We met Silvia and Anselm at a campsite near Venice as part of our project "Comprehension and Cultural Trip along Roman Roads" and were able to experience their experience and knowledge of the city of Venice on a shared city tour. For the first time with the two of them, the idea of wintering for campers on the Turkish Riviera was pushed so strongly that we subsequently looked more and more into this possibility.

Silvia and Anselm have been spending their winters in Sicily for years, where they know their way around but would also like to see something "different".

Exploring Greece and Turkey

So much for the preliminary considerations, which led to further, intensive exchange of ideas in lively email contact between us. In short, an initial exploratory tour through Greece and Turkey was prepared for May and June, which should also lead to a meeting "somewhere" in Turkey. A lively exchange followed about locations, possible directions and destinations that were worth visiting. Silvia was a bit unsettled by various publications regarding the journey via the Balkans, so the two of them decided to use the ferry from Brindisi to Igoumenitsa / Patras in order to first explore Greece before going to Turkey.

Further emails followed and so further information and tips could be exchanged, a contact that continued during the journey via Italy. Now finally, after a few wonderful days in Cappadocia with some extensive hikes through the valleys, the time had come and a meeting in Alanya had been arranged.

To promote the idea of ​​wintering and the partially guided tour of Türkiye

Of course, it was great to finally meet in person again after such a long time, to talk together about our previous experiences and, of course, not to lose sight of future planning for the topic of “overwintering in Turkey”. After a delicious meal, it was a long evening, which was filled with a lot of maps and exchange of information, also to promote the idea of wintering and the partially guided tour of Turkey. Of course, the reports from Silvia and Anselm, who had already gotten to know some destinations regarding camper options in Greece and Turkey, were also not neglected. So perhaps their reports will soon be available on “alaturka”.

First of all, here are some of the stops on their journey through Greece and Turkey until we meet in Alanya:

- Arrival in Patras and accommodation at the Palouki campsite - Visit to Olympia and Tripoli
- Visit Nafplio / Argos - Palamidi Castle with a wonderful view of the old town and the harbor - Stroll through the city, bike tours, visit Epidauros,
- Continue to Corinth with a stopover in Mycenae, Blue Dolphin campsite, bike tours, trip to the Corinth Canal and visit to Old Corinth,
- Onward journey to Camping Ramnous / Marathon, bike tours, beach day,
- Continue to Camping Apollon, visit Delphi, great view of Idea,
- Continue to Meteora, Vrachos campsite, climb Meteora monasteries, Kalambaka, Trikala sightseeing
- Continue to Olympus and Thessaloniki, Olympus Nature Park, Camping Batis Beach,
- Excursion to Kavala, viaduct, fortress, old town,
- Continue to Silivri for a visit to Istanbul, but the campsite is too far away,
- Istanbul parking on Kennedy Caddesi, 10 TL / day, then buses to the center,
- Continue towards Pamukkale, overnight at the Hotel Gölibasi near Ankara, right on the lake,
- Continue to Göreme, Camping Panorama, hikes through the Ihlara Gorge, Göreme city tour, museum, balloon observations,
- Continue to Alanya

Maybe we can motivate Silvia and Anselm to provide more details about their tours to other campers in the future, we would be happy.

After a hearty breakfast, the two of them set off for their next stop around midday, not without stopping at the first, newly set up camp site for their first winter stay in Turkey, the Water Planet Deluxe Hotel and Aquapark in Okurcalar.

We look forward to your further reports.

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