Discovering day trips out of Istanbul
 

Are there ferry's to Rhodes or Crete out of Istanbul. Are there just day trips there. What about the cost? How would you suggest getting to Ephesis from Istanbul? Do you know how far it is by car? We would like to go to the most places in the least amount of time. Got any suggestions?
Thanks
T

something a lot closer - Princess Islands, about an hour by boat from Istanbul

Victorian wood houses - lovely natural setting - quite famous

Ferry from Istanbul to either Crete or Rhodes would take way too long for a day trip

i'm sure there's bus excursions to Bodrum/Ephesus

Where would I go to find out about these tours to the Princess Islands?

don't know if there are tours - we just took a ferry there from Istanbul and walked around

helps if you're going in warm weather i think

there may be tours

but boats go regularly and you get to boat down the Bosphorus a bit too.

Did you like the Bosphorus? So we just go to where the ferries are?

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Did not do it, but the Bosphorus cruises (ferries) are quite renown, and could take a full day. Essentially you take ferry to end of line (or before), tour around fishing villages, and take ferry back at end of day.

This is a good site:

turkeytravelplanner.com

Do a search here, I know I read about someone who talked about how they did it.

I was also staying near Kylios, which is a small town with beaches on Black Sea. About 30 mins from central Istanbul. Coming fron downtown you will also pass some very high end shopping mals on the way in Levent (Metro City, also on Metro line)

I think I am the only Fodorite who has actually stayed on Buyukada, at the famed Splendid Palace Hotel with all the gold ladies.

You don't need to take of tour of the Princes' Islands. You just take the ferry there yourself.

If you want help, just ask me,

The Great and Powerful Thingorjus

thank you so very much!

Thank you! Have you been to Ephesis? Got any suggestions on how to get there from Istanbul?

To get to Ephesus from Istanbul, fly to Izmir. Flight time is a little over 1 hour. Then either rent a car or hire a private car/driver to take you to Ephesus, which is about 30 minutes from the Izmir airport.

I can highly recommend the agency we used for pick up and private guided tour of Ephesus. It was: Anker Travel, based in Kusadisi, and we worked with Ceyda, who was a real pleasure!

To get to Rhodes, you can fly between Istanbul and Dalkan (spelling??) an airport near the port city of Marmaris. From Marmaris, there are a few hydrofoils per day in the summer months to Rhodes. Travel time is about 40 minutes.

I think there may be an Aegean or Olympic flight available between Rhodes and Heraklion, Crete. If not, check SKYEXPRESS, a small company which has started flying between some of the islands in recent years. Just be advised that they use very (!) small planes. And if none of the above works, you can always fly back to Athens from Rhodes, (about 45 min) then back down to Crete ( another 45 min).

What about driving to Izmir or a train? I will contact Anker Travel. Thank you very much. Have you been to the Princess Islands? If so what did you think? What do you suggest doing in Ephesis? Who would I contact about a flight to Izmir?

I am not sure about trains to Ephesus, but driving there is a LONG haul. Just no real easy way to get there. Flying is much more efficient. You could do it as a (somewhat long, but do-able) day trip from Istanbul or you could stay nearby in Seljuk or Kusadasi.

We flew Turkish Air (booked e-tickets), rented a car, and stayed 2 nights at the Kismet Hotel in Kusadasi.

I thought the ruins at Ephesus were about 1.5 hours from the Izmir airport....rather than 30 minutes - but I could be remembering incorrectly.

There is a lot to see in and around Ephesus. I know others here can give you more details, but here are the basics. Ephesus - itself - is an old Roman city. Quite fascinating - with amphitheaters, terraced housing, long column-lined promenades, etc. Nearby is the House of the Virgin Mary, St. John's Basillica, and - shoot.....what's the name of the column near the Basillica??? The old ancient wonder??? Mind is failing.......

From there, you can also do a (long again) day trip to Pammukule and the ruins of Aphrodesius. The ruins are quite lovely, different than Ephesus in some ways and include a large stadium. Pammukule is an area where mineral deposits from the hot springs have created a lovely white cascading landscape. You can visit the ancient ruins there, visit the hot springs, and enjoy the beautiful travertine deposits.

Oh - haven't been to Turkey in almost a year.....I'm feeling an urge to go back!

Better to forget about trains. Flights if arranged in time can be really low cost and saves time. Driving is another option which could give you opportunity to see Pergamon, Troy, Gallipoli etc....

I do also vote for PalenQ's suggestion of Princess Islands. You can do it on own or ask your travel agent to design a tour for you.

No ferries or whatsoever to Greek Islands unless you take a cruise from Istanbul. In the high summer twive weekly flights to Mykonos.

From Kusadasi to Samos there are daily ferries ofcourse.

Happy travelling,
Murat

Twice now we've gone on the Bosphorus cruise and stopped before the end of it, getting off in Kanlica on the Asian side. They have supposedly the world's best yogurt. It's good, but I really don't have that much to compare to. What they do have that's quite wonderful is the Hotel/Restaurant Ajia. Very modern in a converted yali--one of the traditional houses cantilivered over the Bosphorus. Lunch there is a treat--especially for the contrast it gives to the grittiness of Istanbul itself and to Kanlica. You leave about 10:30 by ferry from Eminonu and return about 3:30 so you can still fit in somesightseeing around the Galata Bridge and the Spice Bazaar. Highly recommend Ajia--though it's not a unique Turkish experience, more a nice respite from the Turkish experience with a bit of rural Asian Turkey thrown in.

Any of the travel agencies, incl Anker Travel, can arrange your air tix for you from Istanbul to Izmir.

Driving there would be way too long from Istanbul. I think it's at least about six or seven hours by car.

It is the Princes' Islands, not Princess Islands. To Turks it sounds the same, Princes-Princess, but the islands are actually the Princes' Islands. Don't get confused when doing research or booking.

Thingorjus