April is a great time to travel around Turkey by car in comfort. This month is the month of the great Easter in 2018. Why not time your holiday to coincide with the religious celebration on April 8? A great choice would be a six-day self-catering tour by car from Istanbul to Gallipoli, Troy, Assos (Behramkale), Mount Ida, Pergamon (Bergama), Ephesus and Kusadasi. An amazing itinerary to remember for a lifetime. It takes you to all the most important sights of Aegean Turkey, including a day of conservation activities on the legendary Mount Ida.
Plan your arrival in Turkey so that you rent a car in Istanbul on the first day and return it to the airport in Izmir, flying back to the Turkish metropolis on the sixth day.
1 day
Pick up your rental car at your hotel at 09:00 AM, then drive west from Istanbul to Gallipoli, where you can visit the war memorials left over from the Millionaires' War campaign. Drive through battlefields and ruins. Take the car ferry to Çanakkale, where you can have lunch at a local restaurant. After your meal, visit the War and Naval Museum. Wander the streets of Çanakkale, then stay overnight at your Çanakkale hotel.
Day 2
After breakfast, head to Troy National Park and visit the ruins of the ancient city. Schliemann's excavations and other artifacts found have revealed nine ancient cities, one above the other, dating back to 3000 BC. Continue south to Mount Ida (Kazdağı), a climb to 1774 meters with stunning views, peaceful green meadows and hot springs. Have dinner and overnight at Mount Ida at the Iliad Hotel.
Day 3
A full day at your own pace with the natural beauty of Mount Ida. You can join some outdoor activities such as hiking or horse riding. At the end of the day, have dinner again and stay overnight at the Iliada Hotel.
Day 4
After breakfast, drive to Pergamon (Bergama) along the coast. A drive to the Acropolis is planned to see the Temple of Dionysus. The altar of Zeus was once covered with magnificent friezes depicting the battle between the Olympian gods and their underground opponents, but most of these famous buildings were removed to Berlin by 19th-century German archaeologists.
From the Acropolis, head to the Asklepion, the premier medical center for psychological healing in its day. After lunch at a local restaurant, visit the Red Basilica in the cathedral. St. John the Evangelist wrote that the Red Basilica was one of the seven churches of the Apocalypse, singling it out as the devil's throne.
After seeing the sights of Bergama, drive south to Kusadasi, check into your pre-booked hotel and enjoy the evening watching the sun set over Kusadasi Bay.
Day 5
After breakfast, drive to the House of the Virgin Mary, where she is believed to have spent her last days, and then visit the great city of Ephesus, founded in the eleventh century BC by the Ionians.
As you stroll through the streets of Ephesus, you will witness the perfection of Greco-Roman art. Later in the afternoon, visit the Basilica of St. John, which is believed to be the tomb of the Apostle John, Christ's beloved disciple. From the basilica, you will be able to look down upon the remains of the Temple of Artemis. End your day with a visit to the majestic Isa Bey Mosque, then head to Kusadasi for a peaceful night's rest.
Day 6
Drive north to Izmir's Adnan Menderes Airport, leave your car there, having arranged it with the car rental company in advance. Take the plane back to Istanbul.
You can organize such a tour yourself, but it is preferable to book it at a travel agency. In the second option, the price will include:
- 6 days air-conditioned car rental including insurance.
- 5 days accommodation in hotels as described in the itinerary.
- Breakfast daily.
- Dinner for two nights at the Iliad Hotel.
- One way flight ticket from Izmir to Istanbul.
- Taxes.
What is most often not included in booked tours:
- Fuel for your car.
- Ferry fares, parking and other incidental car expenses.
- Lunches (except for two nights at the Iliada Hotel).
- Entrance tickets to attractions and museums.
- Guidebook or hire a local guide.
- Personal travel insurance and expenses.
If you are interested in the daily cost of renting a car in Turkey, the cost will range from TL 130 to TL 180, but there may be additional costs. Also, fuel is the main part of your cost. 1 liter of kurşunsuz Benzin (unleaded gasoline / petrol): from TL 4,52 to TL 4,60. And 100 km will cost you TL 38. For comparison, 100 km of travel by bus is TL 10. You can significantly reduce your fuel costs by renting a car that runs on diesel.
But it turns out that not everyone can rent a car in Turkey. Your documents must be in order, taking into account the minimum age of the driver. Usually they ask:
- Valid passport.
- A valid credit card to pay the estimated rent, plus a security deposit which may be equivalent to US$1000/€900.
- A driver's license must be valid for at least a year before renting a low-cost car, and two years before renting a more expensive model.
- If your driver's license is in a writing system other than the Latin alphabet (Arabic, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, etc.), you must be required to have an International Driving Permit in addition to your driver's license.
- The minimum age is 21 years, but some agencies may require you to be 23. For more expensive models, the acceptable age may be 27 or 28. Many agencies have set an upper limit for rental numbers - 70-75 years.
Anyone wishing to drive a car in Turkey must meet these requirements. If you meet the above criteria, then be sure to book a car and go on a spring trip to Turkey.
