When visiting Europe, it is difficult not to visit more than one country. For me, my flight from the United States of America to Europe ends up being the most expensive flight by far, so I always purpose to visit a couple countries while I am already over there. Whether you travel around Europe by plane, train, or car, the close proximity makes the trip convenient. It is amazing how after a couple hours of traveling in Europe, you can end up in a new country with another unique landscape and culture to experience and explore.

My most recent trip to Europe brought me to London, Amsterdam, and several cities all around Turkey. My trip was 18 days in total. London and Amsterdam are two popular European destinations, but overall Turkey is not a commonly chosen country by tourists. I visited some beachy coastal towns in Turkey, the big city of Istanbul, and Cappadocia which is a fairytale destination where you are surrounded by nature and history. Keep reading for my itinerary breakdown.

Travel Itinerary

The bags were packed and it was time to go on vacation! First stop, London!

London

After an overnight flight, I arrived in London bright and early to start exploring. Personally, I love booking overnight flights and being able to start my travels first thing when I get there. If I arrive to the new country late in the evening, it is difficult for me to sleep the first night because I am antsy to begin exploring. In London, I spent two full days and two full nights. I stayed at the Marriott St. Ermin’s Hotel and recommend this luxury hotel as your spot for accommodation as it is centrally located. We walked to most of the famous sights and restaurants.

When in London, we explored by tram, foot, and the classic red double-decker buses. A car rental is not necessary as public transportation is really simple and convenient in London.

Click the link for my London Travel Guide to read more about recommendations for what to do in London.

Amsterdam

Next stop, over to Amsterdam in the Netherlands to see the canals and tulips! I spent three full days and three nights in Amsterdam. I stayed at the Renaissance Amsterdam Schiphol Airport Hotel. This hotel is not super close to the tulip fields. The hotel rents bikes that we enjoyed using though. We biked through a beautiful natural forest/park and rode into the city center to see the popular sights. Biking in Amsterdam was a highlight of the trip! If you have plans all over Amsterdam though, a car rental might be a consideration for your trip.

For ideas on what to do in Amsterdam, check out my Amsterdam Travel Guide.

Turkey – Alaçatı

After our time in Amsterdam, we were off to Turkey. We flew into İzmir, got a car rental, and drove to Alaçatı. Alaçatı is a quaint touristy vacation spot. We spent one and half days and two nights here. We stayed at Alaçatı Jardin d’Azur Airbnb which was walking distance to the city center.

For ideas on what to do in Alaçatı, read my Alaçatı, Turkey blog.

Turkey – Kaş

Next, we drove to Kaş in our rental car. This drive takes about 6-7 hours, but it a pretty coastal drive. Kaş is a stunning destination with breathtaking beaches, cute boutiques, and delicious food. We spent three days and three nights in Kaş. One day, we went on a day trip to Kastellorizo, Greece as well! You can spend time on a colorful Greek island after a short 20-minute ferry ride. I definitely recommend this day trip! While in Kaş, we stayed at Voila Suites Catu Airbnb.

Click the link to read my blog, What to Do in Kaş, Turkey. Also, check out my blog on Kastellorizo, Greece.

Turkey – Cappadocia

After Kaş, we drove to the aiport in Antalya and got on a flight to Cappadocia. Cappadocia is where you can wake up for sunrise and see hundreds of hot air balloons flying overhead. The landscape looks like a national park as well, and the city is full of history. I stayed in Cappadocia for three days and three nights. Many tourists book a car for Cappadocia, but I did not. My accommodations offered transportation to and from the airport. After that, I walked around the city and booked a day-long tour that picked me up from my hotel. I stayed at Nomads Cave Hotel, and booked my stay through Airbnb.

To read about my time in Cappadocia, check out my Cappadocia Travel Guide.

Turkey- Istanbul

After Cappadocia, I flew to Istanbul where I spent three days and two nights exploring the hustling city. I would not recommend renting a car in this big city. We explored by foot and tram. During my time in Istanbul, I stayed at the Moxy Istanbul Beyoglu Hotel.

Click the link to read about five activities to do in Istanbul.

London

After Istanbul, we flew back to London to spend the night. When we booked our trip, roundtrip flights between the United States and London made the most sense.

Home

Lastly, after our night in London, we flew back to the United States.

Bulleted Itinerary

If you are more of a list person, I am attaching the bulleted itinerary for your convenience below as well.

• Day 1
  • Leave the US and fly overnight to London
• Day 2
  • Arrive in London and explore all day
  • Night in London
• Day 3
  • Day and night in London
• Day 4
  • Fly from London to Amsterdam
  • Night in Amsterdam
• Day 5
  • Day and night in Amsterdam
• Day 6
  • Day and night in Amsterdam
• Day 7
  • Fly from Amsterdam to İzmir
  • Get rental car and drive to Alaçatı
  • Night in Alaçatı
• Day 8
  • Day and night in Alaçatı
• Day 9
  • Drive to Kaş
  • Night in Kaş
• Day 10
  • Day and night in Kaş
• Day 11
  • Day excursion to Kastellorizo
  • Evening and night in Kaş
• Day 12
  • Drive rental car to Antalya
  • Return rental car
  • Fly to Cappadocia
  • Night in Cappadocia
• Day 13
  • Day and night in Cappadocia
• Day 14
  • Day and night in Cappadocia
• Day 15
  • Fly to Istanbul
  • Night in Istanbul
• Day 16
  • Day and night in Istanbul
• Day 17
  • Day in Istanbul
  • Evening flight to London
  • Night in London
• Day 18
  • Fly home

Conclusion

A trip traveling around Europe is always a good idea! I hope this itinerary gives you an idea of what a trip may look like if you are interested in visiting these destinations! We felt that we had a good amount of time in each spot and had plenty of time to explore and experience each city.

Thanks for stopping by! Let me know if you have any questions in the comment section. Cheers to exploring Europe and making connections around the world. Check out the destinations tab on my website to find all my other blog posts.