Ruined church in Ihlara Valley, photo by Mike Dunphy
In a city as dense as Istanbul, it can take an entire vacation to unpack a single neighborhood, much less all the main tourist sights. However, staying only in the city gives a distorted impression of the whole country, just as New York might be taken as indicative of the whole USA for a first-time visitor. The regions outside Istanbul are just as diverse. and there are endless things to do in Turkey. On your next trip, here are ten places to go in Turkey other than Istanbul.
Ankara
Turkey’s capital may have little sex appeal in its ordered, somewhat bland, governmental layout, but it is home to the striking Anıtkabir, the mausoleum to republic founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. The massive funerary complex is greater than any Ottoman sultan’s and represents the spiritual center of modern Turkey. Ankara’s other claim to fame, The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, is one of Turkey’s best and a winner of the “European Museum of the Year.”
Looking into the harbor from Bodrum Castle, photo by Mike Dunphy
Bodrum
The Aegean’s coast’s unofficial tourist capital pulses with life during the summer, as the nightclubs and surrounding beaches fill up with holiday makers looking for a good time. While there, they can visit one of Turkey’s best crusader-age castles built in the 15th century by the Knights of St. John. The castle is also home to the Museum of Underwater Archeology. The rest of the peninsula hosts one scenic beach village after another, especially at Yalıkavak and Gümüşlük.
Marmaris
Named for the rich veins of marble in the region, this coastal Mediterranean city exploded as a major summer destination in the 1980s, when tourists and construction companies discovered the holiday potential of the city’s natural bay. Today, Marmaris is home to Turkey’s largest and most modern yacht marina and less than a day’s travel from dozens of spectacular beaches, natural wonders, and historical ruins, especially in Dalyon. A liberal heritage supports a very vibrant nightlife as well.
Trabzon
Tourists head to the Black Sea’s largest city of Trabzon predominantly to climb the nearly one mile of steep steps to the 1,600-year-old orthodox Sumela Monastery chiseled into the cliff face of Zigana Mountains at 4,000 feet. In the city proper, the 13th-century Hagia Sophia church is well worth a visit, as is Atatürk’s hilltop villa set high above the city.
Sirince, photo by Mike Dunphy
Şirince
Few of the million-plus visitors to the ancient ruins of Ephesus know of this magical mountaintop village located next door. At the end of a somewhat nerve-wracking minivan ride up the mountainside is the former Greek village of Sirince, built mostly in the 19th century, which survives today on the production of fruit wines. The town center is essentially one large tasting house, with delicious blackberry, mulberry, strawberry, melon and pomegranate wine, among others. The village’s supposedly special aura makes it popular for new age tourists.
Pamukkale and Hierapolis
At first glance, the cotton white travertines covering the hillside of Pamukkale seem to come out of a snowy, fantasy novel. Take one step on it (shoes off please!) and you’ll see it’s nothing of the sort. The terraces are stone to the touch, formed by the calcium carbonate-rich water from underground hot springs as it flows down the hillsides and hardens over generations. At the top, the ancient city of Hierapolis, destroyed several times by earthquakes and invasion.
Temple of Athena in Assos, photo by Mike Dunphy
Assos
Although its Turkish name, Behramkale, is the official one, most everyone in Turkey refers to this Aegean village by its ancient Greek name, Assos. It has a lot to do with the ancient ruins, especially the still powerful temple of Athena perched on the acropolis overlooking the sea and the island of Lesbos.
Ihlara Valley
One of Cappadocia’s most popular day trips, this 8-mile gorge cut into the volcanic rock, is as magical and mystical as they come. At the bottom, lush green fields, meadows, and woodland snake along the floor with the rushing Melendiz River, but the real attraction are the hundreds of ancient cave churches, many still with frescoes, cut into the cliff-face. On an Ihlara Valley Tour from Cappadocia, quality walking shoes are strongly recommended for the rocky terrain.
Safranbolu
Although now deep in coal country, this Black Sea city served as an important stop for centuries on the east-west trade routes. Miraculously, Safranbolu preserved so much of its Ottoman heritage and architecture, that it earned UNESCO World Heritage status in 1994. From the antique wood houses and massive stone caravan “hans” to the Turkish baths and famous clock tower, the town works like a time machine to something out of the Arabian Nights.
Sunset in Kas, photo by Mike Dunphy
Kaş
When the Mediterranean waters begins to lose their cooling qualities in the intense August heat, locals head to Kaş, where natural springs continuously inject cool, fresh streams into some swimming areas. However, it’s the town’s famous Bohemian culture that makes it popular for liberal minded young people, who keep it lively throughout summer. Adventure sports enthusiasts also adore Kas for the fabulous paragliding, hiking and diving opportunities.