My husband and I will be traveling to Turkey for 2.5 weeks beginning in late April (Apr 28 – May 16) for a belated honeymoon. We're looking for advice to flesh out our travel itinerary. More than ruins or museums, we're interested in meeting locals, making fools of ourselves in Turkish, eating delicious food, and seeking out local music and other cultural activities. Here is what we've determined about our itinerary so far: - Istanbul – 3-6 days
- Gaziantep-Urfa-Diyarbakir area – 3-6 days We'd like to choose 1-2 other areas to visit on our trip. So, some questions: 1) Since it's our honeymoon, we're interested in spending some time relaxing in a coastal area that's pretty, culturally interesting, and not too developed. But which one? The northern Aegean (North of Izmir -- Foca, Bergama, Ayvalik) has been recommended to us. The southern Aegean seems like a madhouse. The Black Sea (e.g., Sinop region) appears gorgeous but a little cold and lacking in tourist infrastructure. On the Eastern Mediterranean we've only read about resort towns and industrial ports. What region do you recommend? Also, do you know of any honeymoon-worthy towns or hotels that are too good to pass up (and won't break the bank)? 2) Are the gulet trips amazing and worth it? Are there boat trips that are not the standard fare? If so, recommended companies? 3) What about Cappadocia? Is it an absolute must-not-miss or tour-bus hell or both? Are there less touristed parts of the region that would be worth a trip?
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Dunwoody, Georgia
338 posts
I can provide some insight to help you, but won't be able to address all of your questions. 1). Coastal areas - If you're flying to Gaziantep you're better positioned to visit the eastern Mediterranean coast. This option works well if you have a car. There are many nice towns to the west of Adana along the coast - start in Mersin, head through Silifke and Kizkalesi to Alanya. There are nice beaches and interesting cultural sites along the route. The food here is also a bit different from the rest of Turkey (more kebaps here). However, I can't really recommend a hotel, as it has been several years since I've been in that part of Turkey. The southern Aegean (Izmir to Bodrum) is more touristy. The trade-off is that there are top-notch cultural sites (e.g. Ephesus and other ruins) and nice beaches. If you're looking for a more local experience and decide to go here, simply avoid the bigger resorts and stay in smaller hotels. I know less about the north Aegean. I've been to Izmir and Bergama, but my focus was on cultural sites not the coast. I can't speak to the Black Sea coast. 2). I'll let someone else address the gulet trip. I have not taken one. 3). Try to get to Cappadocia if you have time in your schedule. It is a truly unique area and not too far from Gaziantep and Adana (Mersin). If you can, drive here or rent a car. The main sites are worth it even if crowded. If you have a car, there are lots of small sites that will not have another tourist at them - spectacular churches, underground cities/villages, caravan stops where they will have to unlock the door and turn on the lights for you. I can make some recommendations if you decide to visit here. Have fun!