|
A trip to Turkey deserves as much time as you
can muster: one week, two weeks, or even a month.
Here is also a list of our favorites in Turkey...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Our
Favorite Online Resources
Turkish
Embassy's Travel Site
Frommer's
Online Guide
Lonely
Planet's Turkey Overview
Lonely
Planet's Reader Suggestions
Personal Site of Lonely
Planet Author (look under "Special Interest" for his
Top 10 Beaches)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Things
to do in Istanbul
There’s much to do in Istanbul and you
would be very busy with 4-5 days in the city. We are researching
guide agencies and may even arrange some guided trips for anyone
that is interested to join one during the days of the wedding. At
the very least, though, if you do like seeing cities with the help
of a guide, we will provide you with the names of some people that
we trust and know will give you a good tour.
In the meantime, this is by no means comprehensive,
but here are some favorites.
Basak
and John's Top 10 Things to do in Istanbul
1. Wander around
“Rumeli Hisari”, a fortress on the European side of the
Bosphorus. It is one of a pair that was built to control water traffic
and if you look across the water, you will see an identical fortress
on the Asian/Anatolian side.
2. From the fortress, walk over
to a little café by the water called “Kale”. It’s
a good place to have a breakfast of “pacanga” with Turkish
tea.
3. Stroll on “Istiklal Caddesi”
(Istiklal Road) and enjoy the coffee shops at the end of it, near
the “tunnel” (the very first underground railway in Istanbul,
which is short, two-minute trip).
4. Visit one of the little islands
near Istanbul, preferably “Buyukada”.
5. Visit the Sultanhamet area
and it’s major sights: Topkapi Palace and Ayasofia. Shopping
at the Grand Bazaar is a real highlight.
6. Go to Ortakoy and do nothing
but watch people, gaze at the sea and drink Turkish tea.
7. Istanbul has very trendy
restaurants. The hottest spots can change year to year, so ferret
out the latest and have a great meal.
8. Visit the Bebek area, which
reminded us a little bit of Sausalito. Walk around the shore and
eat the famous marzipan and pistachio paste at “Meshur Bebek
Badem Ezmesi” candy store.
9. Take a public ferry from
one side of the Bosphorus to the other (and don’t forget to
feed the seagulls with the famous Turkish bread “simit”
while sipping your Turkish tea!).
10. Walk and shop the old, trendy
neighborhood of Nisantasi.
Top
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Things
to do in Turkey - All Over
Here
are some more ideas to get you started and please don’t hesitate
to talk to us if you have any more questions. Depending on the length
of your trip, you can look into one of these ideas, or string a
few of them together.
Basak
and John's Top 10 Things to do in Turkey
1. Cappadoccia
is a fantastic 2-3 day trip. Some hotels are built right into the
caves (dubious eco-tourism, but cool nonetheless)
2. Kas is Basak’s favorite
village on the Mediterranean Sea. There’s a great ambiance,
scuba diving, fresh fish, fun bars and the local people are fun.
3. While in Kas, take a small
private boat tour from the nearby village of Kekova to another small
village that you can only access by sea, Kalekoy. On the way, you
will see (and swim around) the sunken city, as well as the famous
tombs on the water. The little village itself also has a nice castle
and more tombs.
4. Bodrum is one of the more
touristy towns on the coast, but it also has the liveliest nightlife.
The town is nice, as is its famous “Museum of Underwater Archeology”
housed in the old castle.
5. While in Bodrum, visit the
nearby fishing village Gumusluk to have a fish feast. The small
restaurants are very authentic, have tables by the sea, and have
the most fresh and tasty fish, salads and meze (small Turkish plates
like tapas).
6. Take a short trip to Ankara
(Basak’s home town) and visit the award-winning “Museum
of Anatolian Civilizations”. Walk around the nearby Ankara
castle, with its old shops that still serve the people that live
in the castle, as well as the antique stores that serve tourists.
If you have the time, take a short excursion to Hattusa, the Hittite
ruins that are two hours from Ankara.
7. Pamukkale, which is translated
as the cotton castle, is an amazing geological formation that consists
of limestone sediment accumulated through the ages. The whole area
is stark white and is fun to explore.
8. Efes (Ephesus) is one of
Turkey’s most important Roman ruins and is a spectacular place
to visit.
9. The little village Karacasu,
where Basak’s grandmother is living, is also famous for being
the closest settlement to the magnificent site of Aphrodisias. The
city of Aphrodite still houses some of the best artwork and ruins.
10. Finally, you can travel
the Mediterranean coast by private boat. Many of these trips are
referred to as the “Blue Voyage”. Normally, friends get
a few couples together, choose the type and size of boat they want,
and set off for a week (more or less is also possible). It is the
best way to enjoy the coast, away from touristy places. Here is
a nice
link for blue voyage.
Top
|
