AboutOguz Kosebalaban Expertise I`ve been leading tours throughout whole Turkey since 1987 as a licensed tour-guide on archaeological, cultural, and Christian Pilgrimage tours , visiting Istanbul-Ankara-Cappadocia-Antalya-Hierapolis-Aphrodisias-Ephesus-Pergamon-Troy-Bursa many many times.
My web presence : check www.geocities.com/oguzbalaban and my visiual istanbul guide blog is at www.my.opera.com/istanbulinsider and http://www.flickr.com/photos/23822697@N02/
Experience The info I provide is limited to traveler's interest sites in Turkey , and useful information for travelers;
I am not able to accommodate questions on relocations, wages, apartment rentals, lost connections etc.
Organizations Bachelor's degree from FAculty of Political Sciences of Ankara University , Guiding licence from the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism
Publications Bachelor's degree from FAculty of Political Sciences of Ankara University , Guiding licence from the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism
Education/Credentials Bachelor's degree from FAculty of Political Sciences of Ankara University , Guiding licence from the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism
Awards and Honors Bachelor's degree from FAculty of Political Sciences of Ankara University , Guiding licence from the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism
Past/Present Clients Bachelor's degree from FAculty of Political Sciences of Ankara University , Guiding licence from the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism
Question I recently won two tickets on Turkish Airlines at an Airline Industry event. I had to book on short notice and didn't have an itinerary planned. My wife and I will depart from Minneapolis, Minnesota on Oct 18th with arrival in Bodrum, Turkey in the evening on Oct 19, 2009. We depart Bodrum for Istanbul on Oct 23.
We have never been to Greece or the Greek Islands. We'd love to take a ferry from Bodrum to visit Santorini and / or Mykonos or whatever Island(s) you'd suggest.
Is it practical to visit the Greek Islands from Bodrum?
Instead of visiting a Greek Island, would you suggest we go sightseeing within Turkey from Bodrum?
THANK YOU...and kind regards.
Answer Hi;
From 19th to 23rd you have like 3 full days :
One day you sould spend in Bodrum ( lots of people go there to Enjoy Bodrum ; nice resort, nice castle with awesome museum, good shopping.
Then one day's excursion need be to Ephesus
( on the way detour to Apollo temple of Dydima ( didim ) and Miletos ( or also Priene ) make it too long for an excursion. )
If you would like a perfect 2 days trip from Bodrum you may head for Pamukkale the first day ; but visit Aphrodisias on this day , and move onto Pamukkale, it is preferred to visit Pamukkale also on this day.
On your second day you would head for Ephesus ( little over 3 hour driving ) , visit Ephesus and head back to Bodrum ( 2.5 hour driving ) ;
or best is stay in Kusadasi on this day and enjoy Ephesus area properly, including Mary's House, Sirince village, Archaeological museum, maybe also John's Basilica and İsa Bey mosque to gild the lilly.
One should by obligation :)) dine outside Aphrodisias at the restaurant called Anatolia ( wide selections of zeytinyagli - mezes, fresh salads ) and on the way to sirince around Ephesus ( Selcuk town ) Hanimeli is like 1 km from Selcuk downtown on the way to Sirince. Taht is a mom's kitchen restaurant, both restaurants are rustic with thier own nice gardens.
Crossing to Greece :
You can cross to Cos - Greek island across each way is like 50 min for about 32$ then hope on to the other islands; personally I love Santorini so much; it seems like if you stay in Turkey you end up seeing much more. You will have to come bak to this part of the world.
Enjoy your visit - Oguz Kosebalaban
p.s.
My photo info pages have one link for Ephesus, you may find a bit of Sirince there , though more of its content is for Ephesus :
