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    Cycling across Turkey


    Hey everyone!

    I've read some posts here about biking across Turkey, but I still need some advice. I'm planning to cycle from Amsterdam to Tbilisi, and time is a bit tight. I've decided to take the Black Sea route (partly) and enter Istanbul through the north. I'll avoid the highway along the coast where possible, but I need to pick up some friends in Samsun or another airport 1000km from Tbilisi.

    1. I've heard the tünels can be pretty bad. Is there a way to avoid them without losing too much time?
    2. Considering I don't mind long asphalt roads since I'm a road cyclist. Are there any better route alternatives that don't add too many extra kilometers?
    3. Are the dogs really that bad in Turkey? Are they worse than in Bulgaria and Romania?
    4. I'll mostly stay in hostels or hotels. Any tips on finding the good ones?

    Thanks in advance for your help!

    by Ancient_Olive9034

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    6 Comments

    2. halfwheeled on

      The [kangal dogs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangal_Shepherd_Dog) protect the goats. Don’t mess with the goats. The dogs can be annoying when you wild camp because herds of goats with 2 or 3 dogs will walk past your tent during the night. The dogs just lie around during the day because they work at night. The dogs are no worse than in Bulgaria or Romania. The dogs look fierce but they like ekmek bread with jam (just try it you’ll have a dog friend for life). This photo is my wife cooking next to water fountain the dog is following me because I have the ekmek bread.

      https://preview.redd.it/cx5asmv0j1ve1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f19a52ec62f7499887403cd70403b9ed28ab57eb

    3. halfwheeled on

      If you travel alone you’ll be fine in any hotel but I preferred Airbnbs in Turkey. If you travel as a couple then some Turkish hotels would like to see your marriage certificate. My wife and I got turned away a couple of times at remote hotels because we couldn’t prove we were married (rings on fingers, wedding photos, and passports with same surname prove nothing).

      Use booking.com, Airbnb, hostelworld or otelz.com to find accommodation.
      Search Google maps for:
      • “pansiyon” – Small guesthouses, very common and cheap.
      • “öğrenci oteli” – Student hotels, often cheap and basic.
      • “apart otel” – Basic apartment hotels with kitchenettes, good for saving on food.

    4. coolarrival240 on

      I’m Turkish and have cycled across Europe but haven’t toured turkey due to concerns of safety vs other cars and trucks. I’m curious to hear what it was like. Apart from picking small roads to cycle, did you do anything to mitigate risk of auto collisions during this trip? Definitely a bucket list tour for me.

    5. FullMaxPowerStirner on

      – Do you HAVE to go to Sofia? Most of the rest of Bugaria is awesome, but that big city is crap, so if you can avoid…

      – I heard the mountains norht of Turkey are pretty harsh But perhaps due to your schedules you wanna keep it simple and do a “straight” line… But if you got plenty of time, going instead south of Turkey is something I’d favor as I heard several travelers saying good things about the southern areas.

      – The whole buffer area in Bulgaria/Turkey is barren and uninteresting. Very trucker & mafia place. I’d rather suggest Thrace to go into Turkey. But it’s up to you.

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