Hi Fodorites,

My husband and I are planning a Turkey trip for mid-September. The second half will be Istanbul, the first half coast. What I'm struggling with is whether to do the Mediterranean, the Aegean, or both.

- We like: beautiful sea views and surroundings, interesting villages, walking to restaurants, great food, local feel.
- We don't like: package holiday feel, places made just for tourists, lots of concrete development.
- We love walking around, and love beaches, but aren't paragliding types. Water sports not necessary. Beautiful water without sand beaches is fine.
- When it comes to ruins, we can take 'em or leave 'em. I know, blasphemy. But they don't need to dictate our itinerary at all.

We don't really want to stay in more than 2 locations during the coastal part. I always pick too many places, and my husband hates checking in and out of hotels, packing and schlepping. So I'm trying to limit that.

So...
Some people have said do the Aegean side, and stick with places like Cesme, Alacati, Foca. One friend of a friend said that's where we'd find beautiful villages that haven't been spoiled by tourism and ugly condos.

In my obsessive internet research, I've read a lot about Kas.
Also, Fethiye, mentioned by otherchelebi as ticking off my boxes on this thread:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...foca-other.cfm

Options I'm toying with:
1) Stay just in Kas, on Kas peninsula for 5 nights. Enjoy a private terrace on the water, take day trips in the area, deal with the 10-minute drive into town. Fly in and out of Dalaman to Istanbul.

2) Stay in Kas and then somewhere in the same area, like Fethiye -- worth switching locations? Fly in and out of Dalaman to Istanbul.

3) Stay in Kas and then do the long drive up to Izmir province, stay somewhere like Alacati or Foca, fly back to Istanbul via Izmir

4) Stay in Kas or Fethiye and combine with Datca peninsula, which looked kind of amazing in otherchelebi's photos. Or, with Bozburun peninsula, where someone recommended the D-Hotel Maris.

5) Skip the Med and do Alacati/Cesme, and Cunda island or Bozcaada. Drive back to Istanbul.

6) Other?

Opinions? Thanks in advance.

Your option 1 would be enough to satisfy the most discerning traveler.

However, Option 2 is extremely inviting also and can be preferred if you are not likely to come to these parts of the world again soon.

Datca and Bozburun are great for a second trip.

Alacati-Cesme-Cunda are more for those who prefer to wake up late and say, "where do we go tonight?"

Kas is BEAUTIFUL! After travelling this country extensively, its still one of my favourite places. The perfect spot for what you have described. Lazy mornings, swimming, relaxing, nice restaurants, local. Perfect location for that. Fethiye is on the way to & from Dalaman airport, so depending on your flight times you could always stop in for a night on the way to or from Kas. It is a beautiful town too, just obviously larger than Kas, but has its own charm & array of attractions.

Thanks, otherchelebi and nextholiday!

I appreciate the input. If I were to do option 2, what place within a 3-hour or so drive from Kas is most worth a stay (given my criteria)? Should Fethiye top the list? Dalyan? Or would you recommend going the other direction and flying back from Antalya?

Definitely go for Fethiye.

There are two interesting possible stops on the way, if you haven't already done them from Kas :

Saklikent Canyon and possibly ruins of Tlos

and Patara beach and ruins.


Fethiye has Kayakoy, Gemiler Bay and the Dead Sea Lagoon plus some good restaurants like Mozaic Bahce and including the excellent cheap pide in Paspatur.