Turkey, the land of sun, snow and ski slopes. A cry that you don’t often hear, although the Turkish people flee en masse every winter. The extensive attention of the Turkish media to the 2011 Winter Olympics has made a significant contribution to this.
Sunbathing on the beach and skiing in the mountains on the same day
This is possible in Antalya, you can basically lie on the beach in the morning and hit the slopes in the afternoon in the Saklıkent ski area, between Antalya and Isparta. The ski areas in Turkey are spread throughout the country. From December to March you can enjoy a 3, 4 or 5 star stay in the nearby accommodations. Turkey has 20 ski slopes, 18 of which are officially recognized. Skiing has become extremely popular among the Turkish population in recent years. It is affordable and the ski resorts are relatively close to the cities. There are well-arranged packages from the major cities so that you can get away for a day or a weekend. Dutch charter companies that specialize in Turkey are also increasingly offering interesting promotions. Because the airports near most ski areas are too small for scheduled aircraft, scheduled airlines do not have ski packages in Turkey.
Most popular ski areas
By far the most popular ski areas are located near the major cities. Starting near Istanbul, on the southern shore of the Sea of Marmara, lies Uludağ and further east, below Izmit, Kartepe. In the Aegean province of Izmir you will find the Bozdağ, on the Black Sea, north of Ankara, Kartaltepe and more to the east in Kastamonu the Ilgaz area. In the center of the country, at Kayseri, you can get your adrenaline pumping in the Erciyes area and in the far east in Erzurum is the Olympic resort of Palandöken. In the south, directly on the Mediterranean Sea, between Antalya and Isparta lies the aforementioned Saklıkent. You can reach the destination in four hours by car from the city of Antalya.
Prices and facilities
An approximately day package price starts at €20 per day, including breakfast on the bus and ski pass. Prices increase depending on the luxury of the stay up to €100 with use of wellness centers and indoor swimming pools. It is possible to rent clothing and equipment on all recognized slopes. It is also possible to reserve accommodation at all these slopes in combination with a domestic and/or foreign flight. The accommodation options start with simple 3 star hotels, rising to ultra inclusive 5 star hotels. The lower classified hotels serve meals from Turkish cuisine, the 5 stars also have international cuisine.
Don’t like skiing? That’s no problem either. There are various hiking trails at all ski resorts and in the area, markets, handicraft institutions, historic places, shopping centers and/or wellness centers.
Kartepe, to give you an impression
Kartepe is a ski resort 120 km west of Istanbul. From the city you can get there, by car or bus, in just over an hour. That is why many day trippers from the city go to Kartepe for a day. Kartepe has 12 natural slopes, ranging from 400 to 3500 m in different levels of difficulty. There are four gondolas, three chair lifts and one drag lift. You can access all lifts with one ski pass. The price of the ski pass varies from 2.50 for one day, around the hotel, 12.50 if you want to go up the mountain and this price increases to 40,- for a whole week. The accommodations around the Kartepe slopes are available in all price ranges and also have extensive evening programs in the bars and clubs. In the summer, hiking and camping trips are very popular in the Kartepe area, but there is also plenty of space and tranquility for day holidaymakers.
The food
A persistent prejudice among the Dutch people is the assumption that plenty of olive oil is used in Turkish kitchens. Nowadays, olive oil is no longer used in restaurants and hotels (far too expensive) and they work according to the latest international ISO standards. A very popular dish in the ski resorts is a sucuk (spicy sausage) sandwich for a snack and the Keremit dishes are very popular as a main meal. A Keremit is an earthenware serving dish in which the ingredients are placed raw. Your dish is then baked in the dish in a wood-fired oven for 20 minutes. Just like the Chinese Tai Pan, the Keremit is served while simmering. Also in Turkey, a hot wine (it’s not called mulled wine here) in the evening by a fire is part of a day of skiing.