Turkey: So my bags are packed . . .
 

Well, not really. But I have booked it carefully – allowing for our travel style & budget & needs. Decrepit run down hotels need not apply. We always need a balcony to feed our nasty habit – which makes affordable choices a challenge. We like to sit outside & have cocktails anyway. We always need a decent bathroom or my wife has a miserable trip. We need just the right balance of movement, sights & relaxation. My wife is terrified of mountain driving. I, of course, love it.

May 1: Arrive Istanbul – Ataturk (direct & First Class via points – a lot of points).
Hotel: Empress Zoe – Penthouse with balcony

May 2 & 3: Istanbul – we will probably take the ‘short’ Bosphorus Cruise. We are not ‘new’ city people & the sights & museums in Sultanamet should keep us busy.

May 4: Pegasus Air to Antalya – 8am from SAW - Auto Europe rental – drive to Cirali
Hotel: Arcadia 2

May 5 & 6: Local slumming & probably one day trip to see the ruins at Arykanda

May 7: Turkish Air to Izmir via Ankara – Auto Europe rental – drive to Selcuk
Hotel: Urkmez in Selcuk

May 8: Ephesus & local. Unfortunately, this part of the trip got squished to allow more before & after.

May 9: Pegasus Izmir to Kayseri – 7am fight!!! - hotel pickup
Hotel: Kelebek Cave Hotel – Presidential Suite – We decided to splurge here obviously
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May, 10, 11, 12 Relax. A balloon ride. Maybe some tours or hikes. Maybe rent a car for a day.

May 13: Pegasus to Istanbul SAW
Hotel: Zoe again - adventuresome aren't we? What can I say? The new city - as vibrant as I am sure it is - is not our 'thing'.

May 14, 15 More Istanbul. Shopping time for my wife. We also hope to arrange a dinner at one end or the other with a local couple who we have a remote internet connection to via another non-travel forum.

So there you have it. Anything wrong or absent? A Fodor’s Guide to Turkey is ordered . . . Michelin road map is ordered . . . I will buy a current Turkey map for my TomTom . . . visa we can get at the airport . . . What am I missing?

Ian

I was in Cirali last Sept and stayed at the Arcadia. Loved it. We made arrangements with the hotel for airport pick-up and departure as we didn't feel the need for a car. The ride down from the main road was a bit hairy and not one we wanted to do more than once.

The Arcadia has free bikes. One day we biked up to the area with the chimera flames; another day we biked over to Olympos. Be aware that there are no ATM machines in Cirali--or at least there weren't any back in Sept. Have a great time.

How did you bike up the mountain with the chimera?

Ian, you have about the same amount of time as we did in Turkey and it felt right for us. It looks like you don't have definite plans in Cappadocia except for a balloon ride, which is good. We ended up taking day trips and felt we really saw the area. We both enjoyed the underground cities (we saw two). Your hotel hosts should be able to advise you. We splurged in Cappadocia, too, and were glad we did.

It looks like a good itinerary. I hope you do a trip report when you return. Bon Voyage!

Ellen

Adu--okay, guess I could have been clearer. We biked to the bottom of the steps. Parked the bikes and walked up.

Ian, looks good.

Stop at phaeselis on your way to cirali, only a few minutes drive towards the sea and worth it.

Keep the windows rolled down and breath the great pine scents on your way to cirali for us also.

If your flight back to istanbul arrives at SAW in the evening rush (4:30PM-9:00PM, check the seabus schedule on ido.com so that you can get to Sultanahmet by a seabus from bostanci to Yenikapi. (taxi from SAW to Bostanci) Otherwise the road trip can easily take over two hours. (even a taxi to Kadikoy and a regular commuter ferry to eminonu will be faster than a shuttle or the Havas bus)

Jackie: I am sure my wife will be thrilled by the 'hairy' road.

Ellen: Have no fear, I will do a detailed report - with pictures - when I return. Thanks for the vote of confidence on the itinerary.

otherchelebi: Thanks for the tips. You continue to be a great resource here for all things Turkey. Dinner is on me if you are in town during our visit.

Ian

Have a wonderful trip. I hope you love Turkey as much as I did. It remains my all-time favorite place, ever.