NINE WONDERS OF TURKEY
Three Weeks to Tick Off Turkey’s A-List
Unesco has applied World Heritage status to nine of Turkey’s sights.
Start by soaking up the treasures of Old İstanbul ( p104 ), then head to Troy
( p203 ) with city layered upon city for the last 5000 years. Pamukkale ( p324 )
boasts the famous dazzling white travertines and the ruins of Hierapolis, a
city once known for the curative powers of its warm calcium-rich waters.
On the southern coast, Xanthos ( p366 ) was once the glittering Lycian capital
city, with Letoön ( p365 ), close by, its religious sanctuary. Inland, hidden in
the fairytale landscape of Cappadocia, Göreme
Open-Air Museum ( p499 ) is a cluster of rock-hewn
Byzantine churches and monasteries. The going
gets more rugged when you head to Nemrut Dağı
( p610 ) and the proud ‘thrones of the gods’, which
have been standing sentinel for over two millen-
nia. From there head northward to the mosque-
medrese complex of Divriği ( p481 ), the least-visited
of Turkey’s World Heritage sites yet one of the
most rewarding for its out-of-the-way location
and the jaw-dropping ornamentation.
The ancient Hittites’ magnificent capital was
Hattuşa ( p464 ) – the gorgeous rural location itself
is as enthralling as the remains of the sprawling
city. Head back towards İstanbul via the pristine
Ottoman townscape of Safranbolu ( p455 ), where
you can soak up the atmosphere overnight in a
meticulously maintained Ottomansion
TURKEY FOR TASTEBUDS
Time Enough to Ease a Belt Hole or Three
Turks are deservedly proud of their scrumptious cuisine, and different parts
of the country are known – and loved – for their specialities.
People may avoid you for days after, but Tokat kebap (see p476 ) – a lamb-
basted eggplant kebap boasting a full fist of garlic – is worth every bite. Greasy,
but worth it is İskender kebap – best sampled in eateries in Bursa ( p299 ). The
squid caught off the north Aegean coast is the finest in the nation; get it cooked
fresh at Sığacık ( p241 ) and you’ll be boasting for years. If you overindulge, hope
that the mesir macunu (power gum; p235 ) sold in nearby Manisa can cure you.
Time your visit for the spring equinox to see the
townsfolk concocting this tooth-binding elixir.
There ain’t nought more experienced at making
lokum (Turkish delight) than the folk at Ali Muhad-
din Hacı Bekir in İstanbul, ancestors of
the shop’s namesake who invented the stuff. Afyon
is famous for its immense crop of poppies
and the rich clotted kaymak cream, reputedly
so good because the cows graze on the poppies.
Gaziantep boasts a trifecta: fıstıks (pistachios), bak-
lava and künefe. Blending the first two together for
an addictive finger-licking treat is İmam Çağdaş
. Kahramanmaraş is the dondurma
(ice cream) capital of Turkey. Served in fist-sized
blocks, it’s best tackled with a knife and fork.
Three Weeks to Tick Off Turkey’s A-List
Unesco has applied World Heritage status to nine of Turkey’s sights.
Start by soaking up the treasures of Old İstanbul ( p104 ), then head to Troy
( p203 ) with city layered upon city for the last 5000 years. Pamukkale ( p324 )
boasts the famous dazzling white travertines and the ruins of Hierapolis, a
city once known for the curative powers of its warm calcium-rich waters.
On the southern coast, Xanthos ( p366 ) was once the glittering Lycian capital
city, with Letoön ( p365 ), close by, its religious sanctuary. Inland, hidden in
the fairytale landscape of Cappadocia, Göreme
Open-Air Museum ( p499 ) is a cluster of rock-hewn
Byzantine churches and monasteries. The going
gets more rugged when you head to Nemrut Dağı
( p610 ) and the proud ‘thrones of the gods’, which
have been standing sentinel for over two millen-
nia. From there head northward to the mosque-
medrese complex of Divriği ( p481 ), the least-visited
of Turkey’s World Heritage sites yet one of the
most rewarding for its out-of-the-way location
and the jaw-dropping ornamentation.
The ancient Hittites’ magnificent capital was
Hattuşa ( p464 ) – the gorgeous rural location itself
is as enthralling as the remains of the sprawling
city. Head back towards İstanbul via the pristine
Ottoman townscape of Safranbolu ( p455 ), where
you can soak up the atmosphere overnight in a
meticulously maintained Ottomansion
TURKEY FOR TASTEBUDS
Time Enough to Ease a Belt Hole or Three
Turks are deservedly proud of their scrumptious cuisine, and different parts
of the country are known – and loved – for their specialities.
People may avoid you for days after, but Tokat kebap (see p476 ) – a lamb-
basted eggplant kebap boasting a full fist of garlic – is worth every bite. Greasy,
but worth it is İskender kebap – best sampled in eateries in Bursa ( p299 ). The
squid caught off the north Aegean coast is the finest in the nation; get it cooked
fresh at Sığacık ( p241 ) and you’ll be boasting for years. If you overindulge, hope
that the mesir macunu (power gum; p235 ) sold in nearby Manisa can cure you.
Time your visit for the spring equinox to see the
townsfolk concocting this tooth-binding elixir.
There ain’t nought more experienced at making
lokum (Turkish delight) than the folk at Ali Muhad-
din Hacı Bekir in İstanbul, ancestors of
the shop’s namesake who invented the stuff. Afyon
is famous for its immense crop of poppies
and the rich clotted kaymak cream, reputedly
so good because the cows graze on the poppies.
Gaziantep boasts a trifecta: fıstıks (pistachios), bak-
lava and künefe. Blending the first two together for
an addictive finger-licking treat is İmam Çağdaş
. Kahramanmaraş is the dondurma
(ice cream) capital of Turkey. Served in fist-sized
blocks, it’s best tackled with a knife and fork.
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