We arrive in Istanbul during Seker Bayrami
 

I had wondered why so many Istanbul hotels were full when we arrive Sept 8th. I finally realized we are arriving on the next to last day of Ramadan. The holiday of Seker Bayrami starts on Thursday (9/9) and runs through Sunday (Sept 12).

We had planned to visit the Izmir and Cappadoccia areas after six days in Istanbul. Will the holiday affect sightseeing and hours of operation so much that I should re-arrange this and go to the outlying areas first?

Or are there festivities open to the public that would offset holiday schedules in Istanbul?

Thanks!

Hi Lcuy,

Did not know that people would start threads on Turkey on the asia forums.

But this gave me a chance to read at least one of your India trip reports, which i tought would be very useful if and when we manage to go.

coming to your question:

It is difficult to advise, so here is some info for you to make your own mind:

- Istanbul will have fewer locals during the Seker bayram, as it is the last few days of the schhool holidays as well. Vacationers will be on the last dregs of their vacations, newly urbanized masses may have left to visit their relatives still in their villages. The indifferent older urbanized hoi polloi will be out in the streets in force. There will be lots of Sunday drivers. Possibly public land transport will be free of charge, the bridges between Europe and asia may be free.

- The museums will have their regular schedules. Check on trip advisor Turkey forums for closing days and workin hours on right upper corner.

- The Grand bazaar will be Friday and sunday and possibly on saturday as well. Almost nothing will be closed on 10th and 11th, except banks and offices.

- Seker Bayrami is officially three days in turkey.

- All restaurants, bars, clubs will be open.

- There will be some festivities at sultanahmet for the religiously conservative and the tourists (same thing i guess. LOL)

- Outside istanbul, you will not notice anything different than any other day, except that you will see more better dressed people and definitely colorfully dressed little girls and young men in their black and white finery, and older men wearing coat and tie, and the women of the newly fashionable conservatives wearing their best scarf covered false ponytails, tunics and pants and platforms.

You may already have been checking advice and trip reports on the Europe forums. if you have not, please do so.

Anything you do not see there and wish to find out, you can come back on this thread.

If you wish to visit quaint, esoteric, off-the beaten-path places, ask me.

I am tired of writing the same stuff about ephesus, Aphrodisias, cappadocia, etc.

If you have time check my trip reports.

Sorry i missed out the word closed for the Grand Bazaar, it will definitely be closed first day of the Seker bayram.

Thanks OC! I thought i posted this in Europe. Maybe I didn't but here it is now. I've been reading all the reports and have save 51 pages of them for reference. It took quite a while just to get my bearings on the maps.

So are you up to a challenge? We LOVE quaint OTBP places. My needs: Two weeks of interesting places that are not TOO difficult to reach, including five or six days in Istanbul. Maximum two domestic flights (plus a return to Istanbul), and no really long days in a car.

We'll be meeting up with 23 yr old daughter. She loves sporty activities... horses, hiking, rafting, short boat rides (husband has seasickness issues, so overnights are not his choice) rafting or balloons are all great with us. I'm not so much into hiking (bad hip) but horses are my favorite way to travel.

We want to see some ruins, but not everyday. I like wandering local shops, sitting in cafes, watching the world go by, maybe chatting with locals. We also live in Hawaii, so a beautiful beach would be a nice way to cool off, but not a destination, unless we got there on a boat or horse!

Really, I want is to feel like I got a taste of Turkey. If we love it, we'll go back.

Budget? We're okay with anything from youth hostels to five star hotels if they are interesting and the value is there. Teh fairy chimney hotels look like fun, not something that we have to do. AC might be one luxury we'll want in September!

I guess we cannot rule out cappadocia:

-It will be warm during day and cool at night.
- You may be able to get to some places on horse back. This is the only location where you probably can do that.
- Other options are hiking (not recommended for you), scooter and rental car and/or private guide.
- Nevsehir is the closer airport but fewer flights.
- kayseri is the bigger airport.
- Both airports have long transfer times and high transfer costs. So bette to rent car or make deal with guide to include transfer, or with hotel.
- September is possibly the busiest time for Cappadocia. You should make the flight and lodging reservations as soon as possible.
- There are good lodging choices not always related to cost. Check the Trip Advisor reviews, disregarding single review posters.

+- To be somewhat different, and if you can handle the longish drive, Rent car and at the end of your 3-4 days at Cappadocia, early in the morning, drive nort to Bogazkale to visit the Hittite capital, Hattusas, the significant location, Yazili kaya, and continue North to Alacahoyuk.

- After Alacahoyuk, push further to Amasya, a significant Roman and ottoman city, where the roman ruins are not many but the Ottoma feeling lingers with wooden houses on meandering river in a narrowish valley. Very scenic views from Ali Baba (may be wrong name) restaurant. The castle where Ottoman princes reigned or were imprisoned waiting for throning or execution. hence lots of dreams and fears scattered on the grounds. The very special smallish but crisp and fragrant Amasya apples. Regional dishes including their famous Okra "bamye". A good place for Ottoman schools, library, mosques and people watching in addition to the Roman rock tombs.

If you are willing to leave the aegean, and the Mediterranean and are willing to continue North and East, take the scenic route to Unye on the black sea, through Niksar to spend one night at a seaside family hotel (i will find out name for you if you wish) in Unye. Continue on the coast past Trabzon to visit Sumele Monastery (bad knee may be a problem at the last stage but you will have good distance views.)

After Trabzon, get to Rize for overnight or two, to stay at Dedeman Hotel. Make day excursion up to Ovid mountain.

Continue East for one more day trip andup to Borcka Black Lake from Hopa, a piece of the Garden of Eden.

Come back down to the coast, park car at the border of Georgia, arrange for a guide with driver in Georgia before you walk across the border. Visit the beautiful coastal city of Batumi in georgia and get back for overnight at hopa or Rize Dedeman again.

Return car at trabzon airport if possible and fly back to Istanbul.

-If you have enough time left from this trip and at least 4-5 full days in istanbul, visit Iznik (Nicea) for an overnight.

Write to my book's e-mail address : [email protected]
if you decide to do the Iznik trip, because we will probably be there in the first half of September and can assist you.

REMINDER: be quick with lodging in Istanbul, Cappadocia if going there, and any local flights and car rental arrangements, because incoming tourist numbers are continueing to increase this year.

istanbul is currently inundated with conservative moslem families with unfortunately the women wrapped all in Black.
(At least they get a feel of how others live. Yesterday night we were at Mia Mensa restaurant on the Bosphorus in Istanbul, for a small birthday party with good food and wine when a group of four totally covered women with one man walked in
at 11PM, sat for possibly fruit juice and spaghetti until midnight, watching all the scantily clad Turkish women)

SO, again, make sure of your lodging in Istanbul as son as possible.

By the way, i just heard of a tiny hotel at Arnavutkoy, called, i think, Denise. this is a great place for people watching with excellent restaurants for all budgets, one of the best icecream shops in istanbul, Girandola, and within easy reach of the famous supper clubs Sortie, Reina, and the restaurant mentioned. This place will also not be flooded with tourists.

Anyway, i have carried on too long.

Icuy, it was your other thread on your decision to go to Turkey, that was on the Asia forum.

wow, talk about meeting a challenge! I am going to work at the moment, but going to looking into all this this evening. Thanks!!!

Oc- would it make more sense to skip cappadoccia and just drive east from Istanbul?

lcuy, do not miss Cappadocia. You may reduce it to two full days and the remainder of the day you fly from istanbul. this will be enough to get a good feeling of the place without getting lazy and spending money on carpets.

If you wish to follow the not beaten path in previous post:

- 2 nights in istanbul
- 2 nights at Goreme (cappadocia)
- 1 night at Amasya
- 1 night at Unye (Hasan bey hotel)
visit Sumele monstery on the way to Rize
- 1 night at Rize (Dedeman Hotel)
Visit Ikizdere valley and Ovid mountain, or
Camlihemsin and Ayder
- 1 night at Hopa
Visit Batumi in georgia next morning and after lunch there get back to Turkey and up to Borcka
- 1 night at Borcka or Artvin.
check for white water rafting in this region, Borcka, artvin, yusufeli, Ardanuc are likely places. There is a castle at ardanuc, some church ruins and a nifty canyon.
- Fly back to istanbul from Trabzon for
- 3 more nights in Istanbul.

You can actually fly back from Batumi by Turkish airlines, but returning the car may become an unsolvable problem.

You could continue up from Artvin to Savsat, ardahan and Kars, to stay at the lovely Kar's Hotel and visit Ani ruins just on the border with armenia.

Have a look at the first blog my wife and i made after our visit to the area in 2007:

www.eserahmetcelebilerblackseatrip1.blogspot.com
(there are also parts 2,3 and 4)
you can also get the links to eser's blog of photographs there.

You may actually prefer to stay an extra day at one or more of these locations.

i put a photo on my profile from the recent wedding dinner of our 25 year old daughter in Turkey, although the marriage ceremony was in Birmingham, detroit with a large dinner there also.

There are other stuff at my blogs:

www.ahmetcafercelebiler.blogspot.com
www.otherchelebistravels.blogspot.com