Turkey trip - help needed please

Dave56

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I'm planning on doing a trip to Turkey in the future and would like some advice. I plan to go via Italy and was looking at taking a ferry from Brindisi to Patra in Greece.
I was wondering if anyone out there had done a similar journey and whether they had any useful help or advice.
Is this the best ferry route from Italy or are there any better alternatives. Which is the best ferry route across from Greece to Turkey baring in mind I plan to head down to Fethiye.
Any help or advice would be gratefully received as I'm totally new to this level of pre-planning and it would be by far the farthest I'll have ever travelled on two wheels, also as I'm not getting any younger if I don't do it soon I never will.
Thanks in anticipation......:thumb
 
The ride down the east coast on the A14 is dead boring and IMO dangerous. Consider a ferry from Ancona or even Venice

Personally I would enter from Igounometsia and zap Greece by the excellent motorway in one day. Perhaps enjoy the Peleponese or northern Greece on the way home

I wonder what time of year you are thinking of?
 
Dave, as far as I found last year Ferry options between Greece and Turkey were pretty limited.

As Kritou mentions I'd not have a lot of appetite to a journey to Brindisi- also the Italian tolls are bloody expensive if you're looking to Autovia it.

Last May I was looking to make a connection between Greece and the Asian side of Turkey as you were. There was nothing I could find aside from heading to Rhodes from Piraeus (Blue Star Ferries) and then taking a ferry from Rhodes to Marmaris (Dodecanese Ferries). That would be a stones throw from Fethiye then. At the time the Greece-Rhodes ferry was daily but the Turkey connection was twice weekly- but I'm struggling to find out if the service still runs or is seasonal having a look around the web. We weren't able to book the Rhodes-Marmaris ferry in advance and had to arrive in Rhodes and buy tickets. It actually took a fair amount of work from our very friendly Greek hotelier to ascertain the service actually existed, but as he explained "That's how it is in Greece".

In terms of getting down that way you'd have the option of a motorrail service to Venice; there are also ferry services from Venice to Igoumenitsa which might help ease some of the miles.

Don't know your route by any means but I'd strongly recommend a visit to the Balkan countries if time, inclination and will exist- they are quite something.

All the best :thumb
Rob
 
The ride down the east coast on the A14 is dead boring and IMO dangerous. Consider a ferry from Ancona or even Venice

Personally I would enter from Igounometsia and zap Greece by the excellent motorway in one day. Perhaps enjoy the Peleponese or northern Greece on the way home

I wonder what time of year you are thinking of?

I'll certainly explore the Igounometsia option further and I hadn't really given the time of year much thought as yet, again I'll take advice on best time of year.
Thanks for that.
 
Alternatively, head down through Croatia to Dubrovnic, Get the ferry to Brindisini from there, get a ferry from there to Greece...
 
Ancona to Igoumenitsa, the Egnatia Odos motorway across northern Greece into Turkey (it's doable in one day easily), then down the west coast of Turkey on this route: Ipsala / Kesan / Gallipoli / Canakkale (ferry across the straits) / Assos (a worthwhile diversion) / Ayvalik / Foca / Selcuk (this is where Ephesus is...must see) / then through Mugla to Fethiye.

You'll see plenty along the way, the roads are good, and the nosh at road side cafes is mostly good. It can be done in 2 days from the Turkish/Greek border, although if you cross in the evening I'd suggest you get to a hotel in Eceabat then back track to see Gallipoli (it's 15 mins at most). I think there's a camp site in Gallipoli, I remember seeing signs, so that might be a better option.
 
Ancona to Igoumenitsa, the Egnatia Odos motorway across northern Greece into Turkey (it's doable in one day easily), then down the west coast of Turkey on this route: Ipsala / Kesan / Gallipoli / Canakkale (ferry across the straits) / Assos (a worthwhile diversion) / Ayvalik / Foca / Selcuk (this is where Ephesus is...must see) / then through Mugla to Fethiye.

You'll see plenty along the way, the roads are good, and the nosh at road side cafes is mostly good. It can be done in 2 days from the Turkish/Greek border, although if you cross in the evening I'd suggest you get to a hotel in Eceabat then back track to see Gallipoli (it's 15 mins at most). I think there's a camp site in Gallipoli, I remember seeing signs, so that might be a better option.


That's brilliant, thanks for that.
 
I'm planning on doing a trip to Turkey in the future and would like some advice. I plan to go via Italy and was looking at taking a ferry from Brindisi to Patra in Greece.
I was wondering if anyone out there had done a similar journey and whether they had any useful help or advice.
Is this the best ferry route from Italy or are there any better alternatives. Which is the best ferry route across from Greece to Turkey baring in mind I plan to head down to Fethiye.
Any help or advice would be gratefully received as I'm totally new to this level of pre-planning and it would be by far the farthest I'll have ever travelled on two wheels, also as I'm not getting any younger if I don't do it soon I never will.
Thanks in anticipation......:thumb
Hi dave

I did the same route last summer through the balkans. It took me 3 days to reach croatia rejika ( if we think same way to italy) after croatia i took my time without rush. I could suggest you take ferry from venice to igoumetsia overnight and u can save time. If you take ferry from bari , just bare in mind about the timetable not try notto kill your day by taking daytime ferry crossing. Frm igoumetsia you can easily reach to the turkish border within 2 days, it might even take one day depends how fast you are . Greek motorway is pretty good but there are speed cameras noticable n the roads. From turkish border to fethiye it will take u 2 days pleasant journey. Roads are very well in turkey.
Alternatively u can take ferry from greece to greek islands from the islands to the turkish side. But very limited ferry connection and may take some time. Of course it might be an option if you want to enjoy greek islands.
 
Ancona to Igoumenitsa, the Egnatia Odos motorway across northern Greece into Turkey (it's doable in one day easily), then down the west coast of Turkey on this route: Ipsala / Kesan / Gallipoli / Canakkale (ferry across the straits) / Assos (a worthwhile diversion) / Ayvalik / Foca / Selcuk (this is where Ephesus is...must see) / then through Mugla to Fethiye.

You'll see plenty along the way, the roads are good, and the nosh at road side cafes is mostly good. It can be done in 2 days from the Turkish/Greek border, although if you cross in the evening I'd suggest you get to a hotel in Eceabat then back track to see Gallipoli (it's 15 mins at most). I think there's a camp site in Gallipoli, I remember seeing signs, so that might be a better option.
That s very good option with fantastic sightseing. U can give a visit to the Çanakkale Martyrs' Memorial which has an important impact on the world war 1 . http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Çanakkale_Martyrs'_Memorial it is a must see. U wont regret.
 
Thanks for that aksil13, still in the early planning stage, still trying to talk the wife into accompanying me at least some of the way, falling on deaf ears at present.
 
I should have included Pamukkale, between Mugla and Fethiye.

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