Sightseeing

For sightseeing in Turkey, an ISIC (International Student Identity Card) may well mean a discount of up to 50% so remember yours if you have one. Prices vary between the sights depending on the popularity, the time of year and so on.

Wherever you’re based in Turkey, you will find inevitably find tours to many of the sights during your stay, and remember to barter for a good price. Also, find out if lunch, drinks and so on are included so you can pack accordingly, and don’t forget your sun cream and the applicable clothing and sun hat, as many of the sights will entail you being outside for a lot of the day.

Try to find out before your trip, if you need to, for instance, cover certain parts of your body for a certain sightseeing trip. It's customary for women to cover their heads, for example, prior to entering a mosque.

Pamukkale, recently named the world’s top holiday destination, is a beautiful is a beautiful sightseeing destination, located in the inland Aegean region. The site resembles huge cotton wools balls, (Pamukkale means 'cotton castle'), as cascading mineral waters have petrified the stone gradually over thousands of years, turning the site into a series of dazzling white hill side terraces, creating a beautiful scene. The waters are believed to have therapeutic healing properties, and sightseeing tourists are welcome to paddle in the waters if they wish.

Ephesus is a great archeological site. Comprising the Temple of Artemis, Ephesus is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The city of Ephesus, built in around 1000BC, bore the title of “the first and greatest metropolis of Asia.” The ancient city comprised a library, a theatre capable of holding an audience of 25,000 people, a gymnasium, the Church of Virgin Mary, and the Temple of Artemis. The city had one of the most sophisticated aqueduct systems in the ancient world, which supplied the whole city with both hot and cold water.

The story goes that the King of Athens' son Androklos and his friends were sent to Anatolia (ancient Turkey) to set up a new city. Androklos struggled to decide, so cosulted the oracle of Apollo for an answer, which turned out to be something to do with a fish and a boar. This baffled Androklos and his mates, so they settled down to have some tea; a fish. This fish jumped in and out of the pan scattering flames everywhere; all over a nearby bush, out of which a boar ran. Androklos manfully chased the boar and killed it, and set up shop in that location; thus creating Ephesus.

To this day just one fifth of the site has been excavated; testament to the sheet size and complexity of the ancient city.

A sightseeing tour will probably take you round the baths, the market place, several houses with ancient yet brightly coloured tiles and frescoes, the brothel, library, House of Love, the temples (of which there are many), the latrines and the stadium where gladiators once fought.

Safranbolu is a collection of beautifully preserved Ottoman houses from the 17th century. The houses and other buildings have rich cultural and historical heritage, and are reflective of Turkish social life in the 18th and 19th centuries. The site is listed by Unesco as a World Heritage Site, as recognition of the careful and successful preservation of the collection of houses, and as such is well worth a sightseeing trip.

Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, located in Bodrum, is the second of Turkey’s two seven wonders of the ancient world. The tomb is Mausolus’s, built for him by his sister, and wife, Artemisia (it was custom for men to marry their sister’s at the time). Having died suddenly in 353BC, he left Artemisia devastated, so to pay her respects she decided no expense would be spared for his tomb, and employed Greece’s finest artist to decorate it. Life size statues of lions and warriors adorned the surrounding area, creating a beautiful location for the tomb. Unfortunately, just the foundations remain, after a devastating earthquake saw most of the magnificent building fall to the ground.

Istanbul, arguably the most well-known city in Turkey, Istanbul is situated part in Europe and part in Asia; the only city in the world that straddles two continents. There's an abundance of sightseeing to do in Istanbul such as Topkapi Palace which is a fine example of the stunning Ottoman architecture, the Blue Mosque, or the Suleymaniye Mosque which was constructed in 1557, to signify the greatness of Suleyman the magnificent.

Add all this to the vast amount of shopping and the famous, ever increasing number of bars and nightclubs to entertain you in the evening and you can easily pass a week in the gorgeous city.

Temple of Apollo. The Temple was built around 800BC as a place of worship. In the 6th century BC the temple was expanded upon, to magnificent proporations, before the Persians attacked it in 494BC. Thanks to Alexander the Great the Temple was not only restored but extended once again; the remains of which we can see today.

A devastating earthquake saw the Temple collapse, at which point it was abandoned before the Greeks and Bulgarians settled there around 1922. The Temple of Apollo is located in Altinkum. More information on the Temple of Apollo...

Myndos Gate
Standing at an impressive 8 metres tall - almost it's original height - the gate was just one of two entrances to walled Myndos. The city wall was surrounded by a two metre deep moat which has been hilariously described as 'causing difficulty to Alexander the Great as he captured the city.' Located in Gumusluk, this historical feature is well worth a sightseeing visit. More information on Gumusluk...

Remember when visiting a mosque you must wear clothes that cover your legs - for both males and females. Women should also ensure their head and shoulders are covered.

Click here for the 'Places in Turkey' page, to find out more about each areas sightseeing.