Turkey
Patara: The Beaches & Ruins of the Ancient Lycian Capital
Patara, located on the coast of western Antalya Province, was one of the most prominent Anatolian cities of antiquity. And today, Patara Ancient City is the perfect place for travelers to relax on the beach and go ruins hopping in the same outing. Patara was located near the mouth of the Xanthos River – at
Wandering Through the Ghost Town of Kayaköy
Tucked away from southwest Turkey’s popular beach resorts is an eerie attraction like no other. The Kayaköy ghost town is not merely a collection of several abandoned buildings, but several hundred. Today, the town remains a haunting reminder of tragic events that transpired throughout the country a century ago. Situated about 8 km south of Fethiye, Kayaköy
Kekova Island & Kaleköy: A Boat Tour to the Sunken City
A sunken city, ancient sarcophagi, a Byzantine fortress and scenic turquoise bays are all part of the Kekova Island boat tour, an easy trip from Kaş or Demre. The excursion shouldn’t be missed by those touring Antalya Province, and it’s surprisingly affordable. The full-day trip, including lunch, only cost 100 TL (roughly $15 USD) at the
A Day in Demre: Lycian Tombs & The Church of Santa Claus
The overlooked town of Demre is worthy of your attention as you make your way across Turkey’s Mediterranean coast. Once a thriving city and prominent member of the Lycian League, Demre was known as Myra in antiquity. In addition to impressive Lycian tombs, Demre is also home to the Church of St. Nicholas, now better
Olympos & Mount Chimaera: Ruins, Beaches & the Mountain of Fire
Olympos is one of Antalya Province’s most popular tourist towns, albeit with an altogether different vibe from your typical beach resort. Instead of highrise hotels, you’ll find simple rustic accommodation, while the town attracts a younger, largely Turkish crowd. In addition to the ancient ruins along the beach, nearby is the unique Mount Chimaera, known
Visiting the Seaside Ruins of Phaselis
The ruins of Antalya Province’s Phaselis can be fully explored in under an hour. But the site is also home to multiple beaches, completely unspoiled by high-rise hotels or restaurants. Today, the seaside location of the Roman and Byzantine ruins gives Phaselis a calming and altogether unique atmosphere. Once situated on the border between the kingdoms of Pamphylia
Perge & Aspendos Theater: Discovering Greco-Roman Antalya
While it may lack the scenery of mountaintop Termessos or seaside Phaselis, Perge is one of the best places to get a feel for the layout of a Greco-Roman city. Visits are often combined with a trip to nearby Aspendos Theater, which is arguably the best-preserved Roman theater in the world. Perge and Aspendos were
Termessos: Hiking Through the Eagle’s Nest
Just outside of Turkey’s summer tourism capital Antalya is a wholly unique and often overlooked archaeological site. Termessos, built at over 1,000 meters above sea level, was just one of two Anatolian cities that Alexander the Great failed to conquer. Largely untouched and unexcavated since its abandonment, Termessos makes for a challenging yet highly rewarding
A Day in Antalya: The Gateway to the Turquoise Coast
Antalya, Turkey’s largest city on the Mediterranean coast, is synonymous with tourism. Each summer, millions of visitors arrive to soak up the sea and sun. But for those not cooping themselves up in a private resort, the city center has plenty in store for history, culture and nature lovers. This Antalya guide will cover it all. Antalya
Çatal Höyük: Visiting One of the World’s Oldest Cities
Çatal Höyük, located 52 km southeast of Konya, was a Neolithic settlement founded over 9,000 years ago. Inhabited continuously for over a millennium, it was one of the largest settlements of its time. Çatal Höyük’s unique layout isn’t what most people imagine when picturing ancient settlements. It was a surprisingly dense and crowded place, not unlike
A Weekend in Konya: Experiencing the Legacy of Rumi
Konya, one of Turkey’s most significant cities from the medieval period, is still steeped in tradition. It was the capital of the Seljuk Empire’s Sultanate of Rum, and ornate buildings from this period remain standing throughout the bustling city. But most people visit Konya to pay homage to the legendary mystic and poet Rumi, who
Top 5 Things to Do in Cappadocia (with Sample Itinerary)
Even with a full week in Cappadocia, there’s no way to see it all. And as most visitors only spend three or four full days in the region, planning your trip can be tricky. In the following guide, we’ll be covering the top things to do in Cappadocia that you shouldn’t miss. We’ll then be
Hot Air Ballooning Over Cappadocia: Worth It?
When most people think of Cappadocia, the image of colorful balloons floating over a dreamlike landscape is often the first thing that springs to mind. But there are numerous other ways to experience the region’s stunning scenery, and a balloon ride is the most expensive by far. So, does hot air ballooning over Cappadocia really
Hiking Cappadocia: Zemi Valley & Çavuşin Castle
As exciting as hot air balloons and group tours can be, the best way to explore Cappadocia is on foot. And for those staying in Göreme, there are a surprising number of scenic valleys you can simply walk to from town. In previous guides, we covered some of the longer loop trails in the area. But
Hiking Cappadocia: Göreme – Meskendir – Red – Rose – Sword Valleys
Hiking Cappadocia is arguably the best way to take in the region’s surreal landscapes. And it’s also completely free. In this guide, we’ll be covering what’s possibly Cappadocia’s very best loop trail. Starting from Göreme, the hike will take you through Meskendir Valley, Red Valley, Rose Valley and finally Sword Valley – a long but highly rewarding
Deep Within the Underground Cities of Derinkuyu & Kaymaklı
Millions of years ago, the ash spewed forth by local volcanoes hardened into a soft stone called tufa. And in addition to forming Cappadocia’s breathtaking landscapes, tufa deposits also extend far below the ground. Throughout the area’s tumultuous history, inhabitants could simply dig their way out of trouble. What ultimately formed were incredibly vast cave
Hiking Cappadocia: Göreme – Love Valley – Uchisar Castle – Pigeon Valley
One of the best ways to take in the surreal landscapes of Cappadocia isn’t with an expensive balloon ride or a group tour. Hiking Cappadocia is not only completely free, but it gives you some of the best vantage points of the region’s stunning scenery. In this series of guides, we’ll be covering multiple day
Halfeti: The Sunken City of the Euphrates
In the late 1990s, residents of the ancient town of Halfeti, situated on the east bank of the Euphrates, found themselves in a dire predicament. The Birecik Dam was set to flood the town, forcing residents to flee while destroying millennia of cultural heritage. But fortunately, not all was entirely lost. Tourists now flock to
A Day in Gaziantep: The Zeugma Mosaic Museum & More
Gaziantep, with a population of nearly two million, is southeast Turkey’s largest city and among the largest in the country. Like many places in the region, it has a rich history dating back to prehistoric times. Compared to its neighbors, however, it has relatively few landmarks. But the excellent Zeugma Mosaic Museum, which displays some
Visiting Mt. Nemrut & Other Commagene Kingdom Sites
Due to its isolated mountaintop location, Mt. Nemrut’s mysterious stone sculptures and massive artificial mound managed to elude visitors for centuries. But for the past few decades, visiting Mt. Nemrut has been considered the thing to do in southeast Turkey (at least until Göbekli Tepe’s discovery). Even when compared with other landmarks from its era,
Soğmatar, Şuayb & the Bazda Caves: Adventures in Şanlıurfa
It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that Şanlıurfa Province, home to sites like Göbekli Tepe and Harran, has plenty more to see within its borders. Following a morning visit to Karahan Tepe, I arranged for a driver and guide to take me onward to places like Soğmatar Ancient City, Şuayb (Jethro) and the Bazda Caves – all
Karahan Tepe: Even Older Than Göbekli Tepe?
Located within the Tektek Mountains, just east of the Harran Plain, is a site that changes everything we thought we knew about prehistoric civilizations. Karahan Tepe (or Keçili Tepe, as it’s locally known) lies just 46 km southeast of Göbekli Tepe, a site believed to be the world’s very first temple. But archaeologists now suspect
Harran: The Ancient Center of the Sabians
While not much of ancient Harran survives, its atmosphere remains imbued with a sense of magic and mystery. The Mesopotamian city was a former dwelling place of Abraham and home to Anatolia’s first mosque. And it was long a center of stellar worship, remaining one of the ancient world’s last pagan strongholds. In this Harran
Visiting Göbekli Tepe: The Site That Reshaped History
Dubbed the ‘Zero Point of History,’ the discovery of Göbekli Tepe, one of the world’s oldest temples, changed everything we thought we knew about prehistoric peoples. The 12,000-year-old temple complex reveals that not only did ancient humans have the capability to carve and move huge monoliths, but they also possessed intimate knowledge of the cosmos. Visiting Göbekli
A Guide to Şanlıurfa: The City of Prophets
With the recent discovery of nearby Göbekli Tepe, the city of Şanlıurfa has been placed firmly on the tourist map. But Urfa, as most people call it, is an essential destination in its own right. In addition to being the likely birthplace of Abraham, Urfa is also home to significant Roman tombs and mosaics. And the new Şanlıurfa Museum,
Dara Ancient City: Touring the Ruins of a Historic Border Town
Originally built at the border between the Roman and Persian empires, Dara now lies just beside the modern Turkey-Syria border. Located 30 km southeast of Mardin, Dara Ancient City is an overlooked archaeological site from the Byzantine era that shouldn’t be missed while in the region. In this guide, we’ll be covering the history of Dara, tips
Midyat & Mor Gabriel Monastery: Exploring the Tur Abdin Plateau
Mardin Province’s Midyat is a historic city situated on the plateau of Tur Abdin, or the ‘Mountain of the Servants of God.’ The region is the historic heartland of the Syriac Orthodox Church, and its largest and oldest monastery, Mor Gabriel, attracts scores of visitors to this day. In this Midyat guide, we’ll be covering
A Guide to Mardin: Turkey’s Most Beautiful City
Mardin is arguably Turkey’s most beautiful city. Historically, it shares much in common with nearby Diyarbakır. But Mardin’s elegant limestone buildings help give it an appearance all of its own. The hillside city even offers views of the Mesopotamian plains and northern Syria. In this Mardin guide, we’ll cover the top sights to see in
Diyarbakır: The Ultimate Guide
Diyarbakır has long been considered a prized possession of the many kingdoms who managed to control it. Due to its strategic location along the Tigris River, it’s been continuously inhabited for thousands of years. And it’s now one of the most historically and architecturally rich cities in Turkey. In the following Diyarbakır guide, we’ll cover
Çavuştepe & Hoşap Castle: Archaeological Hidden Gems in Van
Few tourists make it to Van, and even fewer visit the ancient castles of Hoşap and Çavuştepe. But for archaeology and history lovers, that’s a big part of their appeal. If you’re willing to make the effort, there’s a high chance you’ll have each site all to yourself. Hoşap Castle is an impressive fortress which dates back
Van Castle: Visiting the Former Heart of Urartu
While most ancient fortresses in Turkey only require a few hours to visit, think of Van Castle as a full day outing. Not only is the fortress massive, but it also has a lot more surprises in store than first meets the eye. Van Castle was the headquarters of Urartu, one of the most overlooked
Akdamar Island: Visiting Lake Van’s Ancient Royal Getaway
The image of an ancient church on a small island in the middle of a bright blue lake looks like something out of a fairytale. But while Akdamar Island is indeed a real place, Lake Van is just about the furthest point in Turkey from Istanbul, and few actually visit. But making it out to
Ishak Pasha Palace: The Opulent Estate at the Edge of an Empire
The small city of Doğubeyazıt, situated alongside Turkey’s border with Iran, is home to one of the finest examples of Ottoman palace architecture. The opulent Ishak Pasha Palace stands at the crossroads of civilizations and accordingly blends together Ottoman, Persian and even European styles. Doğubeyazıt may be a challenge to reach, but the splendor of the palace
A Day in Kars: Exploring Turkey’s Eastern Frontier
Nearly everyone who visits Kars does so to see the nearby ruins of Ani, some 40 kilometers to the east. But Kars is a interesting city that’s a worthy destination in its own right. And it can easily be explored on foot in a single day. In the following Kars guide, we’ll be covering the
Ani: A Guide to the Lost Armenian Capital
Currently situated within Turkey’s borders, the ancient Armenian capital of Ani is one of the region’s most interesting archaeological sites. Once home to 100,000 people, Ani was among the medieval world’s most magnificent cities. Now, in stark contrast, the site is a somewhat eerie ghost town. But Ani’s impressive architecture remains an inspiration to this
Uzungöl & Ayder: Discovering Turkey’s Black Sea Region
Turkey’s northeastern Black Sea region, known for its green alpine landscapes, has a look and feel quite unlike anywhere else in the country. The region is rife with scenic lakes and mountain villages to explore. But with the area gaining popularity so quickly, has it been able to maintain its tranquil, traditional atmosphere? I visited the