Greece & Turkey

Off the Beaten Path: Greece to Turkey

A 14-night off the beaten path holiday from the Greek islands to Cappadocia and Antalya, with a hot air balloon ride. Curated by Travenza Holidays.

14 Nights / 15 DaysDuration
6Cities

Fourteen nights that start on Mykonos, keep going past the Acropolis, and finish with a balloon over Cappadocia and a day on the Turkish coast. Most Greece itineraries end at the Acropolis. This one carries on across the Aegean to Istanbul, Cappadocia and Antalya, using the extra days for a dawn hot air balloon ride, a green valley walk and a Bosphorus sunset cruise that a Greece-only trip never reaches. This is one of the Greece itineraries we've planned for a group before fourteen nights, fifteen days across Mykonos, Santorini, Athens, Istanbul, Cappadocia and Antalya, built for a group of six adults travelling together. It's shared here to show what a longer, more offbeat route through Greece could look like. A versions built around your own group's size, pace, and dates would look a little different and that's the point.

Why This Trip

Why Go From Greece to Turkey

Why Go From Greece to Turkey

The Greek half of the route runs in reverse of the usual order, starting on Mykonos and ending in Athens, with a farm visit and Ano Mera village on the island tour, a full day around the Saronic islands, and Delphi by coach. Three flights and a handful of short transfers then carry the group through Turkey without a long road day. The Turkish half is built around two early starts: a sunrise balloon flight over Cappadocia's valleys and fairy chimneys at 4:30 AM, and a full day on the Green Tour to Ihlara Valley. If you asked us: this is a route to take at an easy pace. Fourteen nights holds a lot, and the Istanbul free day is there to give the group room to breathe.

Holiday Overview

Cities Covered
Mykonos, Santorini, Athens, Istanbul, Cappadocia, Antalya
Starting Price
₹3,48,575

per person for hotels, tours, transfers and internal flights, plus ₹77,255 per person for international flights, based on 6 adults travelling together

Best Time to Travel
Late September to early October (warm days, past the peak crowds)
Experiences Covered
Mykonos island tour, Santorini volcano & hot springs cruise, Athens night tour, Hydra, Poros & Aegina cruise, Delphi, Bosphorus sunset cruise, Istanbul city tour, Cappadocia hot air balloon & Ihlara Valley, Antalya city tour

Tap a pin to preview each stop

Trace Your Path

An itinerary designed
for every moment.

Mykonos Day 1–2

A half-day island tour: St. Ioannis, Ano Mera village, Panagia Tourliani monastery, a Mykonian farm and Kalo Livadi, Kalafati and Agia Anna beaches.

Santorini Day 3–4

A cruise on a traditional Greek sailboat to the volcano at Nea Kameni, the hot springs at Palea Kameni and the village of Manolas on Thirassia.

Athens Day 5–7

A private night tour of the major landmarks, a cruise to Hydra, Poros and Aegina, and a Delphi day trip with a licensed guide.

Istanbul Day 8–10

A Bosphorus sunset cruise and a city tour of Hippodrome Square, the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace and the Grand Bazaar.

Cappadocia Day 11–12

A sunrise hot air balloon ride over the valleys and fairy chimneys, and a Green Tour to Ihlara Valley.

Antalya Day 13–15

A full-day city tour covering Düden Waterfalls, a boat trip and the historic old town.

Day By Day

Greece & Turkey Trip Itinerary

  1. Day 1

    Mykonos Arrival

    Pick-up from Mykonos airport and a drop-off at the hotel. The rest of the day is free at leisure.

  2. Day 2

    Mykonos Half-Day Island Tour

    A morning tour with a driver, starting with a panoramic viewpoint over Mykonos Town. It continues to the small port of St. Ioannis, the square of Ano Mera village and its Panagia Tourliani monastery, and a traditional Mykonian farm with a light snack of local produce on offer, then past Kalo Livadi, Kalafati and Agia Anna beaches.

  3. Day 3

    Ferry to Santorini

    A transfer to the ferry terminal and the ferry from Mykonos to Santorini. A drop-off at the hotel, with the rest of the day free.

  4. Day 4

    Volcano, Hot Springs & Thirassia

    An eight-to-ten-hour cruise on a traditional Greek sailboat. The group explores the volcano at Nea Kameni, relaxes in the sulphur hot springs at Palea Kameni and walks through the white-and-blue village of Manolas on Thirassia, with optional free time in Oia afterwards.

  5. Day 5

    Ferry to Athens, Night Tour

    The ferry from Santorini to Athens leaves, followed by a hotel transfer. In the evening, a four-hour private night tour past Athens' major landmarks, ending with dinner at a traditional tavern with live music and folklore dancing, or a seaside meal at Piraeus.

  6. Day 6

    Hydra, Poros & Aegina Island Cruise

    A ten-hour cruise, transfers included, to three islands in the Saronic Gulf. Time under the red-tiled roofs of Hydra, shopping in Poros and a visit to the Temple of Aphaia on Aegina, with a barbecue lunch on board.

  7. Day 7

    Delphi Day Trip From Athens

    A ten-hour coach tour from 8:30 AM with a licensed guide and entrance tickets included. The group explores the UNESCO-listed site of Delphi, the dramatic Temple of Apollo and the Delphi Archaeological Museum.

  8. Day 8

    Fly to Istanbul, Bosphorus Sunset Cruise

    A drop-off at Athens airport for the morning flight to Istanbul Sabiha, then a transfer to the hotel. In the evening, a sunset yacht cruise on the Bosphorus, without pick-up and drop-off.

  9. Day 9

    Istanbul Full-Day City Tour

    A full-day private city tour taking in Hippodrome Square, the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace, finishing at the Grand Bazaar. Entry tickets are excluded.

  10. Day 10

    Istanbul at Leisure

    A free day in Istanbul, with an optional Turkish hammam spa for anyone who wants it. Pick-up and drop-off are excluded.

  11. Day 11

    Fly to Cappadocia

    After breakfast, a transfer to Istanbul airport for the Turkish Airlines flight to Kayseri and a drop-off at the cave hotel in Cappadocia. The rest of the day is at leisure.

  12. Day 12

    Sunrise Hot Air Balloon & Green Tour

    A 4:30 AM minivan pick-up for a three-hour hot air balloon ride over Cappadocia's valleys and fairy chimneys, with sparkling wine after landing. At 9:30 AM, a seven-hour Green Tour to Ihlara Valley.

  13. Day 13

    Fly to Antalya

    A transfer to Kayseri airport and a Sun Express flight to Antalya. A drop-off at the hotel, with the rest of the day at leisure.

  14. Day 14

    Antalya City Tour

    A 9 AM full-day tour, six to seven hours, covering Düden Waterfalls, a boat trip and a walk through the historic old town. A cable car ride up to Tünektepe is available at an extra cost.

  15. Day 15

    Antalya Departure

    A drop-off at Antalya airport for the 8:30 AM Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul, connecting to the international flight home.

What's Included

Experiences Included.

Where You'll Stay

Hotel Stays.

Six hotels stay across six stops over fourteen nights.

Mykonos (2 nights): Rhenia Mykonos, a Superior Room with sea view and breakfast.

Santorini (2 nights): Phaos Santorini Suites, a Standard Suite with hot tub, without breakfast.

Athens (3 nights): Moxy Athens City, a Double Room with breakfast.

Istanbul (2 nights): Occidental Taksim, a Double Room with breakfast.

Cappadocia (2 nights): Alia Cave Hotel, a Standard Room with breakfast.

Antalya (2 nights): Sealife Family Resort Hotel, a Sea View Double Room, all inclusive.

The Fine Print, Handled

What Travenza Holidays
Will Arrange.

Itinerary planning, hotel reservations, ferry tickets, domestic flights, the Cappadocia hot air balloon ride, private transfers, sightseeing, Schengen and Turkey visa assistance, and a single point of contact for the whole group. Customised by group size, hotel preference, budget, travel dates, and pace, including how many of the fifteen days the group wants to spend in Greece versus Turkey.

Ready When You Are

Plan Your Off the Beaten Path Holiday From Greece to Turkey

A caïque on the Aegean, a balloon over Cappadocia, a sunset yacht on the Bosphorus, this route takes a group past the end of the usual Greece itinerary and into a second country. This is one of the itineraries we've built for a group travelling together before, shared here to show what the trip could look like. A version built for your own group - size, pace, and dates would look a little different.

Estimated from ₹3,48,575 per adult · All inclusive

Plan This Trip WhatsApp Us