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We always try to fly and arrive one day before a group tour begins in case anything goes wrong and this trip was no exception. If I told you we flew poor defunct TWA (they had the best frequent flyer plan of any airline), would that give you a clue how long ago this trip was? Not only that, but the group flight from America was on Pan Am! However, all information and sights in these articles are still relevant today. Istanbul's Ataturk International Airport (IST) is located 23 km/14 miles west of Sultanahmet Square and a taxi from the airport should only run about $20.00.
A taxi drove us to the Kariye Hotel, a small boutique hotel in Old Istanbul and located next to the Kariye Museum (formerly the Church of the Monastery of Chora). The Kariye Hotel is in a restored 19th century mansion on a hill above the Golden Horn and a 10-minute taxi ride to the Sultanahmet area. However, there are quite a few walks around the Kariye Hotel. One very interesting and don't-miss-walk is the stone towers, ramparts and ditches. Emperor Theodosius II (408-450) enclosed the seven hills of the new Rome in the fifth century. Can you believe they were built in two months to protect the city from Attila the Hun?
Continue reading "The Mt. Kackar Trek Began in Istanbul, Turkey" »
Air? You can search, plan and/or book on-line through BookingBuddy's Top Travel Deals newsletter and Kayak. TIP: Try to use miles accumulated on airlines for First, Business Class and Economy on short-hauls. It may only be 20,000 miles for a short-haul ticket and almost every major airline flies to Istanbul, Turkey.
Visas? American tourists traveling to Turkey on U.S. passports need a visa and can purchase a 90-day sticker visa at the port of entry for $20 cash. For all other nationalities, check this link, Turizm.net
Continue reading "Planning a Mt. Kackar Trek in Eastern Turkey" »
There are only a few tour organizers that run treks to the Mt. Kackar (pronounced Kashkar) area in a remote region of eastern Turkey near the Russian border. A shame because this region is filled with green meadows, wildflowers, ghost villages, lakes, densely wooded forests, Georgian and Armenian ruins. Well-established mule trails lead between highland villages and alpine pastures yaylas, and higher level rocky paths through the rugged Pontic Alps along Turkey's Black Sea coast. The steep slopes and ravines make communication difficult and this isolation has helped to preserve the area.
The Turkish people in the Pontic Alps still wear colorful local dress (women wear brightly colured scarves) and lead a nomadic life. The tribal Laz and Yuruk people move their cows and sheep from the lower valleys to the fertile high pastures where they live for three to four months in summer camps of wooden huts and stone houses with rooms burrowed into the earth. The Laz were seafaring people who speak a language related to the Irish! How strange... And, there are isolated pockets of Armenians and Georgians, both Christian and Muslim, who still speak their own language.
Continue reading "The Remote Mt. Kackar Trek in Eastern Turkey" »
Termessos is one of the best preserved ancient cities in Turkey founded by the Solymi people, from Anatolia. Extremely scenic located in a rugged mountain valley at a height of 1,665m/5,462' ...View image. Today was one last but very long day scheduled before the entire Explore group headed home with the exception of us who were going to spend a few days relaxing in Antalya. We hiked up to the many ruins scattered among the pine forests with many concealed and overgrown by vegetation.
The important remains are the 4,200 seat Amphitheatre and Roman stele built by Augustus in the 1st century AD. There is also an Agora, several temples, gymnasium, watch towers, a meeting hall with seating for 600, and more than 1,200 rock tombs.
Continue reading "Termessos, Duden and Kursunlu Waterfalls, Turkey" »
Over one-third of all visitors to Turkey visit Antalya and photographs don't do it justice. Antalya has some of the cleanest beaches in the Mediterranean, the 630 km/391 mile shoreline of the province is scattered with the ancient cities of Aspendos, Perge and Termossos, all easy to access from Antalya.
Mustafa let the Explore group off several blocks away because the bus couldn't go down the narrow streets. The small inn/pension, Hotel Tuvana, is Ottoman-style and gorgeous. There was just one Ottoman house when we visited but now, five more comfortable houses have been added to Hotel Tuvana. Hotel Tuvana is located right in the middle of Antalya in the historical castle and only 100m/300' downhill to the Marina with a garden, swimming pool and breakfast room.
Continue reading "Irresistible Antalya, Turkey" »
If you decide to visit the Lycia area of Turkey or, perhaps, just Antalya, put both Perge and Aspendos on the "must see" list. Also, tour Perge first and then move on to Aspendos. Fortunately (or unfortunately), the only major ruin to see in Aspendos is the Roman Theater, the best best preserved in Asia Minor...View image. The theater was built in 155 AD and seated 15,000 but, what is most important, the structure is nearly intact!
Aspendos was founded around 1000 BC by the Greeks after the Trojan War, and became wealthy trading in salt, oil and wool. Although Aspendos wasn't on the coast, it was situated on the banks of the Eurymedon River which allowed ships to reach it.
Continue reading "The Roman Theater of Aspendos, Turkey" »
The Explore group had a wonderful guide who toured Perge and Aspendos with us. This man really knew how to teach and make history come to life. He began by holding up huge flash-cards during the bus ride describing what we'd see at each site along with pertinent facts...View image. By doing this, we were prepared before even stepping foot inside the ruins...View image.
Perga (Perge) was founded inland around 1000 BC and constructed for defensive purposes to avoid the pirates that terrorized this stretch of the Mediterranean. Perge was colonized by Greeks after the Trojan war, but most of the surviving ruins date from the Roman period. The substantial remains include a theater, stadium, monumental gate and colonnaded street down the main Agora area...View image. It is said that St. Paul began his journey in Perge in 46 AD, and preached his first sermon here.
Continue reading "The Majestic Ruins of Perge, Turkey" »
Both Phaselis and Mt. Olympos were on the road to Antalya. Phaselis is located in the village of Tekirova and was founded in 690 BC as a colony of Rhodes. The three ports on the sea were the only source of income. Ruled in turn by Alexander, the Ptolemies of Egypt, the Kingdom of Rhodes, pirates named Zenekites, and Romans because of its good ports. The main ruins of Phaselis are found on the two sides of the main avenue that connects the military port with the south port.
There are shop and store ruins on the sides of the street along with ruins of public places. Roman Baths, Agora's and Theatres dating back to 2nd century BC. We spent a short time walking along the stone-paved avenue with its sewage and drainage systems underneath and visiting the Phaselis Theater.
Continue reading "Phaselis and The Chimera of Olympos, Turkey" »
There is much to be said for approaching an ancient, historic sight on foot. Arykanda is located in the area around Finike (ancient Phoenicus). We set off on a sunny, warm morning following mountain trails along a valley which connects the coast with the Kabalia highlands until we came to Arykanda...View image....where one lone guardian allowed the group to enter...View image. He also followed us throughout the entire visit, watching like a hawk to make sure nothing was disturbed or taken.
Arykanda is a vast site dating back to the 2nd Century BC and built on five large terraces climbing up the mountain. I remember Arykanda as one of the most interesting sites in Lycia, probably because there was no one else there but the Explore group and it had a spectacular view over the valley. The site is continually being excavated and that would be right up my alley.
Continue reading "The Ancient Lycian City of Arykanda (Arycanda), Turkey" »
We spent one day in Finike to visit Arykanda/Arycanda and another in Demre for the hike into the Taurus Mountains. A good thing was that only one night was spent in Demre at the junkiest hotel/inn/pension of the trip. Our bathroom toilet wherever we stayed and thankfully blocked from my memory bank, began running...and running...and running, overflowed and made a major mess. That happens, but then I discovered little red bites up and down the back of my legs and asked Simon if he knew what they were. Bedbug bites! The one and only time during 50 years of travel I've ever gotten bit by Bedbugs and the only reason Explore based us in this "fleabag" was proximity to the hike.
The upside of Finike (as well as the majority of the Lycian coast) was the incredible Navel Oranges, the symbol of the town. The juciest, most delicious Navel Oranges we've ever tasted that deserve its worldwide reputation. There were orange groves...View image... and greenhouses all around town, along the roads, spilling out of little shops, and we couldn't eat enough of them. No Vitamin C problems around Finike.
Continue reading "A Walk Up The Slopes of Taurus Mountains, Turkey" »
Myra was one of the six leading cities of the Lycian Union and has an extremely well preserved theater, rock-hewn Lycian tombs and sculptures. It is uncertain how far back Myra dates but the outer defensive wall has been dated to 5th century BC. Most of the ancient city is now covered by Demre, less than 2 kms south and tomato greenhouses. Luscious, flavorful and juicy tomatoes (along with naval oranges) are my most enduring memories of Southern Turkey.
Myra was abandoned by the 11th century due to plagues, Muslim raids, flooding and earthquakes, but the famous rock-tombs of Myra are still in relatively good shape, minus the colors that once adorned them. Exquisite sculptures, funeral scenes and the daily life of the deceased were carved into the rocks....View image. Your first sight of these cliff faces pockmarked with tombs will make an indelible impact. There are two main groups of tombs, one above the theater and another on the east side of the necropolis...View image. Myra also had two types of rock-cut tombs, house tombs and temple tombs
Continue reading " The Rock-cut Tombs of Myra, Turkey" »
ex-Marine and I were truly shocked how nice the small hotels and pensions were throughout this trip. The Hotel Phellos in Kas was a perfect example. It is still relatively inexpensive to visit Turkey with an average cost (through Adventure Center and their U.K. tour operators) of $1,500 for two weeks. Kas is a small, untouristy fishing village...View image... on the Mediterranean Sea with rocky beaches about 170 kms/106 miles west of Antalya. Most visitors come to Kas for two reasons: scuba diving or to visit the nearby ancient sites. Kas is also good place to begin walking Turkey's Lycian Way, a 30-day walk around the coast and mountains.
Kas would be our base for walking the mountains slopes, Myra and a day visit to Kekova Island with its sunken cities of Simena, Tristomo and Dolichiste. We'd also have plenty of time to wander around and do a little exploring (or not) on our own. There are restaurants...View image, shops, and mosques centered around the town square and a traditional market on Fridays.
Continue reading "Around Kas and Kekova Island, Turkey" »
Fethiye is located on the ancient city known as Thelmessos. A easy introduction to the Lycia coast was planned by Explore with a gentle walk to Oludeniz (Kaya, the rock) around 7 kms/4 miles from Fethiye. There was really nothing of great importance in Oludeniz except for a gorgeous sand beach on a lagoon. Several hardy U.K.'ers did take the plunge into the still cold Mediterranean.
On the way to Kas the next day, we made brief stop at Pinara that also had a remarkable rock-cut necropolis. Pinara was one of the six principal cities of Lycia and a settlement may have existed as early as the 5th century BC. Pinara became important in the Byzantine era but then declined and was abandoned in the 9th century.
Continue reading "Fethiye, Oludeniz and Pinara, Turkey" »
The overnight Pamukkale Express Train leaves Istanbul daily at 5:35 p.m. with a scheduled arrival in Denizli the next morning at 8:35 a.m. The group cozied up in the couchette compartments that hold six couchettes with pillow and blanket. It's not private but who cares since everyone sleeps in their clothes. I squished in my ear plugs, took a dramamine and went to sleep (except when the train jolted to one of the six other stops throughout the night).
This train left from Istanbul's Haydarpasa Station on the Asian side of the Bosphorus. Ferries stop at the station's own dock and all trains to and from Asian Turkey use Haydarpasa Station. Sirkeci Station is Istanbul's other train station and famous as the terminus of the Orient Express, immortalized in Agatha Christie's famous Murder On The Orient Express and still one of my favorite mysteries.
Continue reading "The Pamukkale Express Train and Fethiye, Turkey" »
We always plan to arrive one day before a group tour begins in case anything goes wrong and this trip was no exception. Istanbul's Ataturk International Airport (IST) is located 23 km/14 miles west of Sultanahmet Square. A taxi from the airport cost about $20 to the Hotel Ottoman where the Explore group was staying.
The Hotel Ottoman is a small 3*** hotel in the Kadirga District (Kumkapi), located at the bottom of a steep hill below Sultanahmet. (See map below.) A typical Turkish breakfast is served buffet-style with: tomatoes, eggs, olives, cucumbers, cheese, juice, tomatoes, bread, tea and coffee, etc. Not fancy but the location was wonderful. There were small grocers and eateries in close proximity, and an easy tram ride to the famous attraction of Sultanahmet. Or, you could walk it.
Continue reading "Visiting Istanbul, Turkey" »
Air?You can search, plan and/or book on-line through BookingBuddy's Top Travel Deals newsletter and Kayak. TIP: Try to use miles accumulated on airlines for First, Business Class and Economy on short-hauls. It may only be 20,000 miles for a short-haul ticket and almost every major airline flies to Istanbul, Turkey.
Visas? American tourists traveling to Turkey on U.S. passports need a visa and can purchase a 90-day sticker visa at the port of entry for $20 cash. For all other nationalities, check this link, Turizm.net
Continue reading "Planning A Turkey Southern Coast Trip" »
If you've never thought beyond Istanbul or Cappodocia, now is the time to visit Turkey's Southern Coast, Lycia. ex-Marine (husband, Steve) and I spent two weeks in this area on one of Explore's many trips in this region. (Booked through Adventure Center on the sidebar of this page.) Lycia in the summer can involve cruising on a traditional Turkish "gulet." A "gulet" is a comfortable wooden boat equipped with twin-bedded cabins and ranges from bare-bones to extreme luxury. Completely depends on trip and operator. Other suggestions: scuba around Kas, mountain biking in the Lycian hills, spend days in gorgeous Antalya (the major resort), visit the ruins of ancient Perge and Aspendos, Mt. Olympus, and walk hill trails.
Researching a winter vacation that wasn't too expensive, had a variety of sights and things to do, we booked "Winter Turkey" (as it was called then) through Adventure Center.The Lycia winter weather is mild with its own micro-climate and plentiful sun because the Mediterranean coast is buffered by the Taurus Mountains. Mark Anthony once gave a section of Turkey's southern coast to Cleopatra as a wedding gift. If it was good enough for Cleo, it was good enough for us.
Continue reading "The Southern Lycian Coast of Turkey" »
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