Travelling to Turkey
 

I will be travelling to Turkey for 20 days during the period of Feb 2001 to Mar 2001. Wondering what the whether is like... and what is there to see and place of interest to visit and not to be missed.

I went to Turkey about 3 years ago and absolutely loved (just sent friends and they loved it). I was on a tour but if you're traveling independently here are my suggestions: Istanbul, of course, is magnificent. With time to visit the great mosques/palaces and the Grand Bazaar and a boat trip on the Bosporus (sp?) I would spend 3 days. Cappadocia is a must. The fairy chimneys, underground cities/churches, etc. are so unusual. I don't think you'll see anything like it anywhere else. Pamukale (sp?) with the terraced pools are very interesting. I also would have liked a boat trip along the Tourquoise Coast if I'd had time. Bursa also has a terrific mosque. I would go again in a second. Have fun.

Forgot one place. The Anatolian Museum in Ankara was one of the best I've visited. Neolithic age up is so fascinating. Really, Turkey is the birthplace of civilization.

Dear Michelle, <BR>Nancy already mentioned some places but first of all you should define your areas of interest. As Nancy wrote, Turkey is a country where you could see the mixture of cultures with lots of places to visit. You could find almost everything you will be looking for. I am a Turkish citizen and I like to travel very much. I worked as a tourist guide after graduating from university for one year in 1992. Now I am working in Ýzmir (not as a guide). If you need any further info please send me an e-mail. <BR>

Weather in Istanbul compares with that in New York City or Washington at various times of the year. The further inland you go, the more the weather resembles the Midwest. The moderation of temperatures by the nearness to the sea is quite remarkable. Central Anatolia looks very much like eastern Montana, vast plains with a few mountains. The Black Sea coast resembles northern California's coast, mountains coming down to the sea. The Aegean and Mediterranean coasts are more like southern California--fertile plains, dry in summer, cool in winter.

Sounds like fun. Please consider visiting my site at www.footloosetravel.com. Check out the itinerary. This might give you some ideas on where to go. Moreover, the photos might psyche you up. It can get quite chilly this time of year especially in Anatolia. Do bring some warm clothes

If you go to Turkey and don't visit Ephesus, you'll be missing the prime attraction of the country, so far as I'm concerned. Of all the sites we've visited I put Ephesus at the very top of the list.

We were in Turkey last summer - had a great time. You must stay in an old Ottoman hotel in the Old City in Istanbul - it's in the middle of everything (Blue Mosque, Sancta Sophia, Topkapi Palace, etc) and the accommodations are great! We were at the Obelisk & Sumanengen, breakfast on the roof, etc. The highlight of our trip, though, besides Istanbul, which was wonderful, was our stay in the Cappadocia region - sort of slapbang in the middle. We stayed at the best hotel on this planet - the Esbeli Evi at Urgup - a cave hotel. Research this area - there's nowhere else like it on Earth. Another nice town is Bodrum on the Aegean Coast, from where we took a short ferry trip across to the Greek island of Kos, where we stayed for a week. Ephesus and Troy are quite reachable from Bodrum. As Australians, we also visited Gallipoli, on the Peninsula to the southwest of Istanbul........an unforgettable experience, as was the entire trip! The country is so big, you just can't see everything unless you have months & months to spare, so you have to narrow it down a bit. Hope this helps a bit.