DRIVING IN TURKEY

Just as elsewhere in Europe, you don't want a car in a big city. Istanbul is a nightmare to drive in, and Antalya's Old Town is also impractical. Having a car in Cappadocia is convenient because of the distance between sites, but without a guide, you won't know exactly where to go or what you're seeing. The other issue is cost--car rental is pricey and gas I think is the most expensive anywhere in Europe (and that's saying a lot.)

What is your proposed itinerary? I can be more helpful if I knew. My suggestion is that you take busses, trains, and discount airlines for some routes and hire a car for others. Roads between most major places in Western Turkey are fine, driving style is a bit more aggressive than I prefer (especially with respect to passing on curvy roads.) Still, there are a lot of places you can't easily explore without a car.

There are some pretty good road maps you can get on Amazon--the one by Insight that covers the Turkish Mediterranean coast is excellent.

Jer, thank you for you reply.
We are planning to stay in Istambul for 3 days without a car. Then pick up the car and drive to Bolu, Cappadoccia, Antalya and Bodrum.
Dora

Within Bodrum itself, you won't need a car. It will just be more bother than it's worth. If Bodrum is your final Turkish destination, return it, if at all possible, as soon as you get to Bodrum.

The roads you will be taking are all fine. You shouldn't even need a good road map, though a general map of Western Turkey will be handy. Along the way, you should stop in Ankara for the superb Museum of Anatolian Civilization and the Ataturk Museum (the Anitkabir). If you decide to stay the night there, the Angora House is a lovely Ottoman era small hotel with beautiful furnishings and a charming host. Once you get to Cappadocia, consider a guided tour even though you have a car. Otherwise, it is hard to see all the amazing sights there. Don't miss the Goreme open air museum, the underground cities, and, if your budget permits, a dawn hot air balloon flight. Goreme generally caters to backpackers, Urgup to a slightly higher budget clientele. Between Cappadocia and Antalya, you'll be traveling across a dry steppes-like area. Stop on the road to explore a ruined caravanserai, the old "hotels" for merchants on the Silk Road. (continued...)

In Antalya, there are very pleasant pensions in the walled Old Town of Kaleici, or more resorty hotels along the pebble beach. You are allowed to drive within the walled Old City as long as you are staying at a hotel, but, trust me, you're better off parking just outside the walls. Along the Mediterranean coast, the scenery is breathtaking, there are lots of places worth a stop, so budget plenty of time to enjoy one of the most stunning mountains-meet-sea drives in the world. Also, since you are skipping Ephesus, you should plan to explore some of the secondary Roman and Lycean ruins along the coast. Bodrum is another place you don't need a car, so I concur that you should drop your car off once you get there.

Don't bother trying to book a car hire before arriving in Turkey--you'll pay more if you do. Car rentals are not cheap, but you'll do best if you go to a travel agency in Istanbul (there are some good ones along the Divan Yolu) and book the car rental there. Hope this helps.

Thank you Jer for the great information you are giving us. We are planning now to continue to Pammukale to go to Ephesus and also visit the house where Virgin Mary lived. Probably we will drop the car in Ayvalik and take the ferry to Lesbos and then to Athens.
Do you recommend a car rental company in Istambul?

Dora,

We have already planned our trip. We decided to have a driver , who will also be our guide at certain cities. This is the Travel agent we used and met at the New York City Travel Show , which Rick also was a presenter. It was not that expensive, compared to renting and paying for gas.

Rock Valley Travel
Istiklal Caddesi, No:42
50400 Urgup - Nevsehir / TURKEY
( TEL: (+90) 384 3418813
( FAX: (+90) 384 3415820
* EMAIL: info@rockvalleytravel.com
7 WEBSITE: www.rockvalleytravel.com

Joe, please after your trip, write me to learn your from your experience with this agency.
Thank you and regards,
Dora

Be careful driving in Turkey: Those roads are scary places for orderly-Americans. I speak that having traveled quite a lot: highway lanes and roads are merely suggestions there.

Think twice about renting a car for your duration in Istanbul. Public transportation & taxis can take you everywhere you need to go quickly & affordably.

We rented a car once we were leaving Istanbul, and drove west to a ferry that took us across the straights, landing near Troy. We were then able to drive along the western coast of Turkey, stopping at Troy, Kushadasi (overnight) (Ephesus), all the way down to Bodrum. I highly recommend it for flexibility. We went East at some point in order to see Aphrodisias, but not as far as Cappadocia. There is no sense of security threat as there is in the East, but the roads along the coast are narrow and not lit. So good to get a pretty good car and good to travel during the daytime as much as possible.

Hi
I have to inform you, driving in Turkey is not same as in Europe or USA, but not bad than Italy :)
And it is cheep too.
I am living in Turkey / izmir city 35, engineer,
please do not hesisate if you have any specific question and/or support,

Regards
Gokhan

You will probably find the car useful in Cappadocia. The sites are not all located in one spot. There's a lot to explore there. (Couldn't tell from your post if you meant you'd get the car at the end of your time there.)

Thank you very much to all of you for your valuable information.
We think we will do Istanbul without a car, then fly to Capadoccia, and then before leaving Capadoccia rent a car to drive to Konya, Pammukale, Antalya, Kudasasi and return the car in Izmir.
Can we take a boat to Lesbos from Izmir?
Dora

Hi Dora,
This is Gokhan from izmir / Turkey.
Do not hire car in istanbul never and ever... Be sure that boats, taxis will satisfiy you also mostl you will prefer to walk :) it nice and cute.
Sultanahmet for 50% of historical aims, Taksim for nightlife and shopping, Bebek beach is for breakfast and bosporus cross tour (visits most of the docks from Kadikoy to anadolu hisari (from down to up) you may have a chance to see all the beatiful places and a good fish menu in anadolu hisari.
Do not forget to visit Assos/Behramkale near ayvacik after troya :)
And lastly, you can't go to Lesvos from izmir. In turkish it is calling as "midilli" from Ayvalik you can find some tours.. You ca go to Khios but not every day. Most famous loaciton is Cesme in Izmir to have boat tours to Greek islands but not every day, you have to check it in advance,
Regards,