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Troy
According to Greek Mythology, Paris abducted the
most beautiful woman in the world, Helen, daughter of the
King of Sparta, from her huband and whisked her away from
Greece to Troy. When the Greeks came to claim Helen it sparked
a ten year war in which, according to the mythology, the Spartans
beat the Trojans by tricking them into taking a wooden horse
into their city which had Spartan soldiers hidden inside.
In the night they climbed out, killed the guards and opened
the gates letting their armies into the city. Hence the saying
beware Greeks bearing gifts! It was proved in the 19th Century
that Troy was not a mythical place when a German businessman
plundered jewellery thought to be from Helen's Troy. It proved
much older, from the Byzantium period, proof that Troy did
exist.
Erdine
Divided between Bulgaria, Turkey and Greece, the region of
Thrace is situated on a limb in the north west Turkey.
It's main city of Edirne is a great stop off point on the
way to Istanbul. It has a number of fine mosques like the
Ucserefeli Cami and Esk Cami mosques from the
15th century, a perfect example of Ottoman architectural style
seen also in Istanbul. The old town of Erdine is a great slab
of Turkish life, a medieval Byzantine city full of bazaars
and colourful characters. South of the city is the peninsula
of Gallipoli, most famed for its bloody battle during
World War II.
Where to stay in Erdine:
Hotel Efe
Tel: 284 213 6166
Website: www.efehotel.com
Iznik
Situated just south of the sea of Marmara, the ancient city
of Iznik was founded in 1000BC and is known for its fruit
orchards, the huge Iznik lake and the ancient Byzantine city
walls. Highlights include a visit the the Aya Sofya Church
of the Divine Wisdom, the Persian styled Green Mosque made
in green-glazed bricks.
Bursa
Bursa south of the sea of Marmara and close to Istanbul is
Turkey's first capital of the Ottoman Empire and is the birth
of modern Turkish culture. It was an important marker on the
silk trade and an early thermal bath was developed here. It
makes a great day trip out from Istanbul for visits to Mosques
like the Ottoman Rococo Emir Sultan Camii, the beautiful Yesil
Cami mosque with carved marble work, and the bedesten covered
bazaar from the 14th century. Its also famed for its mineral
baths on the slopes of the Uludag which is also a ski resort.
Aegean Turkey
Aegean turkey in the west is a rich region, great for water
sports, west coastal fishing villages and known for its farming.
It is rich in Ionian cities like Ephesus, Didyma and Labranda.
Canakkale is a crossroads and trade point, which can be a
great stop off point for visits to Gallipoli and Troy. Bodrum
in south Aegean is known for holidays, water sports and nightlife.
The Bodrun peninsula is great for day trips to beach village
to get a taste of local life. The Aegean Hinterland is the
epicentre of sun holiday tourism in Turkey.
Izmir
Located on the coastline of western Aegean Turkey, Izmir is
the country's third largest city and the major sea port. Set
on a huge bay surrounded by mountains, it is a dramatic yet
modern city of apartment blocks, offices, and streetside cafes.
The relics of its turbulent history have all been destroyed
by war, fire and earthquake but its 2000 year old castle still
remains. It has a great bazaar in the central Konak quarter
of the city.
Mediterranean Turkey
On the south west coastline of the Mediterranean, this region
is relatively undeveloped for tourism and makes for a charming
beach holiday. There are numerous small to large resorts scattered
along the coast. The main city in the region is Antalya, a
boom town with a pebble beach, and history dating back to
the Paleolithic period. It's a good base to explore the nearby
beach towns. The nearby town of Aspendos holds one of the
greatest roman ampitheatres. The large commercial city of
Adana is more of a business centre than for visitors, but
it has good air links.
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of the Turkish Republic and government.
It sits at the heart of the Central Anatolia region which
occupies most of central west Turkey, a beautiful region of
grasses, lakes and wildflowers. Old Ankara is a roman construction
and you can find here the Temple of Augustus and Rome and
roman baths which cost $1 US to enter.
Cappadocia
Cappadocia, an area bordered by ten extinct volcanoes, is
one of the most visited parts of Turkey and it is nestled
between the Black Sea and the Taurus Mountains in Central
Anatolia. It's within easy reach of the major city of Ankara.
You will pass through the town of Nevsehir on the way to the
underground cities of Kaymakli and Derinkuyu.
Hidden in the Cappadocia valley is the land of the famous
"fairy chimneys" Thousands of years ago, Goreme
and its surrounding villages were settled by people who made
their homes by burrowing into the soft volcanic rock. Around
Goreme there are entire valleys of 'fairy chimneys', so-called
because the wind whistling round them sounds like fairy voices.
When threatened by persecution early Christians would retreat
to vast underground cities for months at a time. One of the
most dramatic examples is the city of Kaymakli which had a
population of 20,000 people. A personal tour of the tunnels
will only cost you a few dollars and the guides are very informative.
The nearby town of Derinkuyu, meaning "deep well",
is just 6 miles south of Kaymakli and has underground buildings
on 8 levels.
Goreme's tunnels attract plenty of tourist but few venture
far out onto the plains of Cappadocia. If you are looking
to buy a carpet, then do it in Cappadocia, as you are likely
to get less hassled than you are in Istanbul.
Uchisar in the Cappadocia valley hosts the Kale, a tall rock
with tunnels and windows with panoramic views of the vlley
which is a pay for tourist attraction.
The Soganli valley is know for its churches like the Buckle
Church or the Black Head, covered in paintings of Christ and
Avanos, know for its pottery.
The capital of the Cappadocia region is Kayseri, a farming
and textile centre. If you pass through, visit the former
6th century Citadel which is now a bazaar.
Black sea coast
The black sea coast is a luscious green land full of cherry
orchards, farms and old Ottoman houses. It's a popular national
holiday resort for Turks. It has a beautiful coastline around
the black sea and unspoilt rural scenery. The largest city
on the coast is Samsun, a grim commercial port. Trabzon is
a more interesting port city to visit, and full of traders
and whores from Georgia and Armenia and Russian tourists.
It has a lovely medieval church of Aya Sofya and his home
to Ataturks villa. The Kackar Daglari mountain range is great
for organised treks where you can conquer the 13,000ft Mount
Kackar. |
