by season, so we plan the Greek part to order.

For Korean church groups see Turkey pilgrimage for Korean church groups 2027; the Turkish leg alone is compared in the biblical tour packages list.

When is the best season for Turkey and Greece?

On this route the ferry timetable sets the season more than the weather. Kuşadası to Samos runs daily from April to October and 3 to 4 days a week from November to March, mostly to Vathy only; Çeşme to Chios runs several times a day in summer and a few times a week off season (Ferryhopper, 2026).

In our view May to June and September to October are the easiest months: the ferry runs every day and you avoid midsummer afternoon heat. Balloons also fly in winter, but some days are cancelled for wind.

From Korea to Turkey and Greece: flights and visa

There are non-stop flights from Incheon to Istanbul. Flight-tracking sites list Turkish Airlines TK91 (about 11 hours 25 to 50 minutes, arriving in the early morning on the timetable) and Korean Air KE955 (departs 13:58, arrives 18:55), checked on 3 November 2026; check the winter timetable on the airline sites. Airport options are compared in Istanbul Airport to the city.

Entering Turkey: according to the Turkish Foreign Ministry, holders of ordinary Korean passports may stay up to 90 days without a visa. Entering Greece: Schengen rules apply, 90 days in any 180, and Korean passports are understood to need no Schengen visa for short stays, so check the Korean foreign ministry's travel safety site (0404.go.kr) before you leave. Since 10 April 2026 the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) has been fully operating and registers a face photo and fingerprints at first entry, which would be Samos port or Athens airport. ETIAS was not yet in operation on 3 November 2026, and the EU says it will announce the start date several months ahead (EU Home Affairs ETIAS page).

Turkey and Greece package or independent travel: which is better?

Independent travel suits you if you want to choose hotels and restaurants yourself and have time to compare bookings for each leg. But on a route that must fit two flights, one ferry and one border check into ten days, it is easier to let a package carry the risk of a broken connection. See the Turkey and Greece packages list next to the full Turkey tour packages list.

Turkey vs Greece vacation compares prices, beaches and history. For one Cappadocia day, choose between the red and green tours, and for a Korean-speaking guide see Korean-speaking guide in Istanbul. Pick date and group size on the product page, the site shows "Book Now, Pay Later", and we confirm payment terms in writing. Cancellation is free up to 7 days before the tour with a full refund, and not refunded within the last 7 days.

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