2-week Turkey itinerary - Ruins, Cappadocia & Istanbul

PM / After lunch head up to the Church of St. John and Ayasaluk Castle. The church itself far outdid our expectations. It’s built on the resting place of St. John who believers say spent his final days in Ephesus where he wrote his gospel and died aged 100 years old. He is buried here according to his last request.

In 350 CE a basilica with a wooden dome was built over the tomb and then in 6th century CE, Justinian and Theodora knocked down the basilica and built a 6-domed church that survived for almost 800 years. It was finally destroyed by a large earthquake around 1360. These are the ruins you see today.

Continue up to the Ayasaluk Castle, originally built by the Byzantines in the 6th century, it was largely reconstructed by the Ottomans. It has good views and an old cistern and mosque to explore. Finally check out the Ephesus museum, a remarkable collection of statues and reliefs found at Ephesus, before grabbing dinner in town.

DAY 2 / MASSIVE TEMPLE OF APOLLO AND VILLAGE LIFE IN KAPIKIRI

AM / Today is a meandering road trip across a number of good ruins before finishing in a rural village set amongst massive boulders, rising mountains and a shimmering blue lake.

First stop is Priene, 55 minutes’ drive from Selçuk. Priene is an ancient Hellenistic hill town with fantastic views overlooking the valley and bits of ancient rubble littering the ground. Check out the theatre, the basilica and the Temple of Athena.

Drive a further 20 minutes to the ancient site of Miletus. It’s a massive sprawling site and you could spend a long time looking around. However, most of the area is an unexciting pile of rubble so we recommend you pick of the well-preserved theatre, the massive Faustina Baths and, in spring, the Iconic Colonnade.

Next, head to the Temple of Apollo (another 25 minutes’ drive) in Didim. It may not look that great at first sight but as you enter the columned temple you are immediately overawed by the sheer size of it. The columns are like giant redwoods, towering into the sky. In ancient times it was second only to the Temple of Artemis, the lone columned building you saw near Ephesus.

We had lunch just outside the temple at Aşık (Hisar Mahallesi, Didim) risking the tourist location for the warm welcome of the owner, and it worked just fine.

PM / Take the 50-minute drive to Kapıkırı through the beautiful Bafa Gölü National Park. Kapikiri – a rural farming village that is slowly absorbing tourism – sits just past a very inviting lake. Park near the lake at Herakleia and take the walk up to Kapıkırı for an insight into people still carving out a subsistence living. Remarkably even the tiniest lanes are shown on Google maps.

There are some odd bits of ruins from the ancient sight of Herakleia which are worth exploring. Walking every lane and collecting the rock tombs on the headland south-east of town takes about 1 hour. After strolling around, have a swim in the lake, then enjoy a beer at one of the small cafes in Herakleia.

Head back to Selçuk for the evening.

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But the travertines, blue water set in smooth white calcite pools, are the iconic image of Pamukkale. It’s excellent for photos even if some of the natural pools have been replaced by artificially created ones. You can walk on the travertines (without shoes) and bathe in them if you wish, so bring your swimmers if that tickles your fancy. We recommend you head to the balcony west of the travertines for sunset. It’s the best place for photos.

The entrance ticket covers both sites, and you could spend 5 to 6 hours exploring everything. You can only enter during opening hours, but you can leave anytime you like. Take food or drink with you because, for the only time on this 2-week Turkey itinerary, prices were pure extortion.

DAY 4 / ACROPOLIS AT PERGAMON

AM / This morning take the 3 hour,  40-minute drive to Pergamon (modern-day Bergama) and grab lunch at Paksoy Pide (Turabey Mahallesi, İstiklal Meydanı, 39 Bergama) in the centre of town for a traditional Turkish bite.

Most tourists who come to Bergama, stay on the coast and make a day trip to Pergamon. But on the coast you’ll be dining on bowls of chips from overpriced tourist venues with laminated menus. Bergama, on the other hand, is a genuine Turkish town full of friendly engaging locals. If you don’t understand the menu, just point at something and you’ll be away.

PM / After lunch head to the Red Hall, a battered building whose bricks were once clad with marble and floors covered with intricate patterns. It was completed in 2nd century CE and was the largest complex of buildings in Pergamon. Even today its scale is impressive. It is believed the complex originally honoured Egyptian deities but in the 5th century the Christians built a church inside the large Red hall and you can still see its ruined walls today.

In the late afternoon, as the temperature eases and the light turns golden, walk to the Teleferik and take the cable car up to Pergamum Acropolis. The hillside is dotted with excellent ruins, but the unmissable highlights are the Trajan Temple with its remaining columns holding up a well-preserved pediment; the grand theatre built into the hillside; and the discarded ruins that lay in the overgrown weeds at the base of the temple of Dionysus. Sadly, the Pergamon Great Altar is just a heap of stones compared to what now stands in the Pergamon Museum in Berlin.

Keep an eye out for tortoises as you stroll around this interesting complex.

DAY 5 / PERGAMUM ASCLEPION AND MUSEUM OR AYVALIK

AM / Start today by making a quick stop at the Ascelpion in Bergama, an ancient medical school that was renowned throughout the world. The site is dwarfed a bit by previous ruins on this 2-week Turkey itinerary, but it offers an education in early physicians and their work. Next head to the Bergama Archaeological Museum, a small but fine collection of sculpture. Grab lunch at the excellent Sarmaşık Lokantası (Barbaros Mahallesi 1, Bergama/İzmir). The offerings are all laid out in front of you so just point at what looks good. At around ₺35 for two it’s both a bargain and a treat. If you are still hungry head a few doors down to find a smiling lady offering tasty homemade baklava.

If however you are feeling a bit ruined out, skip the museum and Asclepion and drive to Ayvalik. Ayvalik is a diving centre with an atmospheric old town a few lanes back from the front. Think crumbling facades, cute bohemian cafes and various flea markets. The best area is along Barbaros Caddesi near the Aivali Food and Art shop. Parking on the front or in a car park just off the front is very straightforward.

PM / This afternoon drive to Izmir, drop off the hire car and fly to Cappadocia. There are two airports in Cappadocia; Nevşehir and Kayser. However, at the time of writing only Kayseri had a direct flight from Izmir for around ₺225 with Pegasus airlines.

At the airport hire a car and drive 1 hour to Göreme to begin your next adventure.

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