Lonely Planet Discover Turkey

Discover

Contents

Turkey Throughout this book, we use these icons to highlight special recommendations:

The Best…

Lists for everything from bars to wildlife – to make sure you don’t miss out

Don’t Miss

A must-see – don’t go home until you’ve been there Local experts reveal their top picks and secret highlights

Detour

Special places a little off the beaten track

If you like…

Lesser-known alternatives to world-famous attractions

I

These icons help you quickly identify reviews in the text and on the map:

1

Sights

5

Eating

6

Drinking

4

Sleeping

8

Information

This edition written and researched by

James Bainbridge Brett Atkinson, Chris Deliso, Steve Fallon, Will Gourlay, Jessica Lee, Virginia Maxwell, Tom Spurling

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İstanbul p51 p105 Gallipoli & the North Aegean

Cappadocia & Central Anatolia p285

p233

p185 Antalya & the Mediterranean Ephesus, Bodrum Coast & the South Aegean p143

İstanbul

Highlights............................54  Aya

Sofya

 Topkapı  Grand  Ferry

Palace

Bazaar

Cruises

 Beyoğlu

Nightlife

 Basilica

Cistern

 Blue

Mosque

Gallipoli & the North Aegean

Highlights.......................... 108  Gallipoli

Peninsula

 Bergama  Ayvalık

(Pergamum)

Old Town

Eastern Anatolia

Ephesus, Bodrum & the South Aegean

Highlights.......................... 146  Ephesus  Bodrum

 Historic

Kırkpınar Oil Wrestling Festival

 Datça & Bozburun Peninsulas

 İzmir

 Miletus

 Bozcaada  Behramkale

 Priene

& Assos

 Bodrum

Peninsula

 Didyma

Cappadocia & Central Anatolia

Eastern Anatolia

Highlights......................... 288

Highlights......................... 236

 Ani

 Cappadocia

 Kaçkar

 Safranbolu

 Nemrut

 Pamukkale

 Mardin

 Sagalassos

 Sumela

 Eğirdir

 Lake

 Amasya

 Şanlıurfa

Mountains Dağı (Mt Nemrut) Monastery

Van (Urfa)

 Afrodisias

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Contents Plan Your Trip

On the Road

This Is Turkey .................6 Turkey Map......................8 Turkey’s Top 25 Experiences .................. 10 Turkey’s Top Itineraries ......................32 Turkey Month by Month ............................ 42

İstanbul

51

Highlights..................... 54 Best… ............................ 60 Walking Tour ................ 62

What’s New .................. 46 Get Inspired ..................47 Need to Know .............. 48

Gallipoli & the North Aegean 105 Highlights....................108

Antalya & the Mediterranean Coast

Highlights.........................188

Best… ........................... 114 Itineraries .................... 116 Gallipoli (Gelibolu) Peninsula ..................... 118

 Kaleiçi

Çanakkale ...................122

 Patara

Edirne........................... 123 Troy (Truva) ................126

 Kekova  Antakya

(Hatay) Cuisine

 Kızkalesi  Blue

Voyages

 Ölüdeniz

Bozcaada ..................... 127 Behramkale & Assos ........................... 127 Ayvalık .........................128 Bergama (Pergamum)................ 131 İzmir .............................135 Acropolis .....................138

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Contents Antalya ........................212

Ephesus, Bodrum & the South Aegean 143 Highlights....................146 Best… ........................... 152

Alanya .......................... 217 Anemurium ................. 221 Anamur....................... 222 Narlıkuyu and Caves of Heaven & Hell ........ 223

Bodrum ........................171 Priene, Miletus & Didyma ........................ 174 Dilek Peninsula ........... 176

Best… .......................... 294 Itineraries ................... 296 Black Sea Coast ........ 298 Trabzon....................... 298

Cappadocia & Central Anatolia 233 Highlights................... 236

Bodrum Peninsula ..... 177

Best… .......................... 242

Şirince .......................... 179

Itineraries ................... 244

Datça & Bozburun Peninsulas ...................180

Antalya & the Mediterranean Coast 185

Highlights................... 288

Antakya (Hatay) ........ 227

Itineraries ....................154

Kuşadası......................166

285

Kızkalesi ..................... 224

Ephesus (Efes) ...........156 Selçuk ...........................161

Eastern Anatolia

Cappadocia ................ 246

Sumela Monastery .....301 Northeastern Anatolia ...................... 302 Kaçkar Mountains ..... 302 Kars............................. 306 Fırtına Valley .............. 307 Ani ............................... 308 Southeastern Anatolia ......................309

Göreme....................... 248

Şanlıurfa (Urfa) ......... 309

Ihlara Valley (Ihlara Vadisi)............. 255

Göbekli Tepe ............... 313

Kaymaklı ..................... 256 Derinkuyu ................... 256

Doğubayazıt ................ 314 Nemrut Dağı National Park .............. 315

Soğanlı.........................257

Mardin ......................... 316

Highlights....................188

Central & Western Anatolia ...... 258

Lake Van ......................319

Best… ...........................194

Bursa .......................... 258

Itineraries ....................196 Fethiye .........................198 Ölüdeniz ..................... 203 Patara ......................... 204 Kayaköy ...................... 205 Kaş .............................. 205 Xanthos ...................... 208 Kekova .........................210 Olympos & Çıralı ........ 211

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Van .............................. 320

Pamukkale ................. 263 Afrodisias ................... 266 Eğirdir ......................... 267 Sagalassos ................. 269 Ankara ........................ 270 Boğazkale, Hattuşa & Yazılıkaya .................276 Safranbolu ..................277 Amasya....................... 280

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In Focus

Survival Guide

Turkey Today ............. 326

Directory ....................360

History ....................... 328 Family Travel ............. 338 Architecture ..............340 Turkish Table ............. 342 Arts ............................ 348 People ........................ 352 Environment ............. 355

Accommodation ........ 360 Activities .....................361 Business Hours ......... 362 Customs Regulations ................ 362 Discount Cards .......... 363 Electricity ................... 363 Gay & Lesbian Travellers.................... 363 Health ......................... 363 Insurance ................... 366 Internet Access ......... 366 Legal Matters............. 366 Money ......................... 366 Public Holidays .......... 368 Safe Travel ................. 368 Telephone .................. 369 Time ............................ 370 Toilets ......................... 370 Tourist Information ... 370 Travellers with Disabilities.................. 370 Visas ............................ 371 Women Travellers ...... 371 Transport .....................372 Getting There & Away ............................372 Getting Around .......... 373

Language ....................380 Behind the Scenes.....381 Index............................ 382 How to Use this book ............................390 Our Writers................. 392

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This is Turkey Turkey’s dramatic landscape is a fitting canvas for the country’s long history. It sweeps from Europe to Asia, from sun-baked Aegean beaches to expansive steppe, and from Mediterranean bays to snowy mountains.

A succession of empires, armies, pilgrims and traders have passed through Anatolia (Asian Turkey). Ottoman sultans, Byzantine emperors, whirling dervishes and Christian saints have all left clues, monuments, ciphers and ruins that add lyricism and romance to Turkey’s scenery.

Lycian tombs poke above the waterline in Mediterranean coves, fresco-filled cave churches survey Cappadocia’s surreal fairy chimneys, and the marble streets of Ephesus (Efes) glint in the Aegean sun.

Contemporary Turkey’s rich culture combines these diverse historical influences. Here you can start the day in the bazaar, lunch on a kebap or köfte (meatballs) and spend the afternoon touring ruins, before hearing the sunset call to prayer and hitting a seafood restaurant or meyhane (Turkish tavern). Reflecting Turkish society’s mix of Islamic, secular, traditional and modern elements, the country’s cities range from breathtaking, continent-straddling İstanbul to southeastern outposts where minarets shimmer in the heat haze.

There are countless ways to enjoy Turkey’s charms. It’s an extraordinary cauldron of Eastern mystique, Mediterranean joie de vivre, urban sophistication and slow-paced rural life. Soak in the hamam, have a meze-and-rakı (aniseed brandy) session, seek out wind-whipped ruins or tour İstanbul’s palaces: Turkey offers more than the keenest Grand Bazaar shopkeeper.

For physical activities, southwest Turkey reigns supreme. It is lined with beaches

Turkey offers more than the keenest Grand Bazaar shopkeeper

and dive spots, white-water rapids roar out of mountain ranges and walking trails lead to villages and ruins. You can kayak over the submerged remains of a city or paraglide from a 2000m-high peak; either way, don’t miss the Turkish ritual of sipping a tulip-shaped glass of sweet black çay.

Hot-air ballooning in Göreme (p251), Cappadocia PHOTOGRAPHER: CHRIS CHEADLE/GETTY IMAGES ©

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Turkey’s Top Experiences

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Crossing Between Continents In İstanbul, you can board a commuter ferry (p85) and flit between Europe and Asia in under an hour. Every day, a flotilla takes locals across the Bosphorus and over the Sea of Marmara, sounding sonorous horns as it goes. Morning services share the waterways with diminutive fishing boats and massive container ships. At sunset, the tapering minarets and Byzantine domes of the Old City are thrown into relief against a dusky pink sky – it’s the city’s most magical sight. İstanbul

PETKO DANOV/GETTY IMAGES ©

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KEN WELSH/GETTY IMAGES ©

Ephesus (Efes)

12

TURKEY’S TOP 25 EXPERIENCES

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GIANNI DAGLI ORTI/GETTY IMAGES ©

Undoubtedly Turkey’s most famous ancient site, and considered the best-preserved ruins in the Mediterranean, Ephesus (p156) is a powerful tribute to Greek artistry and Roman architectural prowess. A stroll down the marble-coated Curetes Way provides myriad photo opportunities; at the bottom are the pillared facade of the Library of Celsus and, offering incredible insight into the daily lives of the city’s elite, the Terraced Houses complex. Library of Celsus (p160)

Göreme, Cappadocia The hard-set honeycomb landscape surrounding Göreme (p248) looks sculpted by a swarm of genius bees. The truth – the cooling effects of a major volcanic eruption – is only slightly less cool. Humans have also left their mark on this fantastical area: colourful Byzantine frescoes decorate the rock-cut churches clustered at open-air museums; and the Underground Cities are hideouts forged by early Christians. These days, Cappadocia is all about good times: fine wine, Anatolian cuisine, five-star caves, valley hikes and trail rides. There’s enough to keep you buzzing for days. Byzantine frescoes in Karanlık Kilise (p253)

Boutique Hotels HOTEL IBRAHIM PASHA

Ottoman style, contemporary decor, a terrace bar and Blue Mosque views. (p88) TUVANA HOTEL

Compound of Ottoman houses in Kaleiçi, Antalya. (p214) KELEBEK HOTEL & CAVE PENSION

Rock-cut rooms and Cappadocian views. (p252) SU OTEL

KEN WELSH/GETTY IMAGES ©

Epitomises Bodrum’s sunny, white-and-brightblue style. (p172) CENTAUERA

Brings boutique style to Alanya’s heritage neighbourhood. (p219) HERA BOUTIQUE HOTEL GIANNI DAGLI ORTI/GETTY IMAGES ©

Occupies a pair of 200-year-old Greek houses in Bergama. (p133)

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Hamams AYASOFYA HÜRREM SULTAN HAMAMI

Hit the restored 16thcentury Ottoman bathhouse after touring the Aya Sofya. (p86) CINCI HAMAM

One of Turkey’s best, located in Safranbolu’s Ottoman old town. (p239) ELIS KAPADOKYA HAMAM

Soothe those sore legs after a day walking in Cappadocia’s valleys. (p252) BALIK PAZARI HAMAMI

The 700-year-old Fish Market Hamam in Kaleiçi, Antalya. (p189) YALI HAMAM

Unwind after a Gallipoli tour at Çanakkale’s 17thcentury hamam. (p123)

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Hamams

IZZET KERIBAR/GETTY IMAGES ©

At most of the traditional hamams in Turkey, plenty of extras are on offer: bath treatments, facials, pedicures and the like. However, we recommend you stick with the tried and true hamam experience – a soak and a scrub followed by a good (and optional) pummelling.

The world (and your body) will never feel quite the same again.

For a truly memorable experience, take a soak in a centuries-old hamam in Antalya’s old quarter (p213) or historic Sultanahmet (p86). Cağaloğlu Hamamı (p86)

Lycian Way

ROBERT HARDING PRODUCTIONS/GETTY IMAGES ©

One of the world’s top long-distance walks, the Lycian Way (p191) follows signposted paths for 500km between Fethiye and Antalya.

This is the Teke peninsula, birthplace of the ancient and mysterious Lycian civilisation. The route leads through forests in the shadow of mountains rising almost 3000m, past villages, coastal vistas and ruins at such ancient cities as Xanthos, Patara and Olympos. You can also tackle sections of the trail as day walks. Lycian ruins, Xanthos (p208)

TURKEY’S TOP 25 EXPERIENCES

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Meyhanes

ANDREA PISTOLESI/GETTY IMAGES ©

Say şerefe (cheers) to Efesdrinking Turks in a meyhane (tavern). A raucous night mixing meze with rakı (aniseed brandy) and live music is a time-honoured Turkish activity. The soundtrack ranges from romantic ballads to fasıl (lively local gypsy music). A great place to sample Turkish nightlife is Beyoğlu, İstanbul, where the meyhane precincts (p94) around İstiklal Caddesi heave with people on Friday and Saturday nights. Nightlife in Beyoğlu (p79), İstanbul

PAUL BIRIS/GETTY IMAGES ©

Beaches

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TURKEY’S TOP 25 EXPERIENCES

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IZZET KERIBAR/GETTY IMAGES ©

Turkey’s plajlar (beaches) are world-famous, offering a reliable summer mix of sun, sand and azure waters. Heading the list are beauties such as Kaputaş (p206), a tiny cove with dazzling shallows, and Patara (p204), Turkey’s longest beach. Many of the finest Mediterranean beaches are on the ruin-dotted Teke peninsula and linked by the Lycian Way footpath. Other stretches of sand are pleasingly remote – the Aegean isle of Bozcaada (p127) has a string of quiet beaches, offering undemanding activities such as trying the local dondurma (ice cream). Butterfly Valley (p198)

Nemrut Dağı (Mt Nemrut)

ANDREA PISTOLESI/GETTY IMAGES ©

One man’s megalomania echoes across the centuries atop Nemrut Dağı’s exposed and rugged summit (p315). A gently emerging sunrise coaxes stark shadows from the mountain’s giant sculpted heads, and as dawn breaks, the finer details of the immense landscape below are gradually added. Huddling against the chill of a new morning, a warming glass of çay could not be more welcome. And when your time on the summit is complete, don’t miss the graceful Roman bridge crossing the nearby Cendere River.

Water Sports KAŞ

Mediterranean diving centre; also canyoning and sea kayaking over Kekova’s sunken ruins. (p207) KAÇKAR MOUNTAINS

Gnarly white-water rafting on mountain rapids. (p303) AYVALIK

Dive to deep-sea red coral in the north Aegean. (p128) FETHIYE

PAUL BIRIS/GETTY IMAGES ©

Sea kayaking, diving, rafting and parasailing on the Med. (p199) PATARA

Canoe down the Xanthos River to Turkey’s longest beach. (p205)

IZZET KERIBAR/GETTY IMAGES ©

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Pamukkale

Famed for its intricate series of travertines (calcite shelves) and crowned by the ruined Roman and Byzantine spa city of Hierapolis, the ‘Cotton Castle’ (p263) – a bleach-white mirage by day and alien ski slope by night – is one of the most unusual treasures in Turkey. Gingerly tiptoe through the crystal travertines and, when you reach the top, reward yourself with a refreshing dunk in Hierapolis’ Antique Pool amid toppled marble columns and dramatic friezes.

Mosques BLUE MOSQUE

İstanbul’s famous mosque has voluptuous domes, six minarets and İznik tiles. (p64) SELIMIYE CAMII ALI KABAS/ALAMY ©

Edirne’s grandest mosque is the Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan’s finest work. (p123) SÜLEYMANIYE MOSQUE

Another Sinan-designed mosque, towering above İstanbul’s Golden Horn. (p72) ULU CAMII

Bursa’s monumental 14thcentury mosque has 20 domes. (p259) RIZVANIYE VAKFI CAMII & MEDRESESI

Şanlıurfa’s elegant mosque and medrese (seminary) complex has a much-photographed arcaded wall. (p311) DAJ/GETTY IMAGES ©

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Gallipoli (Gelibolu) Peninsula

ALI KABAS/ALAMY ©

The narrow stretch of land guarding the entrance to the muchcontested Dardanelles is a beautiful area (p118), where pine trees roll across hills above Eceabat’s fish restaurants and Kilitbahir’s castle.

Touring the peaceful countryside is a poignant experience for many: memorials (p120) and cemeteries mark where young men from far away fought and died in gruelling conditions. The passionate guides evoke the futility and tragedy of the Gallipoli campaign, one of WWI’s worst episodes. Çanakkale Şehitleri Anıtı (Martyrs Memorial; p121)

Whirling Dervishes

MARC JACKSON/GETTY IMAGES ©

DAJ/GETTY IMAGES ©

Over 700 years after the foundation of the Mevlevi brotherhood of whirling dervishes, you can see semas (whirling dervish ceremonies) in locations including İstanbul (see boxed text, p87) and Cappadocia. Semas crackle with spiritual energy as the robe-clad constellation of dancers perform this trancelike ritual. The ceremony begins and ends with chanted passages from the Koran and is rich with symbolism; the dervishes’ conical felt hats represent their tombstones, as the dance signifies relinquishing earthly life to be reborn in mystical union with God.

TURKEY’S TOP 25 EXPERIENCES

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AYHAN ALTUN/GETTY IMAGES ©

Hot-Air Ballooning, Cappadocia A dawn hot-air balloon ride (p251) over Cappadocia’s rocky dreamscape is a serene start to the day, giving a sweeping overview of the fairy chimneys (rock formations). Gaze at the flowing valleys far below and feel the invigorating Anatolian breeze as snowy Erciyes Dağı (Mt Erciyes) sparkles in the early-morning sunshine. The best companies change their launch pad according to the wind, ensuring you float over Cappadocia’s scenic valleys. Back on terra firma, toast your pilot with a Cloud Nine cocktail.

Bazaar Shopping

İstanbul

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TURKEY’S TOP 25 EXPERIENCES

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RADIUS IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES ©

JEAN-PIERRE LESCOURRET/GETTY IMAGES ©

Turkey’s çarşıs (markets) range from İstanbul’s famously clamorous bazaars – look out for the Arasta Bazaar (p99), for carpets, jewellery, textiles and ceramics – to the traditional shadow puppets in Bursa’s bedesten (covered market; p266) and silk scarves in Şanlıurfa’s ancient caravanserai (p311).

Find something you like, drink some çay with the shopkeeper, and accept that you might not bag the world’s best deal but you’ll hone your haggling skills. Grand Bazaar (p72),

Pergamum (Bergama) In the hills above this unassuming north Aegean town are the ruins of the Asclepion (p131), ancient Rome’s pre-eminent medical centre, and the acropolis, with its dramatic Greek theatre. A cable car now climbs to the acropolis from near the ruined Red Basilica, where the Byzantines built a basilica inside the hulking temple to Egyptian gods. Bergama can be visited in a day from Ayvalık or İzmir; alternatively, overnight in an atmospheric boutique hotel and watch life slope along in this low-key town. Temple of Trajan (p138) AYHAN ALTUN/GETTY IMAGES ©

Bazaars GRAND BAZAAR

Lose yourself in the hidden caravanserais and labyrinthine lanes of İstanbul’s famous bazaar. (p72) SPICE BAZAAR

Stalls upon stalls of spices, herbs and lokum (Turkish delight) near İstanbul’s Galata Bridge. (p78) ŞANLIURFA (URFA) BAZAAR

The 16th-century jumble of streets and shady courtyards has a Middle Eastern feel. (p311) MARDIN BAZAAR

Donkeys are still a form of transport in the ancient city’s hillside commercial hub. (p317)

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Museums MUSEUM OF ANATOLIAN CIVILISATIONS

Ancient finds from the steppe. (p275) KARIYE MUSEUM

Like the Aya Sofya, a former church and mosque with Byzantine mosaics. (p93) GÖREME OPEN-AIR MUSEUM

A valley of fresco-filled rock-cut churches. (p253) ANTALYA MUSEUM

Covers Mediterranean history back to the Stone Age. (p216) MUSEUM OF TURKISH & ISLAMIC ARTS

Antique carpets fit for palaces. (p65) HIERAPOLIS ARCHAEOLOGY MUSEUM

Sarcophagi in former Roman baths. (p264)

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Aya Sofya LEFT:JEAN-PIERRE LESCOURRET/GETTY IMAGES © RIGHT:JOHN SONES SINGING BOWL MEDIA/GETTY IMAGES ©

Even in mighty İstanbul, nothing beats the Church of the Divine Wisdom (p69), which was the greatest church in Christendom, until the Ottomans took Constantinople.

Emperor Justinian had it built in the 6th century and it’s hard to believe this fresco-covered marvel didn’t single-handedly revive Rome’s fortunes. Entering the ancient interior, covered in mosaics and messages left by generations of rulers, leaves an impression that few buildings can equal.

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Sumela Monastery

IZZET KERIBAR/GETTY IMAGES ©

The improbable cliff-face location of Sumela Monastery (p301) is more than matched by the surrounding verdant scenery. The gently winding roads to the Byzantine monastery twist past rustic riverside fish restaurants, and your journey from nearby Trabzon may be pleasantly hindered by a herd of fat-tailed sheep en route to fresh pastures. The last few kilometres afford tantalising glimpses across pine-covered valleys, and once inside the rock-cut retreat you will see colourful 9th- to 19th-century frescoes.

Gület Cruising

Fethiye (p198)

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ERIC JAMES/ALAMY ©

STUART BLACK/GETTY IMAGES ©

Known locally as a blue voyage (mavi yolculuk), a cruise lasting four days and three nights on a gület (traditional wooden sailing boat) along the western Mediterranean’s Turquoise Coast is the highlight of many a trip to Turkey (see boxed text, p202). The cruises offer opportunities to explore isolated beaches, watch sunsets and get away from it all out at sea. The usual route is Fethiye–Olympos, but aficionados say Fethiye– Marmaris is even prettier. A gület off the coast of

Kaleiçi, Antalya Antalya’s old town is a heritage labyrinth of restored Ottoman houses, many containing pensions, boutique hotels and shops. With Antalya Museum a few tram stops away and boat trips departing from the Roman harbour, Kaleiçi (p213) is an ideal base for exploring the Turquoise Coast. The hillside neighbourhood doesn’t trade on its past alone; restaurants such as Vanilla and Seraser excel at international dishes with a Mediterranean twist, and you can see live türkü (Turkish folk music) or drink an Efes beer with a view. Street scene, Kaleiçi

Scenic Strolls CAPPADOCIA IZZET KERIBAR/GETTY IMAGES ©

Explore the maze of valleys and fairy chimneys (rock formations). (p251) KAÇKAR MOUNTAINS

Wander across alpine yaylalar (mountain pastures) to bucolic villages. (p303) İSTIKLAL CADDESI

Promenade down modern İstanbul’s thoroughfare, through Galata and over the Galata Bridge. (p79) SUMELA MONASTERY

Climb to the cliff-side monastery and back along forest paths. (p301) KAYAKÖY

Walk the trail from Ölüdeniz to the abandoned Greek town. (p205)

ERIC JAMES/ALAMY ©

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Bodrum Peninsula

AYA SOFYA

The glittering mosaics show Byzantine emperors and empresses. (p69)

JON ARNOLD/GETTY IMAGES ©

Mosaics, Frescoes & Reliefs

For Turkey’s glitterati, celebs and fashionistas, this Aegean peninsula (p177) is the place to see and be seen during summer. The gateway to the peninsula’s villages and beaches, seafood restaurants and boutique hotels is Bodrum town (p171), a whitewashed holiday hang-out devoted to the good life. From Bodrum, you can embark on boat trips, or just absorb the cosmopolitan ambience. The town has come a long way since being besieged by Alexander the Great around 335 BC and shelled by the French during WWI. Castle of St Peter (p173), Bodrum

KARANLIK KILISE

Cappadocian rock-cut church with colourful Byzantine frescoes. (p253) HATAY ARCHAEOLOGY MUSEUM

Antakya’s superb collection of Roman and Byzantine mosaics. (p227) AKDAMAR KILISESI

The 10th-century island church’s biblical relief carvings are Armenian masterworks. (p319) TERRACED HOUSES

Colourful mosaics, frescoes and graffiti give insights into the lives of Ephesus’ upper crust. (p161)

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Ani

IZZET KERIBAR/GETTY IMAGES ©

Ani (p308) is a truly exceptional site. Historically intriguing, culturally compelling and scenically magical, this ghost city floating in a sea of grass looks like a movie set. Lying in blissful isolation right at the Armenian border, the site exudes an eerie ambience. Before it was deserted in 1239 after a Mongol invasion, Ani was a thriving city and a capital of both the Urartian and Armenian kingdoms. The ruins include several notable churches, plus a cathedral built between 987 and 1010.

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Safranbolu

IZZET KERIBAR/GETTY IMAGES ©

Listed for eternal preservation by Unesco in 1994, Safranbolu (p277) is Turkey’s prime example of an Ottoman town brought back to life. Domestic tourists descend here, full of sentiment, to stay in halftimbered houses that seem torn from the pages of a children’s storybook. Sweets and saffron vendors line the cobblestone alleyways, and artisans ply their centuriesold trades beneath medieval mosques. When the summer storms light up the night sky, the fantasy is complete.

SLOW IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES ©

Ölüdeniz

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IMAGES & STORIES/ALAMY ©

With its sheltered lagoon lying between a spit of sandy beach, lush national park and Baba Dağ (Mt Baba), it’s easy to see why this beach town is a major cog in the Turquoise Coast’s tourist machine. A boat trip to Ölüdeniz (p203; pronounced ‘eu-leu-den-eez’) from Fethiye, or a walk from the Greek ghost town of Kayaköy, is highly recommended. The curving beach and green slopes are a dramatic sight, and 1960m-high Mt Baba is capped with snow until April.

Kaçkar Mountains Rippling along between the Black Sea coast and the Çoruh River, the Kaçkars (p302) rise to almost 4000m, affording superb hiking when the snow melts in summer. The day walks and longer treks in the yaylalar (mountain pastures) around mountain hamlets like Olgunlar and Ayder are some of Turkey’s top hiking experiences, and the lower slopes offer cultural encounters. The local Hemşin people are welcoming, serving their beloved, fondue-like muhlama (cornmeal cooked in butter) in villages with Ottoman bridges and Georgian churches.

IZZET KERIBAR/GETTY IMAGES ©

Fish Restaurants AHIRKAPI BALIKÇISI

Sultanahmet local favourite near the Sea of Marmara. (p92) BODRUM FISH MARKET

Restaurants cook your pick from the adjoining fishmongers’ tables. (p172) SANDAL RESTAURANT

Alfresco seafood and mezes on Bozcaada island. (p127) İSKELE SOFRASI SLOW IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES ©

Güveç (seafood casserole) and Alanya harbour views. (p220) REIS

Have your choice from Fethiye’s fishmongers cooked here. (p200) BALIKÇI

IMAGES & STORIES/ALAMY ©

Pair balık (fish) with rakı (aniseed brandy) in Ayvalık. (p130)

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Topkapı Palace You could easily spend a day looking around İstanbul’s sprawling palace (p73); after all, the Ottoman sultans spent four centuries, from the great days of Süleyman the Magnificent to later eras, when the empire was declining. As you poke around the palace’s many corners and courtyards, you’ll sense the echoes of the princes, courtiers, eunuchs and concubines who also walked these corridors. To get a feel for 16th-century İstanbul, when palace life was in full swing, read Orhan Pamuk’s novel My Name is Red. Topkapı Palace interior

Boat Trips KEKOVA

From Kaş to the ruined Lycian Batık Şehir (Sunken City). (p210) BOSPHORUS

A few hours cruising between continents towards the Black Sea. (p85) AYVALIK

Across the bay to Alibey Island or Assos. (p128) ANTALYA IZZET KERIBAR/GETTY IMAGES ©

Trips head along the Turquoise Coast from the Roman harbour. (p213) BUTTERFLY VALLEY

From Fethiye via Ölüdeniz’s mountain and lagoon. (p199) KNIDOS

Cruise from Datça to the Dorian port city. (p180) MARK HORN/GETTY IMAGES ©

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IZZET KERIBAR/GETTY IMAGES ©

Kekova MARK HORN/GETTY IMAGES ©

Overlooking the glittering stretch of sea between the isle of Kekova (see boxed text, p210) and the Mediterranean mainland are rocky peninsulas, vertiginous slopes and fishing villages.

What’s more, if you shift your gaze from these stunning surroundings and peer over the side of your boat or sea kayak, you will see the submerged shapes of ancient ruins. This was once a residential neighbourhood in the Lycian city of Simena, consigned to a watery grave by a series of severe earthquakes in the 2nd century AD. Kekova village

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