Loop from Istanbul
The Classic Turkey
10 days · 2400 km
Route
Istanbul → Çanakkale → Ayvalık → Selçuk → Pamukkale → Fethiye → Kaş → Antalya → Eğirdir → Istanbul


Distance
2400 km


Duration
10 days, ~38 hours in the saddle
8 overnight stops, one a rest day


Status
Planned


Best Months
May to June, or September to October
July and August are hot and busy on the coast


World Heritage
Archaeological Site of Troy
Pergamon Multi-Layered Landscape
Ephesus
Hierapolis-Pamukkale


Parks & Protected Areas
Gallipoli Peninsula Historical Site
Patara protected area
Lake Salda
Beydağları Coast NP (Olympos – Çıralı)


Signature Roads
D400 Fethiye – Kaş – Antalya
Taurus climb, Antalya – Eğirdir


The Plan

Ten days, clockwise down the Aegean and back over the plateau. Four world heritage sites, a rest day at Antalya, and the D400 as the centrepiece. This is the route that made Turkey famous among riders.


Day Route Distance Highlights Night stay
01 Istanbul → Gallipoli → ferry → Çanakkale 330 km
5 h
Anzac beaches and 1915 memorials; bike-on-deck Dardanelles crossing Çanakkale
02 Çanakkale → Troy → Assos → Ayvalık 210 km
4 h
Nine cities of Troy, Temple of Athena above the Aegean, harbour meze Ayvalık
03 Ayvalık → Pergamon → Selçuk 240 km
4 h
Pergamon's cliff-edge theatre; storks on Roman aqueducts in Selçuk Selçuk
04 Selçuk → Ephesus → Şirince → Pamukkale 200 km
3.5 h
Library of Celsus before the crowds; travertine terraces barefoot at sunset Pamukkale
05 Pamukkale → Lake Salda → Fethiye 230 km
4 h
The "Turkish Maldives", pine passes, Lycian rock tombs over the harbour Fethiye
06 Fethiye → Ölüdeniz → Patara → Kaş 110 km
2.5 h
The D400 begins: blue lagoon, 18 km of Patara sand, dinner in Kaş lanes Kaş
07 Kaş → Demre → Çıralı → Antalya 200 km
4 h
Myra's rock tombs, sunken Kekova, Chimaera flames, Kaleiçi old town Antalya
08 Antalya rest day, optional Aspendos – Perge loop 100 km
2 h
Best-preserved Roman theatre on earth; bikes checked, riders fed Antalya
09 Antalya → Taurus passes → Eğirdir 190 km
3.5 h
Hairpins out of the heat onto the plateau; lakeside peninsula town Eğirdir
10 Eğirdir → Afyonkarahisar → Istanbul 520 km
6.5 h
Castle-rock lunch stop, then the motorway run home over Osmangazi Istanbul


Notes

All tarmac and mostly excellent. The D400 is flowing rather than technical, so suitable for any confident road rider.

Averages under 250 km a day with the rest day built in. Day 10 is the long one at 520 km; split it with a night in Bursa if preferred.

Accommodation everywhere from pensions to boutique hotels. No booking anxiety outside peak summer.


Open the route in Google Maps