Ukraine vs. Turkey
 

Considering the history (authentic old cities), cost, ease of transportation, accomodations, and food - which country would be a better place to plan a 12 day or so trip?

I've always gone from country to country, but I am now considering 1 country with a few days in several cities....

I suppose you can't do it all in one trip (with only 12-14 days), and I should really just focus on one area and enjoy it (with no more than a couple 1 day 'travel days'.

Thank you my fellow world travelers - I look forward to your responses. Any websites for Ukraine, Turkey, flying to either of these countries (from the USA) for cheap, or any other useful websites are also greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
Jason

I suspect that Turkey, not being part of the front lines during W.W.II, would have more to offer in terms of old buildings. We did a nine day driving trip from Izmir (Ephesus) to Cappadocia, so with a short visit to Istanbul this would be doable. You might want to look at my trip report; just click on my name to find it.

Jason, before you soon (!) hit that age of decrepitude, you should use this chance of visiting the immensely varied geographical and historical sites of Turkey.

depending on your interest, you will have antiquity from the neolithic to middle ages to islamic, more Greek and roman than in Greece and Italy; biblical remains as well as assyrian, hittite, phrygian, etc. There was even a Celtic province in Anatolia which survived for over 400 years from Alexander the Great onwards.

You can do trekking, white water rafting, spelunking, snorkeling, diving, kayaking, slope parachuting, balooning, mountain climbing, canyoning; swim in azure, warm seas and possibly over ancient sunken cities (not Atlantis, though), visit other ancient cities soon to be buried under dam waters to be forgotten for many years to come; taste a very varied cuisine of very fresh fruit and vegetables and special meats, herbs and spices.

the only thing that Turkey will find it difficult to match will be the physical beauty of the inhabitants of Ukraine, and at your age (in fact, at any age) that could be a decisive factor. -:)

Any other thoughts on this?

Back up to the top. I know the perfect response is on the horizon.

Cheers.

Huge disclaimer: I have not been to either location.

But I really want to visit Turkey someday. It's an important area with respect to European history, specifically Istanbul. It was the center of the Byzantine Empire (which I think many people don't know much about), the center of civilization in many ways after the fall of the Roman Empire (or rather, where the Roman Empire moved to after the fall of Rome). I'm a big history buff, so as you can tell, to visit here would be a great place to me.

But really, doesn't it depend on your interests?

<i>I know the perfect response is on the horizon.
</i>

Perfection does not exist.

Yes it depends on my intersts. I don't know all of the history, but both places are rich enough in history to draw me in. I'm really just looking for ideas/thoughts/input. Thank you all.

I've been to both, and enjoyed both. Turkey is bigger, has more variety, stranger scenery, older ruins and better beaches. If you can only visit one I suppose it should be Turkey, but I actually found Ukraine just as interesting. I visited the Crimea and western Ukraine and especially enjoyed Lviv - for my TR for Ukraine see http://wilhelmswords.com/eur2006/index.html.

It seems that although Turkey is bigger, and with a deeper history,that yes, Ukraine also holds its weight in this department. As far as beauty goes, I wonder....

Well, Turkey has the strange rock formations in Cappodocia, and the Mediterranean coast. But Ukraine has the Black Sea coast and the Carpathian mountains. For my pix of Ukraine see http://kwilhelm.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe-2006

"the only thing that Turkey will find it difficult to match will be the physical beauty of the inhabitants "

Gee, I don't know, oc, seems to me you're selling Turkish women short!

FD

I've not been to the Ukraine, but we really loved Turkey (especially Cappodocia).

If pix are worth 1000 words, then here's a quarter-million words worth:
http://onelittleworld.zenfolio.com/f192159874

FD, you hit the nail on the head with that one word, "short" :-)

Worldview,

i hope you realize that nomadic tribes tried Russia and Ukraine for thousands of years and then came South and settled in anatolia, mesopotamia and the Balkans, leaving behind little until the middle ages when the wiser peoples of the Southern lands started to stop the hordes coming from the cold until Le Carree.

What exactly do you want me to get from your history lesson (otherchelebi), and I mean that in the most serious of ways....i'm intrigued by what you said (I didn't want you to think I was being sarcastic). Thank you all.

Worldview, that was not a history lesson.

It was written to tell you that you will not find any antiquity and or historic sites dating before the middle ages to the North of the Black Sea, if your interests lie in that direction.

Life was just too tough and food was too scarce in those regions for settlements to flourish and leave any remnants of their cultures or heritage, just as in most parts of Central and North asia and Canada.

The reference to the Spy Who Came In From the Cold was just an attempt to be witty only for those readers who may enjoy that kind of reference

The middle ages are just as intriguing for me. Thanks for your insight otherchelebi. What are your thoughts about the Ukraine?

I am going to the Ukraine this summer and I'm really looking forward to it! I studied quite a bit of Russian history at university, and while of course I'm not saying Ukraine = Russia, Ukraine was the cradle of Russian civilisation in the wider sense (the civilisation known as Kievan Rus'). So I'm really excited to go see old monasteries, onion-domed churches full of icons, medieval manuscripts etc. Then of course there is plenty more history on offer, especially military history in the Crimea, Jewish history, Soviet history etc. Just depends what your interests are.

As for Turkey, I've only been to Istanbul so far, but I did really enjoy myself there as well. The descriptions others have offered make me want to visit again!

And um, I don't want to start a flame war or anything, but I can't help saying that I find the discussions of the relative beauty of the women of these countries a bit distasteful...

Why are you thinking of "women" automatically? when i made no such insinuation. Physical features would apply to men and women alike and are usually aesthetically considered. I find your sexist perceptions and slur rather distasteful myself.

I believe that this is all i have to say on this thread.

"Gee, I don't know, oc, seems to me you're selling Turkish women short!"

FD, you hit the nail on the head with that one word, "short"