Turkey Trip from South Korea in 2027: Holiday Dates, Best Months and Packages

A Turkey trip from South Korea in 2027 works best around three long breaks: Seollal (6–9 February), the early-May holidays (1–5 May) and a Chuseok that can stretch to nine days (11–19 September) with two days of annual leave. Korean passport holders need no visa for up to 90 days, and the non-stop flight from Incheon to Istanbul takes about 11 hours 30 minutes to 12 hours 30 minutes. Our private Istanbul packages start from $699 per person (about ₩926,000), and Istanbul with Cappadocia from $1,250 (about ₩1,656,000).

Most Koreans see Turkey on a nine- or ten-day group package that moves fast and changes hotels almost every night. This page is for travellers who want to plan the trip around Korea's 2027 calendar instead: which holiday fits which route, what Turkey's own holidays change, and how a private tour compares with a group package. Information was checked on 24 October 2026; won prices use $1 = ₩1,325 (ExchangeRate-API, 24 October 2026) and are rounded.

Turkey 2027 from Korea: quick facts

The Korean holiday dates above follow the 2027 calendar published in Korea (with substitute holidays for days falling on a weekend); confirm with your employer, because company leave rules vary.

Visa, passport and arrival

According to the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, holders of ordinary Korean passports are exempt from visa for up to 90 days within 180 days for tourism. You do not need an e-Visa or any online pre-registration. Turkish rules ask for a passport valid at least 60 days beyond the end of your stay; Korean travel agencies usually recommend six months, which avoids any discussion at check-in.

Most flights from Incheon land at Istanbul Airport (IST) in the early morning or evening. Passport control can take 20–60 minutes in the morning wave. From IST to Sultanahmet is 50–70 minutes by car; our private Mercedes Vito transfer costs from $60 (about ₩79,500) per vehicle for up to six people with luggage, which makes sense for a family arriving after a 12-hour flight.

Flights from Incheon to Istanbul

Turkish Airlines flies non-stop between Incheon and Istanbul daily in most seasons, and Korean carriers have also operated the route; flight-search sites give an average of about 11 hours 45 minutes for the direct flight. The return eastbound leg is usually shorter. Connecting itineraries through the Gulf or Central Asia are often cheaper and add five to ten hours. Airlines are still loading 2027 schedules, so check the airline's own site before you fix dates.

Turkish Airlines also connects Istanbul with Kayseri and Nevşehir for Cappadocia, Denizli for Pamukkale and İzmir for Ephesus. On a private tour these domestic flights are booked for you, timed so you do not spend half a day waiting at an airport.

Korea's 2027 holidays: which route fits

• Seollal, 6–9 February. Four days off, six with two days of leave. Istanbul is cold and often wet, around 6–10 °C, but Cappadocia can be under snow, which is the scene many Korean travellers come for. Balloon flights are cancelled more often in winter, so plan two sunrises.
• 1–5 May. The 1–3 May weekend plus Children's Day on Wednesday 5 May: with leave on 4 May, that is five days in a row. Spring is our favourite season for a first trip: Istanbul at 18–22 °C, green valleys in Cappadocia. Note that Eid al-Adha (16–19 May) follows soon after, with Buddha's Birthday on 13 May in between.
• Summer, July and August. Hot inland (Cappadocia 30 °C and above, Pamukkale hotter), comfortable on the coast. If you only have summer leave, start sightseeing at 08:00 and rest at midday.
• Chuseok, 14–16 September. With leave on Monday 13 and Friday 17 September, you get nine days from 11 to 19 September: enough for Istanbul, Cappadocia, Pamukkale and Ephesus. September is still warm and the coast is at its best.
• October long weekends, 2–4 and 9–11 October. Two three-day weekends; with a few days of leave in between, October gives mild weather in all regions.
• Christmas, 25–27 December. A short winter city break in Istanbul, quiet and cheap compared with spring.

Turkey's own holidays and events in 2027

Two Turkish holidays change prices and crowds. Ramazan Bayramı (Eid al-Fitr) falls on 9–11 March 2027 and Kurban Bayramı (Eid al-Adha) on 16–19 May, according to the Diyanet calendar for 2027. Turks travel in large numbers both weeks, domestic flights and coastal hotels fill, and the Grand Bazaar closes on the first day or two. Museums stay open. Ramadan itself, from 8 February, overlaps Seollal; visitors notice little in central Istanbul, though some restaurants in conservative districts close during the day.

Other dates: the Istanbul Tulip Festival fills the parks in April, 23 April, 19 May, 15 July, 30 August and 29 October are public holidays, and the Istanbul Marathon closes the bridges for a morning in early November. None of these overlaps Chuseok, which makes September an easy month to plan.

Private tour or group package from Korea

Korean group packages to Turkey usually cover a lot of ground in nine or ten days: long coach days, a new hotel most nights, and shopping stops built into the programme. They are good value if you want to see the maximum at the lowest price. A private tour is different in four ways: your own dates, your own pace, hotels you choose, and no shopping stops unless you ask for them.

For a first trip of nine days, we suggest three nights in Istanbul, two or three in Cappadocia and one night each near Pamukkale and Ephesus, connected by short flights rather than eight-hour drives. Our Turkey multi-city packages are built this way. Our earlier guide to Turkey tours from Korea covers entry rules and guides in more detail, and the 3 nights 4 days Istanbul itinerary for Korean travellers suits a short city break.

Money, food and a Korean-speaking guide

Turkey uses the Turkish lira. Korean Visa and Mastercard cards work in hotels, restaurants and shops in cities; use ATMs of large banks and decline the offer to be charged in won, since the lira price is better. Some travellers bring US dollars or euros in cash for exchange offices, which give better rates than the airport.

Turkish food suits most Korean travellers: grilled meat, rice dishes, soups, fresh bread and plenty of vegetables. Spicy food exists, mostly in south-eastern dishes like Adana kebab. Istanbul has several Korean restaurants and Korean supermarkets, mainly in Şişli and around Taksim, for travellers who want kimchi after a week. We can arrange a Korean-speaking guide for private tours on request, depending on the date; English-speaking guides are always available.

Our packages and prices for Korean travellers

Prices are from our current package pages and vary by hotel, season and group size; Chuseok and Seollal weeks can cost more. Ask us for the price on your dates. Won figures are approximate at the rate above.

Every one of our Turkey multi-city packages is private, with a guide, a driver, hotel pickups and domestic flights arranged for you. In Cappadocia, a standard sunrise balloon flight costs from $199 (about ₩264,000) per person. For city days only, our Istanbul private tours start from $200 per person (about ₩265,000), and the Grand Turkey Tour Package fits a nine- or ten-day Chuseok break. The full range is on our Turkey tour packages page.

Booking is simple: reserve online, pay later by card or in cash, and cancel free within the period shown on each package. Compare hotel options across all Turkey tour packages, and add single days from our Istanbul private tours if you want free time in the city.

Frequently Asked Questions