This page provides a list of the main things to see in Turkey. "++"
identifies the top attractions.
- Edirne: ++Sinan's Selimiye Camii (1574), Kulliye of Bayazid II (portico)
- ++Istanbul: ++Haghia Sophia, ++Sultanahmet square, +Sultanahmet mosque (1616), +basilica cistern (6th AD), Fountain Ahmet III (1729), Topkapi palace (19th AD), +Bosphor, +Galata tower (1348), ++Yeni mosque (17th AD), St Irene (532), Fetiye Camii (1315), Kariye Camii (mosaics)
or New Mosque south of the Galata Bridge,
++Suleyman's mosque (1557) on a hilltop
and its back (view of its back from southwest), Fatih mosque (1470), roman aqueduct (368), +archeological museum (Hittite civilization, Sidon tombs), +Ss Sergius & Bacchus of 530 (interior), St Irene (740)
- Bodrum: +Halikarnassos, castle
- Bozyasi (castle), Korykos (Kizkalesi castle)
- -Ankara
- Anatolia: +Urfa (village+mosque), +Harran (houses)
- 2200 BC royal graves of Alaca Hoyuk (200 kms northeast of Ankara)
- Ruins of 1900 BC city of Nesa/Kanes in Kultepe
- Bogazkale (+Hattusa) & +Yazilikaya (cave tombs), 100 kms
- ++Nemrut/ Nemrud Dagh (near Malatya, giant heads of Antiochus I, 1st c AD)
- Kayseri, 200 kms
- Cappadocia: +Goreme, 50 kms, +Uchisar, Sultanhani, 75 kms, Zelve (fairy chimneys), underground cities of Kaymakli and Derinkuyu, underground church of Cavusin, Urgup (village), Avanos (village)
- ++Konya, 75kms: Mevlana Tekkesi (whirling dervishes), Alaettin mosque, ++Catal Huyuk (neolithic village 60km South-East of Konya, accessible to visitors all year round)
- Adana: Karatepe
- Anamur, 300 kms: +Mamuriye Kalesi (fortress),
- Alanya, 75kms: +Tershane, Red tower
- -Side, Aspendos, -Perge (Alanya-Antalya=100 kms)
- Antalya: Termessos (theater), -Letoon/Xanthos
- +Myra (rock tombs), 100 kms
- Xantos, 50 kms
- Telmessos-Fethiye: +Lycian rock tombs (35 kms southeast of Marmania)
- Denizli, 100 kms: ++Aphrodisias, +Pamukkale (petrified waterfalls, Hierapolis)
- ++Didyma (Yenihisar), 150 kms, Miletus, +Priene
- Kusadasi: ++Ephesos, 50 kms
- Bergama, 100 kms: +Pergamon, Asklepieion
- Canakkale: Truva (Troy)
- Bursa, 300 kms: Yesil Cami, Ulu Cami Kulliye of Bayazid I (1395)
- Istanbul, 150 kms
- Mon Sep 18: Istanbul-Hamburg leaves 3pm
- Trabisond/ Trebisond: Hagia Sophia; +Sumela monastery; Camli Yamac; Ulu Cami
- Sanliurfai: +Nemrut Dagi
- Van (border with Armenia and Iran): +Hosap castle, +Akdamar church
- Kars: +Ani (ancient capital of Armenia)
- Mt Ararat, +Dogubeyazit (palace)
|
Links
Notes
- $1=1,550,000 liras (2001) but better keep your dollars
- Visa on arrival at Istanbul airport ($5 for Italy, $45 for US, etc)
- Hotels in Istanbul: mostly located between Sirkec, Palace & Yerebatan, then
around the Sultanahmet square and near the Arasta bazaar ($5-10)
- Restaurants in Istanbul: some cheap places in a narrow street off Ibn Kemal
and of course near the square.
- Istanbul airport is one of the most modern airports in Europe
- Airport shuttle $2 from many travel agencies
- Bus from the airport to downtown is not much cheaper than a taxi
- From downtown to airport: take metro to Laleli, walk down Mustafa Kemal to
railway overpass, Havas bus stop under the bridge every 20' till 23:00
- Istanbul bus station: take tram to Yusuf Pasa, walk to the metro, take metro
to Otogar
- Boat tour of Phosphorus $2 every morning from pier 3 at 10:35 (2006)
- Istanbul is the ideal city to use as a base for travel to the Balkans and
Middle East: cheap and good tourist infrastructures
|