Going around Turkey..

Classic Tour of Turkey touching the main destinations: Istanbul, Ephesus and Cappadocia.

 

Curti - Roma - Bucarest - Istambul

As usual we start from Fiumicino and then you have to make a beautiful levataccia (4:00) ... this time we are not alone but together with Peppe viaggaiamo and Titti. The time to load our bags on the machine already fills Peppe. We start, since today is August vuotissima find the highway. We quickly arrived at the airport check in, the first leg of our journey we travel Bucharest with Tarom. The flight to Bucharest takes 1h and 35 min, get off the plane in the shuttle that will lead us to the terminal and there are point by a wasp! that pain! Peppe fortunately I readily apply antiistaminico. We head to the airport immediately to all of us where two policemen Romanians that make us check in for the second flight that leaves at 16:10. The second flight takes 1 hour and 20 minutes and the time spent quickly. The airport of Istanbul is brand new and incredibly clean, pay the 10 euros for a visa and do the line for passport control, where the stamp. Collect your luggage quickly and some cash and then by metro (1.50 YTL) arrive near the center. The stop is Akasaray that can be reached in about 30 min, a few meters from here and arrive at the tram stop conveniently and four stops we Sultanamet. We can see the beautiful silhouette of the Blue Mosque and Agia Sofia, beautiful, and we are walking distance to our accommodation or the Nayala pension. The room for 4 persons with private bathroom is quite comfortable, going on the terrace of the board you see Agia Sofia, very impressive. After we placed two steps in the center, which is full of people and we stop to eat something, but then all of a nanna are the 11 and the fatigue gets to hear.

Istambul

After a good shower we decide to wait on the terrace inostri friends and do lunch together in our retirement. The first stage of the day is the beautiful blue mosque, the entrance is a type that controls the clothing and decide what to cover (legs, trunk etc..). Having removed your shoes, you can enter the beautiful majolica covering the inside of the mosque. Do not you pay a real ticket, but gets an outside offer (with trying to receipt!). After we returned the shoes we head towards Agia Sofia (10 YTL), the central atrium is very beautiful, very high with a giant dome that seems suspended in a vacuum. Are also the beautiful Byzantine mosaics seats on the second floor. The heat is really intense, so we decide to visit the basilica cistern ... where we find a bit of refreshment. This is truly an amazing place, there are columns that overlook a small lake mystic underground ...!. Each tantocasca few drops of water from the ceiling and the play of light makes the atmosphere surreal. To see the columns at the bottom located above a block representing the heads of Medusa. Released decide to eat in a restaurant near the ì (15 euro 4 persons) with a beautiful terrace where you can see is that the Agia Sofia mosque blue. After the restaurant we Drigo the archeological museum (YTL 5) .. not very special, we visited the museum to take some rest in the park near the Topkapi. At this point we accompany Pippi Hamman to the nearest bathroom with a massage (17 euros), while you relax, we take a very good tea turkish. Obviously men and women are in separate rooms and that of our friend is an experience a bit ... rude. From here a few steps and we arrive to the area of the ferry (Eminonu), where we board for Kadikay. This ferry (0.75 euros) takes about 20 min for the entire crossing and you can admire a magnificent view over the Golden Horn with the Blue Mosque and Agia Sofia. On the other hand we are going to eat from a restaurant with a beautiful terrace by the sea. In return we take the ferry to Karakoy (Eminonu and the last is at 20) that docks right in front of the pier from where we started. From there a tram to cross the Galata bridge and come to sultanamet.

Istambul

The first stage of the day is the palace Topkaki (10 YTL), visit the four courts including the Museum of swords. Visit the hall of treasures belonging to the sultan, is the beautiful diamond spoon. After a nice ice cream we decide to do a guided tur dell'harem (10 YTL), the visit lasts 30 minutes but is nothing special. At this point we decide to go to the grand bazaar, very bad in my opinion do not breathe the air typical of these places ... too commercial. We must not go in the afternoon because the host structure is closed with a few windows ... and it's very hot here.

Istambul - Izmir - Selchuk

Yesterday we bought our tickets to board the shuttle that will take us at the airport (4 euros). In about 30 minutes at the airport where we do a quick breakfast. Our air party at 8:30 in 1 hours and arrive in Izmir. From here there is little choice or taxi to Selchuck that costs 40 eruo or bus to Izmir, which costs 9.5 YTL per person. We decide the final solution and in 30 minutes we stop in Izmir at the center, then we must take a taxi to get all'otogar (which is far from the center!) And spend 3 euros each. 6 YTL here to take the bus to our destination, had it not been for the taxi would have saved 1 euro per person, but I must say it was more "adventurous ".... even if we discover that the dolmus .. passing through the airport ... but have realized that after I had been more than an hour at the airport ask the staff if you could go without getting directly Selchuck in Izmir ... you understand .. however I have learned the lesson ... want to work ... the taxi cecherò not even take one!. In 1 h all'otogar to come fà Sechuk hot and there is a high humidity we stop our accommodation to the ANZ board (free intenet) with very nice rooms. Take the free transportation to the ruins and we are leaving at the top, the most distant (3 km) considering that we return at our expense. The site is very good (10 YTL), are the beautiful famous library of Celsus and the theater, makes really hot. Left the site must not exceed treating taxis (no time!) And later see a hidden sign that represents the dolmus stop for 1.5 YTL, which take you home. In the evening we eat the wonderful kebabs sish the chicken kebab.

Selchuk - Denizli - Pammukkale

We do breakfast in our hotel (hotel price 11.50 euros per person) and we go to visit the small but charming museum of Ephesus (5 YTL). Among the most interesting finds of course can not miss the statue of the god Priapus (does not pass unnoticed), the boy on the dolphin and the statue of Artemis, who was at the heart of one of the seven wonders of the world or the Artemisio. After the museum enjoy a nice drink in the square frsca of Selchuk and then we look at what's left dell'Artemisio, ie only one column! is very high but the temple was to be gigntesco. At this point we go all'otogar to take a dolmus direct Denizli, there are several companies with similar prices and ending 12 YTL, 3h. I must say that the scenery along the route is not very interesting and at 16:00 we get bored all'otogar of Denizli. As soon as we arrived near a type of company that manages the dolmus with which we are venutidicendo offering a free shuttle service to Pammukkale, excellent! Follow along with the other tourists and go on the minibus that takes us 20 minutes to Pammukkale. Along the way the type of test to request minibus tickets ADUE tourists like us who came from Selchuk, but after protests turned my back now .... fà sti Turks, there's nothing to do mass tourism "polluter" the minds of people. We arrived at their destination to Venus Pension .. pretty much has the swimming pool (10 euro per person).

Pammukkale

This morning we breakfast at the hotel and discover that shortly after the two met in Italy yesterday (David and Anastasia) will spend the second night in our own accommodation, we at this point to visit local labellezza or travertine pools. Disogna go to the central square of the country and hence there is a road that goes up, you arrive at a crossing on the right and after a while you meet the ticket office (5 YTL). From here begins a path under the scorching sun, at some point must go barefoot (go to the estate by the sea!) And then begin the tanks where you can swim, the surreal landscape is going to arrive at the stop of Tourist bus from there you can enjoy an exceptional performance on the left there are more swimming pools and there is a nice place where you can swim. The sacred pool is nothing considering that you pay 18 YTL. The theater is nice but the climb with the heat is hard!. Bring bottles of water because the above expensive 3.5 YTL YTL against 1 of the center. Return to take a dolmus Pammukkale that for us back in the center. I take this opportunity to make a nice dip in the pool and ask for information on how to get to the airport Denizli which seems very far away (85km !!!!!) and we must take a taxi.

Pammukkale - Denizli - Istambul - Kayseri - Goreme

Today is a hard day at 7:00 is our taxi and we leave the kind that says to get to the airport takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes and our aircraft part at 9:00, no traffic will arrive in 50 minutes. The plane of the Turkish lands after 50 min in Istanbul at 13:35 starting at a time of Kayseri where we come 1h later. After you leave your luggage withdrawn and obviously there are only taxis and asking you to say that arriavre all'otogar you should only take taxis, but going a bit later (and mò enough!), The following, local practice, will notice a small shelter where you can take a comfortable bus (1 YTL), which brings you close dell'otogar. All'otogar find the bus that takes us directly to Goreme (7 YTL) in approximately 1 h. During the trip the landscape quickly changes (finally), we arrived in Cappadocia mitica! Urgup is already possible to see the famous peaks of the fairies!. Goreme All'otogar notice a small travel company (Goreme Travel) that we nola a minibus for the day (120 YTL). Let's go to our hotel, the Paradise Pension and discover that not considered our reservation and we do accommodate that in the near Ufuk (40 YTL) ... vabbè so are all the same. After we arranged a walk through the village, very nice, with this landscape contour ... spectacular.

Goreme - Ihlara - Selime - Kaymakly - Uchisa - Goreme

Today there is a great tour of Cappadocia!, At 8 and we all'otogar part, first stage is the valley where we come Ihlara 1h and 20 min later. Before entering the valley we stop at paizza to take a tea and chat with the elderly. The village of Ihlara is rural, there are a lot of curious children who always greeted. Pay 5 YTL per person and descend into the valley, the landscape at the bottom of the gorge is lush and there's a nice stream that cools the air. Here and there and can see the beautiful churches that are 1500 years! not bad. Walking arrive to the town of Belirsima where we expect our drivers, but before we eat a high pitta. After refreshment we ask to be brought to the monastery of Selim, very photogenic practice in a mountain with lots of alcoves where the monks lived. From here we go to the city of ipogea Kaymakli which is about 1h from Selim. The entrance costs 10 YTL, the intense fresh is something wonderful that is the ideal place to spend the hottest hours of the day .. Putting in tight burrows is very simple even if it requires a bit of flexibility and should also be careful in the head!. Very beautiful all the Sun takes about 40 minutes. The next step is Uchisar where we stop in a small square where you can admire the beautiful valley of the pigeons, cola's evocative hill Uchisar, today was really a beautiful day.

Goreme - Ankara

Today we visit the nearby open-air museum (10 YTL), as usual it's very hot and the landscape is beautiful. The churches are wonderful with cupolas and columns carved in the rock, then the painted ones are incredible!. The church of Apple of course here is beautiful frescoes are well preserved compared to those seen yesterday in the valley of Ihlara. Beautiful is the cattedraleche is located outside the museum (but included in the price). Unlike the other dominated by the color red, the blue here is a master of it. Now we return to the hotel to take your bags and go all'otogar destination Ankara (23 YTL) to coincide with Neveshir, starting at 12:00. We arrive in Ankara in about 5 hours and the impact with the city is shocking, just feel the heavy air of the typical big city. The bus will leave the giant Otogi (ASTI) from here take the metro (Ankaray) to 1.30 YTL to the connection for Ulus, a few steps and we are at the Mithat.

Ankara

We start the tour for the busy and dusty Ankara, the first step is Ulus and after seeing the column of Byzantine Giuliano, lovingly known as kebab column, we head to toil in the citadel. The town is nice with its cobbled streets and the people you smiles, children are then simpaticissimi (we also improvise a lot of calcium). Going to visit the mosque with the colonnade of wood past the craft shops and come to the museum of Anatolian civilizations (10 YTL). The museum is moolto interesting, beautiful statues of the goddess Single, the treasures of the 13 tombs in addition to writing tablets with cuneiform Hittite. From here by metro to reach the mausoleum of Ataturk, but are 18.00 and closes at 17:00. We do a walk in the direction of the new mosque in Ankara, the world's largest new symbol of the city. We pay our hotel (30 euros per room) and book a taxi for tomorrow (50 YTL).

Ankara - Istambul - Edirne - Plovdiv (Bulgaria)

Today is truly a hard day we wake up at 4:30 and at 5:30 we start with our taxi to the airport where we come in 40 min. We take our flight to Istanbul where we come 1 h later. Once you have withdrawn your luggage and take the subway down to stop Otogi. Otogi the course of Istanbul is huge with lots of offices (about 200) each with different destinations (or almost). I find asking the company that goes to Plovdiv in Bulgaria (the Varoli Oz) find that the bus has already left (departures at 10:00 and 21:00) ... we try to discourage cross the border on foot. Then take a bus to Edirne (Volkan) departing at 11.00 and except the air conditioning on all smooth ball row (16 YTL) and 2 h 30 min we all'otogar of Edirne. With a smaller city bus (1 YTL) we are unloaded in a puntodove take the bus to Kabikule. We take a flight (2.5 YTL) the bus is microscopic and we barely get 4 with all the bags coming towards Kapikule (not a city but the border) file notice of mcchine interminable waiting their turn. Fortuantamente not the machines we can easily overcome the forntiera both Turkish and Bulgarian, and arrive in Bulgaria.