Turkey lies at the crossroads between Europe and Asia with a unique culture and thousands of years of history visible everywhere. A nation of dichotomies, on the one hand, Turkey is staunchly nationalist, a secular state with a proud heritage of independence, and on the other, it is a land fighting for inclusion into the European Union. The home of the Ottoman and Byzantine empires, Anatolia, as the Asian part of the region is known, has origins that date back to prehistoric times. It was occupied at one time or another by everyone from the Hittites to the Greeks, the Persians to the Romans. Today, east and west collide, as do ancient traditions and modern society in this unique environment.
Imagine some of the world's best beaches, crystal clear sailing waters, scenic mountain landscapes, magnificent archaeological sites, the roots of Christian Europe, cosmopolitan Istanbul, great shopping, delicious cuisine and friendly people and you get some idea of what awaits you in Turkey.
Turkey is one of the few European countries where the US dollar still goes far. Travel with Gate 1 Travel (tel. 800/682-3333; www.gate1travel.com), and you'll be able to stretch those New Turkish lira even further. Depart New York throughout November or in the first half of December and for $499 per person plus taxes, you'll get round-trip airfare to Istanbul plus four-night's accommodations at the four-star Oran Hotel with daily breakfast. This deal must be purchased by June 30, 2005. Its 14-day "Affordable Turkey" tour takes you to Istanbul, Canakkale, Izmir, Pamukkale, Konya, Cappadocia and Ankara from $999 plus taxes per person (based on triple share) for a March 2, 2006 departure. Included are round-trip airfares from New York (other cities available for additional cost), 12-nights accommodation, all transfers, daily breakfast, five dinners, sightseeing per itinerary in a modern air-conditioned motor coach, an English-speaking tour escort/manager and all entrance fees.
Go Today (tel. 800/227-3235; www.gotoday.com) also has some heavily discounted packages to Turkey, starting with their six-night "Istanbul Special" good for travel between September 1 and October 31, 2005 and for $599 plus taxes, Go Today will whisk you off to Istanbul with round-trip airfare from New York, plus six-nights accommodation at the Nazar Hotel, based on dual occupancy. You will also receive round-trip airport transfers and breakfast daily. Add $30 from Boston or Philadelphia, $50 from Washington DC, $80 from Miami or Tampa, $90 from Chicago, Detroit or Dallas and $180 from Los Angeles or San Francisco. Bookings must be completed by July 14, 2005 to take advantage of this offer.
Intrepid Travel's (tel. 866/847-8192; www.intrepidtravel.com) "Turkey Basix" tour is a 22-day land-only adventure trip that will expose you to the best of Turkey in greater detail. Prices start at $990 per person with a maximum of 12 people in a group. The tour features 21-nights accommodation (19 in guest houses or hotels, one-night in a village home-stay and one aboard a train), sightseeing per itinerary and unforgettable visits to Istanbul, Cappadocia, Mount Nemrut, Pamukkale, the Byzantine castle at Silifke, Antalya, Kas, the islands off Fetiye, Selcuk, Ephesus, Canakkale, Troy and the site of the famous World War I battle at Gallipoli. Tours depart regularly from Istanbul from May to October. You can save 20% (almost $200) if you book on impulse for their upcoming departures on July 4 or August 1, 2005. Local payments of approximately $180 are additional, as is international airfare to Istanbul.
Pacha Tours (tel. 800/722-4288; www.pachatours.com) are Turkey specialists with 20 individual tours on offer. Their 17-day "Super Value Western Turkey" tour departs regularly throughout the year (except for January and February). Prices start at $1445 per person in March 2006 and go up to $2305 in mid August 2005 with taxes additional (add $270 and $210 respectively from Los Angeles). Single supplement is $375. These prices include round-trip airfare from New York to Istanbul, 15-nights accommodation in four and five-star hotels, three meals per day on all but the first and last days, and visits to the best of Turkey's landmark cities including Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya, Aspendos, Pege, Pamukkale, Konya, Goreme (Cappadocia), Aphrodisias, Sardis, Izmir, Ephesus, Pergamum/Troy/Canakkale and Gallipoli. All transfers, entrance fees, English-speaking guides and sightseeing in air-conditioned luxury coaches are also included.
For a brief foray into Turkey, their seven-day "Visit Istanbul" package starts as low as $690 plus taxes for October departures and includes midweek round-trip airfare from New York on Turkish Airlines (add $270 from Los Angeles), airport arrival transfer, six-nights accommodation at the three-star Istanbul Ilkay hotel, daily breakfasts and a half-day city orientation tour covering the old city, Taksim square and Ortakoy. Add $60 for single supplement.
The eight-day "Taste of History" tour includes four-nights in Istanbul visiting St Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome, Topkapi Palace and taking a Bosphorus Cruise, one-night in Kusadasi visiting Ephesus (one of the best preserved ancient Roman cities in the world) and one-night in Canakkale visiting ancient Pergamum, the legendary city of Troy and Gallipoli. This tour is priced from $955 from November 16 to December 11, 2005 out of New York and goes up to $1385 from August 25 to October 10, 2005. Departures are available throughout the year. Round-trip airfare, accommodation at three and four-star hotels, daily breakfasts, most lunches and dinners, airport transfers, admission fees and all ground transportation and sightseeing are included.
Traveling independently? Airfares to Turkey range in price depending on the time of year and airline. Travelocity (www.travelocity.com) offers round-trip non-stop flights from New York on Turkish Airlines starting at $457 plus taxes between June 2005 and March 31, 2006. The only cheaper option is through 1800 Fly Europe (tel. 800/FLY-EUROPE; www.1800flyeurope.com), who can get you to Istanbul direct or via Europe for $400 plus taxes between December 25, 2005 and March 31, 2006 -- an absolute bargain if you are happy to travel during the colder winter months or early spring. Add $100 from Chicago or $178 from Los Angeles.
For more information about traveling in Turkey, visit www.frommers.com/destinations/turkey and www.tourismturkey.org.