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

76.

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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77.

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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78.

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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79.

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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80.

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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81.

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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82.

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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83.

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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84.

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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85.

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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86.

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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87.

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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88.

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

Best beach in Turkey

by canadiantrav

Cirali..one of the best beaches along the Antalya coastline..Cirali is a very small rural village located about 1- 1.5 hours drive from Antalya and boasts a beautiful secluded 4 km beach, the ruins of Olympos, the flames of the Chimeara, as well as a protected area by the WWF for the nesting of the Caretta sea turtles.Protected by the WWF, Cirali is one of the last remaining villages on the med. coast that has not been taken over by mass tourism. Daily trips to surrounding areas like Antalya, Termessos, fish restaurants of Ulupinar, Kekova ( sunken city of Simena ), Kas, Kalkan, Arykanda etc. Also daily boat trips are nice to the surrounding islands. Cirali only has a few quiet bars playing turkish folk music and restaurants on the beach and in the village center. No discos, or big hotels just nice liitle family run hotels and pansiyons. I think it is best described in an article from...

The Agora in Side

by Paul2001

One of the more interesting aspects about Side is that there are so many ancient Roman and Byzantine ruins scattered about the town. Many are of only minor interest and some are theoretically off limits. To the west of the Roman theatre is the agora. I cut across these ruins after visiting the nearby (and highly recommended) museum. There are ancient walls here dating from Hellenistic times and a colonnaded street. Further along, on your way from the town to the west beach, there is also an fascinating Byzantine basilica. Interesting enough none of these sites have an admission charge and you can wander around most of them at will.

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eskisehir.

by cachaseiro

eskisehir is a nice town with a very good vibe due to the two big universities the town has.it gives the place a very young feel to it and it's worth stopping there if travelling between istanbul and ankara.it's not the kinda place with huge tourist sights, but a good place to meet young well educated turks in the many cafes eskisehir has.

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destroyed Wolfram mine in Ulu Dag mountains

by vojto.b

This is not nice place... still it is strangely interesting ... if you read, saw, played ... books, movies or games with post-apocalyptic atmosphere you will find it there.I am not sure why the mine was abandoned and the complex destroyed, probably an earthqake.I have been there twice already, and both times I had strange feeling. Like walking in RPG game Fallout ... with the fact that it is in quite remote mountains, and only some dogs walk the area at night when chilly winds cries in the ruins.If you are not scared of dark ... you can even find a hole and enter the mine ... but you really need some guts to do it. Btw if you are interested in geology ... you will spend there quite a lot of time examining rocks that you find around the mine :)

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roman bridge in middle of nowhere :)

by vojto.b

get to western turkey, region of canakkale ... pass town Ezine and get to village Tuzla and try to walk west, on the left side of river Tuzla cayi :) ... if you are lucky you find it ... remains of roman bridge, they are still on the same place as Romans built it ... its funny that the river changed mind and moved maybe half a kilometre from there :) only shepherds use the bridge as a shelter from the burning sun ...take a lot of drinking water :) and carry on to the beach, great spot to camp (only if you have water on you) :)

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Find byzanthian bath in Gulpinar, Canakkale :)

by vojto.b

Get to western Turkey, find village Gulpinar ... pass the "Apolon ruins" and find a small "building" looks like a pile of rocks ... enter and have a bath in a place made more than 1500 years ago ... refreshnig :) locals can maybe navigate you there ... not a luxury thing, not for normal turists, but if you hitchhike or hike the country you will feel like in heaven as soon you get in the cold refreshing water of that bath ...

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Central Anatolia's pretty little towns

by Tijavi

While planning my itinerary, I had one guiding principle - to see more of "real" Turkey and less of usual tourist enclaves on the Mediterranean Sea, while also sampling some classical ruins scattered throughout the country. With this, my trip in May-June 2006 followed a clockwise pattern: Istanbul-Amasra-Safranbolu-Amasya-Sivas (w/ side trip to Divrigi) -Bursa (w/ side trip to Iznik)-Istanbul. Did I find what I was looking for? Absolutely. With fondness, I've billed Amasra, Safranbolu, Amasya and Divrigi pretty little towns that capture the "real" Turkey. Highlights of my visit to these pretty little towns:1) Amasra - the stunning Black Sea location tucked behind scenic mountains lends Amasra exclusivity that comes only with hard-to-reach places. This is not to say it has escaped backpackers' gaze. It's on the tourist map, but still, Amasra's historic kale, friendly people, fresh...

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The Ince Minare Museum in Konya

by Paul2001

Konya is rich with wonderful old Seljuk monuments. Amongst the best is the Ince Minare Museum. This was originally a medressa that had been built in 1264. The building now houses a Museum of Wood and Carving. This aspect of the monument was not exactly thrilling but some might find it interesting just the same. It depends upon your fascination with Islamic art. Noteworthy is the fact that unlike other Moslem cultures, the Seljuks were not against the idea of art featuring the images of people and animals. The minerat here is rather truncated due to the fact that it had been hit by lighting. What is left is still rather pretty with fine tiling. I can imagine that in it's day that it was a very impressive piece of architecture. I understand it is now being restored to it's former splendor.The Ince Minare Museum is located just west of Alaettin Camii on Alaettin Bul. It cost just 70 cents...

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The Mythical Trojan Horse

by deecat

Photographs:1. Trojan Horse2. Dee at bottom of horse to show the size of this gigantic horse.3. Dee looking out window at the top of horse.In Greek and Roman Mythology, we read that The Greeks Left a huge wooden horse (that was hollow and which concealed Grecian warriors) outside the walls of Troy. Thinking the horse was a sign from the Goddess Athena, the Trojans dragged the horse through their otherwise impregnable walls. At night, those hidden in the horse emerged and opened the gates to their waiting comrades. They seized and sacked the city of Troy. Knowing the popularity of this myth, the people in charge of Troy had a HUGE model of this mythical Trojan Horse built and have it on the grouds of the Troy ruins.As the photograph reveals, this wooden horse is mammoth, and stairs have been built to climb to the top to have a picture taken. As "silly" as it was, Jayne and I climbed up...

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Kalkan

by sandysmith

The setting of Kalakn is wonderful. A maze of narrow, winding streets – lined with old Turkish houses, craft shops, pretty boutiques, tavernas and the odd night spot - rise from the harbour and climb to the top of the village from where there are stunning views of the bay and the surrounding mountains. The crescent-shaped bay is backed by olive and pine-clad hills whilst Kalkan’s little port is alive with vessels of every shape and size – from sleek motor yachts to humble taxi-boats. These little boats ply to and from the excellent, sandy Kaputas Beach, just 10 minutes away, although the shingle village beach, just a 10 minute stroll from the hotel, is absolutely perfect for sunbathing and swimming. For a larger sandier beach then Patara is just 20mins away by dolmus.

Unique Places in Turkey

Top 3 Hotels in Turkey

Esans Hotel  Istanbul

 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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Welcome Barut Hotels Lara Spa  Antalya

 5 Reviews and 511 Opinions  This was our first time in Turkey and first time in an all-inclusive hotel. i have to say - we all... 

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El Vino Hotel  Bodrum

 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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Popular Regions in Turkey

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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Questions and Answers

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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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