@if ®afiq said:
On of my mates want to, but I don't! I think I should be able to persuade them all. I don't really want to be restricted and want to travel about as much as poss in the 7-10 days that I'm there...
I want to soak up as much as poss, sites and scenaries(sp?) but also want to visit a beach or two - did you check out any of the beaches?
I was having a look at hotel prices yesterday and they are fairly cheap for a three star (although I'm that fussed about accomodation) in Istanbul (£20/night), but also need to look at transport - what did you do to get about, taxi or train?
Hmm. Well a cheap charter flights to Dalaman would leave you a short 15min taxi to Dalyan (which has ruins and a unspoiled long beach). Fethye and Olu Deniz are about hour & a 1/2 by coach away. Also around this area are Kalkan and Patara which are intersting for a day or so.
You best bet is the Rough Guides followed by Lonely Planet.
Istanbul is a top place but hotel rooms are expensive - but if there are a few of you, it's a lot cheaper as its usually by room, not person.
If you were to go to Istanbul, a route might be.
Istanbul (2 days), ferry to Yalova, 1 hour bus to Bursa (one night), then on to Chanakkale (for a tour of Gallipoli) 1 night, then Bergama for another night (has corking ruins right up a mountain). Troy (not much there but still atmospheric) is around that area as is Assos for a bit of unwinding (I think it is, I can't remember)!
You're really limited by your time - it is a big country.
Public transport in Turkey is fantastic. It's cheap and companies like Varan have better coaches than anything I've ever been in in the UK. If you get confused in bus stations (Izmir bus station, for example, is unbelievable!) I always found that simply yelling where you want to go is a great option as you'll be led to the bays where the busses depart from.
Turkey is (or rather it was when I was there) a fantastic place with lovely poeple provided you stay clear of the poo hole tourist resorts.