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-   -   Driving Car from Antalya to Izmir (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/driving-car-from-antalya-to-izmir-375040/)

mamasable Jun 8th, 2008 12:52 PM

Driving Car from Antalya to Izmir
 
Putting together a trip for Turkey and got hooked on a previous poster's idea of having a little "drive time" between cities. If we wanted to see the major sights between Antalya and Izmir via car, how many days should we plan for? Appreciate any advice

brenda66 Jun 8th, 2008 11:20 PM

Hi we did a similar trip last year from Antalya to Canakkale - through Izmir - and back....we spent 4 nights and 5 days to get there and back...so you can take a more relaxed journey..a week along the coast is nice..

my photos ;

http://www.flickr.com/photos/canmom/sets

I used the helpful pages of the Turkey Travel Planner to map out our journey and printed off the pages of the places I wanted to visit..

http://www.turkeytravelplanner.com/g...distances.html

..and also I highly recommend ...Priene, Miletus, Didyma. We also stopped at the Temple of Zeus at Eurmos, Baffa Lake which both of these are before Didyma on the main highway

from Antalya to Izmir you might want to stop at a few of these places..

Phaselis - Once a thriving port shipping timber and rose oil, Phaselis is now a beatiful park backing its three perfect little bays good for a swim.

Cirali / Olimpos Roman ruins scattered in a pine forest, a secluded beach, fertile fields, and the Chimaera, the world's oldest and best-known natural "eternal flame".

Finike - Once called Phoenicus, Finike is now a sleepy fishing town with a long pebble beach nearby.

Demre/Myra - Dramatic cliff tombs loom above a huge Roman theater, and vegetables grow everywhere in the rich alluvial soil. This is where St Nicholas did his good works, and where he is buried.

Üçagiz/Kale - Close to Kas, Üçagiz is a tiny village on a cove with a sunken Roman city and an island (Kekova) with a Byzantine one.

Patara - St. Nicholas ("Santa Claus") was born here, but visitors now come for the spacious, very long, very uncrowded beach as well as the sand-covered ruins of St Nick's Roman town.

Ölüdeniz- Over the mountains south of Fethiye, this is perhaps Turkey's most beautiful beach, and also its most popular.

Fethiye - Built on the ruins of an ancient city, Fethiye has age-old stone sarcophagi in its streets and gardens, rock-hewn tombs in a cliff above the town, an active yacht harbor, a vast bay dotted with islands, and all tourist services. Also Kaya Koyu.

Göcek - Small, pristine and charming, this is primarily a nice port of call for yachters, but you can stop and enjoy it even if you're only the captain of a Toyota.

Köycegiz - Peaceful and quiet, this traditional town sits on the shore of large, placid Köycegiz Lake connected to the Mediterranean by the reedy Dalyan River. Hot springs are nearby.

Dalyan -People come for its setting on the placid Dalyan Çayi (Dalyan Creek), for the dramatic Lycian tombs hewn into the rockfaces that dominate the town on the west bank of the river, for the ruins of ancient Roman city of Caunos, and for broad Iztuzu Beach, a natural nesting-ground for carretta carretta (loggerhead turtles).

Upsteam, on the shore of placid Köycegiz Lake, are the Sultaniye hot springs, with their therapeutic (or at least fun) mud baths.

..and also I highly recommend ...Priene, Miletus, Didyma. We also stopped at the Temple of Zeus at Eurmos, Baffa Lake which both of these are before Didyma on the main highway


Antalya to Fethiye (Mountain route via Korkuteli): 260 km (161 miles), 4 hours


Antalya to Fethiye (Shore route via Kas): 371 km (231 miles), 7 hours

************************************************** *************

Distances & Travel Times from Izmir

Alaçati: (near Çesme): 72 km (45 miles), NW, 45 to 55 minutes by car, 1.25 hours by bus

Ephesus (Selcuk): 80 km (50 miles), 1-1/4 hours

Bodrum: 250 km (155 miles), 4 hours

These distances and travel times are from Selçuk, the town next to Ephesus:

Alaçati (near Çesme): 145 km (90 miles) NW, 2 hours by car, 3 hours by bus

Ephesus: 3 km (2 miles) SW, 10 minutes

Euromos: 105 km (65 miles) S, 1-1/2 hours

Fethiye: 306 km (190 miles) SE, 4.5 hours

Milas: 120 km (75 miles) S, 2.25 hours

Miletus: 62 km (39 miles) S, 1 hour

Mugla: 146 km (91 miles) SE, 2.5 hours

Pamucak Beach: 4 km (2.5 miles) E, 10 minutes

Pamukkale: 215 km (134 miles) E, 3-1/2 hours

Priene: 40 km (25 miles) S, 40 minutes







mamasable Jun 9th, 2008 05:04 AM

Brenda66,

You went above and beyond with your reply. I really appreciate it. A few more questions:
1. Did you already have a map on hand before the trip?If not, where did you get one that was easy to read?
2. Was it easy to follow the signs on the roads to all of your sights?
3. When it came to lodging, did you already plan where you were going to stay or did you just stay wherever you ended up on your trip?
Once again, thanks for the tips. It is extremely useful!

brenda66 Jun 9th, 2008 05:14 AM

Hi and you are welcome...

1. Yes we had a map along our journey..and it was easy to follow..you can get a map at any gas station in Antalya..or along the way..so not a problem..also prior research to the areas we planned to visit was useful..

Plus I printed off the pages from the Turkey travel Planner of the places of interest we wanted to stop along the way..and then put them all together in a binder as a guide book and referance..

here is a great map..

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/atlas...turkey_map.jpg

http://www.turkeytravelplanner.com/M...risticMap.html

http://www.adiyamanli.org/turkey_arke.html

http://www.adiyamanli.org/MapofTurkey/turk_map.htm

2. yes

3. we travelling in Feb..so I had a few places pick out and had called ahead..whether they were opened or not..others we found along the way..however for summer travel I would make a few reservations prior..


when do you plan to travel ???

heasereb Jun 30th, 2008 10:17 PM

How easy/difficult was it to rent a car and did you reserve on your own or through an agency? How was driving? I'm thinking of a reverse route...Istanbul to marmaris with a friend for about 10 days and then a ferry to Rhodes.
May I inquire how much was the car rental and gas? Was it easy to find gas stations along the road? We're planning to go Sept 3 - 20th.
Thanks,

Heather

propertravel Jul 4th, 2008 12:57 AM

You will be amzed with the number of gas stations especially western regions. Another thing you will be amazed is the gasoline prices in Turkey.
Hiring a midsize car and if possible diesel will same money.

Happy travelling,

Murat


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