BootsnAll Travel Community

Hello,

I've been reading up and have come across lots of info saying that the tourist season in Turkey doesn't really kick off until around ANZAC Day each year. I'm planning on going March 18th and was wondering there there's much of a difference between the supposed tourist/non-tourist seasons aside from fewer people. For anyone who's travelled at this time... is everything open? What's the weather like?

Also it looks like I can only scam 3 weeks off of work. My main reason for going is to check out the eclipse down in Antalya so I'll have about 10 days to get there from Istanbul. I'm hoping to make a few stops on my way there... anyone have any recommendations? I'll leave Istanbul till the end of my trip I think.

Thanks for any help guys!
Kirsty

Saving Istanbul for the end is a good idea.

It may be more fun in Turkey when there are shitloads of Aussies and Kiwis around, but the main problem is that the weather just isn't that great in March. Better in the south, of course. No problem getting around, the buses are some of the best in the world.

But: Antalya? Why would anyone want to go there? You would be happier in Cirali or Olympos.

Thanks mate. No idea why anyone would go to Antalya... the plan is to stay in that Treehouse place. I think that might actually be Olympos. Early days...

March in Turkey isn't a bad time at all.

I don't know why you'd want to be in Istanbul with a bunch of alcohol-sucking aussies, aside from the fact they're good people, travel in packs, and are perfectly willing to suck down cheap beer and trade tales with just about anyone in a friendly way.

I know I got caught up in the Gallipoli thing with such aussies, and had a good time, not to mention seeing the place with a great historical and cultural perspective. Aussies really revere the fact that some of their own died badly on foriegn shores. Its a fascinating time to visit, when you can.

Apart from that its a pretty dull place, unless you're a WWI history buff. I happen to like that stuff in small doses, actually.

Apart from that whole scene, March is decidedly a better time to see Turkey than November and December. With three weeks you can set aside one week for a whirlwind tour of Western Turkey in a bus. I know, bus tours are annoying, and you spend hours on a bus every day, but when you have a limited time period, the scheduling can't be beat.

Then there is Cappadocia, which can't be missed, and Eastern Turkey is quite fascinating and doable in March. Istanbul is worth a few days to 5 days, but you can leave it for the week before you leave for home again.

PS. There IS a train from the airport to a tram, which takes you directly to Sultanhmet. It's better than the bus because the bus dumps you off at an intersection, and you have to walk two blocks up a hill with your luggage. If you want, you CAN pay a lot more for a cab ride, of course.



Forgive me for not being a sun-worshipper, and not wanting to hang out in a tree-house in sunny weather. It is a grand time, I understand, and one can take a boat from there up and down the coast swimming and enjoying oneself.

Antalya's very nice actually. We spent about a week there just hanging out and exploring. We were there in August and it was extremely light on tourists. I'm sure some of the other towns along the yacht routes are nice and I hope to visit them, but I anticipate many more tourists there.

I'm actually contemplating spending about a month in Antalya this summer doing a Turkish course. We'll see.

There is a solar eclipse at the begining of, or middle of march. It's gonna cross Turkey around that time, not sure of the exact date, but I have friends that'll be there for that one. Would be cool!

I apologize for being late to reply to this board but I was in Turkey in March and found the weather quite nice, the South is warmer of course but throughout Istanbul and Capadoccia, Izmir etc. we had no problems with the weather. I didn't get out to Ankara or anywhere out there but who would want to anyway. The evenings were cool but not uncomfortable in Istanbul.

I'm arriving on the 21st March in Istanbul and will be looking for places to stay there for 2 nights - shoestring budget - any recommendations? My friends are putting up at a hotel and I can't afford that....

Well I'm going near Antalya and I suspect tt there would be quite a number of pple there cos it's the closest city to the festival campsite: www.soulclipse.com

If you guys have any advise, recommendations - please send them over!

quote:

Originally posted by Belinda Tan:
I'm arriving on the 21st March in Istanbul and will be looking for places to stay there for 2 nights - shoestring budget - any recommendations? My friends are putting up at a hotel and I can't afford that....

I stayed at the Orient hostel (booked through bootsnall), which was pretty good overall, and the location's excellent.

I usually stay on that street too.

Either across the street from the Orient (at the Star Guesthouse, whose rates have skyrocketed) or down the street at the Sultan. That street is ground zero for backpackers in Istanbul.

quote:

Originally posted by static:
I usually stay on that street too.

Either across the street from the Orient (at the Star Guesthouse, whose rates have skyrocketed) or down the street at the Sultan. That street is ground zero for backpackers in Istanbul.

Yeah, I noticed.

Thanks guys!

I like the Paris Hostel, because they have free tea in the lounge until late at night, and the people are good. I've stayed at the Sultan and the Orient. One warning about the Orient hostel is that its directly over a bar, which is good if you like partying, and bad if you don't want to hear booming music under your room.

There is also, GASP, the Yucelt youth hostel right across from the Hagia Sophia. Great location. It's got a bar, a much quieter bar, with a free pool table, and a good social environment.

The hot water, on the other hand, is just weird. There are three periods during the day they turn the hot water on, and good luck if you miss those periods.

Its not my favorite, but it's not THAT bad, espeically in March/april when the cafeteria can be a great place to meet people in the morning, the bar/patio a good open air bar at night during the summer. Mind you, sometimes they have free meals with a room, and sometimes not.

Whether or not you stay at the Orient, the restaurant on the top of the Orient Hostel doesn't have bad prices, and the view from the windows can't be beat. You can see all the boats moving up and down the Bosphorus. The top of the Sultan also has a rooftop restaraunt. The food isn't fantastic, but when its not chilly, its a great view too.

There are some foods you don't want to miss. My favorite is Kanats, or barbecued young chicken legs. Then there are the Kabobs, and a kind of grilled cheese sandwich you can get from stands.

From the dock area you can get fried fish sandwiches, but i've found the quality,well, mixed.