When she goes...

Turkish Airlines offers direct service to Istanbul from New York, Miami and Chicago, and domestic flights from Istanbul to Antalya. Despite the fact that numerous Turks told me with a smile that the airline's initials in Turkish, THY, stand for "they hate you," the service is fine, although the domestic takeoffs and landings could use a little finesse [http://www.turkishairlines.com]. Antalya is a popular resort destination for Europeans, particularly Germans, so another option would be to fly another airline to Europe, then pick up a short direct flight to Antalya on one of several airlines.

Buses (run by various companies) and trains (run by Turkish State Railways) link Antalya to Istanbul and other Turkish cities. Be forewarned, however, that Turkey is much bigger than it looks on a map, and surface journeys can take a long time. Make sure you pick an express train rather than a postal route!

To arrive by sea, try Turkish Maritime Lines, which offers a three-day voyage from Venice to Antalya in the summer months. For information in English, contact Sunquest Holidays Ltd., 23 Princes Street, London UK W1R 7RG, telephone 011-171-499-9991 http://www.TravelEShop.com/operators/sqtop.shtml.

She travels safely...

Major tourist cities such as Istanbul, Kusadasi and Antalya are generally safe for travellers, but it's wise to take some basic precautions.

Check with your doctor to find out which vaccinations you should get before travelling to Turkey. Diseases present in Turkey include diphtheria, typhoid, rabies, tuberculosis, polio, tetanus, malaria and hepatitis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention http://www.cdc.gov/travel and Health Canada's Laboratory Centre for Disease Control http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hpb/lcdc/osh/tmp_e.html are good sources of the latest medical information for travellers.

Political turmoil and earthquakes may also cause concern. Check with the U.S. State Department http://travel.state.gov/travel_warnings.html or Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada http://voyage.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/destinations/menu_e.htm for the latest travel advisories. The 1999 earthquakes that devastated parts of northwestern Turkey did not affect Antalya.

Looking for a little more luxury and a little less pain in you spa experiences? Check out the articles in our Spa Stop archives by clicking here.

Or, you might like to read Safe and Solo in Turkey -- a female-friendly report.