My Turkey Holiday Reviews

Well, this is probably the page you have been looking forward to reading the most - my holiday reviews for Turkey! . This page is probably the most difficult to write as I can only give you my opinions and reviews on the places I have been to in Turkey. Other people will have their own personal opinions on different areas, you can see some of these opinions and add yours by following the instructions on the yellow 'Join In' box to your right. As far as I can gather, I would say anywhere in Turkey could be classed as a tourist area in the sense of a traveller, i.e instead of the usual places such as Bodrum, Altinkum etc, places further to the North & East of the country where there aren't any 'TOURIST' areas as such, beaches, shops etc, but places that offer great scenery & Ancient ruins can also be found in these areas. My first holiday was to KUSADASI in the Aegean area of Turkey, in 1996. My fist visit to Turkey was with an ex girlfriend. It was our first holiday together and we both fancied going somewhere neither one of us had been before. So Turkey was our choice. Kusadasi - pronounced 'Koo Sha Dasi' - translated means 'Bird Island', a memory of which lingers in the small rocky outcrop connected by a causeway, and complete with an interesting old fort called 'Guvercin Adasi' (pigeon island). With it's lively atmosphere, fabulous location and vibrant nightlife Kusadasi has something to appeal to all visitors. Kusadasi was an old fishing village and is now regarded as one of Turkey's premiere holiday destinations. The old centre is buzzing with bars and clubs but if you venture slightly deeper into the back alleys, then you will come across the old fashioned attitude of this place. In such a few short strides it is hard to think that you have gone from modern to olden times, where typical Turkish men sit around smoking, drinking tea, playing backgammon or chess and generally chatting on how to put the world to rights. Kusadasi has a few beaches spread along the resort but the best has got to be 'Ladies Beach', which is the most popular, and is reached by traveling on a 'Dolmus' minibus. There is also a man-made beach at the bottom of the town which is fine for a little while but not really advisable to go swimming from because of the rocky area. Kusadasi is an excellent place to stay if you want to go and visit some of the many historical sites that Turkey has to offer. From here you can go visit the ancient city of Ephesus. Ephesus is one of the most best preserved cities of the whole Asia Minor/Mediterranean region. It's like stepping way back in time. As you enter the city you just seem to feel as if you have been transported back to Roman time - it really is an uncanny feeling but well worth a visit. You could also venture slightly further afield and visit the ancient city of Hierapolis, where it is said that Cleopatra bathed in the waters there. In close proximity stands Pamukkale with its calcified water pools which are said to have healing powers (check out the photos in my photo gallery). A little further again is Cappodocia with it's weird looking 'chimney buildings' that have been created by the weather over hundreds of years. My Kusadasi Review Score  My second holiday was to MARMARIS also in the Aegean area in 1997. At first sight you would be forgiven for thinking you had got on the wrong plane & ended up in Nice or Marbella, that's because Marmaris has a 'Riviera' feel to it. Elegant palm tree lined promenades along the waterfront and the Marina plays host to expensive yachts from all over the world. If you scratch the surface & look a bit deeper into this resort, you will find that traditional Turkey is not far away. There are a maze of small streets in the old town with white-washed houses sitting around the castle that hide a treasure trove of traveler's delights. Marmaris is a great place for all types of visitors. But why stay in Marmaris alone when a short Dolmus ride will take you to the nearby small resort of Icmeler, with it's wide golden sanded beach this is a nice place to visit. If historical monuments are your thing, then grab an excursion to places like Manavgat (waterfalls),Fethiye, (& take in one of the most photographed areas of Turkey, Olu Deniz) or jump on a boat & head down to Dalyan (where the Caracas Caracas turtles lay thousands of eggs during the mating season), & whilst you're in the area, take a look at the Tombs which are built into the hillside at Caunos. My Marmaris Review Score  Whatever you want to do, you can in Marmaris. My third holiday was to ALANYA in the Mediterranean area in 1998. Often referred to as The Turkish Riviera, the Mediterranean coast of Turkey is home to some of the most beautiful resorts & one in particular is the resort of Alanya. Stunning scenery, fabulous sandy beaches and crystal clear water set the scene for a relaxing holiday. Slightly further afield there are many reminders of Turkey's varied history to explore. Aspendos has one of the best preserved amphitheaters in Turkey, Perge, where, it is said St. Paul first preached & nothing could beat being at the Temple of Apollo at Side (pronounced See Day) when the summer sun disappears over the horizon. My Alanya Review Score  - An absolutely great place to spend a holiday. My fourth holiday was a weekend break in ISTANBUL also in 1998. Once known as Byzantium (in Byzantine times),meaning 'Beauty outside time' it was renamed in the time of the Roman Empire. When the Roman Emperor Constantine came to this area he was so enthralled with this city that he announced to the Roman Empire that this place would be the capital city of this ancient land & would be renamed to Constantinople. In modern Istanbul you can still find influences of past civilizations all around the city. A country that has seen empires such as the Byzantine, Ottoman & the Romans all seem to have congregated into this great city. Today's Istanbul is on par with some of the biggest cities in Europe if not the world, although Turkey is still generally a relatively poor country! First impressions of this city can be quite intimidating for anybody who hasn't ventured outside the norms of Europe, France, Spain, Italy etc. as Istanbul mixes European ways with the Arabic culture. The two seem to combine fairly naturally - the hustle & bustle of a large European city & the laid back attitude of the Arab culture makes this city a joy to visit. Istanbul has so much to offer it's visitors it is hard to know where to start. The jewel in the heart of Istanbul's Sultanahmet area is theAya Sophia. With its magnificent dome, it was considered one of the great architectural miracles of Christendom, and went through incarnations as a church, a mosque and now a museum. Nearby is Topkapi Palace, the sprawling, intricately tiled sultan's retreat which still houses the decadent quarters that were once home to the sultan's harem; and the world-famous Sultan Ahmet or Blue Mosque, one of the great temples of Islam. Did you know that there are over 2,500 mosques in Istanbul? Istanbul is a great place for all you compulsive shoppers out there. Take a stroll down to amazing Grand Bazaar & you will never want to leave. There is a definite case of 'shop 'til you drop here. Although this huge expanse of shoppers delight can be daunting, once you get used to the hive of activity, & finding your way around, you will enjoy the adventure that seems to be involved with the everyday ritual of shopping. The bazaar is divided into many sections & within these sections the same type of product can be found, for example, Turkish carpets & rugs are in one area, jewelry is in another & brassware in another. There are many different wares for sale but all can be found in the own areas, making it slightly easier to find your way around. If you are more in favour of the culinary arts & want a culturally enlightening food array,then take a look at Kumkapi. The smell is a fantastic fusion of middle eastern spices and the like. Whilst in Istanbul, among the visits to the bazaar, mosques and museums, why not take a boat trip on the Bosphorus River and look at the best views of Istanbul from a different view point. My Istanbul Review Score  A truly eye opening experience. My most recent holiday was a return to MARMARIS in 2005. After a few years of not having a holiday a decision was made that we (my - then - girlfriend and I) both deserved a break and our first holiday together. So we sat down and thought about where to go. My brother and sister in law were also debating on where to take their holiday also, so I sat down with my brother Mick and we trawled through holiday brochures and internet sites deciding where to go and when. Finally we decided on Marmaris, one reason was because my brother, sister in law, their son and my girlfriend had never been to Turkey before, and another reason was because I had been there and new that we would all enjoy it. So we booked the holiday and now could not wait to go, but after my brother had read some reviews about the hotel we originally booked, and found that people that had just come back from the same hotel were giving very poor reports, we decided to change the hotel. What a great decision that was. We arrived at the 'Club Green Nature Hotel' and from the moment we pulled up something told us we were going to enjoy staying here for 2 weeks. The hotel was immaculately clean, the staff were friendly, the food fantastic, but I suppose I should have expected that, 1 because that is Turkey and 2 because it was a 4* all inclusive holiday. The only thing that was a bit of a let down was the so called 'animation team', but I will say no more about that. On our first venture out we walked down to the main road and memories of the place came flooding back almost nearly 10 years after my first visit here. I knew exactly where I was. The place hadn't changed a bit. Great, because I think change isn't always for the best and I feel the resort would have lost its unique appeal had it changed. Anyway, we did the usual things you do when on holiday, Turkish bath, bazaar, boat trips, bazaar, trip to Ephesus, bazaar, weekly market, etc. ...............funny how we always ended up at some point of the day at the bazaar, and no, we couldn't blame the women for this, as my brother and I were just as much to blame......... Ha ha ha So we did almost everything we wanted to do in our 2 weeks, then came the worse day of the holiday, the day you have to leave. It's always the same; the time always flies by when you are having a good time in a great place with good company. To sum it all up, all I can say is that, I am so glad I went back to Turkey, great to visit Marmaris again, awful to leave, but will always want to go back and I would not hesitate to stay at the same hotel again. My Marmaris Review Score  Another great holiday in Marmaris

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