Marko

With great thanks to many people on this site, here is the final draft for next year.
3rd April..Arrive Istanbul 3 nights,
6th April ..Fly to Kayseri early morning 2 nights.
8th April..Fly to Istanbul, drive to Cannakale 2 nights (Gallipoli)
10th April...Drive to Kusadasi (via Troy) 3 nights (Kismet Hotel)
13 April.. Drive to Bodrum 2 nights
15th April..Drive to Marmaris, hydrofoil to Rhodes 1 night.
16th April..Fly to Athens (PM) 3 nights
19th April..Fly to Santorini 3 nights
22nd April..Fly to Istanbul via Athens 1 night
23rd Fly home
Flying with Qantas and Turkish Airlines

Patrick

Sounds pretty good to me. The only part I don't quite get is the day you drive to Marmaris then take a hydrofoil to Rhodes for a night and leave the next day to fly to Athens. It seems like an awful lot of transport with no real goal, but I'm not sure what your options are.
Also I'm not sure about Cannakale. We cut that out after doing a lot of reading about it. Maybe it's worth all that backtracking, but I'd consider going directly from Keyseri to Marmaris and Bodrum then to Kusadasi and flying to Athens from there or Izmir, cutting out Rhodes and Cannakale. You can easily drive south from Keyseri to the coast and enjoy driving up the coast to get to Kusadasi. I thought the scenic coast was the best part of Turkey (well after Cappodocia).

CharlieB

Marko - I really approve of your itinerary as it is very similar to our itinerary in August - except we flew from Cappadocia to Izmir, and bypassed Cannakale (flying on Quantas, I can understand your interest in Gallipoli). On your drive south along the Aegean be sure to visit Pergamun and the nearby Aesculapion. The site is breath-taking and the ruins are some of the best in Turkey. We found it more rewarding than Ephesus. Unlike Ephesus there were very few tourists and we had the site almost to ourselves. If you have the fun we had - you will have the vacation of a lifetime.

Marko

The drive to Marmaris is about seeing some of the ruins on the way. It is also about not having to fly to Athens via Istanbul and last but not least, it's about seeing an old school mate who now lives on Rhodes. Charlie hit the nail on the head about Cannakale, its the pilgramage that most Australians want to do. Its not about scenery ,its about history.
Pergamum is on the agenda, evryone raves about it !

brotherleelove2003

You mentioned Troy. It's a short ride away from Canakkale, and I highly recommend it if you are interested in the legends of Ancient Troy, the Iliad, Homer, Ulysses, Helen, etc. I loved being able to walk around the rubble and imagine the battle raging.

You didn't mention it, but I certainly hope you plan to stop at Ephesus on the way to Kusadasi. It's one of the most important archaeological sites in the whole Mediterranean area, NOT to be missed!

Marko

Ephesus, Pammukale, as day trips from Kusadasi. PRIENE,Miletus and Didyma on the way to Bodrum. The kids would kill me if we didn't stop at Troy on the way south.

propertravel

Hi Marko,
You can take a ferry from Rhodes to santorini. Than fly to Athens on the last lap and you can fly after your 3 days past in&around Athens. Its less complicated and less hassle on travelling.

Glad to hear you come to a final on the itinerary. Good Luck,
Hope to see you in Cappadocia ;-)

Murat
[email protected]

sinan

Hi Marko,

Nice Trip EXCEPT Marmaris stop. Here is the trip I would do:

13 April tay in Bodrum 1 night on the way visit the PRIENE, MILETUS and DIDYMA.

14 April: Stay in Marmaris 1 night on the way to Marmaris from Bodrum there is nothing to see BUT you can visit BODRUM CASTLE and ARCHAELOGY MUSEUM also Mausoleum which was the seven wonders of the world

15 April: Hydrofoil to Rhodes

sinan

Those of you who miss the TROY or TROIA and PERGAMUM are making BIG MISTAKE

Sinan

Marko

Murat, I could be wrong but in April the Ferry schedule from Rhodes to Santorini involves island hopping and up to 10 hour journey ( if the weather is good). I would be happy to be advised otherwise.
Sinan, we have a day set aside to see Troy and Pergamum on the way to Kusadasi, probably not enough but if we leave Cannakale early and get to Kusadasi late we should get a reasonable look.

berman

Marko,

Where are you going to stay in Canakkale?
A new hotel named Kolin Hotel appears since March 2003.(5* and 5min to center by car)Just for your info

Marko

Good question Berman, it was going to be the Tusan, but we are really interested in Gallipoli ! Do you have a hotel suggestion for the area around Gallipoli itself ? We will be driving from Istanbul, so it seems to make more sense to stay on that side of the Dardenelles.

sinan

Hi Marko,

Here you have 2 hotels if you like to stay in the Gallipoli (Gelibolu)

Boncuk Hotel is 3 star hotel out side of Gelibolu
phone286 576 8292 OR 576 8300
fax: (286) 576 8158
They don't have web page

HOTEL KUM CAMPING
They have web page BUT Turkish

http://www.hotelkum.com/indextr.htm

Phone number: (286) 814 1466 OR 814 1455

fax: (286) 814 2665

Sinan

Marko

Thank you Sinan !!

Marko

Topping for further input.

CharlieB

Marko - it seems that you have everything under control, but here are a few more suggestions. We stayed a a delightful small hotel in Bodrum called "Su Hotel". A lovely flower filled patio with small swimming pool and delightful owners. You might want to check out their site at "suhotel.net". The owners descibe and recommend some local restaurants. We ate both nights at the "Epsilon" which is a short walk from the hotel and serves excellent food in a classy surrounding.
In Kusadasi we stayed at the "Kismet" - an up-scale hotel in the grand old style, with beautiful grounds. We were upgraded to a suite with wrap around balcony affording views of the harbor and the open Aegean. Late afternoon we noticed the staff preparing for a large wedding. We settled in on the balcony and watched the festivities. Around 6pm the elegantly attired guests began arriving, milling about and chatting - as if the reception was being held before the ceremony. At 8pm everyone took their seats and the bride and groom came running down the aisle, hand in hand, to the strains of "Also sprach Zarathustra". After the brief ceremony, the bride and groom strolled back down the aisle greeting and chatting with friends, and then everyone went home and we went out to dinner. At 2am we were awakened by fireworks being set off from the roof of the hotel. My wife thought it was some national holiday or friends playing pranks on the newlyweds, I, however, felt it had more to do with celebrating the consummation of the marriage. Perhaps Sinan can help us out.
How I envy you, as I cannot wait till I return again to Turkey!

sinan

Hi CharlieB,

I don't know how I can help you? If you are asking the FIREWORKS I think this fireworks is not related to WEDDING. Did you joint to this wedding? If so how was it?

Sinan

CharlieB

Sinan - we were wondering if this was a typical Turkish civil wedding with a "reception" before the ceremony, bride and groom running hand and hand down the aisle toward the magistrate amidst applause and cheers, and on their return down the aisle accepting the well wishes of those in attendance. We were intrigued and impressed by the festive and joyous nature of the affair compared to the solemn nature of the weddings we are used to.

Marko

I know there were fireworks on the night I married Lisa ! :!

sinan

Hi CharlieB,

The weddign you saw was the modern wedding in Turkey for RICH. If you go to inside of Turkey or the town NOT INFLUENCED by tourist has different wedding which show you the REAL TURKISH WEDDING. You may also find some real turksih wedding in Kusadasi TOO But you have to be LUCKY.

Sinan