Hey all,

I have a week to travel in late September after meeting mates in London. I'm trying to decide between going to Turkey or Croatia. Any recommendations? I've not been to either places but I like the idea of something southern/Mediterranean. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Warm regards!

Either could be wonderful. I would want to know more about your interests before venturing to offer an opinion, or even to comment on pros and cons.

I think I'd head for the Bodrum Peninsula in Turkey. Base myself in Bodrum, and spend the week day tripping out onto the Peninsula by regular inexpensive Dolmus [shared minibus]....glorious part of the world.

In Croatia, you could base yourself in Split, close to he Old Town, the Port, train and bus stations. Day trip out to both Brac [1 hour], and Hvar [2 hours] by regular inexpensive ferry. Plus day trips to Trogir [avoid it when cruise ships are in Split], and down the coast by bus to Makarska.

Thanks for all the great suggestions! I have eclectic tastes from scenic hikes to cultural events. I would like to be based in a city but venture out to the countryside on day trips/short trips. I'm more geared towards exploration/adventure rather than lounging. A beach/spa day would be nice but not necessarily looking to have that be the main drive or bulk of my trip.

One last thing I'm visiting from the US and I worry about the logistics and safety of traveling to Turkey. I'm a guy traveling with my sister. Any thoughts on ease of obtaining a Turkish visa, safety or considerations for a woman visiting Turkey?

In that case, I'd say you have two excellent options: Istanbul, as layanluvstotravel suggested, or Split, as LancasterLad suggested. From the US, it will probably be much easier to go to Istanbul, so you might want to defer Split until you can give Croatia more time.

My understanding is that travel in Istanbul, including travel for women, is currently safe, but I urge you to consult Fodor's expert on the issue -- otherchelebi, who lives there. Just search this forum for his posts.

Enjoy!

I've been to both and loved both. I know that doesn't help much!

In Turkey I would either stay in Istanbul for the week or spend part of the time near Ephasus. We flew from IST to Izmir and stayed in the town of Selcuk and from there visits the ruins in Didim, Priene and Miletus. In addition to the sites actually in Selcuk and Ephasus, nearby. The food was phenomenal and the people were so very kind. We didn't feel unsafe in the least but it's been a few years now since we've been.

I loved Croatia but I do think that one week would be tight. I'm personally not a fan of split so my choice would be to base myself in Dubrovnik for a week, with a daytrip to the stunning bay of Kotor in Montenegro. Just personal preference.

Been to both. You say in your original post you want something 'southern/Mediterranean'. While Istanbul is an interesting city it certainly doesn't feel 'southern/Mediterranean'. It's a huge city. It is on the water, and taking a boat trip up the Bosporus is interesting but didn't feel at all Mediterranean to me.

Split is also a city (but no where near as gigantic) but the old town section is fairly small (but not tiny) and it's right on the water. As others said you could do day trip to various islands like Hvar and Brac but also inland to the Plitvice Park (waterfalls) and to other towns in the region such as Zadar and Sibenik. Between all these places you'd get both culture and scenery.

I think you won't be disappointed whatever you choose from those two. Istanbul is huge so you'll have something exciting to do and see wherever you go while Croatia has lots of islands that are beautiful and worth visiting. In Croatia, you'll probably have a more relaxed and quiet holiday while Istanbul will provide you with more activities and excitement. So it depends on what you like...

Both countries are very different and well worth visiting. Late September is also a time to visit south of Turkey since it won't be as hot and humid as July and August. Istanbul, Cappadocia, Goreme, Izmir, Kushadasi, Antalya, Alanya, Marmaris would be a good choice.

For Croatia, Dubrovnik, Split, Korcula, Krka National park, Plitvice lakes national park, Zagreb, Krka and Rovinj are the places you would want to visit. Depending on the time you have available, you might visit Montenegro because of its proximity. Kotor, Budva, St.Stephan island, Bar, Suto More are the places you want to see.

I have been to both, Turkey (Istanbul) has a lot more going on. We stayed a week in Split, Croatia … you have to do a lot of day trips if you stay in Split only.
Having said this, the only time I felt unsafe was in Turkey, we had a bad experience, but a lot of people feel fine.