theturkish

Hello,
I can answer your questions about Turkey. Tourism, environment, trade, etc.
Please feel free to contact.

RichardInSF

Maybe you could give us a little of your background to guide people who might have questions. Also, are you a travel agent?

theturkish

No, i am not a travel agent.
I am just a turkish living in Turkey. What kind of background do i need for answering questions about my country? I can say "yes that place is nice to have holiday" or "no you shouldnt choose that place if i were you because etc et".

RichardInSF

Thanks for the reply, very helpful!

I've only visited Istanbul once but I loved it, would really like to go back.

theturkish

You are welcome my friend. Where did you visit in İstanbul?

flamingpanties

Hi again Turkish,

Are you the same guy who advises people on Turkiye at the Trip Adviser site? I saw a Turkish man there giving lots of good advice on Turkish travel.

All of Turkiye interests me, and I intend to return many times. At the moment I'd love to visit Cappodocia and stay in a cave hotel, and in particular Mt. Nemrut. Is Mount Nemrut (or Nemrud) accessible all times of the year? Is a tour the best way to see these places?

I was recently in Istanbul, and so ready to go back. I stayed in Cankurturan.

theturkish

Hello,
I am not the man at the trip adviser
Cappodocia is very good choice for visiting^
And Nemrud is a high mountain so you should go there at summer, it is very cold at the peak actually. You can climb by car and for the last 300 mt you have to go on foot. I advise you to choose a tour because it would be difficult for you to go there on your own.

manneca

I have lots of questions about Turkey. I want to go there next May.

We'll be coming from Greece (not sure to where). How easy is it to rent a car? What is driving like? We'd like to visit the coastal sites and then Cappadocia. Does this make sense?

We've been to Istanbul (and are headed there tomorrow), so we're familiar with that part.

Thanks

theturkish

You can rent a car easily and roads are very good. Driving wont be a problem.
I would suggest Antalya for visiting coastal sites. Between Cappadocia and Antalya you have to drive for about 500 km. And you should go to Cappadocia first, because it is in the north. So Greece, then Cappadocia and last Antalya.

flamingpanties

I have a question about how to deal with the people in Istanbul who constantly harass tourists to buy rugs, lamps, kebaps, evil eyes and everything being sold in the tourist districts.

The constant harassment from people selling things was the only thing I didn't like about Istanbul. The constant hard sell was far worse than the vendors anywhere I have ever been, and that includes the most touristy areas of downtown Tijuana, Mexico. I was approached at least 50-75 times a day, and it got so annoying I finally had to totally ignore the young men who kept approaching me, one after the other.

theturk, is this truly an effective sales technique? What's the best way to deal with the tourist harassment in Istanbul? The only relief I got was back at my hotel, or visiting the areas that don't cater mostly to tourists (Kadikoy).

Citizen-Kane

We (a family of four) are visiting Istanbul in the next few weeks.

We have quite a few heavy bags with us and would prefer to use taxis. Would you be able to recommend a taxi company which we can pre-book from Ataturk airport to Sultanahmet? How much do you expect to pay for the taxi service (we are arriving around 6pm on a Saturday)?

Thank you

jaymar01

Antalya? Lots of nice places close to Antalya (Kas, Belem, Alanya, Side), but there's really nothing to see in Antalya.

It's kind of like Sacramento, CA. Lots of great places nearby (Napa Valley, Lake Tahoe, Sierra Nevada Mountains, SF Bay area), but I'd be reluctant to recommend Sacramento to a visitor.

lavedder

Where are you staying?

We are a family of 5 who will be visiting Istanbul in August. I have a hard time trying to find a nice hotel (not too expensive) in Sultanahmet or Sirkeci areas that is near a tramway station. Most of the recommended hotels have glorious reviews but I was told most of those were written by their staff. Can someone recommend a hotel that you had stayed at and liked and would go back again?

theturkish

Hello Kane
You dont need a taxi company, just be careful about the taximeter
From Atatürk Airport to Sultanahmet you will pay approximately 20-25 euros (40-50 turkish liras).
Dont pay more than these amounts. I suggest you to talk with taxi driver before you get on. Ask him how much you will pay to Sultanahmet. If he says these amounts, he is a good man. But if he says more more than that, it means he is planning to earn for his son's wedding expenses. LOL

theturkish

I meant the whole Antalya, my friend. Alanya, Belek, Kemer etc. are district of Antalya ^