TURKEY TRAVEL
TURKEY TRAVEL
INFORMATION
 This
is a huge
country
scattered with
stunning ancient
artifacts and
populated by
some of the
friendliest
people on earth.
Flowers seem to
burst from every
crevice, the sun
shines endlessly
[other
than in winter!],
transport
systems are
efficient and
the beer's good
and readily
available.
Scenery ranges
from dull to
mind-boggling,
beaches are
fair, prices are
low and shopping
is excellent,
especially
leather ware in
Istanbul.
Driving is
surprisingly
safe, apart from
mad Istanbul
taxi drivers and
night driving.
Downside:
-
There
have been a few
Islamic
fundamentalist
incidents though
they are rare
and not [yet]
targeting
tourists.
 -
The
language is a
difficult
Asiatic tongue
and many Turks
don't speak a
lingua franca
like English so
communication is
not easy outside
resort areas.
-
The
ubiquitous pine
trees and
profuse flowers
are not going to
be enjoyed by
hay fever
sufferers.
-
The
lovely local
people can be
'economical'
with the truth.
-
Small
sites of big
interest, i.e.
most of them,
cannot contain
the seething
herds of package
tourists. And
it's not going
to get any
better...
-
Distances
between major
sights are
considerable.
-
Turkish
wine is a
disaster.
Climate:
 Best:
April-
June, Sept- Nov.
For water sports
June - Sept. For
the eastern part
June - Sept.
Worst:
Dec-March
[cool and damp],
Ramadan [Muslim
fasting month,
Sept 1 - Sept 29
2008; August 22
- September 21,
2009; August 11-
September 10,
2010. There's
always a lively
feast day, Idd
al-Fitr, at the
end of Ramadan]
Turkey's main
attractions:
-
Istanbul. A
lovely, relaxed,
interesting,
comfortable city
encircled by
water. See
Online
Ephesus Travel
Guide.
-
Cappadocia.
A seriously
weird and
wonderful area
of fairy
chimneys. Calm,
pastoral,
inexpensive and
spectacular, but
a distance from
anywhere.
- Nemrut Dagi.
A superb
mountain top
scattered with
huge decapitated
heads [in stone,
need I say.],
but a long way
to travel. Cold,
so best July/Aug
and self drive.
- Bursa.
A 2,000 year old
city - still in
use, housing
many fine
buildings and a
famous natural
mineral bath.
- Pergamum.
Also over 2,000
years old, but
only ruins now,
in the usual
Greco-Roman
style. Nice and
less crowded
than
Ephesus,
but miscible
unless you're
that way
inclined. The
same goes for
Aphrodisias,
Didyma
and
Priene.
- Pamukkale
is a bit
of a hike from
anywhere, and is
a shadow of its
former glory but
steadily being
improved.
- Ephesus
is an
extensive, very
well-preserved
typically Roman
ruin complex
about 3km from
the agreeable
little town of
Selçuk (Selcuk),
but small and
overcrowded.
- The
Aegean/Mediterranean
coast.
Lots of beaches
and ruins
between
Izmir
and
Alanya, the
package tours
are spreading
like the plague.
- Bodrum
is
crowded but
still
attractive,
especially the
Kumbahce Bay
side. Lots of
pedestrian
streets and good
restaurants.
Good base for
boat trips.
Small beach, big
discos.
- Dalyan,
by the river, is
small, relaxed
and quiet, with
great views over
the water to
some Lycian
tombs and
pleasant boat
trips to Turtle
beach or the
nearby mud
baths. Too many
bugs but the
birdlife is
terrific.
- Olu Deniz.
Great [shingle]
beach, lively
town, beautiful
setting.
- Patara.
Small town,
superb sandy
beach, dunes,
some old ruins.
- Kalkan.
Hill/harbour
town, quaint but
unfocussed,
unlike Kas,
further down the
road. Small
beach and
marina.
- Kas.
Uncrowded,
pretty and
tranquil, with
nice little
beaches nearby.
The coastal road
there is
gorgeous and
it's also a good
base for boat
trips. Something
of a traveler
hangout.
- Antalya.
On the central
Mediterranean
coast with
pebble beaches,
Antalya is large
and historic and
not far from the
dedicated beach
towns of Side
and Alanya.
-
Ankara.
Turkey's capital
has nothing much
to recommend it,
except perhaps
the Museum of
Anatolian
Civilization.
- Fethiye.
Good access to
surrounding
beaches and
ancient sites
but the town is
very short of
character.
- Marmaris,
Kusadasi and
Alanya. Beach
resorts of the
package kind
that are mainly
good for bad
tattoos, good
chip butties and
cafés showing
soccer replays,
but if that's
your travel
scene then this
will do you
fine.
Activities:
-
Walking/hiking:
particularly
good in
Cappadocia and
the Kackar
Mountains near
the Black Sea. A
long distance
walk, The Lycian
Way, is
signposted from
Olu Deniz to
near Antalya,
takes up to a
month.
- Mountain
biking:
bikes are
widely for rent,
and are
especially
sensational in
Cappadocia.
- Motorcycling:
scooters
often for rent,
but don't
hesitate to
bring your own
bike. There are
lovely coast and
Cappadocia roads
in reasonable
condition, with
acceptably safe
drivers - though
not at night.
Petrol is
expensive.
- Boat trips:
long and
short trips with
varying
qualities of
guide.
particularly
famous are the
'Blue Voyages'
traveling from
ports like
Bodrum,
Marmaris,
Alanya.
- Water sports:
skiing,
scuba diving
from Marmaris,
Bodrum, Cesme.
- Han
gliding/Paragliding:
especially at
Olu Deniz.
- Turkish
Festivals:
- Ramadan:
a
religious month
of daytime
fasting when
people and
services can be
erratic.
- Kurban
Bayrami:
a four
day religious
festival during
which many
facilities will
be closed and
resorts crowded.
Sometime between
February and
April.
Kirkpinar Oiled
Wrestling,
mid-June,
Edirne.
Istanbul
International
Festival of
Arts, late June
- mid July,
world class
music, dance++
Republic Day,
Oct, speeches
and parades.
- Insurance
Do
not travel
without
comprehensive
medical
insurance
(including cover
for medical
repatriation),
as private
medical
treatment is
very expensive.
You should check
any exclusions,
and that your
policy covers
you for the
activities you
want to
undertake. The
European Health
Insurance
Card (EHIC),
which concerns
free medical
treatment in
EU
countries,
is not valid in
Turkey.
- Money
ATMs
are widely
available in
major cities and
tourist areas.
Local currency
can also be
obtained from
banks and
exchange
bureaus, known
as DOVIZ in
Turkish.
- Visas
If
you stay in
Turkey longer
than your visa
allows, you will
be liable to pay
a substantial
fine upon
departure. This
varies according
to how long you
have overstayed.
From the moment
you have
overstayed your
visa the minimum
fine is 98.40
TL, rising
incrementally
each day to
193.20 TL for an
overstay of one
month. If you
stay longer than
one month the
fine increases
substantially.
- Passport
validity
Your
passport should
be valid for at
least six months
on entry into
Turkey and have
at least three
months' validity
on the date you
are exiting
Turkey. If you
hold a Travel
Document it must
be valid for at
least one year
on entry into
Turkey.
- Traveling with
children
If a
parent travels
on his/her own
with a dual
national Turkish
child, written
permission from
the Turkish
parent,
certified by a
notary, must be
shown to the
immigration
authorities if
requested upon
departure,
otherwise the
child will not
be permitted to
leave Turkey. |
To learn more
about Turkey
tours and Turkey
Hotels:
Here you can
look at all the
Turkey hotels
and tour
programs and get
informed about
our daily trips
in the different
areas of Turkey.
Besides we offer
to our guests
interesting in
package tours
different Turkey
tours with the
duration from 5
till 20 days.
Also we propose
to you worth
recommending
hotels In Turkey
for you to have
the most relax
and comfortable
holiday. We
always say: let
us surprise you!
See below our
hotels and Tours
in Turkey! Enjoy
it!
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