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Istanbul, Olu Deniz, Cappadoccia

Posted by on

Hello,

I'm going to Turkey for this first time this July with my husband and 2 daughters ages 7 & 10. Minus the travel time we have 14 full days to work with. We are flying in and out of Istanbul. I want to spend a good amount of time in istanbul but I also want to see Cappadoccia and get to relax on the beach for 3 or so nights. I'm looking for the most Turquoise water. Some have told me to go to Antalya while others have recommended Fethyia/Olu Deniz. I'm leaning towards Olu Deniz. Since we are doing historic sites in Istanbul I am thinking of skipping Epshesus since it will be hot and my kids will likely be bored (they just want to swim!). My dilemma is figuring out the best routes so we are not wasting time driving or busing but rather maximizing play time.

1) question: Any recommendation how to best travel between these three areas (Istanbul, Cappadoccia and Olu Deniz)

2) should I just pick one beach area or try to do more (some told me to drive along coast staying in diff areas but my husband thinks that will be too hectic

3) anything I'm missing out on??

Possible plan:
- Arrive and stay 3 days in Istanbul
- Fly to Kayseri to Capapdiccia 2 days
- Go to Fethyia/Olu Deniz 3 days (but how do we get here?? Or is it better to go here after Istanbul and then go to Cappadoccia after)
- go somewhere else for another 3? Maybe Antalya?
- return to Istanbul 2 days

Thanks!

Posted by
11522 posts

We were very happy that we chose to stay in Fethiye but Bodrum peninsula is beautiful too. This coastal area is stunning so I don't think you can go wrong.

Posted by
7053 posts

Bodrum was great, I really enjoyed swimming off one of the boats there. The water was super turquoise, but I don't remember being totally impressed with the beach itself. You may also look into Çeşme, which has beaches/resort areas but is closer to Izmir. And if Istanbul proves too hectic for you, you can take a nice ferry over to the Princess Islands which are to the south and not far away. I had a wonderful time there too, it was very relaxing.

All the places you mentioned are not close to each other, so flying seems like the best option. Turkey is huge, so the distances are huge. Of course you'll miss out on 99% of the country but that's inevitable - there's too much to see there for even 14 days. I spent about 12 days just in Istanbul itself.

Posted by
7 posts

Thanks All. Yes please any posts of pics you can share would be great. And Yes I'm thinking flying for sure. The only thing is we are gonna be lugging around all of our suitcases 😅.

Posted by
106 posts

Istanbul, Cappadocia and a beach area sound "just right." Bodrum is lovely, lots to do and the water is lovely. You could probably find a four hour cruise or there about to get out on the water. Antalya has a lovely historical museum that could probably entertain the kids for a little while. There is also, somewhere downtown, a "cat house" that the children would love to see.Another thought aside from Istanbul, Antalya, or Bodrum would be to pick a small town with resorts or beaches. Foca would be my pick, in Izmir province, about 45 minutes north, by taxi, from Izmir. The seafood is great , the harbor is charming, there are little shops and you could stay in a pension or at a resort.
Pam from Bath

Posted by
16895 posts

I was happy to stay in Fethiye, which has easy enough access to the beach, but staying at Olu Deniz would be really at the beach. Antalya is a bigger city. www.skyscanner.com can help find flights within Turkey.

Posted by
7 posts

any recommendations on where to stay in Fethyie or Olu Deniz....soo many options and reviews all over the place it's making my head spin.

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