Thanksgiving in Turkey: A Week in Istanbul and Cappadocia

Thanksgiving in Turkey makes a fine short trip: in 2026, Thanksgiving Day falls on Thursday, November 26, and late November is cool but mild in Istanbul. Around the holiday weekend, four or five days are enough for Istanbul and Cappadocia. Here is how we plan the week.

When is Thanksgiving, and how long is a trip to Turkey?

Thanksgiving Day is a US federal holiday, and in 2026 it falls on Thursday, November 26. Built around that weekend, a trip of four or five days in Turkey covers the two classic places: Istanbul and Cappadocia. Turkey itself has no public holiday in November, so offices and banks keep their normal hours.

What is the weather like in Turkey at Thanksgiving?

In late November, Istanbul averages about 61 °F (16 °C) by day and 50 °F (10 °C) at night. Cappadocia, up on the plateau, is colder: about 54 °F (12 °C) by day and 36 °F (2 °C) at night. On the south coast, Antalya still reaches about 70 °F (21 °C), warm enough for our Antalya tours in late November. So bring layers and a warm jacket for the Cappadocia evenings. For the whole month, read Turkey in November.

How much daylight is there in late November?

In Istanbul in Thanksgiving week, the sun rises around 8 a.m. and sets before 6 p.m., so you get under ten hours of daylight. That is why we start the sightseeing early and keep the evening for a long dinner. Also, Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque are working mosques, so we plan visits outside prayer times. The official prayer timetable lists them day by day, and we plan your mosque visits around it.

Which sights close in Thanksgiving week?

Topkapı Palace closes on Tuesdays, so in 2026, keep Tuesday, November 24, for other sights. On the other days, we arrange your entry to Topkapı Palace as part of your Istanbul day. We plan the palace for the morning, while the Grand Bazaar can wait for the afternoon.

A Thanksgiving week in Turkey: four or five days

Our Istanbul and Cappadocia tour in 4 days gives two days to each, with your own guide. In Istanbul, you see Hagia Sophia, Topkapı and the bazaars. Then you fly to Cappadocia for the Göreme Open-Air Museum, a cave hotel and the underground city of Kaymaklı.

With one more day, our Istanbul and Cappadocia tour in 5 days slows the pace. It leaves time for tea, sunsets and a dawn among the balloons, which fly only when the wind allows.

Our suggestion

Start with the old city of Istanbul on your first full day, unless it is a Tuesday. Then fly to Cappadocia for the second half, and keep one spare morning there for the balloons. Finally, book your Istanbul Airport transfer for the evening you land, so the trip starts without a search for a taxi. For a greeter inside the terminal as well, add our VIP airport assistance.

Would you like a Thanksgiving week in Turkey planned around your holiday dates? Send us your holiday week and who is traveling, and we will plan the days. Start with a tailor-made trip.