Türkiye was always one of my dream destinations, but until last year I had never been. So I was really excited when Steve and I embarked on a 3 and a half week tour of this astonishing country, which took in many major highlights as well as going off-the-beaten track.
This is an ancient land, and the weight of history is everywhere, from iron age settlements and legendary classical cities to biblical Christian sites, Ottoman palaces and mosques, and the poignant reminders of World War I.
Our journey began in cosmopolitan Istanbul, where we stayed at the historic Pera Palace Hotel, built in 1892 for guests arriving on the Orient Express. Over the next few days we explored the city with our local guide, starting with a cruise along the Bosphoros, the famous strait linking the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara, and separating Europe and Asia. It is lined by magnificent waterfront houses and palaces dating from Ottoman times, and is spanned by a number of impressive bridges. We also cruised down the famous Golden Horn, an estuary separating the old city from the new city, connected by the Galata Bridge.
There is so much to see in Istanbul that it would be easy to spend a week here. We visited such treasures as the 6th century Hagia Sofia Grand Mosque, once a Christian cathedral, and the famous Sultan Ahmed Mosque, or Blue Mosque, from the Ottoman era. We also toured the magnificent Topkapi Palace, home of the Ottoman sultans for 400 years, and the stunning Basilica Cisterns which are more like an underground cathedral. We wandered the Grand Bazaar, sampled scrumptious Turkish mezze and ate syrupy baclava with our strong Turkish coffee.
Out on the road with our private guide we visited some of the many legendary Greek and Roman archaeological sites: Ephesus, Laodicea, Perge and the stunning amphitheatre of Aspendos – one of the world’s best preserved. Another highlight was Hierapolis and the amazing snow-white steps, blue pools and hot springs of Pammukale. Our guide had an encyclopedic knowledge of Türkiye’s long and complex history as well as the many different religions and peoples that have created such a fascinating cultural mozaic.
The landscapes are overlaid with stories, myth and legend. In Cappadocia we floated in a balloon over strange volcanic mountains sculpted by wind, water and human endeavour into a honeycomb of underground cities, rock churches and ethereal “fairy chimneys”. Cappadocia is now a mecca for ballooning and the dawn skies are decorated with up to 500 balloons at a time – an amazing sight in itself. Not being a fan of the instagram effect on tourism I had argued with myself about whether or not to take to the skies, but we both agreed it was one of the most amazing experiences we have had. The other highlight was a 4-hour walk we did with a very eccentric but knowledgeable local guide, wandering through the sculpted rock landscapes in splendid isolation.
Reaching the Mediterranean coast near Antalya we embarked on a 7-day hiking trip along the famous Lycian way. With a guide and a small group, we hiked through the hills and rocky cliffs of ancient Lycia, wandering amongst old villages and the remains of once-great cities and inaccessible rock tombs. Most nights were spent in little villages by the sea, with time for a cooling dip in the brilliant turquoise water and dinner at small local restaurants serving grilled fish, fresh salads and hot, steaming pide flat bread. The weather was unseasonally hot for early June so one day we swapped the hike for a day cruise on a traditional gulet, anchoring in isolated bays and swimming from the boat.
At Fethiye we parted from our new hiking friends and re-joined our private, tailor-made tour of Turkey. We were still in ancient Lycia and there were other treasures of this long-ago civilization to see. With our new private guide, we set off in a small boat on the Dalyan River in search of the mysterious rock cut tombs which are all that remains of the Kaunos necropolis dating back to the 4th century BC. The tombs are inaccessible as they are high up on the cliff face and the river is fringed by high reeds and marshland, a haven for wildlife. Viewing them from the tranquillity of the river was a memorable experience.
Continuing our journey along the coast we spent a few days at the famous coastal resort of Bodrum, known in ancient times as Halicarnassus and the site of the Mausoleum of the Persian King Mausolus (yes, the source of our word mausoleum). This was once one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World but in 1402 most of the stones from the tomb were used by the Knights Hospitaller to build Bodrum castle. From the beautiful Marmara Hotel, high on a hilltop, we would watch the sun set over the glittering whitewashed houses, the castle, and the fishing boats bobbing on the blue Aegean Sea.
From Bodrum back to Istanbul the coastline is crowded with ancient historic sites too numerous to mention, the most famous being Ephesus and Troy. Ephesus was as impressive as we expected with the substantial remains of many grand buildings, but also the busiest site we had visited. All the others had surprisingly few visitors so it was a pleasure to explore at leisure, not that I would recommend missing Ephesus. Once the second most important city in the Roman Empire, this remarkable site has great cultural and historical significance and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Returning to Istanbul, we stayed this time at one of the hotels on the Bosphorus, the Carigan Palace Kempinski. With extensive grounds and views over the sea and the city beyond, it was a haven of relaxation. Over the next few days, we explored the colourful Balat area and stylish Karakoy, and visited another grand mosque, the Süleymaniye Mosque, founded in 1550 and considered a masterpiece of Ottoman architecture. This exceptionally beautiful mosque is situated on Istanbul’s Third Hill (there are 7), with commanding views of the city around the Golden Horn.
We had researched and planned this itinerary ourselves with the advice of our amazing ground operator, and we had a private car and guide throughout. Our guides were amazing, sharing their in-depth knowledge of history, religion and culture. The vehicles were spacious and incredibly comfortable and with good roads travel was a breeze, even for long distances. From mystical Whirling Dervishes, romantic caravanserai, and wonderful archaeological sites, to cruising by traditional gulet into secluded bays perfect for swimming and snorkelling, this was an incredible journey which lived up to all expectations.
Readers might wonder why we did not include the Gallipoli Peninsula and the battlefields in our itinerary. There is just so much to see and do in Türkiye that it is impossible to see it all and do it justice. From the offset we had planned to include the hiking trip in Lycia which took a week, and was over in central Turkey, so we decided we would visit Gallipoli and the western coast on a return trip.
Türkiye can be visited at any time of the year, but the summer months of June to August can be very hot, particularly when exploring the exposed archaeological sites. Spring and Autumn are ideal times with milder weather and few tourists.
Turkish Airlines have an extensive network of flights both internal and international and have direct flights from Australia to Istanbul. Türkiye can easily be combined with Egypt and Jordan, Kenya, Tanzania and of course all of Europe.
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