Holiday Guide to Turkey

The Holiday Guide team has travelled to Turkey on numerous occasions – both for work and leisure. I myself spent an entire month driving across Turkey, discovering new places of tourist interest in 2015. My overland journey in a rented car lasted for 30 days and took me across the major tourist destinations spread all across this beautiful country. Enroute my 9,000 kilometres journey, I discovered many hidden gems along the way and got an opportunity to get acquainted with the culture and traditions of the friendly people of Turkey.

Holiday Guide Turkey Dubai — Driving around Turkey in a rented car

Like any other country, real Turkey lives and breathes far from the big metropolitan cities. As I drove further from Istanbul, the roads became wider, the pollution lesser and the people kinder.

Undoubtedly, the country is blessed with a rich cultural heritage, spectacular natural beauty, interesting sights, ancient and modern architecture, and a progressive and modern outlook. As I drove across the country I visited a number of interesting places – like the upmarket seaside resort of Bodrum, the touristy seaside city of Marmaris, the mountain roads to Ayder and the beautiful beachside resort of Cirali. Not to mention the popular tourist attractions of Cappadocia and Istabul.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

The best time to visit Turkey is during spring (from April to May) and autumn (from September to mid-November) when temperatures are not too high, humidity levels low and hotel prices relatively cheaper.

HOW TO GET THERE

Almost all international tourists enter Turkey via one of the two airports in Istanbul (Istanbul Atatürk and Sabiha Gökçen). Istanbul Atatürk Airport (IST) is the main international airport and the biggest airport in Turkey. It’s located on the European side of the city. Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) is the second international airport in Istanbul located 35 kilometrers southeast of Istanbul city, Sabiha Gökçen is on the Asian side of the bi-continental city.

VISA REQUIREMENTS

You can get an e-Visa online before you travel to Turkey which costs $20 and you can pay using a credit or debit card. Visit visas to enter Turkey are issued on arrival are valid for multiple stays up to a maximum of 90 days in a 180 day period. Please note that e-visa is only valid when the purpose of travel is tourism or commerce. For other purposes, such as work and study, visas are given by Turkish Embassies or Consulates. Holders of valid US and Schengen visas are also qualified to get a visa on arrival by paying the visa fee.

GETTING AROUND

As I always suggest, renting a car is undoubtedly the most convenient and cheap way to travel across Turkey. With the freedom of a self-driven car you are able to visit off-the-tourust-track tourist places, and more often than not, discover hidden gems far from the madding crowds.

Car rental companies are present at all major airports and city locations. To top it all, Turkey has an excellent road network that offer convenient driving conditions.

Although Turkey has an extensive train network, run by Turkish State Railways, the train schedules are slightly unreliable. Popular routes on Turkey’s train network include a new high-speed line between Istanbul and Ankara, which takes three-and-a-half hours. There are also express trains and ‘blue trains’ which run between the different regions – for example, Izmir to Ankara – as well as regional trains. The standard of Turkey’s trains ranges from very basic to modern and air-conditioned. Most trains can be booked online or at the train station, but if you’re travelling during peak season, make a reservation to guarantee a seat. Online reservations are available up to 30 days in advance.

Flying is a convenient way to discover Turkey. Most domestic airlines serve all of Turkey’s larger cities and resort towns. Tickets are often cheap, especially if you book in advance. Major airlines you should check out include:

Turkish Airlines (Turkey’s flag carrier, member of the Star Alliance)
Pegasus
Atlasjet
Onurair
SunExpress
Ananadolujet

WHAT TO SEE, WHERE TO GO

Turkey has many beautiful places, but Uzungol stands in a league of its own. Nestled in a mountain valley, this little known tourist destination is very popular with independent travellers from the Middle East. Each time I visited Uzungöl in the summer months, it was flooded with Arab families from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait and Oman. Such is the popularity of Uzungol with Arab travellers that almost all shops and restaurants in the city have Arabic sign boards to lure Arab tourists. Without doubt, Uzungol should be on everyone’s bucket list – after all it is known as a little slice of Switzerland in Turkey’s Black Sea region. Uzungol’s picturesque view features a lakeside mosque and high green mountains on all sides. There are numerous easy hiking trails in the surrounding hills.

Ayder is yet another off-the-tourist-trail destination that not many people know about. The Ayder Highlands is a stunning row of green-blanketed mountains with rolling green fields that flow down from the trees and offers some of the most spectacular scenery in Turkey. A perfect getaway for those who want to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday living and immerse themselves in nature. Ayder is close enough to enjoy day trips to cities such as Trabzon or Rize, for those who wish to see historical attractions such as Sumela Monastery is close to nearby Trabzon city.

Another place you must try to visit when in Turkey is Pamukkale, or Cotton Castle. A UNESCO heritage site, Pamukkale hot water springs are high in mineral content and flow down the naturally stepped pools formed an a small hill. A truly remarkable sight to behold.

Amongst all the best places to visit in Turkey, Cappadocia is arguably one of them. There are so many unique things to do in Cappadocia, and as it is centrally located in Turkey, there are many connecting routes. The underground cities of Cappadocia have several things in common, including; rooms for food storage, kitchens, stables, wine or oil presses and shafts for ventilation. Yes, you get to witness all these varied colours of the landscape when you take a hot air ballooning trip in Cappadocia. Known across the globe as one of the most popular places to fly in hot air balloons because of the awesome landscape and favourable weather conditions, Cappadocia offers several types of balloon tours depending upon the flight duration and the services available.

Lake Abant is another beautiful and peaceful destination for travellers from the Middle East. It’s a natural lake fed by underground waters surrounded by hills blanketed by a mixture of evergreen trees and seasonal foliage allowing for stunning vistas all year through. Around the lake is a road for those who wish to drive around and enjoy the lakeside views, but for those who like to take their time there is a walking path that rings the lake. Along the walking path there are picnic spots and relaxation areas that are tourist havens – specially for desert dwelling visitors from the Middle East region.

Lake Sapanca was one fo the best pit stops I took during my long overland tour across Turkey. Located just 140 kilometres from Istanbul, Sapanca is right in the backyard of Istanbul. It is a perfect stopover for your last day in Turkey as it is located near the Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (100 kilometres). Rather than staying in crowded city of Istanbul, I usually prefer to spend my last night in Sapanca before catching my flight out of Turkey the next day. You can also reach Sapanca from Istanbul by train which takes 3h 20m and costs 22 ₺ – 40 ₺. Alternatively, you can also take a bus, which costs 100 ₺ – 200 ₺ and takes 4h 45 minutes.

Some other popular destinations and things to do in Turkey are: