Turkey
(40 Reviews)
100% Recommended
Rosemary Bartello
Oakville, ON
Ocean and River Cruise Specialist
Travel has always been a love of mine. From the time I graduated from university and spent six weeks in Europe I knew that I wanted to be a travel agent. However I took a detour for a number of years and started my “travel” career in 1997.
...
Travel has always been a love of mine. From the time I graduated from university and spent six weeks in Europe I knew that I wanted to be a travel agent. However I took a detour for a number of years and started my “travel” career in 1997.
My excitement surrounding travel coupled with extensive knowledge of various cruise lines, ships and worldwide destinations keeps my clients coming back time and again.
I have sailed on most Premium and Luxury ocean cruise lines as well as several River Cruise lines in Europe.
• These cruises have taken me to:
• Alaska
• The Caribbean
• West Coast
• Bermuda
• The Mediterranean & Europe
Let's explore the world of "cruising" together and plan an unforgettable cruise memory.
I’ve always wanted to go to Turkey and made the decision to travel to this wonderful destination in March of 2016. Turkey is one of the most interesting and diverse countries I’ve ever visited. There were many highlights on this 10 day itinerary, including:
Pammukkale
The ‘cotton castles’; terraced calcium pools that are in sharp contrast to the rest of the landscape. The warm mineral water flows into pools, creating deposits of travertine. The stark contrast between the pools and the rest of the brown/green/red landscape was stunning.
Cappadocia
A hot air balloon ride over the picturesque and surreal landscape, dotted with cave dwellings and ice cream swirl ‘fairy chimneys’ took my breath away. I could almost reach out and touch them as we drifted over them.
Kusadasi
A private tour left from the hotel and made a stop at the port and the House of Saint Mary’s before we visited the ruins of Ephesus. The history of this ancient site was amazing – some of the terrace houses are still being unearthed and I was amazed at how much they reminded me of modern condos!
Istanbul
What an incredible city! I truly enjoyed everything, the upscale and modern hotels, the fantastic food, and visiting must-see sites including the spice market and grand bazar, the Hagia Sofia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, and the underground cistern. I studied fine art in university, and so I found the architecture of the mosques especially stunning.
So much of the ancient history in Turkey remains intact. The local people I met were all very friendly – the majority were educated, progressive, and open minded. I would not hesitate to visit again; I especially would like to visit Antalla and the Turkish Riviera to the south.
If any of my clients were curious about this beautiful country as a vacation destination but were nervous, I’d advise them that, overall, the country is very safe. Personally, I’d stay away from the capital, Ankarra, because that is where most of the political demonstrations are taking place. However, now that the cruise ships are returning to Turkey, it makes me excited to know that more people will be able to experience this wonderful country!