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How to Travel to Turkey - Highlights of a country East meets West
 IstanbulStraddling the Bosphorus, its skyline studded with domes and minarets, Ýstanbul is one of the truly great romantic cities. Its history tracks back from Byzantium to Constantinople to its place at the head of the Ottoman Empire. Today it hums as Turkey's cultural heart and good-time capital.
The heart of historical Ýstanbul is Sultanahmet, the district centred on the Byzantine Hippodrome in the oldest part of the city. The city is best explored on foot, as most sights are within easy walking distance of one another. If the pace does get too much, a çay bahçe (tea garden) is never too far away.
Bodrum
South Aegean's prettiest resort, Bodrum has a yacht harbour and a port for ferries to the Greek island of Kos. Palm-lined streets ring the bays, and white sugar-cube houses and ranks of villas crowd the hillside. Boating, swimming, snorkelling and scuba diving are prime Bodrum activities.
At night Bodrum's famous discos throb, boom and blare, keeping much of the town awake until dawn. Both Turkish and foreign visitors complain about the ear-splitting cacophany, but the local attitude seems to be, 'If you wanted peace and quiet, why did you come to Bodrum?'.
Antalya
Antalya is the chief city on Turkey's central Mediterranean coast. As well as several km of pebble beaches and a historic Roman-Ottoman core, Antalya is a good base from which to explore the quieter beach towns and more spectacular ancient cities of the region.
Side, 75km (47mi) east of Antalya, is the increasingly popular beach town once chosen by Mark Antony and Cleopatra for a romantic tryst. Alanya, 115km (71mi) east of Antalya, is another sea-sun-n-sand joint with a mini-Miami feel. Patara is a party town a few hundred km south-west of Antalya.
Ephesus
Of Turkey's hundreds of ancient cities and classical ruins, Ephesus is the grandest and best preserved. Indeed, it's the spunkiest classical city on the Mediterranean. Ephesus was Ionia, a flourishing cultural centre during the Greek Empire, and a busy provincial capital during Roman times.
Ionia's Temple of Diana was counted among the Seven Wonders of the World, and the city was generally renowned for its wealth and beauty.
Sts Paul and John took up the quill in Ionia and the Virgin Mary is said to have spent her twilight years here. A walking tour of the ruins will take at least half a day, and if you're here in summer, start early, because it gets stinking hot by high noon. Places you'll come across include the Grotto of the Seven Sleepers, in which seven persecuted youths slumbered for two centuries, then woke up and ambled down to town for a meal; the colossal Harbour Gymnasium; the grand marble-paved Arcadian Way; the impressive Temple of Hadrian and a scattering of Roman fountains, pools, brothels, libraries and public toilets.
Ankara
Turkey's capital is a sprawling urban mass in the midst of the Central Anatolian steppe. It's very different from the Ottoman town of Angora which preceded it on this site, a quiet place known for its fluffy jumpers of knitted goat fleece. Several significant attractions make it worth a short visit.
Most visitors head straight for Hisar, the Byzantine citadel atop the hill east of the old city, and the nearby Museum of Anatolian Civilsations. Just south is Atatürk's mausoleum, a monumental building, spare but beautiful, that echoes the architecture of several great Anatolian empires.
The Aegean and Mediterranean Coast
The coastline along the Aegean and the Mediterranean Seas is an alluring destination, renowned for its magnificent scenery with picturesque coves and rocky headlands, turquoise waters, golden beaches, pine forests and olive groves. Endless days of sunshine make it a paradise for boat cruises, sunbathing and swimming and numerous water sports.
The Turkish coast also boasts a rich cultural legacy from Greek, Roman and Ottoman civilisations and is imbued with history and legend, with amphitheatres, chariot-rutted streets and columns from ancient cities like Ephesus, and numerous ruins dotted around the countryside. It was here that St Paul laid the foundations for the beginnings of Christianity, and where the face of legendary beauty, Helen of Troy, 'launched a thousand ships'.
The beautiful scenery, where the Aegean meets the Mediterranean is the beginning of the Turquoise Coast, dominated by the mountains of the Taurus range whose cliffs plunge into the sea of intense blue. Further along the Mediterranean one reaches the Turkish Riviera as it is known, the region of Antalya; and together these make up the tourism capital of Turkey. Simple villages share the water's edge with sophisticated resorts, and fishing vessels and pleasure yachts mingle together in the sheltered harbours. There are a variety of restaurants and bars to round off a day on the water.
Ancient Troy
For about 3,000 years the fascinating story involving the destruction of the prosperous city of Troy in a long war fought over the legendary beauty, Helen, was thought to be fiction. The story, told by Homer in the Iliad, was regarded as just a myth, until the ruins of the city were found in western Turkey at Hisarlik in the mid-19th Century. Today the romantic story draws tourists and archaelogists still to the site, where not a great deal remains to be seen beyond the ancient walls and a replica of the famed Trojan horse which enabled the final conquering of the city. The setting is also spectacular, offering views of the Dardanelles and the hills of Gallipoli. The recent Hollywood epic film, Troy, has revived interest in this piece of ancient history.
Bodrum
The popular resort of Bodrum, called Halicarnassos in ancient times, is the South Aegean’s most attractive resort, described by Homer as ‘The land of eternal blue’. The hillside is covered in painted villas adorned with bougainvillea. Narrow streets wind their way down to the sea, and the peaceful setting of its twin harbours offer shelter for yachts.
Bodrum is a mustering point for local boats offering tailor-made daytrips to nearby islands or the pristine beaches and seaside restaurants along the magnificent coastline. From its position between the two harbours, the 15th-century crusader Castle of St Peter dominates every part of the town, now home to the fascinating Museum of Underwater Archaeology.
The other attraction in town is the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, the crumbling remains of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. As Turkey’s leading seaside resort destination, Bodrum is packed with foreign visitors in summer, yet it remains unspoilt and retains its charming Turkish character, perfecting the balance between exotic bazaars, the wailing cry of the muezzin and ancient history, with water sports, sunbathing and a nightlife that is notorious throughout Turkey.
Pamukkale
Calcium-rich mineral springs surging over the edge of a mountain plateau for thousands of years has resulted in an intriguing natural masterpiece. The rock formations of Pamukkale (‘Cotton Castle’) are a series of natural shelves and ridges, terraces that have been turned white from the solidified chalky calcium deposits left behind as the thermal waters tumble into further basins clinging to the cliff edge below. From a distance it appears to be a dazzling white fairytale castle, with a formation of tiers rising from the ground containing warm water pools. The hot springs have been used since Roman times to cure certain ailments.
On the plateau is the Pamukkale Thermal enclosing the bubbling ‘sacred pool of the ancients’, the main source of the springs creating the white terraces, and its mineral waters are open for public bathing. Pamukkale is also the site of the ancient Roman spa-city of Hierapolis, and there are several ruins scattered about the area, including an impressive Roman theatre. It was considered a sacred site for its magic healing waters and was the weekend destination of kings and emperors of the Pergamum and Roman Empires.
Fethiye
The small port town of Fethiye occupies the site of the ancient city Telmessos, with an impressive ancient theatre and numerous Lycian rock tombs. Situated at the head of a pretty island-strewn bay, Fethiye is a popular destination on the stretch of the Mediterranean known as the Turquoise Coast. The town absorbs the tourist traffic and still retains a sense of its old-fashioned rural character, with herds of goats and sheep blocking the roads on market days and the smell of herbs and spices in the air.
The bazaar is the biggest in the area and is a must for bargain hunters. Fethiye is home to several remarkable ancient sites. The most conspicuous are the rock tombs dating from the 4th century BC carved in the hillside above the town. Beside the harbour is the Roman amphitheatre and the crumbling remains of a medieval castle built by the Knights of St John. There is a good selection of restaurants on the harbour front and in the narrow streets of the old town.
Around Fethiye are numerous unspoiled rocky coves and beaches, crystalline seas, offshore islands, cliffs and pine-covered mountains affording as much relaxation or activity as one chooses. Gulets (sturdy wooden yachts) can be hired in the harbour for day trips around these coastal waters. The beach resort of Oludeniz is just 25 minutes away by dolmus (the local minibuses) and offers numerous activities, including parasailing, pedaloes, banana boating, diving, snorkelling water-skiing; and most famously paragliding.
Dalyan
Dalyan is a pretty fishing village at the foot of the Dalyan River and a popular day-trip from Fethiye. Here tourists can bargain with one of the local fishermen to take them on a tour of the surrounding sights. The first stop is often a mud bath on the banks of the river; the mud contains calcium, magnesium and sulphur and is said to be beneficial for the skin.
Another popular stop is Iztuzu Beach (Turtle Beach). This beach is one of the only beaches in the world where the Marine Turtles come and nest. It is unique in that one side of the beach is on the river and the other side is on the sea, so visitors can decide to swim in either fresh or salt water, or simply opt for a long stroll along the sand stretches.
On the way back to Dalyan the boat may stop at the ancient Greek city of Kaunos, where visitors can walk to the Ancient Theatre, the Roman Bath, the Temple of Apollon, and the Acropolis up the hill. Dalyan is one hour from Fethiye by road; as you enter the town the wonderful Carian Rock Tombs are immediately visible.
Antalya
Antalya is the main city on the Mediterranean coast and one of the most popular vacation spots, with an attractive harbour setting and the picturesque old quarter of Kaleiçi enclosed within ancient Roman walls. Dominating the town is Antalya’s symbol, the Yivli Minaret (Grooved Minaret) dating back to the 3rd century.
The superb Archaeological Museum, housing one of the top collections in the country, is not to be missed. Known as the Turkish Riviera, the Antalya shoreline boasts secluded coves, ancient cities and harbours, seaside towns, sparkling seas and soaring cliffs. The city provides an excellent base for exploring the small towns nearby, as well as caves, waterfalls and Roman ruins, including Perge and the mountain-top remains of Termessos.
A 30-minute drive east of Antalya is Aspendos, boasting the finest example of a Roman theatre in the world. Built in the 2nd century AD, it is remarkably intact. In addition to the vast number of archaeological wonders, the area also has a wealth of outdoor activities. Antalya, lying at the foot of the Taurus Mountain range, is host to numerous sporting events throughout the year, including international beach volleyball, triathlons and canoeing competitions.
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Destination Turkey 
