specifically the interior, rather than the coastal area.

anyone been? looking to ride from Istanbul to Tiblisi

A friend of my mam and dad lives out there for 8 months a year, he said the cycling is great, roads are great. Not much more to add than that though.

Lots of FB groups for cycle touring with Turkey popping up a bit on them. Mostly very useful and don’t turn into the usual I’m right your wrong nonsense.

What time of year would you be planning? Surely summer would be far too hot?

Looks a lovely country though, away from the all inclusive British holiday enclaves.

What time of year would you be planning? Surely summer would be far too hot?

probably October this years.
heading to Norway in june, then turkey or somewhere in that area in October.

Hi Ton,

I’ve never cycled in Turkey but worked on a pipeline project out there over a few years. Things become increasingly eastern..the further east you go….. East of Ankara feels like a completely different culture. You can forget the idea of all inclusive British holiday enclaves that is for sure!

Some notable places working eastwards (bear in mind these are places I went to of note along a pipeline traversing the country, as it was a pipeline, there was only a corridor that I explored: Gallipoli, Biga,Bandirma, Bursa, Eskesehir (mad student party town it would seem! Feels very western compared with places around it. Ankara, Sivas, Erzincan, Erzurum. Vans is supposed to be very worthwhile (Orhan Pamuk’s Snow).

Also spent a bit of time in Georgia, and that is a fantastic place. Great food….hmmmm Khachapuri….

October can be ok generally out east….but it gets bitterly bitterly cold after that……

Ankara, Sivas, Erzincan, Erzurum.

just plotting a route on a couple of mapping apps.
this is a good route it seems.

thanks for the heads up.

Sounds awesome Tony!

Mate of mine spends half the year out there. He’s there now. Loves it. Says the roads are good, well surfaced and largely traffic free. Hills are apparently gentle – he needs that. He lives in or near Yesiluzumlu.
I could ask specific questions if you wish and if your route goes anywhere near that.