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TwinStarLA
Joined: 30 Jul 2007
Posts: 30
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 Posted: Mon May 07, 2012 9:28 am Post subject: places to visit in the Aegean region |
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| My mom is coming to visit me in Izmir, and we plan to travel around a bit. Does anyone have any recommendations of places to go in the Aegean region. I don't have a car, so we will be traveling by bus or train. I plan to take my mom to Sirince and Efes. What do you think about Bodrum? Is it beautiful and peaceful or a crowded party place? Thanks. |
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Dedicated
Joined: 18 May 2007
Posts: 972
Location: UK
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| Posted: Mon May 07, 2012 4:43 pm Post subject: |
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TwinStarLA,
You are really spoilt for choice! I'm only listing the places you can visit by bus (not train), but is there anyway you could rent a car?
You might be able to get a cheap driver to get you between them.
Alacati, near Cesme
Aphrodisias (ruins) between Pamukkale and Ephesus
Ayvalik -lovely seaside resort
Bodrum - 2 small bays and crusader castle; worth the crowds
Cesme -seaside
Eurosmos -between Ephesus and Bodrum
Foca
Kusadasi -seaside
Pamukkale
Have a lovely time -I envy you! This area brings back old memories. |
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lucia79
Joined: 18 Jun 2011
Posts: 156
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| Posted: Tue May 08, 2012 1:17 pm Post subject: |
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You can take the metro to Hatundere station and then take a waiting bus to Eski Foca. The views along the way are nice. In Balcova-Izmir you can take your mother to the Balcova thermal baths for a couple of hours (cost 20 TL per person). Bring your swimsuit, towel and flip-flops.
Ancient ruins: Pergamum and Sardis. Lonely Planet has good directions on how to get there.
Lake Bafa is on the way toward Bodrum. There's trails, ancient ruins, boat tours and more. Again, Lonely Planet's website has info. on this. |
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Qaaolchoura
Joined: 10 Oct 2008
Posts: 539
Location: 21 miles from the Syrian border
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| Posted: Tue May 08, 2012 2:56 pm Post subject: |
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Note that if you're working out of Izmir, at least half of the places Dedicated mentioned aren't really daytrippable, and certainly not by bus. If you can rent a car things are certainly easier, but not necessary, as there's plenty to see around Izmir.
| lucia79 wrote: |
| Ancient ruins: Pergamum and Sardis. |
We think alike, you and I. If you're going to see two historic sites in the Aegean Region (or at least within three hours of Izmir), these are them.
Pergamon is easy enough. Take a bus from Izmir to Bergama, and the "second bus station" (according to Google Maps) is right by the Red Basilica.
Sardis is slightly harder, mainly because it's hard to find good directions. I'd never met anyone who's been there (though apparently lucia has) until I went myself. (I only dared to try it because I had a tablet with Google Maps and Google Translate.) But once you know how, there's no problem (and in the event that you do get lost, the locals are friendly). You go to the second floor of the Otogar, look for the sign for "Salihli," and ask for a ticket to Sardis (or Sart). The bus will drop you up in what looks like the middle of nowhere. In fact, just keep walking straight in the direction the bus dropped you and turn right at the next road, a couple feet ahead. Follow it up until you reach what appears to be a little town center, turn left and there's the gymnasium complex. Follow it straight and where the road peters out is the Temple of Artemis. There's also an excavation a bit further down the road the gymnasium's on, and a few other sites. I didn't manage to find the proper road to the acropolis, but the temple and gymnasium complex alone are worth it (and it's five lira for a ticket to everything).
~Q |
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TwinStarLA
Joined: 30 Jul 2007
Posts: 30
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| Posted: Tue May 08, 2012 8:51 pm Post subject: |
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| Thank you for all of your ideas. I certainly have many options. |
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Dedicated
Joined: 18 May 2007
Posts: 972
Location: UK
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| Posted: Tue May 08, 2012 10:29 pm Post subject: |
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Qaaolchoura said
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| at least half of the places Dedicated mentioned aren't really daytrippable |
Well, I don't want to disagree with you, but I did them all on either a bus or a dolmus in one (sometimes, very long) day. It can be done. |
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sixthchild
Joined: 18 Apr 2012
Posts: 298
Location: East of Eden
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| Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 12:11 pm Post subject: |
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| How far outside the city does the metro travel? |
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