TURKISH ISLANDS and Istanbul
 

Though I announced a few weeks ago that I was headed to Morocco with my Dad, we just changed the plans and instead will hit Turkey from Dec. 4-11. The first thing he asked was "isn't that a long time" but I think that we will be able to take things easy and see quite a bit of Istanbul and then go visit the islands.

I just spent the past few hours cutting and pasting from other posts and doing research on-line, which has rendered me useless for posting all the info now (where we will be and such), but I am doing good on Istanbul. However, if anyone on here would like to say anything about visiting the Turkish islands in December, bring it on.

I will continue to post the progress of the plans, and if you have any Turkey info, please feel free.

What Turkish Islands are you referring to? The way I understand it, the GREEK Islands USED to be the Turkish Islands, but they kept backing the wrong guys in WWI & II and lost them. But there is plenty to see in Istanbul and take a side trip to Ephesus for a day, or Cappadocia for a couple of days. Turkey is wonderful, but I really don't think (even if they have islands) they would be warm in December.

I am not looking for warm at all, but my Dad has said he would like to visit "the islands" and as my geographical understanding of Turkey is extremely limited (until I do my intensive study this weekend when I learn all there is to know about it and then some), so perhaps he was referring to the Greek isles. In any case, he has never been to an island before and is really interested in the idea, so I want to give him that experience.

Laclaire,

As you speak of Istanbul and the islands 'in one breath', I think your father must speak of the Princes islands (Büyükada, Heybeliada,..)ada meaning island. You go there by boat for a daily excursion from the Adalar Iskelesi (Dock for the islands) which is in front of the YeniCami or the Sirkeci train station in Eminönü (South side of the Golden Horn, east of the first bridge coming from the bosphorus, is that clear?). It takes some 90 minutes to get there. Can't help you on the schedules for december.

If you are interested in Buyukada, I can help you. I stayed on the island for three days in July, 2005

I don't know about baldrick's info. above about getting to the Princes' Islands, but I took the "fast boat" from KABATAS to Buyukada. I have an IDO timetable in front of me. It looks like the boat only leaves from Eminonu twice a day--at 8:50 AM and 6:05 AM

The times change in winter.

www.ido.com.tr

The IDO web site also includes their conventional ferries which sail every hour or two to Büyükada and the other islands from Sirkeci, with a journey time between an hour and a hour and a half. The islands are a summer resort, with lots of restaurants, and are a home for wealthier people who commute into Istanbul.
There are also a couple of islands off the Turkish coasts, Bozcaada and Gökceada, which used to be known by their Greek names of Tenedos and Imbros.

zwho, I'm curious about what islands used to be Turkish that are now Greek. I can tell you a few villages in Turkey that used to be Greek before the the Greeks were killed during the exchange of peoples.

Could you be thinking of the island of Cyprus which is half Turkish and half Greek.

Several years ago our daughter was teaching in an American Air Base elementary school in Turkey...and we visited her at the VERY same time you are going~~~~first week in Dec.! It was a lovely time to travel, though pretty "chilly"/cold. We like it that way however.

Istanbul (and the country) is wonderful, beautiful, interesting and full of very nice and helpful people.
I think most "islands" in Europe would be pretty chilly in December, but I know you will have a wonderful trip. Some friends JUST returned last week from Turkey and REALLY enjoyed it.

Laclaire, go to this page http://www.ido.com.tr/index.cfm?page...=651&ln=EN and choose weekday or weekend to get your info.
You could leave from Sirkeci, Kadiköy or Kabatas, depending on where your hotel is.
Have a good trip.