Day trip- Antalya-Ucagiz
 

Is this too much for one day?
By car leaving Antalya stopping at Termessos, Phaselis, Arykanda and overnight at Ucagiz.
Thanks.

not at all, Suki..did the very same thing on last visit to Turkey. The turquoise waters await you. At Ucagiz be sure to take a boat ride and float over the submerged ruins of an ancient Greek town. The water is so clear, you can see it quite sharply. It's a busy day, but it can be done.

That is a great help, Tower.
Thank you.

It will be a long day though.

Antalya to Termessos and back approx. 3 hours.
Termessos visit 1.5-2 hours
Antalya-Phaeselis 75 minutes
Phaeselis visit 30 minutes
Phaeselis-Arycanda 2-2.5 hours
Arycanda visit 30-40 minutes
Arycanda-Ucagiz 60 minutes

Otherchelebi,
Do I need to return to Antalya from Termessos? Can I go direct from Termessos to Phaselis?
What recommendation could you make for me?
Should we overnight in Finike and see Arycanda next morning, see Myra and head to Ucagiz after that?
How long would you recommend we spend on Kekova if we can get a small boat to drop us there rather than a boat day trip?

Unfortunately, yes, you will have to return to Antalya, although you will be driving on the periphery it still has too many traffic signals and quite a bit of traffic.

Leave to Termessos early and then play it by the ear as it goes. The route after you pass Konyaalti beach about five kilometres from Antalya on all the way to Finike is incredibly beautiful. Just roll your windows down and smell the pines.
You could stay at Finike if you feel like it. I think you can find room without reserving, although I do not remember when you will be traveling.

It depends what you wish to do at Kale Koy or Simena. If it is not too hot and you wish to hike ((one bottle/person/hour water) you can walk and hike for 1-2 hours and then sit on the seaside and rest and eat.

You are so helpful.
We will be travelling late September.
We wanted to see the fortress and just wander around the island.

Late September should be fine in terms of ease of finding lodging without reservation.

Myra somewhat more interesting than Arycanda. Also requires less climbing. :)

The old Church of Saint Nicholas, at Demre may also be worth your while.

Should have no problems finding transport to Kale Koy and back any time you wish.

The restaurant on the pier under the hotel at Ucagiz carries Lykia wines which are very good. The Lykia rosee will go with anything and can cool you too after a hot day if you ask for it chilled.

The best fish of the area is grouper, but will be expensive. try to negotiate the price if you want it. Otherwise go for vegetables, salads and kofte.

There will be some lovely "gozleme" restaurants on the way. Pick a scenic location and try it. It is cheap, tasty and filling.

Suki...you're in a for an exciting, educational and unusual visit. Don't mention OC too often..you might get some awkward stares from the locals. I learned my lesson on that one, as did our Fodors friend Aduchamp. Other than that little caveat, Chelebi's info is illuminating and should be heeded.

I would mention a very good fish resto ("Mercoran") in Kalkan but you won't be going quite that far west. Kas(h) is a delightful and most colorful fishing town. I'll scan some pics for you.

stu tower

Happy travels...
stu.

Suki, Stu was only twelve when he visited that part of Turkey about ten years ago. He could see everything from a different height and eyes closer together because he had not yet reached his adult size. Hence, his memories are somewhat influenced by what his parents told him he had seen after their travels and further distorted by a relative called something like Barko.

What a brillint forum !
I am travelling with my 16 yr ols son who is mad on history (I am a history teacher). This is our whole trip.
Fly to Antalya 2 nights -Aspendos/Perge etc
down the coast for the trip discussed plus activities
Bergama
Assos/Troy/Canakkale/Gallipoli
Ankara Safranbolu(day trip)
Hattusa to Goreme
Goreme day trip Askaray
Isatanbul 6 nights

This gives us 24 nights.
How does it sound?

The pieces are falling into place. Apparently, I missed responding to your original itinerary, but did give my tuppence worth on hattusas, etc.

Here are some thoughts :
- Unless you have a particular reason to pick Kalkan, consider longer at Ucagiz.Kas and/or Fethiye.

- We enjoyed Patara and Tlos but not so much Xanthos, Letoon and Pinara.

- Kayakoy will be remembered by a 16 year old.

- Consider going via Birgi, Bozdag and Sardis towards Bergama, possibly spending the night at Birgi Cinar Pansiyon or at Bozdag.

- If you still have time and are not upto there with history, you may come visit us at our summer house at Iznik/Nicea after Troy, rather than crossing the Dardannelles.

The following are my trip reports on some of the areas you will be driving and some of our photo albums :

http://www.fodors.com/community/fodo...lykians.cfm?39

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-phrygia.cfm?8

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ik-nicea.cfm?8

http://www.fodors.com/community/fodo...-travel.cfm?33

http://travel.webshots.com/album/578798538VEOMIK

http://travel.webshots.com/album/578740185vRZRyr

http://travel.webshots.com/album/578805076nuXMRF

http://travel.webshots.com/album/578816688RFqCoE

http://travel.webshots.com/album/576874930cIvOeX

I teach history, philosophy, psychology, sociology and economics of risk and risk management, but unfortunately both my daughters, now quite a bit older than your son, are architects rather than writers, philosophers, psychologists or riskologists

Being Australian, Gallipoli is an important part of our trip.
The reason for Kalkan is that we were interested in a couple of nights at Owlsland(Bezirgan) to see a different side of Turkey- a small village.

sorry Suki..the restauarnt I recommned is in Kas(h) not Kalkan. It's "Restoran Mercan"..when i send you some scanned pics you'll see it. Good spot for a fish lunch or dinner. By the way, I am a historian and writer, also. OC, my protagonist is named BRANKO.

Pics to come Suki...

stu

It hurts OC..but I must admit that the video on Sardis/Sart was nothing short of magnificent. Good going Eser.
stu

I must be missing some past history between the two of you!

With all your help, I have no doubt that my son and I will have an extraordinary trip.
He is great to travel with. We have done several o/s trips to history laden sites. He is unstoppable and indefatiguable!

Son will do a constant "flip" in Turkey

>I must be missing some past history between the two of you!<

we've been playing games for years..Fodors needs a sense of humor sometimes...Aduchamp actually visited OC and Eser when in Turkey last year. They nearly had him arrested for some minor offenses.
stu

Re Iznik. Wait till you get here. istanbul may fill all your time, and if he still wishes, getting to Iznik is easy and can be decided at that time.

Re Tower, it is seldom that people's sense of humor can mesh so well from a distance. We never met but appreciate each other's intellect, experience and humor (could actually be one way)

Aduchamp will have his chance for revenge when we visit him in October this year although he already made an excuse for possibly not being in New York at the time we arrive. Stu, do you know his mother's actual birth date?

Suki, another note for you : Istanbul is safe for your son to go out sightseeing on his own on days that you feel too tired, as long as he does not accept invitations of strangers.

>do you know his mother's actual birth date?<

No, I don't OC..I know she lives in Florida and is older than me. I will see Adu in July and we'll plan your October visit.
stu

Suki:

Here are the promised pics..sort of a hodge-podge, potpourri. I'm in the process of eliminating the two-three to a page...These cover some Istanbul (which I'm rearranging), Cappadocia, Lake District (untouched by the tourist hordes), Antalya, Turquoise Coast, Pamukkale, Ephesus, and odds and ends. On this trip we drove over 2,000 miles. Saw a pretty good chunk of western and central Turkey. Any questions, please ask by Pic #.
stu
https://picasaweb.google.com/stuartt...cenesOfTurkey#

I feel that I am getting to know you two so well !
This forum can be much more than pure travel info.
Do you like our idea of a couple of nights at Berzigan?

Another thought - though maybe fanciful.
Is there anywhere to see semi nomadic communities?

the tent city in my pics was between Konya and Egidir (Lake District). My guess is that you'd see far more in eastern Turkey.

Suki..I, for one.. have no knowledge of anyplace in Turkey named Berzigan. OC??

OC,
It might have helped had I spelled it correctly -Bezirgan near Kalkan.

Just back on the forum,

Having spent many days of traveling in and through villages in most parts of Turkey, Bezirgan, a touristically glamorized village was not of any interest to us. so we never drove there.

If the reviews attract you, you should definitely go and decide if you wish to stay. I would not stay more than one night though, when time is so precious. (Did Willy Wonka say something regarding that during the tour of the chocolate factory?)

If you follow my suggestion, you will find Birgi a really local large village with narry a tourist in sight and no Scottish wife does the Cinar (or was it Cinar alti) B&B owner has with his walnut stained hands and two craftsmen sons who do local interior decorating in nearby Odemis. His wife does the cooking, and if you wish he can take you to his chestnut and walnut orchards also.

Historically, Birgi was an important town because pirates could reach it by river many centuries ago and it was the capital of a feudal kingdom. Later, it stayed important until late 19th century and boasts of a terrific mosque and a very unusual mansion with wooden panels imported from Venice inearly 19th century. If it has not been fully opened to the public, your son may get the guard to turn his eye away while he sneaks a look inside if you bring some dry cat food to the security staff who look after a number of very friendly strays on the grounds.

Regarding, nomads, we would see some tents on the land route between Fethiye (Kemer) and Korkuteli when we traveled in the past. There were also one or two families selling carpets. But it is very difficult to observe them because they are very reclusive. It is also difficult to differentiate them from Romans (gypsies) at first glance, the main difference being the herds of goats the nomads will have and the difference in the shapes and contents of their horse carriages, as well as their clothing.

Even in late September, they would stay away from the coastal areas and prefer the mountain pastures.