İstanbul

Gallipoli& the North Aegean

Ephesus, Bodrum& the South Aegean

Antalya & theMediterraneanCoast

Cappadocia & Central Anatolia

EasternAnatolia

p51

p105

p143 p185

p233 p285

I SBN 978 -1 -74220 -282 -2

9 781742 202822

99525

1ST EDITION Published Jun 2013 USA $25.99 UK £15.99

Choose Lonely Planet because…Our job is to make amazing travel experiences happen. We visit the places we write about each and every edition. We never take freebies for positive coverage, so you can always rely on us to tell it like it is.

Experience the best of TurkeyNow it’s even easier to plan the perfect trip

Must-see sights and all the best experiences

HIGHLIGHTSGreat trip ideas to make your planning easy

ITINERARIESGet advice from people who know the place

LOCAL EXPERTS

Discover this and more inside…

PULL-OUT MAP

TurkeyDiscover

Experience the best of Turkey

PULL-OUTMAP

DiscoverTurkey

Time travel in ancient Ephesus

Find your favourite Aegean beach

Explore the ruined churches of Ani

Soar in a balloon above Cappadocia

Gaze in awe at Aya Sofya’s dome

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Discover

1 Sights

5 Eating

6 Drinking

4 Sleeping

8 Information

ContentsI

The Best…Lists for everything from bars to wildlife – to make sure you don’t miss out

Throughout this book, we use these icons to highlight special recommendations:

These icons help you quickly identify reviews in the text and on the map:

Don’t MissA must-see – don’t go home until you’ve been there

If you like…Lesser-known alternatives to world-famous attractions

Local experts reveal their top picks and secret highlights

DetourSpecial places a little off the beaten track

Turkey

This edition written and researched by

James BainbridgeBrett Atkinson, Chris Deliso, Steve Fallon, Will Gourlay,

Jessica Lee, Virginia Maxwell, Tom Spurling

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İstanbul

Gallipoli& the North Aegean

Ephesus, Bodrum& the South Aegean

Antalya & theMediterraneanCoast

Cappadocia & Central Anatolia

EasternAnatolia

p51

p105

p143 p185

p233 p285

İstanbulHighlights............................54

Aya Sofya

Topkapı Palace

Grand Bazaar

Ferry Cruises

Beyoğlu Nightlife

Basilica Cistern

Blue Mosque

Gallipoli & the North AegeanHighlights..........................108

Gallipoli Peninsula

Bergama (Pergamum)

Ayvalık Old Town

Historic Kırkpınar Oil Wrestling Festival

İzmir

Bozcaada

Behramkale & Assos

Ephesus, Bodrum & the South AegeanHighlights.......................... 146

Ephesus

Bodrum

Datça & Bozburun Peninsulas

Miletus

Priene

Bodrum Peninsula

Didyma

Cappadocia & Central AnatoliaHighlights......................... 236

Cappadocia

Safranbolu

Pamukkale

Sagalassos

Eğirdir

Amasya

Afrodisias

Eastern AnatoliaHighlights......................... 288

Ani

Kaçkar Mountains

Nemrut Dağı (Mt Nemrut)

Mardin

Sumela Monastery

Lake Van

Şanlıurfa (Urfa)

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Contents

Antalya & the Mediterranean CoastHighlights.........................188

Kaleiçi

Patara

Kekova

Antakya (Hatay) Cuisine

Kızkalesi

Blue Voyages

Ölüdeniz

This Is Turkey .................6

Turkey Map......................8

Turkey’s Top 25Experiences ..................10

Turkey’s Top Itineraries ......................32

Turkey Month by Month ............................ 42

What’s New .................. 46

Get Inspired ..................47

Need to Know .............. 48

İstanbul 51Highlights ..................... 54

Best… ............................ 60

Walking Tour ................ 62

Gallipoli & the North Aegean 105Highlights ....................108

Best… ........................... 114

Itineraries .................... 116Gallipoli (Gelibolu)Peninsula ..................... 118Çanakkale ...................122Edirne ........................... 123Troy (Truva) ................126Bozcaada ..................... 127Behramkale & Assos ........................... 127Ayvalık .........................128Bergama(Pergamum)................ 131İzmir .............................135Acropolis .....................138

On the RoadPlan Your Trip

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Contents

Eastern Anatolia 285Highlights ................... 288

Best… ..........................294

Itineraries ................... 296

Black Sea Coast ........ 298Trabzon....................... 298Sumela Monastery .....301

NortheasternAnatolia ...................... 302Kaçkar Mountains ..... 302Kars............................. 306Fırtına Valley .............. 307Ani ............................... 308

SoutheasternAnatolia ......................309Şanlıurfa (Urfa) ......... 309Göbekli Tepe ............... 313Doğubayazıt ................ 314Nemrut Dağı National Park ..............315Mardin ......................... 316Lake Van ......................319Van .............................. 320

Antalya ........................212Alanya .......................... 217Anemurium ................. 221Anamur ....................... 222Narlıkuyu and Cavesof Heaven & Hell ........ 223Kızkalesi ..................... 224Antakya (Hatay) ........ 227

Cappadocia & Central Anatolia 233Highlights ................... 236

Best… .......................... 242

Itineraries ...................244

Cappadocia ................ 246Göreme ....................... 248Ihlara Valley(Ihlara Vadisi) ............. 255Kaymaklı ..................... 256Derinkuyu ................... 256Soğanlı .........................257

Central &Western Anatolia ...... 258Bursa .......................... 258Pamukkale ................. 263Afrodisias ................... 266Eğirdir ......................... 267Sagalassos ................. 269Ankara ........................ 270Boğazkale, Hattuşa& Yazılıkaya .................276Safranbolu ..................277Amasya ....................... 280

Ephesus, Bodrum & the South Aegean 143Highlights ....................146

Best… ...........................152

Itineraries ....................154Ephesus (Efes) ...........156Selçuk ...........................161Kuşadası ......................166Bodrum ........................171Priene, Miletus & Didyma ........................ 174Dilek Peninsula ........... 176Bodrum Peninsula ..... 177Şirince .......................... 179Datça & Bozburun Peninsulas ...................180

Antalya & the Mediterranean Coast 185Highlights ....................188

Best… ...........................194

Itineraries ....................196Fethiye .........................198Ölüdeniz ..................... 203Patara ......................... 204Kayaköy ...................... 205Kaş .............................. 205Xanthos ...................... 208Kekova .........................210Olympos & Çıralı ........ 211

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Directory ....................360Accommodation ........ 360Activities .....................361Business Hours ......... 362Customs Regulations ................ 362Discount Cards .......... 363Electricity ................... 363Gay & Lesbian Travellers .................... 363Health ......................... 363Insurance ................... 366Internet Access ......... 366Legal Matters............. 366Money ......................... 366Public Holidays .......... 368Safe Travel ................. 368Telephone .................. 369Time ............................ 370Toilets ......................... 370Tourist Information ... 370Travellers with Disabilities.................. 370Visas ............................ 371Women Travellers ...... 371

Transport .....................372Getting There & Away ............................372Getting Around .......... 373

Language ....................380

Behind the Scenes.....381

Index ............................ 382

How to Use this book ............................390

Our Writers ................. 392

Turkey Today ............. 326

History ....................... 328

Family Travel ............. 338

Architecture ..............340

Turkish Table ............. 342

Arts ............................ 348

People ........................ 352

Environment ............. 355

Survival GuideIn Focus

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This is Turkey

Turkey off ers more

than the keenest Grand Bazaar

shopkeeper

Turkey’s dramatic landscape is a fitting canvas for the country’s long history. It sweeps from Europe to Asia, from sun-baked Aegean beaches to expansive steppe, and from Mediterranean bays to snowy mountains.

A succession of empires, armies, pilgrims and traders have passed through Anatolia (Asian Turkey). Otto-man sultans, Byzantine emperors, whirling dervishes and Christian saints have all left clues, monuments, ciphers and ruins that add lyricism and romance to Turkey’s scenery. Lycian tombs poke above the waterline in Mediterranean coves, fresco-filled cave churches survey Cappadocia’s surreal fairy chimneys, and the marble streets of Ephesus (Efes) glint in the Aegean sun.

Contemporary Turkey’s rich culture combines these diverse historical influences. Here you can start the day in the bazaar, lunch on a kebap or köfte (meatballs) and spend the after-noon touring ruins, before hearing the sunset call to prayer and hitting a seafood restaurant or meyhane (Turkish tavern). Reflecting Turkish society’s mix of Islamic, secular, traditional and modern elements, the country’s cities range from breathtaking, continent-straddling İstanbul to south-eastern outposts where minarets shimmer in the heat haze.

There are countless ways to enjoy Turkey’s charms. It’s an extraordinary cauldron of Eastern mystique, Mediterranean joie de vivre, urban so-phistication and slow-paced rural life. Soak in the hamam, have a meze-and-rakı (aniseed brandy) session, seek out wind-whipped ruins or tour İstanbul’s palaces: Turkey offers more than the keenest Grand Bazaar shopkeeper.

For physical activities, southwest Turkey reigns supreme. It is lined with beaches and dive spots, white-water rapids roar out of mountain ranges and walking trails lead to villages and ruins. You can kayak over the submerged remains of a city or paraglide from a 2000m-high peak; either way, don’t miss the Turk-ish ritual of sipping a tulip-shaped glass of sweet black çay.

Hot-air ballooning in Göreme (p251), CappadociaPHOTOGRAPHER: CHRIS CHEADLE/GETTY IMAGES ©

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