11 days in Turkey with an 8-month-old baby: Istanbul and ?
May 31st, 2012, 02:27 PM
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11 days in Turkey with an 8-month-old baby: Istanbul and ?
Hello,
I am in the early stages of planning our trip in end of Aug/early September so just starting to browse through the boards.
Looking at
(1) 7 days in Istanbul and 4 days in either Cappadocia or Ephesus OR
(2) shorten our stay in Istanbul to 5 days and distribute the remaining days to Cappadocia and Ephesus
Any recommendations between the 2 options?
Our main concern is not to rush from one place to another since this is our first overseas trip with our baby girl (she's a happy, easy baby so we're hoping that it's going to be a fairly easy trip for her). Any one here has experience travelling to Cappadocia or Ephesus with a baby?
Thank you in advance!
I am in the early stages of planning our trip in end of Aug/early September so just starting to browse through the boards.
Looking at
(1) 7 days in Istanbul and 4 days in either Cappadocia or Ephesus OR
(2) shorten our stay in Istanbul to 5 days and distribute the remaining days to Cappadocia and Ephesus
Any recommendations between the 2 options?
Our main concern is not to rush from one place to another since this is our first overseas trip with our baby girl (she's a happy, easy baby so we're hoping that it's going to be a fairly easy trip for her). Any one here has experience travelling to Cappadocia or Ephesus with a baby?
Thank you in advance!
May 31st, 2012, 02:56 PM
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Istanbul could be sweltering in August, so I would shorten my time there and go somewhere with breeze or at least more rural. I was in Istanbul and Ephesus in April. Click on my name for my trip report.
Our circumstances are very different but you'll find some useful info on the region of Ephesus and south of there. There are fascinating smaller sites that should not be missed.
Our circumstances are very different but you'll find some useful info on the region of Ephesus and south of there. There are fascinating smaller sites that should not be missed.
Jun 1st, 2012, 12:37 AM
#5
You are a very experienced traveler, so I will make some different suggestions.
1. No matter where you go, having your rental car will make life much easier than using public transport or tours. You will need the flexibility of stopping for rest, meal, A/C, supermarket. drugstore, going back to hotel for something you forgot related to baby, etc. Also, the back seat is great for changing diapers and storing accessories within easy reach.
Baby seats should now be available at the major rental agencies like Avis, Hertz, Budget, national, etc. even though most are licencees or franchises. Otherwise, tours and public transport will probably not have them.
2. End of August can be hot almost everywhere in Turkey but it is also the time for the season change and you may be lucky with an early change.
3. Ephesus itself and Pamukkale are rather difficult with a baby because each will take two hours or longer once you have committed yourself.
4. If you leave out the underground cities and the Ihlara Valley hike, the other areas at Cappadocia take shorter each one and give you time in the car in between, or possibility of going back to hotel. However, you will miss some areas which require a bit of climbing and longer hikes. I do not think I would take my baby up on the balloon but that is up to you.
You may want to read the trip report of Aduchamp from 2010.
5. istanbul will not be sweltering end of August-early September, as Ted put it, above, if you stay on the Bosphorus or close to it. There will most probably a nice breeze, with less than 60% humidity andtemps around 75-80 in the daytime, reducing to about 63-68 at night, unless there is a heat wave.
6. I strongly recommend Bebek Hotel, Radisson Blu and similar in Istanbul. great areas for taking the baby for a walk for fresh sea air and very colorfull and cosmopolitan, with some shopping, lots of cafes and restaurants with few tourists.
You can actually take short Bosphorus cruises and/or commuter ferries from these locations, giving you many more options with your baby than the touristic Sultanahmet or the chaotic Taksim locations would.
7. I would pick a beach hotel close to some easy to reach Greek/Roman antique towns to give me the ability to have some beach time with the baby as well as sightseeing.
One option with cooler weather could be Ayvalik-Cunda area in Norther Aegean, which is reasonably close to Pergamon and Assos.
Another lovely town, Kas, has a great deal within easy reach, from Patara to Simena, Myra, Saint Nicholas, Arycanda, etc. but does not have a beach.
I have been considering easy access to pediatrician, pharmacy, supermarket, shorter drives, less dependence on others, quality of accommodation, etc. in my suggestions.
1. No matter where you go, having your rental car will make life much easier than using public transport or tours. You will need the flexibility of stopping for rest, meal, A/C, supermarket. drugstore, going back to hotel for something you forgot related to baby, etc. Also, the back seat is great for changing diapers and storing accessories within easy reach.
Baby seats should now be available at the major rental agencies like Avis, Hertz, Budget, national, etc. even though most are licencees or franchises. Otherwise, tours and public transport will probably not have them.
2. End of August can be hot almost everywhere in Turkey but it is also the time for the season change and you may be lucky with an early change.
3. Ephesus itself and Pamukkale are rather difficult with a baby because each will take two hours or longer once you have committed yourself.
4. If you leave out the underground cities and the Ihlara Valley hike, the other areas at Cappadocia take shorter each one and give you time in the car in between, or possibility of going back to hotel. However, you will miss some areas which require a bit of climbing and longer hikes. I do not think I would take my baby up on the balloon but that is up to you.
You may want to read the trip report of Aduchamp from 2010.
5. istanbul will not be sweltering end of August-early September, as Ted put it, above, if you stay on the Bosphorus or close to it. There will most probably a nice breeze, with less than 60% humidity andtemps around 75-80 in the daytime, reducing to about 63-68 at night, unless there is a heat wave.
6. I strongly recommend Bebek Hotel, Radisson Blu and similar in Istanbul. great areas for taking the baby for a walk for fresh sea air and very colorfull and cosmopolitan, with some shopping, lots of cafes and restaurants with few tourists.
You can actually take short Bosphorus cruises and/or commuter ferries from these locations, giving you many more options with your baby than the touristic Sultanahmet or the chaotic Taksim locations would.
7. I would pick a beach hotel close to some easy to reach Greek/Roman antique towns to give me the ability to have some beach time with the baby as well as sightseeing.
One option with cooler weather could be Ayvalik-Cunda area in Norther Aegean, which is reasonably close to Pergamon and Assos.
Another lovely town, Kas, has a great deal within easy reach, from Patara to Simena, Myra, Saint Nicholas, Arycanda, etc. but does not have a beach.
I have been considering easy access to pediatrician, pharmacy, supermarket, shorter drives, less dependence on others, quality of accommodation, etc. in my suggestions.
Jun 2nd, 2012, 10:10 AM
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Otherchelebi - thank you so much for your thoughtful response to my post! Yes, we are looking into a rental car if we go to Cappadocia or Ephesus. I got my Fodors and Rick Steves guidebooks in the mail yesterday so it's on to serious trip planning! Will post additional questions as I go further along. Thanks again!
