Turkey Off The Beaten Path

  Country lane in Bitez
by Ekaterinburg
 
  • Country lane in Bitez
      Country lane in Bitez
    by Ekaterinburg
  • Cypress trees behind and orange grove
      Cypress trees behind and orange grove
    by Ekaterinburg
  • Sun sea and a breeze in Turkey. heaven
      Sun sea and a breeze in Turkey. heaven
    by soundchaseruk
  • Playing Boats
      Playing Boats
    by soundchaseruk
  • Turinc from the Can restuarant
      Turinc from the Can restuarant
    by soundchaseruk
 

Most Viewed Off The Beaten Path in Turkey

26.

Asian side   Istanbul

Asian side, Istanbul

 44 Reviews   Sile is a small resort town near Black sea, about 50 kilometers from Istanbul, going deeper into Asian side of Turkey. It is a small town, about 10 thousand people live here, but as the place is... 

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27.

bosphorus boat trip   Istanbul

bosphorus boat trip, Istanbul

 29 Reviews   Bosporus cruise probably was the most memorable thing to me in Istanbul, I loved to glance at beautiful surroundings with green hills and nice villas, few castles, fishermen on the shore, and also it... 

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28.

hammam   Istanbul

hammam, Istanbul

 8 Reviews  So many of the Hamams in Istanbul are SUPER cheesy (tourist-oriented) and SUPER expensive. If you want to go to an authentic Hamam, which is actually used by a Turkish community in Istanbul, visit... 

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29.

old houses   Istanbul

old houses, Istanbul

 16 Reviews  I noticed there was a category for 'old houses' so I thought I'd make a tip. You will certainly see plenty of them if you wander the streets of Cankurtaran, a few minutes' walk seawards from Ayia... 

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30.

theodosian (city) wall   Istanbul

theodosian (city) wall, Istanbul

 10 Reviews  These, big, ancient Walls I saw several times as I toured around Istanbul. Some are still in ruins, and some have been restored. Evidently, the wall contained 8 main gates. The main public gates led... 

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31.

Ortakoy   Istanbul

Ortakoy, Istanbul

 7 Reviews  Nestled under the shadow of the Bosphorus Bridge is Ortakoy an attractive neighbourhood of narrow cobbled streets lined with cafes and shops which, across the busy road, heads upwards to a more... 

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32.

Rumeli Hisari   Istanbul

Rumeli Hisari, Istanbul

 7 Reviews  Referred to as the Europe Castle to distinguish it from the Asia Castle across the Bosphorus, Rumelihisarı dominates the narrowest point in the Bosphorus Strait. The castle was built in 1452 by... 

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33.

Chora church Museum (Kariye )   Istanbul

Chora church Museum (Kariye ), Istanbul

 9 Reviews  You should be prepared. Before you enter the church, buy a book in your language (10 liras, it's sold by merchants near the entrance) and use it as a guide. Wikipedia or general travel books miss the... 

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34.

Bosphorus zoo   Istanbul

Bosphorus zoo, Istanbul

 5 Reviews  There is sort of a modern zoo 35km away from Istanbul....They call it bird paradise and botanic garden. But it is not easy to get there. First go to bus terminal 'ESENLER' (take a cab) , The bus... 

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35.

the Roman Aqueduct   Istanbul

the Roman Aqueduct, Istanbul

 6 Reviews  The Aqueduct of Valens in just a short walk southeast of the Faith Camii. By no means is it one of the great remaining Roman aqueducts in existance but it is still pretty impressive. It stretches for... 

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36.

smoking nargileh   Istanbul

smoking nargileh, Istanbul

 4 Reviews  There are many places around sultanahmet to enjoy some nargileh. And when in Turkey, do as the Turks right? Try some nargileh, it is quite fun. Ask the waiter to demonstrate some tricks for you,... 

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37.

Galata Tower   Istanbul

Galata Tower, Istanbul

 5 Reviews  Galata Tower , XIV century Genoese tower 67 meters height is a best place to see the sunset in Istanbul. From there you can see most of the areas of this huge city. Europe and Asia, the Golden Horn... 

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38.

Sunken Palace Cistern   Istanbul

Sunken Palace Cistern, Istanbul

 3 Reviews  En las guias aparecen muchos sitios para visitar en Estambul, pero uno que no hay que perderse, aparte de los importantes, es la Cisterna de la Basílica de Yerebatan. La combinacion del sonido del... 

 See All 549 Off The Beaten Path in Istanbul

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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

APERLAE

by mtncorg

Lying one kilometer west of the western end of the Kekova Gulf are the ruins of Aperlae. To reach them you can hire a boat from Kaþ or Üçðaýz. From Üçðaýz, you get off at a little restaurant and then walk west following the white-red paint marks of the Lycian Way. If your boat comes from Kaþ then it can take you right to Aperlae. Alternatively, Aperlae is but another stop on the Lycian Way with a place to stay provided by the people who run the Purple House.Aperlae dates to at least 5th century BC. While never a large town, it was included with three other nearby towns in the Lycian League – Simena, Apollonia and Isinda. The ruins are scattered about on the north slope along a long, narrow bay. You can make out the old city walls, a small acropolis area, a church, a wharf with associated buildings – many whose foundations are now covered by water, and numerous sarcophagi - some with...

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SURA

by mtncorg

A couple more kilometers west of Andriake along D400 – the coastal highway – are the ruins of Sura. The village was not an independent town but a dependency of Myra. House tombs and sarcophagi ca be found scattered about near the highway. Far below are the remains of a temple devoted to Apollo though inscriptions seem to give equal time to Souzon – Anatolia’s horse-man god – and Zeus Atabyrius – a god of Rhodes. Byzantines built a church over much of the temple site in their time. Sura’s importance was due to the oracle that was in the older temple. As Pliny describes the oracle:“At Myria in Lycia at the fountain of Apollo whom they all call Surius, the fish, summoned three times on the pipe come to give their augury. If they tear the pieces of meat thrown to them, this is good for the client. If they wave it away with their tails, it is bad.” Plutarch, Polycharmus and Artemidous also...

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ANDRIAKE

by mtncorg

Andriake was the port for the ancient city of Myra. It is just off the coastal highway D400 about 5 km west of Demre. Today there is still a port of sorts for glass bottom boats and gulyets which give day tours across to Kekova. Most of the ancient port is now silted up and the ruins sit among salt marshes. Little remains of note can be found except for the large grainarium – grain warehouse – which was built up in the time of the Emperor Hadrian, 129 AD. St Paul changed boats here on his way to Rome in 59 AD.

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LIMYRA

by mtncorg

Founded in the 5th century BC, there was a well-known Spring Oracle here which could foretell the future is a fashion similar to the nearby Fish Oracle in Sura. Bait would be given to trout swimming in a pool. If the bait was taken, all to the good. If not, well ….One ruler of Limyra, Pericles, served as governor for all Lycia during the Persian era. He was the second person in the World to put his face on a coin. Rome eventually came to control Limyra as with the rest of Lycia. It was here in 4 AD that Gaius Caesar – grandchild of Augustus – died from a wound he received during a campaign against the Parthians. Limyra became the seat of a Byzantine bishop in due, but Arab invasions and the silting up of the Limyros River encouraged the town’s abandonment in favor of Finike.The town ruins are scattered about with the old city wall being the most evident structure along the...

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ÜÇÐAIZ

by mtncorg

This little village serves as the transportation hub for the large number of boats of the Kekova Gulf day tripping fleet. To see the town during the day before and after the tourist reach here on their buses is to see two different towns. Most people come to Üçðaýz on those tour buses, a part of a long day trip that might include a visit to the St Nicholas church and the theater/rock tombs in Myra. They come from Kaþ or places further afield like Kemer or Antalya. The village is a fair distance from anywhere else – maybe an hour from Kaþ and more than three from Antalya. It is amazing that it was only in 1972 when the first road from outside reached here. For all the daytime bustle, remember quiet prevails in the off hours with only the muezzin’s calls to prayer breaking the silence.On the east end of town are the remains of the old Lycian village that preceded it, Teimuissa. Most of the...

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ERFELEK

by Pinat

On our northern Turkey road trip couple of years ago we had stopped in Sinop for an overnight. We were looking for a place to park our car when a local approached us to say he'd volunteer to be our guide. We agreed. He took us to several places which I will mention in my Sinop pages. Erfelek is a special one, worth mentioning in my Turkey pages.Erfelek was discovered when the government was looking for a place to build a dam. Actually, Erfelek region was of course known but the waterfalls were very well hidden. It was the waterfalls that was discovered. The 15-meter waterfall going into Karasu River offers a spectacular view. You can swim in the pool of the waterfall if you can handle cold water or you can put your melons in the water to cool them like the locals do:)

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THE TURKISH LAKE DISTRICT

by Pinat

It was back in 2003 when a friend of mine was getting married with a guy from the region, we had the chance to see the lake district. We drove along the eastern shore of Lake Beysehir, which is the largest lake of the region and third biggest in Turkey. Lake Beysehir has become a national park in 1993 to preserve its unique habitat. The area around the city of Beysehir has many buildings and ruins dating from the Seljuks.When you leave the city of Beysehir via Yenisarbademli, you arrive Lake Egirdir and Lake Kovada, which are both tectonic lakes. If you head southwest, you reach Lake Burdur, which hosts the world's largest colony of white-headed ducks every year. If you keen on seeing flamingos, then you should keep driving west to Lake Acigöl.Lake Eber and Lake Aksehir are the last lakes you'd see. They are quite close to each other, both tuck between Mount Emir and the Sultan...

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Agva & Göksu

by Pinat

I put Agva and Goksu under the off the beaten path tips as they are off the beaten for many of the foreign tourists but it is not anymore for the Turks. These pretty places are worh mentioning as they are very close to Istanbul but not known by many foreigners coming and going.Agva is one of the last points northeast of Istanbul, situated on the delta where the two rivers (Göksu and Yesilcay) empty into the sea. It even owes its name to its geographical position. The word "Agva" has its roots in Latin where it means "place between two rivers".To go to Agva, take the TEM (Turkish-European Motorway) on the Asian side of the Bosphorus and turn off at the Sarigazi-Sile exit. You won’t believe you’ve left Istanbul until you reach Sile at 70 km. But everything will change once you pass the sign for Agva which will direct you to the right as you enter Sile. The forest, the countryside and the...

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Sarikiz and 12 Geese

by Pinat

There once was a shepherd called Father Cilbak, who was a widow. Taking his daughter (Sarikiz) with him, he went first to Güre and from there to the village of Kavurmacilar, where he settled down and found work as a shepherd. He stayed at Kavurmacilar during winter, he spent the spring and summer in the mountains. As he did not trust anyone, he went up into the mountains with his beloved daughter. He bought twelve geese for her to play with so she wouldn’t get bored.Mount Ida became the courtyard of Sarikiz and her geese. Meanwhile, when a snake wound itself around the ram’s horns, Father Cilbak realized it was time to come back down from the mountain. But under the sky the geese were restless on the mountain. One day they wandered down to Bayramic Plain where they made the fields their playground. And Father Cilbak warned his daughter: pile up stones one by one and build a great...

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BOZCAADA (TENEDOS)

by Pinat

King Kyknos was one of the many children of Poseidon, the God of Sea and Oceans. He ruled the city of Kolonaj in the Miletos colony, which was established in the Lapseki region. Kyknos had a son called Tenes. After Tenes's mother died, Kyknos got married again. One day the stepmother falsely accused Tenes and found a piper for a wtiness. Kyknos believe in the false accusations and put his son in a small chest and let the chest sail away in the sea.The journey of the chest ended in an island called Leukopryos. Tenes got out of the chest and decided to establish a city on this island. And he named the island Tenedos, meaning "Tenes' Island".After a while Tenes's father learned about the truth, and came to the island hoping that his son would forgive him. Tenes cut the ropes of his father's ship and let it go. And he banned all the pipers from his island because the false witness who...

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 7 Reviews and 181 Opinions  a very new hotel. very near to grande museums and sophia dome. sea is very near to hotel. we enjoy... 

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 2 Reviews and 272 Opinions  This small property is both central (10 min walk to the bazaar and waterfront) and secluded and... 

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Off The Beaten Path: Cities in Turkey
  1. Istanbul Off The Beaten Path
  2. Marmaris Off The Beaten Path
  3. Antalya Off The Beaten Path
  4. Bodrum Off The Beaten Path
  5. Alanya Off The Beaten Path
  6. Kusadasi Off The Beaten Path
  7. Ankara Off The Beaten Path
  8. Icmeler Off The Beaten Path
  9. Izmir Off The Beaten Path
  10. Ephesus Off The Beaten Path
  11. Side Off The Beaten Path
  12. Fethiye Off The Beaten Path
  13. Bursa Off The Beaten Path
  14. Belek Off The Beaten Path
  15. Goreme Off The Beaten Path
  16. Pamukkale Off The Beaten Path
  17. Kalkan Off The Beaten Path
  18. Selcuk Off The Beaten Path
  19. Konya Off The Beaten Path
  20. Hisaronu Off The Beaten Path
  21. Trabzon Off The Beaten Path
  22. Bitez Off The Beaten Path
  23. Kas Off The Beaten Path
  24. Dalyan Off The Beaten Path
  25. Troy Off The Beaten Path
  26. Eskisehir Off The Beaten Path
  27. Ayvalik Off The Beaten Path
  28. Kemer Off The Beaten Path
  29. Altinkum Off The Beaten Path
  30. Bergama Off The Beaten Path
  31. Cesme Off The Beaten Path
  32. Adana Off The Beaten Path
  33. Van Off The Beaten Path
  34. Gokceada Off The Beaten Path
  35. Turunc Off The Beaten Path
  36. Dogubayazit Off The Beaten Path
  37. Edirne Off The Beaten Path
  38. Sivas Off The Beaten Path
  39. Safranbolu Off The Beaten Path
  40. Buyukada Off The Beaten Path
  41. Bogazkale Off The Beaten Path
  42. Diyarbakir Off The Beaten Path
  43. Alacati Off The Beaten Path
  44. Datca Off The Beaten Path
  45. Olympos Off The Beaten Path
  46. Kadikoy Off The Beaten Path
  47. Sile Off The Beaten Path
  48. Canakkale Off The Beaten Path

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Istanbul Ili Off The Beaten Path  Mugla Ili Off The Beaten Path  Antalya Ili Off The Beaten Path  Izmir Ili Off The Beaten Path  Aydin Ili Off The Beaten Path  Nevsehir Ili Off The Beaten Path  Ankara Ili Off The Beaten Path  Canakkale Ili Off The Beaten Path  Bursa Ili Off The Beaten Path  Denizli Ili Off The Beaten Path  Trabzon Ili Off The Beaten Path 

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Q:  Hi, my wife and I organize trips for high school students (groups of approx. 35 ppl) and our next trip is scheduled for June-July... 

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A: Hi, Turkey is stable, with broad-minded politians & people. I had never thought about visiting TR, till I all of a sudden & surprisingly decided! Why? A VERY... 

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