Hi-I am planning a trip to Turkey for 8-10days in August. I was told that I must visit Istanbul and Capadocia and Ephesus. In all my previous trips, I usually booked thru expedia and they will fly me from point A to B and I will do the local tours. However, for this trip, I would like to do/plan this on my own and honestly, I don't really know where to start. I don't drive. Can you folks out there who have been and offer me your expetise--i.e. what airlines fly from Toronto to Turkey, where should I stay (I don't need a Ritz, but I can't do a hotel with a communal bathroom if you know what I mean), where are the 'must visit' places--I love history but also love the urban modern stuff. HELP......

We had good service from Pegasus Airline and Onair. These are airlines that service the interior at lower costs. However, I had problems finding good connections between Izmir (Ephesus) and Kayseri (Cappadoccia) and spent 9 days outside Istanbul. You may want to take a look at my trip report.

Hi,
You were told to visit Istanbul, Capadocia and Ephesus. Yes, but we can very easily add Antalya, Urfa, Perge, Aspendos, Kas and surroundings, Pergame, Bursa, Konya,...
You'll never get out of destinations in Turkey... which makes the choice all the more difficult.
Istanbul and Capadocia are ok for a 1st time.
Istanbul easily deserves 5 to 6 nights, Capadocia deserves 3 to 4 nights. Save the rest for another time, unless you want to be more tired after the trip than before...
When looking for airplane tickets, don't be afraid of THY, Turkish Airlines, I have never had a problem with them. For inland flights, stay with THY as well, or you can take the bus which is cheaper. You can easily fly from Istanbul to Kayseri to see Capadocia.
In Istanbul; for a first timer, stay in Sultanahmet area. It is full of 2-3-4star hotels.
For Capadocia, try to stay in Urgup, close to the center, with a hotel that maybe organizes to get you at Kayseri airport and brings you back. Have a look at Esbelli Evi.
Good luck in planning.

I believe there are now direct flights from Toronto to Istanbul. I flew through Paris when I went.

There are direct flights by THy from Toronto to Istanbul.

Internal flights are cheaper by Pegasus, Atlas, Anadolu or sunexpress.

8-10 days is OK for istanbul plus one other location, depending on your interest. better read a bit about Ephesus and Cappadocia before you decide. Instead you may go to a beach resort or hiking in the mountains as well.

you can actually combine history with beach at Kusadasi/Selcuk, when you go for Ephesus

you will need guided tours at Cappadocia.

you can handle Ephesus and other locations nearby using 'Dolmus' shared minibuses, and get a guide at the entrance to Ephesus.

Ephesus will be very hot in August. You will need protection against the sun and carry water during your approximately two hour tour against dehydration.

Cappadocia will also be hot during the day but cooler at night and with a lot less humidity.

We drove, botj in Istanbul and outside. You won't have a lot of time, but Istanbul, Cappadocia (we stayed in Goreme ofr 1 night then toured)), maybe a stay on Med (Antalya, Kas and Marmaris for us), and Ephesus (1/2day) would be a full vacation. Other threads here talk about the transportation options, so a search will help.