Dreaming of a Summer Vacation

In central Europe this is a season for winter sports. I am actually going skiing in a couple of weeks, but this still doesn't keep me from planning my summer vacation.

Summer might still be quite a few months away, but as I am always on a lookout for good deals on travel tickets, this is just the right time to plan it. One can usually get the best deals on flight tickets about half a year in advance. Sometimes it is hard to plan in advance, but in the end it is always worth it - the less you spend on a travel ticket, the longer you can enjoy your vacation.


A friend's travel stories reminded me of a great time we had in Istanbul (Turkey) a couple of years ago. When I was there I promised myself I would definitely go back one day.
Since Turkey is a large and diverse country it is quite hard to choose one destination within the whole country. If you are looking to spend a week or two by the sea you can easily reserve a direct flight to one of many seaside destinations. For instance you can check out flights to Bodrum to get a feel for the price range. Bodrum is a famous tourist destination that also has loads of historic sites nearby well worth checking out.
Other Turkish seaside cities famous for great beaches also worth checking out are: Fethiye, Antalya, Alanya, Dalyan, Ephesus and many more.


Even though these places definitely have a special appeal, I would probably go for a bit different option. I think the best way to truly get to know Turkey is to fly directly into Istanbul and spend a few days there. In this bustling city you can literally get a little bit of everything - for a really good price.
After a dew days in Istanbul I would try to arrange a local transportation to the eastern part of the country. I guess this should not present a problem, since there are good flight connections from Istanbul to other larger cities within the country.

From what I have heard one has to travel further inland to see the unspoiled parts of Turkey. The further to the east - the better.

The most convenient means of transport to cover shorter distances are definitely buses. Turkey has a good short- and long-distance bus network with air-conditioned buses, possibility of seat reservation and generally good-quality service.

All this said, I hope someone finds it useful. As I have just found out chances of a long vacation this summer are looking really slim for me. I still hope things will work out somehow. Keep your fingers crossed!