Turkey Travel Tips: 2005
Ancient cultures, delicious food, and warm, sunny beaches: We love and Turkey! What tips do you have for your fellow travelers to the East Mediterranean?
Antalya
We are looking into going to Antalya. If you have been there and have tips, please reply. We are looking for a hotel on the beach and hope to find a swimming beach that's not too rocky. Any advice?
skip <email>
san rafael, CA USA Sat 12/24/2005
Istanbul
We recently spent a week in Istanbul and very much loved our visit. The call of the Muezzin was a lovely wakeup call each morning. The feasts each evening during ramadam were lively and exciting. There were many scams going on of course but the city overflows with beauty, art and architecture as well as fake tribal authentic rugs.
We stayed at the Dersaadet Hotel and loved the rooftop breakfasts looking out to the Blue Mosque.
We took the time to talk with many Turks about their view of themselves, their history ( regarding the Armenians and Kurds) and their bid for the EU. We found many articulate and passionate people, most notable, Ali, a bookseller on the main drag between the Hagia and Blue Mosque along the tram way.
We never felt threatened and took all the street "vendors" as a foprm of theater and we simply played our part having a great deal of fun interaction with most of them.
Larry Binkovitz
Columbus, ohio USA Mon 12/05/2005
Ephesus
We were very lucky to have a guide with such great credentials, Tolga "Köseoğlu; He had us well informed before we reached Ephesus and gave us a tremendous tour. The stories about the Romans made the site memorable. The discussion afterward when he taught some useful Turkish and explained the difference in Muslem cultures are probably the highlight of the whol three weeks. We consider Turkey to be still untouched by the tourists as far as changing the people. Tolga took us to a great town with normal Turks and gave us an understanding of why men outlive women in Turkey. He was a leader with great experince not only as a muslem but also as a human relations consort. Turkey needs explaining while it is still a historic monument. Unlike the Greeks, most of the history is still at the sites. The museums remain interesting but you need to get a hat, visit the site early and have good information in advance with lots of room for questions afterwards. This trip helped me understand the bible I thought I knew.
Jim Allen <email>
Washington, D.C. USA Mon 12/05/2005
Great Tour Guide in Turkey!
Words cannot describe how much I appreciated the expert guiding skills of Lale Kosagan while my group was in Turkey in November, 2005. Her expertise in guiding us in a facinating Istanbul was well noted and we thoroughly enjoyed the places she took my group. She was very personable and her English was excellent. I felt that I had a true friend leading my group. I would not hesitate in using her again when I return to Turkey.
Peter Tadin <email>
Austin, Texas USA Fri 12/02/2005
Great Place to Stay in Istanbul
Just returned from Istanbul, Turkey, with my group and had a wonderful 3-night stay at the Celal Sultan Hotel in Sultanahmet (ancient city), Istanbul. This hotel is right in the middle of all the main tourist sites (i.e., Blue Mosque, St. Sophia, etc.) and the prices are reasonable. The rooftop view fromt he top of the hotel was amazaing -- especially at night. Hamit, the assistant manager, was especially helpful to my group. I would not hesitate to stay there again at this hidden gem.
Peter Tadin <email>
Austin, Texas USA Thu 12/01/2005
Pat
I just returned from several days in Istanbul. We really enjoyed the museums, though the admission prices are quite expensive (Each site will likely cost you between 10 and 22 YTL/person - including all kids over 7). We pushed through many of the markets, including the Grand Bazaar and incredibly crowded Spice Bazaar with several kids from 1 - 12yrs (including 2 in strollers) with no problems.
Lots of scams going around, and the pickpockets and street thieves are always watching for an "in." But we stayed safe and crime-free except for one family who got scammed in a taxi (the old TL notes are still legal tender but can be confusing with all those zeros - 1,000,000 TL=1YTL).
Shop at several stores/stands to get an idea of the prices before you buy and you'll do fine haggling. We went with the attitude that if we got what we thought was a fair price, we were happy, and we are.
The biggest threat areas for thievery that I noticed were the taxis, the entrances to the covered Spice Market and the stairway/tunnel between there and the docks. Keep a tight hold on valuables and use a money belt.
And I know that I'll start a fight with these words, but I think the Turks beat the Greeks in cuisine, hands down.
Greece Mon 11/28/2005
Turkey
Istanbul is amazing, you can easily spend a week seeing the museums, Chora, Hagia Sofia, Archaelogy museum (really a few museums in one complex). The spice market was fun, grand bazaar less so to me. The weather in October was great. Stayed at the Empire Palace, good location, nice rooms. Alas, the front desk consistently a source of attempted scams; they tried to say that they were overbooked and tried to route us to a less central hotel. (We resisted and it was clear that the hotel was not overbooked.)They tried to interest us in taking a van to the airport- a taxi was cheaper, etc. If you are getting a shoeshine, or similar purchase, you should probably find out the price before you buy. I did feel quite safe physically the entire time I was there. Do learn five words of Turkish before you go. There are websites where you can hear it pronounced.
Detroit, Michigan USA Wed 11/02/2005
Car Rental Turkey
I would like to recommend a car rental company for anyone visits this web site. I have rented car this summer 2005 and satisfied with their service.
You may visit their site from http://www.carrentalturkey.info and u may contact with haci simsek from 00905334670724
cengiz ciftci <email>
London, UK Wed 10/26/2005
Alzer Hotel
Paul & Kelly Bradley
We loved our friends at Alzer. I have never met such wonderful and warm hotel staff. We were welcomed as family members and treasured patrons. I would highly recommend this hotel to anyone. Hopefully, they will always remember how much the Ammericans appreciate their warmth, understanding and kindness. Istanbul is an incredible city steeped in culture, tradition and most importantly hospitality.
paul davis <email>
istanbul, tr Turkey Wed 10/26/2005
Turkey
We just came back from 16 days in Turkey. We stayed at the lovely Hotel Empress Zoe in Istanbul. We just were amzed. Great location and everything was perfect. Also loved the Kosk Cafe across the street. The man who ran it was just wonderful. The we moved on to Selchuk near Ephesis, and really liked the budget hotel Hotel Bella. The people who ran it were just great, and took us everywhere! The rooms were small but very clean, and the breakfast was great.
Jacky Price
denver, co USA Tue 10/25/2005
Kids and Turkey
I traveled in Turkey with my then nine year old daughter for two weeks. Turks *love* kids and will make a fuss over yours at every hotel, restaurant, and sight. Turkish food is pretty kid friendly, with pizza-like meat and bread items particularly tasty. Istanbul is pretty hectic for kids that young--you might want to stay outside the Sultanahmet section to avoid the crush of carpet touts and sales pitches.
JER
USA Thu 10/20/2005
My husband, 79 year old mother, and I just returned from a Rick Steve's Best of Turkey Tour. It was fabulous! Every day was a wonderful adventure. We loved the country and have a new love for the people, their culture, their food, and their hospitality to us. I highly recommend seeing this fascinating country with a Rick Steve's tour.
Charlotte Pratt <email>
SLC, UT USA Thu 10/20/2005
Grand Bazaar Merchants are polyglots!
My wife and visited Istanbul, Bodrum and took a "Blue Cruise" in the Gulf of Golkava last May. It was wonderful!
We stayed at the Hotel Sari Konak in Sultanhemet and took in all the sites there. My wife was suprised to learn that one of the leather salesmen in the Grand Baazar not only spoke fluent English but Spanish and German as well!
We were disappointed most when our gregarious Turkish tourist friends left our boat after three nights and we were left with 3 sullen German couples for the rest of our gullet cruise. Marmaris is a nice beach tourist city, lots of Russians visiting.
Having done Istanbul, Bodrum and the Blue Cruise now we would like to experience skiing at Bursa or learning to windsurf in Alacati.
Glynn
Kuwait and Baghdad, KWI, IRQ Sat 10/15/2005
Turkey me likes!
I visited Turkey after my trip to Greece (was fantastic) so I wasn't expecting much when I got to Turkey! Yes, it is noisy, kind of dirty on the streets and if you are a woman you will be gawked at and even harassed a lot but I have to say that my overall experience in Istanbul was very good! There is a lot to see, I recommend Hagia Sofia, Topkapi, Blue Mosque, etc. Shopping at the Bazaar is an experience too. The food is something to try, not what us Westerners are used to but still okay. I then traveled to Ephesus which is a classical Greek and Roman city although the Turkish tour guides failed to mention and don't really tell you about the Greek history regarding to the ruins, etc. (hm.. wonder why?) was absolutely fascinating! I recommend it 100%. In all, I would visit again but I do recommend going with a tour group or a group of people!
Marie Rierson
Long Island, NY USA Fri 10/07/2005
Turkey included w/ Europe trip
Being attractive, young, American women, my friends and I were a little worried to go to Turkey. Our families were adamant about cutting off financial help if we went...which is what made it so much more gratifying! We were able to squash all worries in Tukey.
We arrived in Kusadasi by overnight ferry from Samos, Greece and stayed in Selcuk. We stayed at Atilla's Getaway (www.atillasgetaway.com) and enjoyed the company, atmosphere, and food almost more than anywhere else throughout Europe. The two brothers that run the place rock!
They gave us a ride into town to go to the Turkish Bath, and also drove us to Ephesus. The Turkish Bath was really cool, but I would recommend wearing a bathing suit under your towel (although the men are VERY professional). I enjoyed the ruins of Ephesus as much if not more than the ones in Rome.
We took the modern, clean bus overnight to Istanbul where we stayed at a cute hostel in Sultanahmet. While there is a lot of hustling in Istanbul, you have to understand that is their way of life. Just dont be naive- keep cautious.
If you want to go out at night it's best you stick with other travellers (this is true for anywhere). We were upset we were not able to change our flight back home, for we really wanted to see more of Turkey (like Cappadocia, and do a "Blue Cruise" on the Aegean Coast). I'd be so lucky to return to Turkey!!
Sarah
West Palm Beach, Fl USA Wed 09/21/2005
Travel agents caveat emptor
I'm on business in Istanbul and decided that I needed a break over the weekend so went through a local travel agent who quoted me a price of $485 for the flight from Istanbul to Antalya including 2 nights accommodation and one tour. The hotel promised to me was a "4 star" hotel. Sadly the four star appeared to be only in the travel agents imagination. Also I checked the price of the trip had I arranged it myself - $375. The travel agent had made a healthy $110 profit on me!! It seems that caveat emptor applies strongly to travel agents in Turkey.
Sam
London, UK Mon 09/05/2005
Haircut
Men Get a turkish haircut and shave about $ 6 a real backdoor experence- there was a line at the country barbershop but all wanted me go first to see this fat american get his haircut( Will cost more in insatabul)
John Brangwin <email>
Bellevue, WA USA Mon 08/22/2005
Wonderful Turkey!
My trip to Turkey last September for 3 weeks was a wonderful experience. My husband & I were scheduled to go with GCT & had paid in full when he hurt his knee. My daughter volunteered to go with me & I got that change made. Then her husband was concerned about her going, so she backed out! At that point I just became more determined to go anyway! Traveling with the rest of the tour group was fine. They were very friendly and others were traveling alone, too. I even went out alone to tour a few times on my own schedule and had a great time. Once I got lost and several Turkish folks helped me. If a person learns to say Hello, Thank you, and Good Bye in the local language, it helps a lot! I hope to take my husband there in the future. By the way, the balloon ride in Cappadocia was fantastic! I never thought I would get in one, but it was a "highlight" of the trip.
Marsh
Mena, AR USA Tue 08/09/2005
A second opinion on Turkish culture
My experience in Istanbul was quite different. I found in my interactions with Turks that they were friendly, helpful, and very open. Are there people trying to sell you things? Sure, but that's true in lots of tourist-oriented places. Personally I felt safer and more respected as a woman on the streets of Istanbul than on the streets of New York!
Henry, you are entitled to your opinion that Turkish culture is sub-standard, but I wonder how much of your attitude provoked a self-fulfilling prophesy about how you would be treated. Just one example-- I too have wandered into what you might call a "crummy" off-the-beaten-track place, but I saw it as an opportunity to chat with the docent about what the place represents and learned lots about Turkish history and culture that I never would have learned if I had stuck to nothing but three star sights.
My advice to those planning to travel to Turkey--keep an open mind, enjoy the fact that Turkish culture is very different from ours, learn at least a few words of Turkish so you can say hello to people, and you'll have the experience of a lifetime.
I'm planning another trip to Turkey this spring and I can't wait.
JR
Seattle, WA USA Wed 08/03/2005
Istanbul - amazing, but stressful and degrading
After much dreaming of romantic Istanbul and Hagia Sophia and reading Rick's guidebooks/watching his shows, my wife and I visited the city for a week in November while we were temporarily living in the UK. Pretty much from the moment I sat down in the plane (Istanbul Airlines) in Heathrow, the stress level went up and didn't come down till I exited the same plane a week later and stepped back onto British soil.
I don't want to slander Istanbul -- it's got a lot going for it. If you're looking for history, adventure, amazing architecture and a change of pace, you'll find it there. But if you need -- as we did at the time -- a time to relax, it is the place to avoid!
When people ask me about what it is like to visit Istanbul, I always tell them that it was "like the first day of school -- every day you are there." I'm ashamed to admit that we we literally had to force ourselves to walk out the hotel door every day and that I felt like I was 5 years old. We're the type that don't like to be the center of attention but unless you look like a Turk, you will be stared at, laughed at, hissed at, etc. Many times we were sneered at for holding hands in public -- even though Turkish men walk down the street hand-in-hand!
The Turks are very charming but we found every single one of them was a hustler on some level. Yes, their economy demands that I suppose, but it became very stressful and burdensome after days and days of people pretending to be your friend just so they could sell you something. After awhile we wished we were invisible so we could just enjoy the city without being molested every 100 feet.
Highlights - visiting Haghia Sophia, Sultanhamet, and other mosques -- taking the boat tour up the Bosphorus -- nice food -- wandering through Turkish supermarkets.
Low points -- noisy, unprofessional hotel (Hotel Yasmak Sultan -- DO NOT stay there) where our room was invaded at 2 a.m. by Russian tourists due to a key mix-up at the front desk, and where you could hear water flowing through the pipes and the TV next-door -- did I mention that the water from the tap was a disturbing yellow in color? All complaints were met with indifference.
Other low points -- asking the front desk to get us a taxi to a particular restaurant, only to be told the restaurant would pick us up, which they did -- but then took us to a totally inferior restaurant with the same name! I should have known. Having my wife gawked at for days on end was not fun. Getting terrible intestinal problems (you know what I'm talking about) after an iffy meal was not fun. Dirty smelly streets, malnourished/abused dogs, docents demanding "voluntary" donations to crappy exhibits that we accidentally wandered into, customs officials treating me with disdain after they saw my American passport, etc. It never ended in Istanbul.
I am not going to say that Istanbul is a bad place, but I am of the opinion that Western, non-Muslim people really have little business being there -- the Turks at best tolerate us for the tourist dollars was my opinion. Do you think that they like to see Christians from the USA walking through their mosques, or Western women walking so boldly in their streets? And why do we go someplace where being conned and treated poorly is accepted -- if I'm going to experience another culture, I want to experience HIGHER culture, myself.
I am at a point in my maturity where I no longer feel that all cultures are different but good in their own way. This is an "un-backdoor" thing to say but I believe that no matter what your religion or where you live in this world, there are inherent standards of decency and integrity that man knows he should aspire to. I'm sad to say that in Istanbul I found little decency and even less integrity, and as such I can't help but surmise that Turkish culture is substandard, particularly when you consider their historic disdain for human rights. Maybe it's "just the Turkish way" to be wolfish towards and demand subservience of women and to con foreigners, but it's not right. And despite all this negative press, the tourists just keep a-comin' to see their (justifiably) amazing sights. If we keep coming, they will never learn that you have to treat people, especially your bread-and-butter, with basic decency and integrity.
So if you want to see some amazing buildings, experience an otherworldy place and eat some great food, do go to Istanbul. But you will also be treated like a second-class human being and aggressively conned at every turn by people who really don't care for you very much. At most I would spend 4 days there -- after that we were counting the days to get back home.
Henry Krasker <email>
Los Angeles, CA USA Wed 08/03/2005
Place to stay in Selcuk with easy acess to Ephesus
For a great place to stay try Jimmy's Place. It was called Artemis Guest House in the guide books, but Jimmy bought a new building, and the new owners of Jimmy's other building kept the Artemus Guest House name, so you want Jimmy's place! They have great food, wonderful service and a very helpful staff. They have a travel agency on site plus a travel library for guests to use. The new adress is Ataturk Mah. 1016 Sok. No 19 35920 Selcuk Turkey. You can e-mail them at: enquires@artemisguesthouse.com and view their web site at: www>artemisguesthouse,com We spent three nights at Jimmy's Place and had a wonderful time. We were given transportation out to Ephesus and back plus a tour of several other interesting sites in Selcuk. Jimmy even has an extensive, low pressure rug shop on site if are interested in purchasing a carpet on your trip. Turkey is a wonderful country to visit!
Margaret
Richland, WA USA Sat 07/16/2005
Turkey Comment Follow Up
To follow up on my June 19 comment, the Roman ruins I referred to in my Antalya comments are in Perge.
LesLein <email>
Alexandria, VA USA Sun 07/03/2005
Turkey: Total Solar Eclipse March 29, 2006
There will be a total solar eclipse on March 29, 2006 and one of the best sites to see it will be western turkey. Antalya on the southwest of Turkey is a prime spot. Does anyone have travel tips on going to that particular spot?
The path cuts across a large section of NW Africa and across the eastern Mediterranian Sea. It ends somewhere around the Black Sea. See
Wayne Watson <email>
Nevada City, ca USA Wed 06/29/2005
Turkey
In May and June I spent 2 weeks in Turkey and had a great time. I used a series of mini-packages, so I can't help for rooms and meals. I can say that if you can afford it using Turkish Airlines domestic flights can save a great deal of time. They are safe, comfortable, and efficient.
Ephesus was everything I expected, but the surprise of the trip was Pergamum. Its acropolis has a very striking setting, with the theatre built into the hill. The Roman medical center in Bergama is also worthwhile.
Get a guide if you tour one of Cappadocia's underground communities. They'll point out things you'd otherwise miss. They also help navigate the maze. Avoid the caves in peak times; they can be claustrophobic.
If you're in Antalya the Roman ruins and Aspendos theater are worth touring.
The cruise ships hit Istanbul's big sites in the morning. The main sites are much less crowded in the afternoon. The Basilica Cistern is very interesting. A good souvenir in Istanbul is an antique map.
LesLein
Alexandria, VA USA Sun 06/19/2005
Hotel tıp ın Turkey
We are sıttıng ın Selcuk,Turkey in the Hotel Bella very near to Ephesus, John the Baptısts' and St.Mary,s Tomb. The hotel ıs just perfect. Very clean, not fancy but nıce decor. 26L a nıght. The best ıs the two guys who run ıt, Erdal and Namzı. They provide transport and excellent company and guıdance to all the sıtes-free. Pıck up at the airport ın Izmır ıs $10 a person. The hotel has the best vıew of ruıns and stork nests one could ever fınd from the open aır restaurant upstaırs. The place where patrons congregate all day long. The food ıs good too! We are watchıng the storks feed theır chıcks wıthın a few feet of theır nest and lookıng out over the cıty and ruıns whıle havıng apple tea. Can't get much better. We have travelled the world wıth tıps from Rıck through hıs books etc.and thıs hotel ıs rıght up there as one of our best experıences.
Jan Skoog <email>
Seattle, Wa USA Sat 05/28/2005
Istanbul (and Turkey)
I've been in southern Turkey for a few months now, but just recently finished my second trip through Istanbul. Istanbul is a wonderful city with tons of sights to see. A visit to Istanbul should only take four days or so to see the real 'good' stuff, but a longer trip will lead to either truly interesting experiences or boredom depending on how motivated you are.
I stayed at the Gonen Hotel in the Taksim (Beyolou) once. but as stated below, the taksim is just like any other commercial/touristic european city area I've been. There is a Starbucks there, I am ashamed to admit was a priority upon arrival (It's been awhile). Stay in the Sultanahmet, it's closer to the vast majority of sites. I stayed at Hotel Yigitalp (4*). it's about a 15 min walk from the Grand Bazaar, and 25 min from Aya Sophia/Blue Mosque. If you stay three nights, the hotel includes airport pickup/dropoff and a half day tour.
Arrive early to Topkapi Palace to avoid lines. 6 people can hire a certified guide for 7.5 YTL or it's about 40/hour. Or rent an audioguide for 9 YTL inside (I did: i wasn't upset I only spent 5 bucks, and i got some good info narrated.)
Take the Bosphorous cruise up north, don't forget the cisterns, and for those adventerous enough--TRY THE HAMAMS! The turkish baths are an experience. Most touristy baths are co-ed, but your covered with towels. you'll get scrubbed, soaped, and massaged in a marble building that has been used for centuries. Most Americans are hesitant, but i went during the day and there were only about five people there. all professional. In fact, it was probably the least I'd been stared at the whole trip.
Most Turks know enough english to accomplish any business you may have with them. In fact, my Turkish has been mostly arrested due to the fact most folks want to practice their english. Women, single or accompanied, you WILL BE STARED AT. the less you are covered the more they stare. It is not malicious, but the men (and children) stare so hard sometimes I don't think they realize that you are staring back at them (try it).
All in all, Turkey is full of nice, helpful people. So much so you may feel like it's insincere, but it is. Throughout Turkey I've been met with kindness and earnest effort to help in any way possible. I am infinately happy I am here.
Dawn <email>
Adana, USA Fri 05/27/2005
turkey marmaris
turkey is my favorite country because everyone is so polite. prontos was the best bar we went to because i made lots of friends theire but i went on their site and it doese not say anything i wanted to see pictures and stuff i also want to keep in touch with prontos to see how they are doing but i cant find their restaurant bar any where
sam <email>
london, uk england Wed 05/18/2005
Our Turkish Adventure
My husband and I went to Turkey -- travelling from Kusadasi to Izmir, spending 2 nights there to see Ephesus, then on to Istanbul for 4 nights. It was the last leg of a journey that started in London, headed to Paris, Venice, Rome, and Athens.
There isn't enough room here to express how much we loved Turkey. I'm so glad we started in London and headed East, as it would have been overwhelming to land there unaccustomed to traveling smart.
We took a boat across the Greek Islands to Samos, just off the coast of Turkey, where we spent one night before taking the ferry to Kusadasi. The only downside to that arrival was the taxi driver who tried to give us a ride and charge us extra to get us to the bus station. By then, we were seasoned travellers, and asked for the police, and he quickly backed off.
The busses in Turkey are very posh and have an abundance of service on board. There is a driver, a steward who serves tea, and a porter who handles your bags. We took the 2-hour bus ride to Izmir's bus station, and had a reservation at the hotel Aksan, with no clue on how to get there. I presented the address to the bus station ticket guy, and he told us to get on bus #1.
My husband and I were repeatedly asked if we wanted a cab, but we kept showing them the bus tickets we had for $1 until our bus showed up.
When we got on the bus, we were stared at repeatedly. It was after dark and there were no women on the bus except for me, and none in the streets as we wound through town. Finally, one of the men approached my husband, and he said "Hotel Aksan". Before long, there were 15 men on the bus discussing where we were going, and they were obviously trying to help us. By the time we got downtown and saw the Hotel Aksan's name on the tall building, all 15 men were pointing and showing us. They told us to get off the bus, and as we went to get our luggage, my husband said "look up" -- and when I did, I saw 15 men in the window waving goodbye to us.
In Izmir, I was stared at like I was Julia Roberts on the street. There is a lot of poverty there, but people are overwhelmingly kind. The waiter at the restaurant by the waterfront only knew the word "Auf Wiedersehen" so he would say that whenever he brought us a course of food. As we fumbled through our Turkish phrasebook, the Maitre D (sp) kept attempting to help us with pronunciation, and was delighted that we were trying to speak Turkish.
We saw Ephasus the next day with a guide who will always be a friend to us. We helped her edit a letter she was writing to an International dance competition, and she was so sweet. We talked extensively about American and Turkish relations and politics, and we learned more than we could ever share here.
On the bus ride to Istanbul (9 hours), we met an Australian/Canadian couple who are also friends of ours to this day. We ended up staying together at a hotel in Istanbul in Sultanahmet within a few blocks of the Blue Mosque, and we had the pleasure of seeing one of the world's most beautiful and incredible cities during Ramadan.
Our visit to Turkey changed my view of Muslims in general, and of my own limited access to information about such people in the U.S.
I'll never forget the woman who came out of her restaurant to help us find a laundry place (we were obviously lost and my husband was getting funny looks when he tried to say in Turkish "Where's the laundry" and instead he was asking "Where can I wash my dresses?" -- and she THANKED US for coming to Turkey, and asked that we pass along how wonderful it is and to encourage others to go there.
That's easy enough to do.
Thanks for reading this epic. Turkey's wonderful, please go. Julie
Julie <email>
Denver, CO USA Thu 05/12/2005
Turkey Travel
We just returned from three weeks in Turkey. A fabulous country to visit, with historic sites, natural beauty and warm welcoming people.
We have two hotels that we would recommend, one in Pamukkale and one in Kas.
The Beyas Kale Pension in Pamukkale is a small, family run business. The owners, Omer and Hacer are warm and outgoing. Hacer is also a fabulous cook, and she will make dinner for you for a reasonable cost. The food is terrific!
The other hotel is the Sardunya Hotel in Kas. Breakfast is served in the garden right on the sea. The hotel is clean, quiet and comfortable. The staff were friendly and welcoming.
Dino Rufo <email>
Sacramento, CA USA Thu 04/28/2005
Anyone taken Rick's Turkey Tour?
My husband and I plan to take Rick's tour of Turkey in September and would love to talk with or email correspond with others who have been part of this specific tour. It looks wonderful and we are very excited about it but still have a few questions best answered by those who have gone before. If you are one of the many, please send us a note.Thanks.
Donna <email>
PArrish, FL USA Wed 04/20/2005
Turkey is Wonderful
We are almost finished with a two week stay in Turkey. We started in Istanbul and stayed near all the tourist sights in the Sultanhamet district. It was overwhelming for two weary travlers who were jet lagged, but once we got going the sighseeing is second to none. We breezed though the Topkapkı Palace, it was full of school kids on a field trip. We also took in all of the other major sights, Grand Bazar, Blue Mosque, Aya Sophi, and perhaps the best jem, a little mosiac filled chuch by the name of Chora Church. Next we headed to Goreme and then to Selcuk, two smaller town that were a welcomed relief from the hustle of Istanbul. If you are thinking about comeing to Turkey, don't hesıtate. The people are friendly and there is a lifetime of travel opportunıties here. For more pictures see www.mytripjournal.com/pottereurope
Mike Potter <email>
Seattle, WA USA Thu 04/14/2005
I will always love TURKEY
I am very surprised to see that obviously some people forget that this site is about your TURKISH TRAVEL EXPERIENCES/Tips!!! So I don`t see why the comparison Turkey vs Greece (who cares???)!! I was born and raised in Germany yet my heritage is Turkish. I have been living in the United States (USA) since 5 years now and it is good to see that SOME people have positive things to say about Turkey.
I have been treated very racial here in the States at times due to the fact that I am from Europe and also after Sep 11th some people don`t like ME because my first name is Turkish (i call those people immature). I love Turkey very much (have travelled there many many times to visit my grandparents) and I know that people are very friendly there because that is OUR CULTURE!
Americans always ask me if it is SAFE to travel to Turkey or Germany? It is just as safe as traveling to the United States. Every Country has its FLAWS just like the STATES has ITS FLAWS yet I try to treat everyone with Respect as I would elsewhere in this world (i wish i would get the same treatment back over here).
Thank you again for all the positive feedbacks from all people that had a great time in Turkey ..it is good to know that some people go experience for themselves before pre-JUDGING because they have "heard" so. Don`t get me wrong I love the States as I do love Turkey and Germany. None is better we are all equal.
Selda
USAGermanyTurkey, USA Thu 04/14/2005
Istanbul
My husband and I just got back from a long weekend in Istanbul (March 25-28). Oh how we needed a Rick Steves' book on Istanbul! Anyway, we now have many tips for those travelling to Istanbul.
1. Definitely stay in Sultanhamet. If you stay in Beyoglu (New Istanbul), you will do nothing but fight horrible traffic to and from all the sights. We stayed at the Hotel Seven Hills and it was perfect. The location could not have been better, literally 3 minutes from the Blue Mosque, Aya Sohpia and Topkapki Palace. Despite screwing up our reservation a bit, we'd still recommend it. The rooms are large, clean, nicely decorated, and the bathrooms are modern and clean. All of the staff were very friendly and helpful. Plus, they arguably have the best terrace in Sultanhamet with amazing views. Lovely to enjoy a drink after a long day. An absolute great value for money! If Rick had a book on Istanbul, I'm confident this place would be in it.
2. We had 3 guidebooks (Lonely Planet, Eyewitness, and Time Out). The opening/closing times in every single guideboook were wrong. It seems that the sights frequently change their hours. We found this a bit frustrating.
3. Topkapki Palace was an absolute nightmare. Not sure if it's always like this or not. We waited in line for a total of 3 hours before we saw a single thing! It was hands down the most disorganised, chaotic mess I have ever seen at a tourist sight, and we have travelled all over the world. We arrived at 9:15am (opened at 9am). There were literally 1,000 people standing in line at to get entrance tickets and they had one, yes one!, ticket counter open. There were no signs or information. Then, after gaining admittance to the palace, we went to the harem (of course, this meant a separate entrance, separate ticket, and a separate line)! We waited in another horrible line here. There were only letting 60 people into the harem at a time. But rather than selling tickets to everyone in the line and assigning an admittance time (thus allowing you to explore the rest of the palace), they were only selling 60 tickets every half hour. This of course meant that you HAD to wait in line or risk not getting entrance at all. The crowds were literally riotous. When we did gain entrance to the harem, we found it poorly labeled with very little information, despite the fact that we were supposed to be on a guided tour. We ended up skipping the Treasury (even though we'd paid for it) because we couldn't bear to stand in yet another line.
I would advise anyone to get to the Palace well ahead of opening time - perhaps 30 to 45 minutes ahead of time if it's on the weekend. We got there 15 minutes after it opened and there were already 500 people in line! No kidding. Then make a beeline for the harem and settle in for another line.
4. The Grand Bazaar was teriffic and actually much tamer than we expected. There were so many tourists around that the touts couldn't annoy everyone. The odds were in your favour. It was actually tamer than the touts on the streets trying to get you into their shops! We loved it. And generally, I would say that all the touts were extremely polite and harmless...just a bit annoying.
5. We found Istanbul sightseeing to be quite expensive. Everything was 10-15 New Turkish Lira for entrance (about $7-$11), and it added up rather quickly.
6. I would recommend Rami Restaurant in Sultanhamet. Lovely house, especially the top floor. Food was good and prices pretty good too. Beware, wine drinkers, of the prices for wine. The govt tax on imported wine is something like 300-500%. We saw $8 bottles of U.S. wine for 450 Lira (about $323)!!! This means you'll likely drink lots and lots of Turkish wine.
7. Definitely take a Bosphorus ferry north toward the Black Sea. You can get off either at Sariyer, second to last stop, or at Anadolu Kavagi, which is the last stop on the cruise. Then you can have lunch at a fish restaurant. The ferry was nice for the trip north, but because it stops many times on both the outgoing and return trips, it's pretty slow. Total trip time was 5 hours. We discovered that many of the private cruise boats only went about 1/2 way up the Strait, meaning you miss half of the sights along the way.
We were glad we took the ferry. But I think next time we'd stop at Sariyer and hop a minibus back when we were ready, rather than going to Anadolu Kavagi and waiting for the ferry. We found the Eyewitness guide very useful for the ferry trip. Also, I would recommend getting to the pier (#3) well ahead of time (we arrived 45 min before departure) in order to get a good seat. The good seats outside and near the windows were immediately full.
8. Unfortunately, the public transportation in Istanbul is basically nonexistent, which we found frustrating. To get from Sultanhamet to Beyoglu, you pretty much have to take a taxi and are pretty much guaranteed to sit in bad traffic. This unfortunately meant we didn't explore that side of the city as much as we would have liked.
9. I would recommed to the ladies that you carry a packet of tissues and plenty of change for the toilets, which were usually of the squat variety.
We had a great time in Istanbul, despite the lines. Sultanhamet is just magical. And viewing the beautifully lit monuments at night and gazing over the Bosphorus with a glass of wine is perfect.
Colleen Dunlap
London, UK Wed 03/30/2005
Istanbul
Just got back to University from a long weekend (4 Nights) In Istanbul. Stayed at the Seven Hills Hotel---Would highly recommend. Very nice rooms, smallish buffet breakfast, and the best views from the roof (it actually towers over the Four Seasons) Courteous and friendly staff, couldnt ask for much more. Slightly expensive (110usd/nt for triple in winter) might try the Side Hotel right across the street next time--although it has poorer views.
Loved Haghia Sophia...Actually the most awe-inspiring site of the trip absolutely loved it. Some of the mosques were nice as well-- Blue mosque exterior is very nice, Suleymaniye is definately worth seeing -- ask the guard to Stroll right through Istanbul University easy direct and beautiful grounds---, Beyazit was also a very nice mosque. Loved Topkapi, Archaeology Museum was good and Islamic Arts Museums. Underground Cistern is a wonderful vestige of the Eastern Roman Empire. Did the Turkish bath at Cemberlitas wonderful experience. Grand Bazaar is busy good deals after bartering to be had in winter. Very nice people in the small bazaar next to the blue mosque. Haghia Eirene is unfortunately closed right now. Told it is Periodically open in the summer. Would most emphatically reccommend St Saviour Church in Chora. Spend the money for a taxi if need be---its definately worth it...FULL Gorgeous Byzantine Mosaics..the most beautiful and full mosaics i've ever seen.
Wonderful food wonderful people, can't wait to go back! Sultanahmet area Safer than almost every other big city---We walked around at midnight-1AM, still some shops open, people having coffee, lit up sites etc. and this in the fairly good weather of February!
Matthew, Classics Major, University of St Andrews, RS Alum <email>
Boise, ID USA Thu 02/24/2005
Woman travelling Istanbul alone
I was in Istanbul for about a week in 2001, and it was definitely the most intense travelling experience I've ever had. I spoke no Turkish, but a little bit of German, so that helped somewhat. My hotel was Hotel Spectra, http://www.hotelspectra.com/ at the corner of the Hippodrome and within easy walk of Topkapi Palace and the Haga Sofia. I recommend the hotel, especially if you don't speak Turkish and are on your own (sans tour). I was hesitant to go out by myself at night, but they had lots of recommendations and arrangements for tours, Bosphorus cruises, etc, and I enjoyed each one they recommended.
Anytime I walked from one place to another it was very stressful, as I was constantly approached by men trying to sell me things, start conversations, offer me a cab ride, etc. It was worth it, though, and I reminded myself if I were a Turk with an economy like they have, I'd be out doing what I needed to feed my family, too :) Still, I kept my bag under my arm and my travel wallet tucked out of sight at all times.
My peak experiences while travelling were talking with some lovely children I met in the hippodrome (they were on a school sightseeing trip) and an amazing conversation, with very little language in common, that I had with a Turkish grandmother I met going through the Topkapi palace on the harem tour. If you go on one of the tours through the mosques, be sure to dress modestly, including a scarf or hat for your head, and donate for their upkeep. I was the only American to donate, and after that my Muslim guide went out of his way to make sure my questions were answered, that I was able to see and hear things, etc.
Yes, go to Turkey! The history, people and culture will amaze you. Next time, though, I will look forward to going with a friend, so I can feel more confident about getting out to meet more people.
Tanya <email>
Vancouver, WA USA Wed 02/02/2005