Best holiday destinations

[GVGjr]

Re: Best holiday destinations

Istanbul. Will be there again later this year.

Agree.

Best city I have visited - the rest of that country is pretty good too.. or atleast the parts I've visited.

So many people I know say the same thing. I have to put it on the to do list

[AndrewP6]

Re: Best holiday destinations

So many people I know say the same thing. I have to put it on the to do list

Just be careful of th buildings jutting out onto the roads....



*** Image courtesy of the interwebs, and the laughable IOS 6 Maps app.

[Eastdog]

Re: Best holiday destinations

Just be careful of th buildings jutting out onto the roads....



*** Image courtesy of the interwebs, and the laughable IOS 6 Maps app.

That's weird it shows up like that. Sometimes the newly updated version isn't that much better.

[AndrewP6]

Re: Best holiday destinations

That's weird it shows up like that. Maybe someone who has been to Istanbul could tell us if they ran into that problem.

It's one of the numerous issues their new app has. Until a couple of days go, the Statue of Liberty was missing, Brooklyn Bridge looked as though it was melting into the water, and closer to home, my workplace (school) was still at its old site, from which we relocated nine years ago!

[azabob]

Re: Best holiday destinations

It's one of the numerous issues their new app has. Until a couple of days go, the Statue of Liberty was missing, Brooklyn Bridge looked as though it was melting into the water, and closer to home, my workplace (school) was still at its old site, from which we relocated nine years ago!

Are you sure? Or have you just being going to the wrong place all this time?

[jazzadogs]

Re: Best holiday destinations

I'm going on a trip to Europe at the end of the year, flying in to Istanbul. So its great to read people saying how much they loved it. Any hidden treasures/tips?

I'm planning to do an overnight/day trip to Gallipoli while there, but I'm finding it extremely difficult to decide on which tour company to use. Has anyone had a good experience with a Gallipoli tour?

[Mantis]

Re: Best holiday destinations

I'm planning to do an overnight/day trip to Gallipoli while there, but I'm finding it extremely difficult to decide on which tour company to use. Has anyone had a good experience with a Gallipoli tour?

I can't remember which company I went with, but the guide who took us was Canon (sp.), he was excellent... He would be getting on now, but ask around for him.

[Bornadog]

Re: Best holiday destinations

I'm going on a trip to Europe at the end of the year, flying in to Istanbul. So its great to read people saying how much they loved it. Any hidden treasures/tips?

Depends what you like seeing and doing?

If you want to see history and cultural things then don't miss the following:

* Topkapi Palace - a must see

* Haghia Sofia

* Roman Cistern

* Church of St Saviour in Chora

* Blue Mosque

If you have time spend a couple of hours at a Turkish Bath - this one is the one we have been many times: http://www.cagalogluhamami.com.tr/

There are amny more things to see and do and depends on how much time you have.

Nightlife is best around Beyoglu district. Babylon has some good bands and the area around it has many cafes etc. http://www.babylon.com.tr/en/homepage/

Have fun.

[Axe Man]

Re: Best holiday destinations

I'm going on a trip to Europe at the end of the year, flying in to Istanbul. So its great to read people saying how much they loved it. Any hidden treasures/tips?

I'm planning to do an overnight/day trip to Gallipoli while there, but I'm finding it extremely difficult to decide on which tour company to use. Has anyone had a good experience with a Gallipoli tour?

Istanbul to Gallipoli is a fair distance (+4 hours each way) so an overnight trip would be better. A day trip would make for a very long day and would be a little rushed I would imagine. I visited Istanbul & Gallipoli for Anzac Day 2003, sorry no idea which tour company we used but that involved an overnight stay outside at Gallipoli waiting for the dawn service. It was a fantastic experience and due to the invasion of Iraq around that time the numbers were down on previous years making it a little less crowded.

I'm surprised how many on here have been to Istanbul and agree it's a great place to visit. Istanbul tip: shut your eyes when travelling in a taxi if your heart isn't strong!

[jazzadogs]

Re: Best holiday destinations

I can't remember which company I went with, but the guide who took us was Canon (sp.), he was excellent... He would be getting on now, but ask around for him.

Thanks Mantis, I'll see if I can find any info on him!

Istanbul to Gallipoli is a fair distance (+4 hours each way) so an overnight trip would be better. A day trip would make for a very long day and would be a little rushed I would imagine. I visited Istanbul & Gallipoli for Anzac Day 2003, sorry no idea which tour company we used but that involved an overnight stay outside at Gallipoli waiting for the dawn service. It was a fantastic experience and due to the invasion of Iraq around that time the numbers were down on previous years making it a little less crowded.

I'm surprised how many on here have been to Istanbul and agree it's a great place to visit. Istanbul tip: shut your eyes when travelling in a taxi if your heart isn't strong!

Was definitely looking at doing an overnight trip, but thought I'd leave it open in case someone had done a really good day trip. Thanks for the info.

Depends what you like seeing and doing?

If you want to see history and cultural things then don't miss the following:

* Topkapi Palace - a must see

* Haghia Sofia

* Roman Cistern

* Church of St Saviour in Chora

* Blue Mosque

If you have time spend a couple of hours at a Turkish Bath - this one is the one we have been many times: http://www.cagalogluhamami.com.tr/

There are amny more things to see and do and depends on how much time you have.

Nightlife is best around Beyoglu district. Babylon has some good bands and the area around it has many cafes etc. http://www.babylon.com.tr/en/homepage/

Have fun.

Thanks BAD. I'm 22, going away as a present to myself for graduating from Uni. I'll certainly take note of all those places, the Turkish baths were another thing I'd been having trouble choosing.


Appreciate all the info, I can't wait for my trip. I did the 'traditional' Europe trip (London, Paris, Munich, down through Italy) with school in 2007, so trying to go to a few different places.

[Mofra]

Re: Best holiday destinations

Went to Europe last year & to my surprise my favourite city was Krakow Poland. Recommend anyone heading to Europe to visit Krakow for a few days, you won't be disappointed.

Spent two weeks in Poland in July, was a fantastic place to visit.

Munich is my favourite city in Europe, but I'll have to nominate Zanzibar as my favorite place overall.
The beaches are pure paradise, seafood on the beach for dinner, and Stonetown has an amazing history and is a rabbit warren in the centre.

[KT31]

Re: Best holiday destinations

When I was 7 I did a campervan tour of southern Europe with my family. And on that trip I found out that Switzerland has rightful claims to the title of most beautiful country on Earth.

Is that you Rusty ?

[Mantis]

Re: Best holiday destinations

I'm surprised how many on here have been to Istanbul and agree it's a great place to visit. Istanbul tip: shut your eyes when travelling in a taxi if your heart isn't strong!

I had a pearler of a taxi driver one night in Istanbul... He thought he was the 2nd coming of the late & great Colin McCrae... If I wasn't so merry I would have shat myself.

[jeemak]

Re: Best holiday destinations

Spent two weeks in Poland in July, was a fantastic place to visit.

Munich is my favourite city in Europe, but I'll have to nominate Zanzibar as my favorite place overall.
The beaches are pure paradise, seafood on the beach for dinner, and Stonetown has an amazing history and is a rabbit warren in the centre.

I like Munich too, it's like a massive country town in a lot of ways. Evern in the respect that my kebab index rated it at 7.5 Euro, which makes it expensive (though the kebabs were reasonable).

My favourite city in Europe probably goes to Budapest. I travelled there a few times when I was a kid, in 1990 and 1992, and I went back there in 2007.

It was amazing to see how the place changed between 1990 and 1992 after the Wall was dismantled, and how it's become such a cosmopolitan place now.

The old city split from the new city is an amazing thing to see.

[Eastdog]

Re: Best holiday destinations

Didn't know you have been there.

I am off to Belgium for 6 days and then fly to see my mother in Cyprus for a few weeks and finish off in Istanbul. Been there many times and love it. I haven't seen much of the rest of Turkey but would love to one day.

How did you enjoy your trip BAD?