BootsnAll Travel Community

Hi,

My boyfriend and I will be spending 3 weeks in Turkey and would like to know how much we should budget for per day. We will be staying in hostels in dorm rooms, travelling by bus and eating out most nights (but not at expensive restaurants), probably drinking alcohol and want to see all the sights. Our trip will start in Istanbul and go to Gallipoli and then down to Ephesus and then down the coast and do a gulet boat cruise from Fetihye to Olympos and then from there to Cappadoccia and back to Istanbul. What would you reccommend? We will be going in peak season.

Thanks heaps,

Ali

I recommend you budget for about 30 euros a day for eating out and lodging, not counting transport. If you're a couple, you might be able to cut the lodging by taking a double bed.

Hostels are now about 8 euros a night in istanbul. They changed the currency of choice recently.

In Istanbul, meals run at about 7 dollars a plate for a good meal, IF you pick the right place.

If not, 7 euros to 10 euros.

Ask for Kanats!!!!!

You might do it for 20, but it would be less than comfortable.

Buses are great. Trains are still fairly cheap.

PS. When you arrive at one location, make sure you know when your next destination leaves. the only organised information is a central booth at the otogars, with over 100 companies in the station in Istanbul.

Book istanbul hostels early in the high season.

Thanks so much for the info Tortuga_traveller. When you say 30 euros a day, do you mean 30 euros each?

And what are kanats?????

Many thanks!

Great question Ali,
This is exactly the route my boyfriend and I will be doing this time next year.
I was worried because there are so many people that have told us the Turkey is getting more expensive (but still cheap)so a lot of the info in guide books about prices is quite dated.
Look forward to reading the responces.

When are you leaving?

It's been 2 years since I was in Turkey, and this was the same story then. Inflation is Turkey is still high, but it has slowed in the past 4 or 5 years to more manageable levels, so prices are still going up, but they're not skyrocketing.

Turkey, like most of eastern europe, has been catching up with the west economically for a number of years, which means that prices have also been catching up. At least at the moment its still a deal. Once you get there, you start to get a feel for how off guidebook prices are, but before arrival, it's a guessing game.

Ok, I meant 30 per person. Hostels charge per bed, and people eat on separate plates. (VBG)

Costs vary by your tastes, of course. I have modest tastes, I eat out almost all the time, and I spend about 20 euros a day on top of my housing, which can be less or more, depending on how long I stay in a place, and what kind of deal they give me.

The last time i was there I took a single room with bath, and yes, it did cost more. Did I care? Not really. A single person over 35 often has different considerations than just saving money. Privacy at night is one of them, and ones own bathroom is very nice.

Kanats are little chicken drumsticks covered in a spicy yogurt sauce and fried over a brazier. They're my favorite turkish restaurant food. Turkish salads are good too, and they put my favorite sauces on them. Olive oil and lemon juice.

Kebaps are like sliced meat sandwiches using a fatty tasty meat cooked on a special electric or gas cooker. Think about turkish style gyros.

They come in chicken or beef.

There are whole sections and articles on what to do in Istanbul for cheaper and better.

Here are some of them for a 5 day trip.

1. Topkapi palace 3-5 hours, get there in the morning.

2. Bosphorus boat tour, half to full day. costs 13 ytl last time I was there. Third ferry terminal on the left when you come down the hill from sultanhet. It used to say #3, now it says Bosforo, I think.

3. Night ferry to kadikoy and back. Cheap enough, and the view of istanbul at night from the water is precious.

4. If you like byzantine churckes, the Kariye(or chora) church is one of the best examples of 12th century byzantine churches in the world. Its a 3 to 5 hour trip between getting there and coming down. Theres an old patriarchate building for the Orthodox church, but I've never seen it open. I thnk you have arrange a tour for it.

5. Lots and lots of great mosques. Blue Mosque is a must see, and free. Very obvious at the base of sultanhmet

6. Hagia sophia. Every time I go I see more details I missed last time. Its pretty much untopped in the world and entirely uniquely beautiful, especially in the use of stonework as decoration. There were tilework decoration, but most of it fell off in the many earthquakes. The Turks are not quick about restoring the walls. They're not quick about restoring anything not Muslim.

The dome of the Hagia sophia is still one of teh largest in the world for a masonry dome. its currently being held up by scaffolding because they're not sure how to fix it properly., and probably wouldn't allot the money if they did know. Its not muslim, you see. Christians pay for such things. Apparently, in the 5th century, they knew more about stoneworking than we do now.

O6. n hot Istanbul days, go to the Princes Islands. The ferry to them is to your right when you go down the hill from sultanahmet. Theres an outdoor board with a map and an open driveway, and its NOT the car ferry. You buy one ticket that takes you on a circle route to the islands, and back. Its a very cool and beautiful way to escape the city for about 3 hours or more, depending on how you like it.

7. Taksim. Take the bus from the Blue mosque to taksim, or the trolley. it goes to a funicular which takes you to the top of the hill. Its quite nice to walk DOWN from Taksim square, and very arduous to walk up.

8. Galata tower. IF the day is clear, you can see all of the city from the 15th century venetian tower. If not, don't bother.

That should be enough to keep you busy for a bit.

I didn't mention the grand Bazaar because I dislike it so much, and its often the first thing mentioned. You can find anything there, and be bothered endlessly there in its warrens. But, tourists seem to feel they must go to it. I know I did at first.

For average tourist stuff, go to the Spice Bazaar at the bottom of the hill by Eminounu. It has th same things, is smaller, a little less expensive, and is less hassle.

There is more, of course. If you like history and archeology, mention it, and I'll tell you a few more pointers.

When you get there, I can let you know more specific details.

Thanks so much for all this info, you've been very helpful. Feel free to give any other info if you have it on anything that maybe of interest, history, sightseeing, places to eat etc.

Hayley_n_josh - we leave in 5 weeks time! Can't wait! Were orginally from Melbourne too but now live in London. I will hopefully be able to tell you more once we have arrived back.

Ali

I was in Turkey last year and found it much cheaper than other places I've been in Europe - I'm sure it's catching up to the rest of the world, but enjoy the bargains while you can!