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These towns and cities
in central
Turkey (map)
near the umbral path of the total
solar eclipse of March 29, 2006, have
better (and more) services (hotels,
rental cars, travel agencies, etc)
than the few towns right along the
center line of the path.
Click here for important information
for safe viewing!
These were the good places
to make your base, listed
from southwest to northeast:
Antalya
Largest resort city on the Mediterranean
coast, with the busiest airport and
plenty of good
hotels, restaurants and
other services, excellent bus connections,
and thousands of rental
cars.
Alanya
Large Mediterranean
coast resort city with plenty of hotels, it is
served by Antalya
Airport and by frequent buses.
Konya
Historic Central
Anatolian city with good air, bus and rail connections
(including the overnight Meram
Ekspresi sleeper train from Istanbul), rental
cars, and numerous hotels serving Muslim
pilgrims visiting the tomb of Rumi,
founder of the Whirling
Dervishes.
Aksaray
Central
Anatolian crossroads city on
the ancient Silk
Road with good bus connections
and some hotels.
Nevsehir & Cappadocia
The most visually striking region
of Turkey, and a major tourist destination. The biggest
thrill is a hot-air
balloon flight over the Cappadocian "moonscape." Imagine
taking an early morning balloon flight, then
watching the eclipse! Places on flights
near the eclipse date were sold out well
in advance.)
Plenty of excellent hotels, restaurants
and other services in the towns of Ürgüp and Göreme. Get
there by bus or
fly from Istanbul to Kayseri.
Kayseri
Large historic Central
Anatolian commercial city on the eastern edge
of Cappadocia with
good air connections
to Istanbul, bus connections
to all points, and plenty of rental
cars.
Amasya
Appealing, historic small Central
Anatolian city dramatically set in a narrow river
valley between steep rock walls. Some good hotels
and charming inns. You get there by bus or rental
car.
Sivas
Historic commercial Central
Anatolian city with decent air,
rail and bus connections.
Tokat
Another small, historic Central
Anatolian city with decent bus connections,
some hotels, and the advantage of being very close
to the center of the umbral path. Rent a car and
you can drive 70 km west to Zile and
the battlefield from which Julius Caesar sent
his famous one-liner to Rome: Veni, vidi,
vici ("I came, I saw, I conquered").
Giresun
Largest Black
Sea coast town near the center of the umbral
path, with some hotels. Transport is by bus or rental
car.
Ordu
Right on the center line of the umbral
path, Ordu is a nice small town with
serviceable lodgings. As with other
Black
Sea Coast towns, the chance
of cloud cover is high.
Trabzon
Largest Black
Sea coast city near the umbral path, with good
hotels, and some air, sea and bus connections,
and rental
cars.
Important! Safe Viewing of Eclipses
Solar
Eclipse Homepage
Special
Interest Trips
Recommended
Itineraries
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