1

Hi
Firstly congrats on your up and coming wedding and I hope this info helps with your honeymoon planning. You are really packing it all in here and as the Hobbit says, its a huge amount of travelling around and not enough time enjoying the country !
OK, from Olympos to Fethiye (you need to go through F to get to Olu Deniz) takes about 6 hours by road and to be honest if it were my honeymoon Id do 3 days in Istanbul and 3 days in Olympos or Fethiye area, not both.
Working on the presumption that your flights are booked though, take a luxury a/c coach from Antalya to Fethiye so you can at least relax and enjoy the scenery. They make rest stops every couple of hours. If you've seen Olympos, then Butterfly valley will disappoint you and in August there ar no butterflies. Even so there is a water taxi service from the beach at Olu 3 times a day with the last return from BV at 6pm so you can always pop across for a few hours if you really want to see it. Stay in Kaya for 3 nights as it is possibly the best for real Turkey in this area....it's still a proper working village as well as having a lot of tourist amenities, whereas Olu Deniz was built for tourism and has no real flavour of the country although the beach itself is amazingly pretty. Kaya to Olu takes 30 mins by bus and it's about the same time down to Fethiye from there. Fethiye is worth an afternoon/morning of having a look round the old town and the marina but I wouldnt stay there when you have such a short time. Kaya is extremely romantic.....depending on your budget there are a lot of places to stay...check out Gunays Gardens,(if you dont stay there at least have a meal, it is THE best place to eat in the whole Fethiye area) Karmylassos Cottages, Exclusive Escapes (top end luxury) and Misafir Evi, although thats a little further out. Please remember September is busier than August here and we are usually having temperatures in excess of 35 which is anothe reason to stay in Kaya...its elevated and a little cooler !
Happy planning and if you can change your tickets choose from Olympos or Fethiye and have some quality time in one rather than arriving worn out and only spend a day before you move on.

2

A warm congratulations to you :) I have to agree with the two previous members comments;this is a much too busy itinery which would see you rushing from place to place and having little time to enjoy any of it.
As you must be back in London by the Friday evening you have in effect 6 days(your first day has only a few hours in the country).Splitting this 3+3 doesn't give you much time for Istanbul but if you plan your days well you should be able to see a fair amount. 3 days on the coast gives you time to explore one area but not the whole coast.
Select either to fly in and out of Antalya or in and out of Dalaman and stay just around either of those area's.
If you choose Antalya then you can rent a car at the airport and drive down to Cırali/Olympos area and relax seeing some of this rural area and it's historical sites.
If you chooser Dalaman then pick up a car head to one of the smaller places such as Kaya Köyü or Kabak and again spend the time visiting around that area.Olu Deniz has glorious scenery but it is a commercial and man made resort and will still be extremely busy at that time so perhaps just take a drive out there to say you've seen it and then get out again :)
Whichever airport you use you can drop the car back off as you leave which will make getting to the airport easier for you.
Of course there is another option(one which I frequently recommend to people)and that is to take a domestic flight on arrival direct to the coast and save Istanbul to the end.This huge city really is in your face from the moment you step off the plane and isn't the easiest place to acclimatise to a new country.Heading down to a smaller place on the coast would allow you to rest and relax ,get your head around the money and how things are done here so when you finally hit Istanbul you are ready for it!
Being there at the end of the trip may also mean you can take advantage of cheap flights from Istanbul to London with someone like Easyjet or Pegasus or even pick up a special offer by BA or Turkish Airlines(both often have special offers on sale).
All of this depends on what flights you have already booked.If your international flights are booked then may this latter idea isn't possible.
These two sites are good for flights.
International-
http://www.skyscanners.com
Domestic-(click on Uk flag for English menu)
http://www.bulucak.com
So,whatever way around you decide to do this,you need to cut down your plans to just two places.Indeed you could just use the whole week in Istanbul and hardly scratch the surface.The city is surrounded by water so you can take ferry tours up the Bosphorus,over to the Princes Islands etc.etc.,it doesn't have to be all land based days.
Have a think and see if you can change your itinery a little and then come back to the forum again for us to take another look at.
Hope this is a help!

3

Thank you all for the suggestions,

Yes I was just thinking do the hustle and bustle first, but due to the short time frame it may make more sense to do the trip in reverse (do Fethiye area, Olympos area, then off to Istanbul (via Atatürk) for the rest of the trip). I understand we will still need to weed-out a few places.

Luckily this is still possible as we haven’t finalized our bookings yet. :-)

Based on some of these suggestions and some additional research it seems like Kayakoyu would make a better southern "base" than Fethiye or Olympos.. perhaps those city's could be made into day trips(?). I guess the interest in the these areas was the Chimarea and some time in the water at Cirali or some of the other nice swim/snorkel worthy beaches in the area.

But If its not worth it or there are better outdoor areas to enjoy down near Kas or Kabak - should we give up on Olympos if we fly into Dalman?

Alternatively it would seem that if we fly in to Antalya, rent a car and stay in Oympos for the night and spend the remaining time in Kayaköy retuning to Atatürk from Dalman - would we still be over-extending ourselves?

Would it be more feasible to make Olympos a day trip from Kayaköy if we were to fly in to Dalaman instead? Or should I just give up on even a day visit to Olympos if we fly into Dalman and stay in Kayaköy?

Either way seems that I will need to radically revise the itinerary, I appreciate all your feedback in this matter

Peace

4

Fethiye area and Olympos/Cırali area are two ends of the Lycian Way or the Turquoise coast as that area is known.For such a short time you need to decide one or the other as your base otherwise you will spend a long time driving or on a bus.
If you fly into Antalya you are 90 minutes from Olympos and could use this or Cırali as a base for visiting Finike,and Myra too.
Seeing the Chimaera is clearly something you have on your wish list so why not go with that?If you do want to see it then you need to stay in the area overnight,daytime it just isn't worth it.It is only at night that you can appreciate it and see it properly.All the hotels and pensions there can arrange to take you up.
After the hurly burly of the wedding it would be an über chilled relaxation spot!

5

For a honeymoon and less stress follow the advice of sarıkanarya and baklavalover. You will regret it if you try to "hustle and bustle."

You wrote: "Alternatively it would seem that if we fly in to Antalya, rent a car and stay in Oympos for the night and spend the remaining time in Kayaköy retuning to Atatürk from Dalman - would we still be over-extending ourselves?" Yes!

"Alternatively it would seem that if we fly in to Antalya, rent a car and stay in Oympos for the night and spend the remaining time in Kayaköy retuning to Atatürk from Dalman - would we still be over-extending ourselves?" Yes!

"Would it be more feasible to make Olympos a day trip from Kayaköy if we were to fly in to Dalaman instead?" No!

"Or should I just give up on even a day visit to Olympos if we fly into Dalman and stay in Kayaköy?" Yes!

I would forget Olympos if you go to Dalaman and forget about Fethiye/Kayaköy if you go to Antalya.

Kayaköy can be seen easily on this Google map: http://g.co/maps/8bsw5

Seven Capes or Yedi Burunlar in Turkish is a small beach about 6 km from Kaya. There are all kinds of trekking routes around Kayaköy as well as several small boutique pensions.

There is a Cirali travel forum on TripAdvisor, ask those locals for some advice also: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g311312-i9908-Cirali_Turkish_Mediterranean_Coast.html

Here is the Kayakoy forum:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g635670-i12108-Kayakoy_Mugla_Province_Turkish_Aegean_Coast.html

6

Please understand the distances of this country....... from Kaya to Olympos will take you at least 6 hours. We have all said (twice myself) do either the Dalaman/ Fethiye end or the Antalya/ Olympos end.

7

"Please understand the distances of this country....... from Kaya to Olympos will take you at least 6 hours. We have all said (twice myself) do either the Dalaman/ Fethiye end or the Antalya/ Olympos end. "

Point noted... :(

Here is updated itinerary based on feedback :
The hardest part seems to be finding direct flights at a reasonable hour from UK LHR - as we will be near Windsor area. But id rather take the nasty "hit" on the way there, rather than possibly "ruin some of the memories" of the place by avoiding leaving back to UK at bad hour..

Friday aug 31 2012
Arrive in Dalaman @ 23:10 or 01:15 on the 1st from London UK (leave heathrow 10am or 3pm)
Secure rental car – drive to Kayaköy & sleep. (based on some research dont think we would want to crash out in dalaman) - so we take a "hit" on the way in by not getting much sleep.

Sat sep 1
sights around Fethiye
(or perhaps day trip to Kabak or Kas)
Night in Kayaköy

Sun sep 2
(or perhaps day trip to Kabak or Kas)
Horseback riding on beach??
Night in Kayaköy

mon sep 3
sights around Fethiye ??
to DLM for flight to IST DLM 3:20pm -> IST 4:30pm
check into hotel in IST
walk around grounds of Topkapi Palace
Night in Istanbul

tues sep 4
Blue mosque & Perhaps Hagaia Sophia
Grand Bazaar ?
Night in Istanbul

wed sep 5
Suleymaniye mosque
Eyup Sultan Mosque
Night in Istanbul

thurs sept 6
small stuff in AM ???? (cemberlitas hamam / Grand Bazaar final purchases)
to IST airport IST 5:35pm -> LHR 7:40pm

8

This looks good now :) I don't know about flights from the UK but obviously you've done your homework on that(I only know skyscanners.com is good for finding cheap flights)and clearly LHR is the easiest airport for you.I agree,crappy hours going out are better than crappy hours on the way home,that just makes going home all the more depressing LOL!
If you can take the earlier flight so much the better so you're arriving here in daylight for driving-and see how great it is......
There are horse riding stables around Fethiye but I don't know how good they are,i.e.I don't know what condition the horses are in.Also check out Faralya and Patara too,lovely places.
In Istanbul as well as the Grand Bazaar also take a stroll around Arasta Bazaar at the side of Blue Mosque.It is much smaller,very relaxed and laid back and virtually no hassle,prices are decent there too.
Whilst visiting Eyüp also take the chance to have a glass of tea at Pierre Loti cafe close by for famous and amazing views over the city.
Enjoy!

9

sarıkanarya writes "There are horse riding stables around Fethiye but I don't know how good they are,i.e.I don't know what condition the horses are in"

There is a riding stable in Kayaköy run by a couple of British ex-pats. We were there two years ago. The horses and gear seemed to be in good condition. It was a nice leisurly ride through and around the village and valley area.

10

Thanks for that,that is useful to know as many people like the idea of horse trekking but I am always wary of recommending it.In too many places I've seen many horses in terrible conditions and worked too hard in extreme summer heat :(

11

Excellent :) thanks again for the help. :) Wanted to avoid the touts and such and hope to stay in Gunay's Garden, who I've tried to contact several times by email, but no response, does anyone have any suggestions as to how one could contact them. I have a few other places as backups but would be really nice to get in touch with them. Also can anyone recommend reputable business (names) for stables, and/or kayak rentals, etc. (I also updated our itinerary below and hopefully didn’t “add” too much back in to make it unrealistic..

Friday aug 31 2012
Arrive in Dalaman @ 13:35 LGW 0735 to DLM 1335
Secure rental car – drive to Kayaköy & check in to Gunays Garden Villa
Sights around Fethiye & Oludeniz
Night in Kayaköy

Sat sep 1
Day trip to Patara and Kabak
Swimming?
Ruins (Tlos)?
Night in Kayaköy

Sun sep 2
Day trip to Kas
Sea Kayak/boat rental ?
Dinner/food in Kalkan
Ruins??
Horseback riding (on beach??)
Night in Kayakoy

mon sep 3
Arrive in Istanbul @ 14:50 (or 12:50) DLM 1330 to IST 1450 / DLM 1130 to IST 1250
Arrive in IST at 2:50 or 12:50, get to hotel, check in to Empress Zoe
walk around grounds of Topkapi Palace ?
Night in Istanbul

tues sep 4
Blue mosque & Perhaps Hagaia Sophia
Grand Bazaar ?
Night in Istanbul

wed sep 5
Suleymaniye mosque
Eyup Sultan Mosque (& checkout Pierre Loti café near Eyüp)
river cruise?
Night in Istanbul

thurs sept 6
Grand Bazaar
Cemberlitas hamam
to IST airport IST 5:35pm -> LHR 7:40pm

12

Hmmm,I don't know what is happening at Gunay Gardens,they should certainly be open for business by now but I went onto their website and found the telephone number but when I called there was no answer.Very odd,I don't understand what the problem could be.
As an alternative you could consider Villa Rhapsody also in Kaya Valley-
http://www.villarhapsody.com/
Great choice in Empress Zoe.Friends of mine stayed in their penthouse suite for their honeymoon and loved it!Quaint,quirky,very friendly and perfect location
On Wednesday you wouldn't have time to do the full Bosphorus cruise but you could do one the 1½ hour short cruises which go up to the first bridge.In the summer they even run in the evening which would be nice-cooler on the water too.
http://www.turkeytravelplanner.com/go/Istanbul/Sights/Bosphorus/bosphorus_cruise_boats.html
You could even do this on Tuesday and put the G.B to Wednesday as you'll already have the ferry trip up the Golden Horn to Eyup on the Weds.
Looking at your itinery I think you may well find that you can fit in extra things on some days but it is better to leave things a little fluid to allow for spontaneous moments,have a back up list of "if time allows" things to do :)

13

If they are still operating in Kaya, Perma Ranch , the horse riding stable is on the main road about 1 km before you arrive at the ruins. There is a sign on the right side of the road. They do not ride on the beach that I know of.

Another nice place to stay in Kaya is Misafır Evi in Kaya. Some friends of ours stayed there last year and they thought it was delightful.

14

sarikanarya, hobbittr :

Yes I was looking at Misafır Evi as a backup plan for Gunays - don’t know if I was sold on the Karmylassos cottages place that baklavalover suggested. The only other place that looked nice was the Levissi lodge place but it looks like you can only book a full week. Do you have any other suggestions If that’s all that’s out in KayaKoy, what about something in Patara instead?

I briefly looked at the 'paradise garden hotel' in fethiye, and the ‘Mountain Lodge’ in tlos - but guess I was really counting on Gunays Garden - (lot more central, looks nice,etc) but yeah ive called several times from the states and sent at least 3 emails over the course of nearly 2 weeks now and still no reply. They seem to have good reviews so I don’t think this is an indication of how they treat their guests; and I certainly hope nothing is wrong and the couple running the place are doing okay. Was just thinking if there was no availability they could at least say so on their website, or send a quick email… who knows(?).

But thank you both for the tip on Villa Rhapsody I check it out for sure, any other thoughts for Kaya ? Would the itinerary still work if we opted for a nice place to stay in Patara instead?

sarikanarya:

And regarding the - 'Bosphorus cruise' - thanks for the link - will def look into it a bit later tonight. Guess we were thinking(?) about using the cruise (or what not) to use to get back to the main part of the city from the Eyup Sultan Mosque... and are still researching the feasibility/practicality of this, but yeah we can always move some of the stuff around if that idea doesn't work so well.