What should you pack for Istanbul and Cappadocia?

Cappadocia: dressing for balloon mornings

Balloon flights launch around sunrise, and hotel pick-ups are usually an hour or more before that. Göreme sits at roughly 1,000 to 1,100 m on a high plateau, so the air at dawn is far colder than the afternoon. The Turkish State Meteorological Service puts winter nights in Nevşehir province below freezing, and spring and autumn dawns are cold too.

• A warm mid-layer and a windproof jacket, even in late spring and early autumn. In summer a fleece is enough; from November to March you need a winter coat, hat and gloves.

• A hat and gloves if you will watch the launch from a viewpoint rather than fly; you stand still for an hour.

• Closed shoes. Launch fields are dusty and uneven, and the basket landing can be in a field.

• A headtorch for pre-dawn walks to viewpoints such as the ones above Göreme.

Balloons are grounded on many mornings, especially in winter, so plan several mornings in Göreme: see Cappadocia balloon cancelled? and how many days in Cappadocia. We carried a light Columbia rain jacket as the windproof outer layer (on our gear page).

Cappadocia hiking and valley kit

The valleys around Göreme (Rose, Red, Love, Pigeon and Ihlara further south) are walked on soft tuff and sandy paths that can be steep and crumbly.

• Trainers or light hiking shoes with grip.

• Water, sun protection and snacks. There is little shade and few cafés inside the valleys.

• Offline maps, as paths fork often and signage is limited.

• A torch for the underground cities at Derinkuyu and Kaymaklı, where passages are low and dim; they are lit, but a phone light helps on stairs.

Cave hotels are cool and can be damp in shoulder seasons; a warm layer for evenings is worth the space.

Istanbul: city kit

• Walking shoes with grip. Istanbul is steep: Sultanahmet to the Grand Bazaar, Galata to Beyoğlu and the backstreets of Balat are hills of cobbles that get slippery in rain.

• A compact umbrella or rain jacket from October to April; see the best time to visit Istanbul.

• A cross-body bag with a zip for the Grand Bazaar, the Spice Bazaar, Istiklal Avenue and crowded trams, where bag snatching and pickpocketing happen.

• A scarf in your day bag. Women cover their hair in mosques, and shoulders and knees are covered for everyone; loaner scarves and wraps are offered at the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, but your own is easier. Details are in what to wear in Istanbul and Turkey.

• Socks without holes: shoes come off at every mosque, and you carry them in a plastic bag provided at the door.

• An Istanbulkart, bought from machines at stations, for trams, metro, buses and the Bosphorus ferries. See Istanbul airport to the city centre for the first ride.

Documents, money and power

• Passport and e-visa if your nationality needs one. Many nationalities can visit visa-free for short stays; others apply online on the official e-visa site before travel, never through lookalike agency sites. Check do I need a visa for Turkey.

• Cards and some lira. Cards are widely accepted in Istanbul and Göreme hotels and restaurants, but carry lira for taxis, small shops, tea gardens, bazaars and tips. Withdraw from bank ATMs in daylight and decline the machine's own currency conversion. Exchange offices (döviz) are another option. For tipping amounts, see tipping in Turkey.

• Plug adapter: Turkey uses 230 V with type C and F sockets. US, UK and Australian visitors need an adapter.

• Prescription medicine in original packaging with a copy of the prescription, enough for the trip. Pharmacies (eczane) are common and well stocked.

Getting between them: pack for the journey

Most people go from Istanbul to Cappadocia by a short flight to Kayseri or Nevşehir, or by overnight bus. Either way, keep your Cappadocia layers in your hand luggage: early flights land in cold air and the transfer to Göreme takes about an hour. Night buses are air-conditioned and can be cold; a layer and an eye mask help. Compare the options in Istanbul to Cappadocia: flight vs night bus.

A soft backpack copes better with cave-hotel stairs and Istanbul's cobbles than a big wheeled case.

What to buy in Turkey instead

Scarves and pashminas (bazaars and street stalls everywhere), a light cotton shirt, toiletries, Turkish towels (peştemal, light and quick-drying, useful for the whole trip) and snacks for long bus journeys are easy and cheap to buy. Our Turkey grocery guide lists what is worth picking up.

For winter trips, read Istanbul and Cappadocia in winter. For the whole route, see our 33-day Turkey itinerary and the Istanbul and Cappadocia guide. The core kit is in our long-trip packing list.

Frequently asked questions