Turkey advice

First, you will love Turkey! It is one of my favorite places to travel to. Here are some of my opinions about your questions:

I loved Fethiye - I spent 3 nights there and had a wonderful time. It was beautiful and relaxing and a great place to take a gulet cruise. I took a day trip, which was perfect for me, since I was traveling solo, and had a wonderful time. I didn't make it to Kas (although the pictures I saw looked nice).

I did not take the overnight bus between Antalya and Goreme, but I did take an overnight bus between Izmir and Istanbul. The overnight buses are great if you spring for one of the bigger bus companies. The best one I found was Varan - their seats were comfortable, they gave us snacks and most importantly, did not stop at each rest stop and turn on all the lights like another night bus I took. I actually got more sleep on the Varan bus than I did on the overnight train between Istanbul and Ankara. It's a little more expensive but well worth the price.

As far as car vs. bus, I liked the buses - I met a lot of people on them and overall they were comfortable (with the exception of one interesting bus ride between Ankara and Fethiye - see my blog for more details). On one bus, a Turkish woman appointed me her babysitter and handed me over her baby (who was adorable) every time we got to a stop!

And no, 6 nights and 5 full days are not too much time in Istanbul. I was there for 7 incredible days and could have spent much more time there.

I'm posting a link to my blog if you're interested in reading it - Mardee in Turkey. There are lots of photos and info on hotels, food and travel. :)

By the way, if you're going to Goreme, I highly recommend taking a dolmus or walking to the next village over called Cavucin (pronounced “Sha-vu-shin”). It was wonderfully picturesque and peaceful - I felt like I had stepped back in time. It also has lots of caves to explore.

Hi Ryan,

I think that you've done a great job with your itinerary--going directly to Izmir is a good part of your plan. I'd contact your hotel in advance to get their advice on the best way to get from Izmir to Selcuk. From the airport we took a cab to the bus station and then a dolmus (van) to Selcuk. You might want to take a cab (to Selcuk) though will probably cost about $60. Our dolmus ride wasn't necessarily the most convenient but it was only 7 US dollars.

We stayed in Cirali along the coast but I think that your plan sounds fine.

We took the overnight bus from Antalya to Goreme and it was a great way to travel. The buses are very comfortable (we slept), stop about every 2 hours for breaks, and not very expensive. We arrived in Goreme around 7:00 a.m. just in time to see the hot air balloons over Cappadocia!

We used the Suha Bus Company from Antalya to Goreme. For our trip from Selcuk to Antalya we used the Kamel Koc Bus Company. Both were good but we liked Kamel Koc a little better. I'd ask hotel staff or a travel agency to help you purchase your bus tickets to get the best schedule.

Six nights in Istanbul is perfect---not too much!!! Have a great time!

"6 nites/5 days" in Istanbul?" We spent 9 days there in May and June this year and did not see/do everything we could have. BIG city with lots to do and see.

Thanks for the responses! We are getting very excited and have begun to make some hotel reservations. I was fortunate enough to get one with Hotel Bella in Selcuk and Hotel Kelebek in Goreme. For Pamukale, I'm thinking Melrose or Venus, the coast- I still have no clue, and Istanbul we are considering hotel Grand Peninsula. Crossing my fingers that it all works out.

Hi Ryan,

I'm so happy that you were able to reserve a room at Hotel Bella! They will take great care of you. The meals there are good too--especially breakfast. The hotel owners helped us make our bus reservations from Selcuk to Antalya and even gave us a ride to the bus station.

If you have time while you're in Selcuk, plan to have lunch in Sirince--it's a lovely hilltop village nearby. The guys at Hotel Bella even drove us there and picked us up after lunch. We were so charmed that we bought a rug from them! The rug shop is in the basement BTW.

Goreme is a great town! Good choice!

And for Istanbul, if your hotel option doesn't work out we spent 7 nights at Sultan Hill Hotel near the Blue Mosque. It was the perfect location and the staff was amazing.

Have a great time in Turkey!