Visit Turkey: The UN-Official Guide

Turkey as a nation has been influenced by rich variety of tribes and cultures since 6500 B.C. with Greeks probably having the greatest impact (from Byzantines to Lydians and Macedonians) Hattis, Hittites, Phrygians, Urartians, Аrmenians, Persians, Romans, Seljuks and Ottomans have all held important places in Turkey’s history. Ancient sites and ruins throughout the country attest to each civilization’s unique character.

The legendary Mustafa Kemal a Turkish World War I hero later known as “Ataturk” or “father of the Turks founded the Republic of Turkey in 1923 after the collapse of the 600-year-old Ottoman Empire. The empire, which at its peak controlled vast stretches of northern Africa, southeastern Europe, and western Asia, had failed to keep pace with European social and technological developments. The rise of nationalism impelled several ethnic groups to seek independence, leading to the empire’s fragmentation. This process culminated in the disastrous Ottoman participation in World War I as a German ally. Defeated, shorn of much of its former territory, and partly occupied by forces of the victorious European states, the Ottoman structure was repudiated by Turkish nationalists who rallied under Ataturk’s leadership. The nationalists expelled invading Greek forces from Anatolia after a bitter war which saw Turkish forces also slaughter Greeks which had peacefully coexisted within Turkey for over 1,000 years. The temporal and religious ruling institutions of the old empire (the sultanate and caliphate) were abolished.

The new republic concentrated on westernizing the empire’s Turkish core — Anatolia and a small part of Thrace. Social, political, linguistic, and economic reforms and attitudes introduced by Ataturk before his death in 1938 continue to form the ideological base of modern Turkey. Referred to as Kemalism it comprises secularism, nationalism, and modernization and turns toward the West for inspiration and support. The continued validity and applicability of Kemalism are the subject of frequent discussion and debate in Turkey’s political life.

Turkey entered World War II on the allied side shortly before the war ended and became a charter member of the United Nations. Difficulties faced by Greece after World War II in quelling a Communist rebellion and demands by the Soviet Union for military bases in the Turkish Straits caused the United States to declare the Truman Doctrine in 1947. The doctrine enunciated American intentions to guarantee the security of Turkey and Greece and resulted in large-scale U.S. military and economic aid. After participating with United Nations forces in the Korean conflict, Turkey in 1952 joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Turkey is a country with a multiple identity, poised uneasily between East and West – though, despite the tourist-brochure cliché, it is less a bridge between the two than a battleground, a buffer zone whose various parts have been invaded and settled from every direction since the beginning of recorded history. The country is now keen to be accepted on equal terms by the West: long the only NATO member in the Middle East region and a major recipient of US military aid, it has, since late 2005, officially been a candidate for EU membership, potential culmination of a modernization process begun late in the nineteenth century. But despite Turkish involvement with Europe dating back to the twelfth century, it is by no stretch of the imagination a thoroughly Western nation, and the contradictions – and fascinations – persist.

Turkey is a vast country – France would fit within its boundaries with plenty of room to spare – incorporating characteristics of Middle Eastern and Aegean, as well as Balkan and trans-Caucasian, countries. Mosques coexist with Orthodox churches; Roman theatres and temples crumble alongside ancient Hittite cities; and dervish ceremonies or gypsy festivals are as much a part of the social landscape as classical music concerts or delirious sports fans. The one constant in all this – and one of the things that makes Turkey such a rewarding place to travel – is the Turkish people, whose reputation for friendliness and hospitality is richly deserved; indeed you risk causing offence by refusing to partake of it, and any transaction can be the springboard for further acquaintance. Close to the bigger resorts or tourist attractions, much of this is undoubtedly mercenary, but in most of the country the warmth and generosity is genuine – all the more amazing when recent Turkish history has demonstrated that outsiders usually only bring trouble in their wake.

Politically, modern Turkey was a bold experiment, founded on the remaining Anatolian kernel of the Ottoman Empire, once among the world’s largest, and longest-lasting, imperial states. The country arose from defeat after World War I, almost entirely the creation of a single man of demonic energy and vision – Kemal Atatürk. The Turkish war of independence, fought against those victorious Allies intending to pursue imperialistic designs on Ottoman territory, has (with slightly stretched analogy – Turkey was never a colony) often been seen as the prototype for all Third-World “wars of liberation”. It led to an explicitly secular republic, though one in which almost all of the inhabitants are at least nominally Muslim (predominantly Sunni but also Alevî, a variant of Shi’ism). Turkey’s heritage as home to the caliphate and numerous dervish orders, plus contemporary Islamist movements, still often deflects its moral compass south and east rather than northwest.

Fact file
• Besides Russia, Turkey is the only nation incorporating both Asian and – albeit just three percent of a total area of 814,578 sq km – European territory. A 8333-kilometre coastline is lapped by four seas – the Black Sea, the Sea of Marmara, the Aegean and the Mediterranean. Numerous peaks exceed 3000m, the highest 5165-metre Ararat (Ağrı Dağı) near the Armenian border. The largest lake is Lake Van (3713 sq km) in the far southeast.
• The population of about 70 million is 98 percent Muslim (Sunni or Alevî sect), with dwindling religiousminorities of the Armenian Apostolic, Greek Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox, Jewish and Catholic faiths. Besides standard Turkish, two dialects of Kurdish are widely spoken, while other languages heard include Arabic, Laz, Circassian, Albanian, Macedonian, Bulgarian, Romany and Greek. Well over half the inhabitants live in urbanareas; the largest cities, İstanbul, Ankara (the capital), İzmir and Adana, account for about 24 million people.
• Since 1922, when the last sultan was deposed, Turkey has been a republic. The single-chamber Büyük Meclis or Grand National Assembly in Ankara has 550 seats, and the head of state (elected by this parliament) is the president. Both are answerable to a National Security Council dominated by elements of the armed forces.
• Since 1950 the Turkish economy has often been in crisis, with inflation devaluing the currency and unemployment approaching 25 percent. Recovery following the 2000–01 crash has yielded recent annual growth rates of about five percent. The most important foreign-exchange earners are tourism, clothing and food, with automobiles and household appliances set to follow.

Turks, except for a small minority in the southeast, are not Arabs, and loathe being mistaken for them; despite a heavy lacing of Persian and Arabic words, the Turkish language alone, unrelated to any neighbouring one except Azeri, is sufficient to set its speakers apart. The population is, however, in spite of official efforts to enforce uniformity, remarkably heterogeneous ethnically. When the Ottoman Empire imploded from the 1870s to the 1920s, large numbers of Muslim Slavs, Kurds, Greeks, Albanians, Crimean Tatars, Azeris, Daghestanlis, Abkhazians and Circassians – to name only the most numerous non-Turkic groups – streamed into Anatolia, the safest refuge in an age of anti-Ottoman nationalism. This process has continued in recent years from formerly Soviet or Eastern Bloc territories (including even a few Christian Turks or Gaugaz from Moldavia), so that the diversity of the people endures, constituting one of the surprises of travel in Turkey.

There are equally large disparities in levels of development and income. İstanbul boasts clubs as expensive and exclusive as any in New York or London, while town-centre shops are full of imported luxury goods, yet in the chronically backward eastern interior you’ll encounter standards and modes of living scarcely changed from a century ago. Following a severe crash in 2000–01, the Turkish economy has significantly recovered, though its debt burden remains staggering. This uneven profile is one of several factors which concern its potential EU partners: has Westernization struck deep roots in the culture, or does it extend no further than a mobile-phone-and credit-card-equipped urban elite?

Turkey has been continuously inhabited and fought over for close on ten millennia, as the layer-cake arrangement of many archeological sites and the numerous fortified heights testify. The juxtaposed ancient monuments mirror the bewildering succession of states – Hittite, Urartian, Phrygian, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Armeno-Georgian – that held sway here before the twelfth century. There is also, of course, an overwhelming number of graceful Islamic monuments dating from the eleventh century onwards, as well as magnificent city bazaars, still holding their own despite the encroachments of chain stores and shopping malls. The country’s modern architecture is less pleasing, the consequence both of government policy since 1950 and of returned overseas workers eager to invest their earnings in real estate – an ugliness manifest at most coastal resorts, where the beaches are rarely as good as the tourist-board hype. Indeed it’s inland Turkey – Asiatic expanses of mountain, steppe, lake, even cloud forest – that may leave a more vivid memory, especially when accented by some crumbling kervansaray, mosque or castle.

Camels
Despite stereotypes overseas, camels play a diminished role in modern Turkey. Most are now just tourist attractions, used for pleasure-riding or as photographic props in places like Pamukkale and Side. The last (just barely) working herd is resident on the Turquoise Coast, moving materials into and out of a roadless area near Kekova. It wasn’t always so, however; camel caravans hauling freight still crisscrossed most of Anatolia until the 1960s, though in their last years the cargo tended to be salt, figs, cotton or light flints instead of the gemstones, spices and woven finery of yore. Before the Balkan Wars of 1912–13, camel caravans extended northwest as far as Bosnia; beyond this point the beasts contracted fatal respiratory conditions brought on by the damp central European climate. In Muslim folklore the perceived haughty demeanour of camels is attributed to their knowledge of the hundredth, mystical epithet of Allah – humans only know the conventional ninety-nine.

Istanbul is the city on which civilizations and empires have been built. It straddles Europe and Asia and its location on the Bosporus Strait has made it one of the most coveted cities in world history. The Bosporus Strait, after all, links the Black Sea to the Sea of Miramar to the Aegean Sea and to the Mediterranean. In the days of old, trade from the Silk Road, the Middle East, and from Russia all passed through Istanbul. Napoleon Bonaparte once said that “If the Earth was a single state, Istanbul would be its capital.” Having played host to the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, and the Ottoman Empire, the Istanbul is a treasure chest of ancient ruins, cultural heritage sites, and opulent displays of art and wealth. It is also a great place to soothe at a Turkish Bath, shop for useless things at a bazaar, and sample some famous Turkish Delight while sipping some equally celebrated Turkish Tea.

Most of Istanbul’s touristy attractions are found at the old center of Sultanahmet, which is south of the Golden Horn at the tip of the peninsula. The attractions here include the Aya Sofya Cathedral, the iconic Blue Mosque (or Sultan Ahmed Mosque), and the Topkapi Palace. The Blue Mosque is the famous, post-card cube mosque that is roofed with ascending domes and semi-domes. The Topkapi Palace was the imperial residence of three centuries of Ottoman emperors.
Other famous sites include the Hagia Sophi. This basilica is much older than the Topkapi and the Blue Mosque, and dates back to the 6th century. It was constructed by Emperor Justinian I of the Byzantine Empire, and it is considered to be one of the greatest buildings in history. The Basilica Cistern is also an interesting site. It is a giant underground cistern built by Justinian to provide the city with water during sieges or wars. The Hippodrome and the Galata Tower are also worth visiting. The former served as a chariot race track during the Roman and Byzantine era. The latter is located across the Golden Horn to the north and provides panoramic views of the city. It was used by the Ottomans as an observational tower.

Istanbul, however, is not just experienced through one’s eyes. Touch, taste, and sound become important senses for the eager shopaholic or party-goer. The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is said to be the world’s oldest shopping mall. There are close to 4,400 shops on this walkway. Whereas the wild at heart may dance and drink away at the Beyoĝlu or Nişantaşi, both packed with lively cafes and bars. The nightlife in Istanbul is no doubt superb.

If you’re in need of a break from all the walking, shopping, and partying, heading over to one of Istanbul’s hammams (or Turkish Baths) to break or end one’s tour of the city would be a good idea. There are a few notable baths in Istanbul. The Suleymaniye Bath, constructed in 1550, is a historic bath that still remains operational today. It is mixed-sex, which means the whole family can enjoy the experience together. Other baths in Istanbul include the Cağaloğlu Bath and the
Cemberlitas Bath.

Before you visit Istanbul, you should be prepared and forewarned about the city’s scam-artists and pickpocketers. Locals invent and employ various money-making schemes. Some establishments may quote prices in Lira and then switch to dollars or euros after the good or service is consumed. Also, there are pseudo night-clubs that charge overpriced bills for drinks. Many scams also involve locals acting all nice and offering to treat you out or pay for your drinks, only to deny ever making such an offer upon arrival of the bill. Hotels have also been known to jack the bill up when it came time to pay at the end of a stay, so be wary of places that refuse to accept payment early on in a stay.

There is a wide divergence of views on acceptable behaviour and roles for women, both according to social class and region of the country. Countrywide, most freedom exists in İstanbul and the west and south coasts, which are almost on a par with European mores; in more devout, traditional areas women and girls behave more conservatively. However, even in the most modern cities, dress is more modest than that of visiting hordes. Headscarves are becoming more popular in the religious enclaves of western towns, and the difference with the east is less marked. The headscarf is forbidden in government offices and universities, a restriction dating from Atatürkist attempts to impose Western values, which the present government would like to lift.

Accommodation
Finding a bed for the night is generally no problem in Turkey, except in high season at the busier coastal resorts and larger towns. Lists of category-rated hotels, motels and the better pansiyons (pensions) are published by local tourist offices, and we’ve listed the best options throughout the Guide. Prices, while cheap by most Western European standards, are no longer rock-bottom, and can be downright exorbitant in İstanbul. To some extent facilities have improved correspondingly, though not surprisingly you often get less for your money in the big tourist resorts, and little choice between fleapits or four-star luxury in relatively untouristed towns of the interior. However, with the Turkish economy as it is, backpackers can often afford to go mid-range, and those on mid-range budgets can sometimes secure rooms at the best hotels available east of Cappadocia, so there’s absolutely no reason to slum it in the mistaken belief that you’re seeing the “authentic” Turkey.

Rooms are, almost without exception, on the small side by European standards, with rarely enough power points, or places to sit down other than the bed itself, and dim lighting (or occasionally dazzling fluorescent strips) even in the newer, three- to five-star establishments. Single rooms generally go for just over half the price of a double, since proprietors are well used to lone (male) business travellers. Rooms with en-suite bath are generally about 25 percent more than unplumbed ones; triples are also usually available, costing about thirty percent more than a double.

To avoid noise, pick a room away from main thoroughfares or mosque minarets (not easy), or one with double-glazing. You’ll never cause offence by asking to see another room, and you should never agree on a price for a room without seeing it first. Though break-ins aren’t the norm in Turkey, security should be at least a token consideration; paradoxically, some rooms in fancier hotels cannot be locked with a latch or button from the inside, only by key from outside – a particular hazard for women travelling alone. Prostitution is another likely source of noise or at least comings and goings (so to speak) at all hours. It’s a potential issue during the off-season, when hotels have to find ways of paying the bills, and can affect any grade of accommodation. That said, the phenomenon seems to have abated considerably since the boom years immediately after the opening of the ex-Communist-bloc borders.

Water should be tested to verify claims of devamlı/24 saat sıcak su (constant/24-hour hot water) – always to be treated sceptically. If provided by a solar heater, it will be exhausted with astonishing reliability after 5pm or so even in multi-starred hotels; in the absence of an electric back-up system, there is little you can do short of moving. Before giving up completely, however, try the right-hand tap; the nominal “hot” and “cold” convention is sometimes reversed in Turkey. Bathtubs and sinks almost never have plugs, so a universal plug is worth bringing from home. Especially on the south and southwest coast, air conditioning is almost always found in most establishments of category €32-49 and above. It’s invariably of the “split-level” variety, doubling as heating during the cooler months. Double beds for couples are becoming more popular; the magic words are Fransiz yatak (“French” bed), not çift yatak (“double” bed), which actually refers to the number of beds in the room. Incidentally, in many conservative (read Islamist-dominated) rural areas, hotel management may refuse to let a heterosexual couple share a room, let alone a bed, unless there is documentary evidence that they are married (just a ring may not work, especially if passport names remain different). The police may make trouble for them if proprietors are lenient on this point, as a law exists to this effect, so there’s little you can do in this situation short of finding other lodgings that will accept you as you are.

Button and light coding in lifts/elevators is a potential source of mystification. “Ç” stands for çagır or “call”; a lit-up “K” means katta, that is, the car is already on your floor; illuminated “M” is meşgül or “in use”; “Z” stands for zemin kat, the ground floor, while “A” means asma kat or mezzanine.

Accommodation price codes
For this post, hotels, motels and pansiyons have been categorized according to the price codes outlined below. The short description appended to each code should give a rough idea of what you’ll get for your money.

Category price ranges are given in euros and YTL, though you’ll usually be quoted in the former, particularly with places in categories €63-93 and up. These price ranges represent the minimum you can expect to pay for a double room in high season. For backpackers’ hostels, trekkers’ lodges and coastal “treehouses”, where guests are charged per person, euro rates, rather than a numerical code, are given in the Guide. By law, prices for rooms at any establishment must be displayed at the reception desk. Most places in band €14-24 and above will have en-suite bathroom facilities of some kind. For band €25-31 and up breakfast will be automatically included, while below that taking it is negotiable. At slack times, it’s worth bargaining. Lone travellers, for example, may be able to upgrade to a double room for the price of a single. The walk-in price of establishments in bands €50 and above is invariably much higher than if the room is booked as part of a package. If you want to stay in this level of accommodation for a week or more it is worth making your reservation through an agency before arriving in Turkey. Some hotels offer discounts for cash and Internet bookings.

Up to €13up to €13/21.5YTL Budget hotels in untouristed areas without en-suite facilities; also, so-called “treehouse” accommodation along the southwestern coast, and trekkers’ lodges in the Kaçkar mountains.

€14-24€14–24/23–40YTL The few surviving 1970s-vintage pansiyons – some with sink or shower cubicles added at a later date – plus more recent purpose-built pansiyons. The latter often have balconies, bedside furniture and sometimes other individual touches, as well as en-suite baths, toilets, linen and towels. Slightly more salubrious hotels in the interior, though these may not have full attached bathrooms.

€25-31€25–31/41–51YTL Establishments in touristed areas that straddle the border between a pansiyon and a one-star hotel, often with roof terraces for breakfast, and perhaps a bar and small swimming pool; occasionally handled by package-tour operators. Relatively hygienic hotels in the interior, with fully equipped bathrooms, room phones and TV. Hot water more reliable than in lower categories, but still not guaranteed.

€32-49€32–49/53–81YTL Good-value two-star hotels and pansiyons in resorts, sometimes in restored old buildings; invariably with some package-tour presence. Often with extra touches such as attached restaurant and rural-antique decor. Air conditioning/heating makes an appearance.

€50-62€50–62/82.5–102YTL Comfortable, if sometimes small-roomed, three-star hotels and pansiyons; this category includes many (often overpriced) places in İstanbul’s Sultanahmet district, top-end establishments in the Anatolian interior and restored kervansarays, which may appear to be underpriced but often suffer from creeping damp or on-site nightclub noise. Attached bar/restaurant is more or less mandatory, as are room phones and winter heating. Ottoman antiques in common areas, kilims in rooms etc, more or less de rigueur.

€63-93€63–93/104–153YTL Four-star hotels and the smaller holiday villages, plus özel (special) architectural revival projects. Full-sized bathtubs usually present, as well as extra facilities such as a pool, private beachfront, watersports gear and tennis courts.

€94-123€94–123/155–203YTL More exclusive four-star hotels and bungalow complexes. All of the preceding amenities will be provided, probably duplicated (ie two pools, two restaurants, two snack cafés, two drinks-bars) and more grandly laid out – rooms may resemble small suites. Additional touches such as telecom services, hairdresser, organized excursions etc. Standard of breakfast starts to be higher than usual; there should be no excuse for lack of hot water.

€123 and aboveover €123/203YTL Restored classics, such as the Pera Palas or Çırağan Palace in İstanbul, plus five-star de luxe behemoths often affiliated to an international chain. At coastal resorts, luxury digs are often rather remote, necessitating use of the hotel’s shuttle or a local taxi to get into the nearest town (the idea being to encourage you to spend more money on-site). Breakfasts, ideally, will be generous and varied. All other creature comforts and distractions to hand. Prices in this range can run as high as €300/495YTL a night or more per room; the Guide notes the actual price of anything higher than €150/248YTL.
Hamams (Turkish baths)

As the standard of living has increased in Turkey, and all but the very poorest families inhabit houses or apartments with showers, the hamam’s once-pivotal role in both hygiene and social discourse has declined. A visit, however, is still well worth it, especially to warm up during the cooler months. İstanbul in particular boasts many historic hamams worth experiencing for their architecture alone. Many tourists never partake because they anticipate sexual hassles or intense culture shock. In fact, after a day at the ruins or in the bazaar, a corner of a bath-house is likely to be an oasis of tranquillity in comparison. Bear in mind that in tourist areas the price of hamams has rocketed, and some are very efficient at parting you from your money (a massage can add massively to the cost, for example).

Virtually all Turkish towns have at least one hamam per neighbourhood. The only exceptions to this are some of the coastal resorts, which were formerly populated by Orthodox Christians, who didn’t build such structures. Baths are usually signposted, but if in doubt look for the distinctive external profile of the roof domes, visible from the street. Baths are either permanently designated for men or women, or sexually segregated on a schedule – look for the words erkekler (men) and kadınlar (women), followed by a time or day range written on a placard by the door. Women, alas, tend to be allotted far more restricted hours, usually midweek during the day.

On entering, you leave your valuables in a small locking drawer, the key of which (often on a wrist/ankle-thong) you keep with you for the duration of your wash. Bring soap, shampoo and a shaving mirror, which are either not supplied or are expensive to buy on the spot. The basic admission charge varies depending on the level of luxury. Ordinary hamams should charge around 5–8YTL, and the price is normally clearly indicated by the front desk; hamams in coastal tourist resorts and İstanbul can be much more expensive (12–15YTL). Men will be supplied with a peştamal, a thin, wraparound sarong; women usually have to specifically request one but, in fancier spas, more often wear bathing costumes. Both sexes get takunya, awkward wooden clogs, and later a havlu or proper drying towel. Changing cubicles (camekân in Turkish), equipped with a reclining couch, are sometimes shared and rarely lock except in the better hamams – thus the safe-drawer.

The hararet or main bath chamber varies from plain to ornate, though any hamam worth its salt will be dressed in marble at least up to chest height. Two or more halvets, semi-private corner rooms with two or three kurnas (basins) each, lead off from the main chamber. The internal temperature varies from tryingly hot to barely lukewarm, depending on how well run the baths are. Unless with a friend, it’s one customer to a set of taps and basin; refrain from making a big soapy mess in the basin, which is meant for mixing pure water to ideal temperature. Use the scoop-dishes provided to sluice yourself, being careful not to splash your neighbours; on Fridays especially they may have just completed their abdest (ritual ablution), and would have to start all over again if touched by an “infidel’s” water. It’s also considered good etiquette to clean your marble slab with a few scoopfuls of water before leaving.

It’s not done for men to drop their peştamal: modesty is the order of the day, and washing your lower half through or under the cloth is an important acquired technique. Women are less scrupulous about covering up, though they too keep their knickers on. Communal bathing in Turkey is essentially a chaste business, though unsolicited male-to-male advances are a potential – if rare – hazard, especially in unsophisticated rural areas.

More than one foreign female visitor has been brought up short by the sight of a matronly figure advancing on them, beckoning with a straight razor: religious Turkish women shave all over, though usually not at the baths. Alternatively, the locals stalk about swathed to waist height in green depilatory paste, like New Guinea mud-women. Men, incidentally, are expected to shave their faces in the tıraşlık, a section of the soğukluk cooling-down room located between the foyer and the main chamber.

At the heart of the hamam is the göbek taşı or “navel stone”, a raised platform positioned directly over the wood- or coal-fired furnaces that heat the premises. In a good bath the göbek taşı will be piping hot, and covered with prostrate figures using their scoop-dishes or special pillows as head-rests. It’s also the venue for vigorous (to say the least) massages from the tellâk or masseur/masseuse, whose technique is inspired more by medieval rack-and-wheel practices than by New Age touchy-feely methods – be warned. A kese (abrasive mitt) session from the same person, in which untold layers of dead skin and grime are whisked away, will probably be more to most people’s tastes. Agree terms in advance with the tellâk, which should be about equal to the basic bath charge. If you prefer, you can buy a kese at any chemist’s and rub yourself down. Traditionally, only male tellâks massaged men, and female masseuses women, but since the 1990s there has been increased incidence of men massaging women in the more touristy baths. If this is not to your liking, decline offers or even request a same-sex masseur from the management.

Upon return to your cubicle you’ll be offered tea, soft drinks or mineral water, any of which is a good idea since the baths dehydrate you. These, like a massage, are charged as extra; if in doubt, consult the price placard over the reception desk. Except in the heavily touristed establishments, tips above and beyond the listed fees are not required or expected.

36 things not to miss

It’s not possible to see everything Turkey has to offer in one trip – and we don’t suggest you try. What follows is a selective and subjective taste of the country’s highlights: outstanding buildings and historic sites, natural wonders and exciting activities. They’re all arranged in five colour-coded categories to help you find the very best things to see, do and experience. All entries have a reference to take you straight into the Guide, where you can find out more.

01 Ihlara Valley, Cappadocia • Take a streamside walk along the lushly vegetated valley floor, pausing to visit painted cave-churches up the slopes.

02 White-water rafting on the Köprülü Çayı • This scenic river, tumbling down from the Toros mountains to the Mediterranean, is perfect for novice rafters. See also “Outdoor adventure travel colour section”.

03 Cruising the southwest coast • The deeply indented coastline between Bodrum and Olympos is the venue for multi-day cruises on a gület, or traditional wooden motor-schooner.

04 Nemrut Dağı • Monumental mountain-top temple-tomb complex, built by Antiochus I (64–38 BC), a little-known but vain and arrogant ruler of the kingdom of Commagene, in a remote area of southeastern Turkey.

05 Camel wrestling • These seasonal bouts between two male camels in rut draw vast crowds across the Aegean region.

06 Oil wrestling • Though a popular sport across Turkey, the best time to see olive-oil-coated contestants get to grips with each other is during Edirne’s Kırkpınar Festival.

07 Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, Ankara • Housing finds of all native cultures from the Stone Age to about 700 BC, this superb museum is the one must-see in the capital.

08 Gözleme • The Turkish-village version of crêpes have enjoyed a comeback since the 1980s; watching their concoction is part of the fun.

09 Acropolis of ancient Pergamon • Pergamon was one of the chief Roman cities of Anatolia, and extensive ruins remain; shown here is the restored Trajan temple.

10 Byzantine frescoes, Cappadocia • About 150 of Cappadocia’s rock-hewn churches contain fine examples of early Christian frescoes; shown is an example from the most-visited Göreme complex.

11 Roman theatre at Aspendos • The best way to appreciate the largest and best-preserved theatre in Anatolia is by attending the summertime opera and ballet festival.

12 Outdoor restaurants • The Ottomans introduced the concept of dining al fresco to Europe, and outdoor seafood restaurants especially do a roaring trade in warmer weather.

13 Hittite capital of Hattuşa • The second-millennium-BC capital of the Hittites still impresses, with perimeter walls extending to six kilometres.

14 Lycian Way long-distance path •This marked path passes through some of the most scenic portions of the Turquoise Coast; shown is the medieval cobbled section between Ovacık and Kozağaçı. See also “Outdoor adventure travel colour section”.

15 Underground city, Kaymaklı • Burrowed out of soft volcanic tuff, this subterranean labyrinth provided refuge for Cappadocians from the Hittite through to the Byzantine eras.

16 Acropolis of ancient Assos • At the summit, with views of Greek Lésvos, stands this restored Doric Athena temple; the architecturally preserved medieval village occupies the slopes below.

17 “Beehive” houses, Harran • These timeless, mud-built dwellings at Harran, close to the Syrian border between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers, are inhabited by ethnic Arabs.

18 Hot-air ballooning over Cappadocia • A lighter-than-air float gives you an unrivalled perspective on the “fairy chimneys” and other aspects of the landscape. See also “Outdoor adventure travel colour section”.

19 Ancient Ephesus • This major Aegean city was inextricably linked with the history of early Christianity; St Paul addressed one of his epistles to its citizens.

20 North Aegean coast • Peppered with lovely, low-key resorts in former fishing villages, like Foça, this stretch of coast offers a refreshing respite from the more developed resorts in the south.

21 Koza Hanı, Bursa • The silk-cocoon auction which takes place in this fifteenth-century han during early summer is the basis for one of Turkey’s distinctive natural crafts.

22 Aya Sofya museum, Istanbul • The seemingly unsupported dome of Aya Sofya, built during the sixth century as a Byzantine church, is one of the architectural marvels of the world. See also “Turkey’s religious architectural heritage colour section”.

23 Kapalı Çarşı, Istanbul • The hard sell reaches its apotheosis in what’s claimed to be the largest covered bazaar in the world. Touristy but still compelling.

24 Flowers at Lake Van • Early summer sees the highland meadows around Van carpeted with gorgeous wild flowers like these.

25 Whirling dervishes • Members of a sect founded by the Konya-based Sufi mystic Mevlâna conduct “turning” ceremonies to effect union with God.

26 Iztuzu beach • This long beach, at the edge of extensive, bird-haunted wetlands, is just one among dozens of little-developed strands along Turkey’s coast between Marmaris and Mersin.

27 Orthodox monastery of Sumela • Built into the side of a palisade high up in the Pontic mountains, this Byzantine foundation harbours excellent if damaged frescoes.

28 Fairy chimneys • Cones of volcanic tuff, often with basalt slabs teetering on top, make a bizarre spectacle in the geological fantasy landscape of Cappadocia.

29 Football • Football in Turkey is a national obsession, and victories by the national team or any of the major İstanbul clubs (Beşiktaş, Galatasaray or Fenerbahçe) are accompanied by frenzied celebrations in cities across the country.

30 Kaçkar Dağları • Lying just inland from the Black Sea, this glacially sculpted granite mountain-range, spangled with dozens of lakes, is Turkey’s premier trekking venue.

31 Churches of the Georgian valleys • Numerous medieval churches northeast of Erzurum are among the most striking monuments in northeastern Anatolia; shown is İşhan, one of the largest and oldest.

32 Antakya Archeological Museum • A unique collection of mosaics unearthed from the villas of Roman and Byzantine Antioch are well displayed in one of Turkey’s finest provincial museums.

33 Visiting a hamam • Bathers relaxing on the central heated stone of a hamam are enjoying one of the traditional sensual comforts of Turkey.

34 Işak Paşa Sarayı • Strategically situated on the Silk Route, this architecturally eclectic seventeenth-century palace is one of eastern Turkey’s most emblematic sites.

35 Drinking tea • Tea from the Black Sea has been the Turkish national drink since the 1930s, and it’s available everywhere, at almost any hour. See also “Food and drink colour section”.

36 Riverbank culture at Amasya • The tombs of the ancient Pontic kings are juxtaposed with graceful Ottoman mansions along the Yeşılırmak in Amasya.

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