Photo by Magdalena Kula Manchee on Unsplash
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Your holiday - Your way
COUNTRY GUIDE
BEST TIME TO GO - April, May, September and October.
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June to September is very hot.
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November to March can be quite cold.
POPULATION - 83 million
CAPITAL - Ankara (Formerly Angora - home of the goats (Mohair) and rabbits (Angora Wool)
ETHNICITY - Turkish 80%, Kurds 20% + Arabs, Turkmen, Circassians, Greeks
NATIONAL DRINK - Raki is the answer, I forgot the question
GOVERNMENT - Secular Parliamentary Representative Democratic Republic
NATIONAL DISH - Iskender kebab
RELIGION - Muslim 98.3%
LANGUAGE - Turkish
AGE - 97
BIG MAC IN $US - $2.21
LITERACY - 96 %
LIFE EXPECTANCY - 77.5
TOURISTS PER YEAR - 52 million
MINIMUM WAGE ANNUAL IN $US - $5722
CURRENCY - Turkish Lira TRY 1 TRY = 15c
NO.1 TOURIST SITE - Hagia Sophia, church / mosque / museum
CHEERS - Serefe
Photo by Hulki Okan Tabak on Unsplash
HIGHLIGHTS - HISTORY, FOOD & SCENERY
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Istanbul 4N to Istanbul 1N via (Adalar 1N) - Canakkle 3N (Bozcaada 1N) - Selcuk 3N (Sirince 1N) - Bodrum 3N - Fethiye 3N *(Hisaronu 1N) - Kas 2N - Olimpos 2N - Antalya 4N - Konya 3N - Goreme 4N - and Ankara 3N
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Princes' Islands
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Haga Sophia
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Blue Mosque
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Fish Sandwiches
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Pudding Shop
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Grand Bazaar
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Gallipoli Tour
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Ephesus
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Penis Valley
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Cappodicia
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Ghost Village
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British Town
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Dead Sea
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Chimera
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Turkish Coffee
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Suleymaniye Mosque
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Turkish Bath
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Turkish Delight
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Turkish Breakfast
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Belly Dancing
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Greece Daytrip
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Cleopatra's Baths
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Saklikent Gorge
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High Speed Train
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Ancient City of Troy
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Two Trojan Horses
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Duden Waterfalls
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Whirling Dervishes
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Goreme Balloon Ride
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The World's First City
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Üstün Palmie Pastanesi
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Sultanhan Caravanserai
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Mawlawi Lodge Museum
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Anıtkabir - Attaturk's Tomb
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The World's most beautiful city
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The World's largest miniature park
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Fly in and out of Istanbul, one of the world's greatest cities. Unique in that it straddles two continents. Stay in the Sultanahmet area near the major attractions. Walking distance to Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar and many others. The Hippy Trail across Asia back in the 60's and 70's began here at the Pudding Shop. It's still open and you can have lunch here. Or pudding. There will be several walking tours and a bicycle tour when you get out to the islands. *If you want to keep the trip within a 30 day visa, skip the towns in red and go straight to Konya from Fethiye.
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You'll need a few days here to get around to the different areas. The Asian side and the European side. There are quite a few different types of eating experiences to be tried. Turkish food is one of the Primary Cuisines along with French and Chinese. You'll need to learn how to drink Raki (Raki is the answer I forgot the question). The nightlife is great and the Turkish are very friendly. It is scattered around the city. Some belly dancing would be a cultural requirement. You can also take a break with an overnighter in the car free Princes' islands. There are a few overnighters on this trip. Leave your main pack where you're staying and just take what you need in a day pack. Travelling light is so much easier. Most places will look after your gear for nothing, especially when you're coming back to stay another night.
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Turkiye is a secular country which means there is a separation between religion and state and is therefore not overly strict with alcohol, clothing and other religious mores. The one place you will find that they are conservative is Konya.
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If the Suada Club is open it's one of the highlights of this amazing city. A swimming pool / club with 7 restaurants, bars DJ's floating out in the Bosporus. Sun yourself with the beautiful people. Visit the world's largest miniature park. Have a Turkish Bath. Drink some amazing coffee. Eat real Turkish Delight or Lokum as it is called here. Ride the Turk balloon. Watch the sunset from a different vantage point every evening. Your days and night will be full to overflowing.
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Travel through Thrace to the Gelibolu Peninsula. Or Gallipoli as it's known in Australia and New Zealand. If you come in April for the dawn service at ANZAC Cove be sure to book very early. It is a place of pilgrimage for Aussies, Kiwis and also the Turks. If you don't know the ANZAC (Australia and New Zealand Armed Corps) story about the defeat in the battle for Gallipoli, you will by the time you leave. ANZAC day is the most important day of remembrance in both nations. It is very interesting to see first hand what they had to cope with terrain-wise and how close the trenches were. Definitely do a tour here. you're bound to see a documentary and the Aussie movie Gallipoli a few times while you're in Canakkle. Just down the road is the Ancient City of Troy and the Trojan Horse. The one from the movie Troy with Brad Pitt was gifted to Canakkle and is situated on the waterfront. When your finished with the war zone catch the ferry over to the jewel of an island that is Bozcaada for an overnighter.
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The main reason to come to Selcuk is to visit the nearby Roman ruins of Ancient Ephesus. It is one of the major highlights of Turkey and has been called one of the world's finest ancient sites. It's one of those places you should fork out for a guide. The highlight's are the iconic Library of Celsus the 25,000 seat Theatre of Ephesus and the columned Curetes Street . Nearby is the house where the Virgin Mary is considered to have lived at the end of her life after being brought here by John the Baptist.
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Selcuk is a pleasant small town in it's own right a nice place to hangout. An overnight visit to the very near and incredibly charming Sirince Wine Village is a must. Taste their renowned wines enjoy some lunch and do a little shopping. where of Also a day trip to the large resort town Kusadasi on the coast will give you a change of scenery.
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Bodrum is home to one of the seven wonders of the world. The Mausoleum of Halikarnassus, but it's hardly worth visiting. Especially after Ephesus. Don't let that put you off though as it has everything else going for it. It's a party town with intense nightlife, it has a spectacular medieval castle and one of the most prestigious marinas on the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts right in the heart of the action, beautiful beaches, a long palm-lined waterfront, it is one of the most popular resorts in Turkey and it is the place to be and be seen. Let your hair down.
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A gulet is a traditional Turkish wooden sailing vessel made in Bodrum. They are very attractive and nice and comfortable. So what better place to go out for a day or even overnight cruise. If you've got the time and money you could even take a week cruise to your next destination - Fethiye.
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Fethiye is a beautiful town but the main reason you're here is to use it as a base because there are so many attractions around it. See what this town has to offer from the Spice Markets and waterside cafes to the seafood restaurants. Strolling the harbour promenade is the best way to do this. It has a great natural harbour and is another good place to go out on a Gulet cruise. The turquoise waters of the Agean are a delight to look at and swim in. One place you can swim is Marc Antony's wedding gift to his wife, Cleopara's bath. There is a historic Hammam or Turkish Bath here that has been in use for over 400 years. Give it a try and you might be looking out for them for the rest of the trip.
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Head out to Saklikent Gorge for a daytrip, at 300 meters deep and 18 km long it's one of the world's deepest. About 4 kms of it can be walked. There are elevated paths to keep you above the icy water, but at a certain point you'll have to start wading through. You can also indulge in having a mud bath. All very refreshing on a hot day. Enjoy a trout lunch at the waterside restaurant. Shoot the rapids on a tube with a paddle and realise that when you're trying to avoid the boulders the only control the paddle provides is to spin the tube. Quite exciting.
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Spend a day on the beautiful beach at Olundeniz (Dead Sea). Catch a boat to stunning Butterfly Valley. For the thrill seekers this is a perfect place to try paragliding. Tandem of course. The scenery is fantastic and on a clear day you can see Rhodes. You take off at about 2,000 meters and due to the lay of the land it is possible to rise up to 3,500 meters before descending. In fact they have international championships here. This day trip is an overnighter and can be spread over two days.
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Nearby is the Ghost Village of Kayakoy which was deserted in 1923 due to the population exchange between Greece and Turkey. 23,00 people used to live here so it's quite substantial. After the fall of the Ottoman Empire Greece and Turkey agreed to forcibly swap two million people. it caused a lot of hardship and resentment from the incredulous exchangees which still causes problems today. It was done to achieve religious homogeneity. 1.5 million Greek Orthodox went to Greece and 500,000 Muslims came to the new nation of Turkey. People left their houses without cleaning them and with dinner cooking in the oven because they didn't believe it would happen.
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If you're missing your fish and chips or Sunday roast with apple crumble fear not. How about a few pints and a game of darts. This scenic little slice of Britain amongst the Taurus Mountains will see you right. Hisaronu is mainly populated by cheap package tourists from the UK and their every whim is catered for. Still it's a fun place with pumping nightlife and a huge array of eating options. A great place to spend the night and have a holiday from your holiday.
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*If you only have a month off and a 30 day visa skip these next 3 places and head straight to Konya. Otherwise you've got lots to look forward to. They are all short trips, the longest one being about 2 hours. First up Kas is a water wonderland. it is the main diving centre with around 30 sites where you can dive into Turkey's history. There are boat trips galore, kayak over a sunken city, gorgeous beaches, a day trip to an offshore Greek island. Kas is a cool place to be.
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Next along is Olympos once a stop on the famous "Hippy Trail". It is still a backpacker hangout luring them in with the attraction of staying in tree houses. Other highlights here include old Lycian ruins along the river on the way down to the beach, Loggerhead Sea Turtles and the eternal flame of the Chimera. Go at sunset and take some marshmallows with you. Sitting around the fire pit at night time having a few drinks with your fellow travellers is a lot of fun. Just beware of those eggs at the breakfast buffet that have been sitting around too long.
“Antalya is undoubtedly the most beautiful city in the world” - Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
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You'll think you're in Port Royal with all the Pirate Ships in the wonderful old Roman harbour which is lined with cafes and restaurants.. Stay in the charming Old Town centre nearby. This really is a nice place and it would be enough just to wander and to sit and just take in the ambiance of this town. But there is a lot to see and do around here and no doubt a visit to Antalya will be one of the highlights of your trip.
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A fantastic food scene, happening and varied night life and all sorts of natural attractions around it. It even has a waterfall tumbling into the sea where you can take a path which leads you behind the curtain of water. Now you don't see that every day! But wait there's more. A castle, hotels in restored Ottoman houses, ancient bathhouses, a Sufi museum in a very special building, beaches, ruins, National Parks...... And getting back to those Pirate Ships you can sail around the bay, for the day, have Pirate entertainment, a buffet lunch and walk the plank.
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Image by serkan sivri from Pixabay
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Time to leave the coast and your hedonistic ways behind. You're going to Konya one of the oldest urban centres and the first city to rise after Noah and his Ark went for a sail. It is one of the most conservative cities but also very interesting. If you were paying attention at the Sufi museum you'll remember that Rumi or "Mevlana" came here to live. He also died here and you will find his tomb in the Mevlana Museum. His followers established the order of the Whirling Dervishes and this is the best place to see a ceremony. So it is important to be here on a Saturday night.
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Be careful about taking pictures of people in the street here and in Ankara. Always ask permission. In Ankara it is strictly forbidden to take pictures of women especially when their head is covered by a black scarf.
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This is a town of contrasts and it will certainly be a contrast to the coastal towns you have been to lately. It is full of historical buildings and sites and they take great pride in their heritage. It is a great city to get around by bicycle. The bazaar is very popular and covers 40 streets. It is a University town so there is a large student presence. The man made hill of Alaeddin Tepe is where everyone likes to hang out. It is a park with tea houses, open air cafes and walking trails. It is the place to promenade in the evenings. Kultur Park is another nice place in the evenings.
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Take a trip out to Catalhoyuk the world's first city. One theory is that it was a matriarchal society due to the artifacts that have been found. Keep on going to the nearly 7,000 year old village of Sille. A touristy little paradise in the mountains. There is a lake, a museum, an old Ottoman cemetery, cave dwellings and lots of cafes. It has an interesting history and is worth a visit.
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En-route to your next destination you may get the chance to stop off half way and have a look at the Sultanhani Caravanserai. It is the largest and best preserved caravanserai in Turkey. They were a vital feature of the Silk Road. Spaced a day's walk apart along the entire route they meant that traders and animals could rest and replenish each night in secure and sheltered premises. This one was built in 1229.
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One of Turkiye's most spectacular regions and an UNESCO World Heritage Site is Cappadocia and my favourite place is the town of Goreme. Parts of Star Wars have been filmed around here. The history goes back over 4,000 years to the Hittite days. It is like living in a cartoon world with fairy chimneys and dramatic rock formations. It is one of THE places to go for a Hot Air Balloon ride because you wont find scenery like this anywhere else. The accommodation is fantastic with cave rooms, terraces, suites fairy chimneys and restored traditional stone houses. The bars and restaurants are just as impressive.
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There are underground cities to explore, open air museums, cave churches, Penis Valley, horse riding through this bizarre lunar landscape and of course that Hot Air Balloon ride, the experience of a life time. The local specialty Pottery Kebab need to be booked five hours before you want to eat it. Something else you should book is Turkish Night in one of the cave restaurants. It's a lot of fun with live music and all you can drink wine, dinner and then the dancing starts. Join in with the Belly Dancer and it might be your big break. This is one of those towns you could see yourself living in. Great sunrises, sunsets, wineries, bath houses, cafes, chamber music and all manner of unusual sights. Grab some wheels and see the region on a Scootour.
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Ankara became the capital of Turkiye in 1923. Since then it's population has multiplied by near enough to a hundredfold. Seventy-sixfold to be more accurate. Before then it was more known for it's Angora Mohair from Angora goats, Angora Wool from Angora rabbits and the Angora cat breed. *If you are doing the 29 N itinerary try to get your ticket to fly out of Ankara or go straight from here to the airport in Istanbul on the very fast train.
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The two major attractions in Ankara are the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations and Anıtkabir the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk the Father of modern Turkiye. A walking tour one day and public transport the next day will get you around to a good cross section of the sights. Air Force museum (comlete with Crane Parachute Jumping), Prison museum, castle, tower, old town and the surprisingly interesting Rahmi M Koç Industrial Museum
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A young student population means there is a lively nightlife here. It has a healthy restaurant and cafe scene with plenty of life on the streets. Cold beers, sunsets and roof top bars and you know you're in a civilized place. Being the capital many international dignitaries come through here and need to eat, drink and be entertained so standards in the high end places are quite high. There are many options depending on what level of service you are seeking.
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Jump on the very fast train to Istanbul. Go back to your favourite eating place or bar. Do some last minute shopping. And think about taking the Midnight Express to #9 Bulgaria.
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ANTALYA
Now, the first thing to note about the Düden Waterfalls is that there are two locations several kilometres apart.
The must-see is the lower falls (Karpuzkaldiran Waterfall), set between Antalya and Lara.
Here the Düden River plunges 40 metres over the tawny cliffs into the Mediterranean.
A park has been set up to help you get the most out of this natural wonder, complete with playgrounds for little ones, scenic terraces and a zip-line crossing the river just before it hurtles over the cliff.
You can view the falls from the water on a cruise setting off from Antalya’s old harbour.
Inland, the upper falls also deserve your time, where the river spills over a small rocky ledge rich with vegetation, and you can take a path that leads you behind the curtain of
Photo by Hulki Okan Tabak on Unsplash
Image by yusuf kazancı from Pixabay
Image by LoggaWiggler from Pixabay
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