TURKEY HISTORIC SITES DESTINATIONS
Set at the crossroads between Europe and Asia, it’s no wonder that Turkey is a glorious melting pot of east and west. History books are filled with
stories of the greats who once passed through these lands, from Julius Caesar to Helen of Troy, and the ebb and flow of eras and empires have left an indelible mark on this historic land, its people and its culture. There’s no getting away
from the fact that bookings are down this year, but there are good reasons to keep up confidence in Turkey. It offers a beach break like no other, with a wealth of ancient monuments – from crumbling Lycian ruins to Ottoman mosques and Roman amphitheatres – adding a cultural dimension to a coastal escape. Whether clients plan on going it alone or taking an escorted tour, visiting Turkey’s many relics is the perfect way to soak up more than just sun.
1
BLUE MOSQUE History is alive in Turkey’s vibrant capital, where frescoed Byzantine
mosques and jewel-filled Ottoman palaces punctuate the skyline, alongside colourful bazaars selling heaps of dried apricots and pistachios. Clients can start their cultural immersion at Istanbul’s most iconic attraction, the Blue Mosque, a majestic mass of domes and minarets which was built in the 17th century during the rule of Ahmed I, and whose
beauty was intended to rival the Hagia Sofia, the mosque that stands on the other side of Sultanahmet Park. The latter is a beautiful symbol of the country’s complex past: first a Byzantine Christian church, then a mosque, now a museum, the building is one of the best-preserved ancient sites in the world.
2 GALLIPOLI
Clients with an interest in more-recent history will find plenty of
fodder in Gallipoli, a peninsula in northwest Turkey. Relatives of Anzac soldiers and Turks come to commemorate those who lost their lives here on the battlefields during the 1915 landings. Anzac Day, on April 25, is the busiest time, when thousands of visitors from Australia and New Zealand arrive to remember the Allied defeat by visiting the war cemeteries, so be sure to tell clients to book ahead if they are planning a trip during this time. Leger Holidays offers a seven-
day Gallipoli Battlefields tour, from £995, while plenty of operators include a Gallipoli pit-stop as part of a wider tour, including Insight Vacations’ 11-day Wonders of Turkey trip, from £1,325.
3
ASPENDOS Thirty miles east of Antalya lies Aspendos, an ancient Greco-Roman
city popular with tourists for its magnificent theatre, considered to be the best-preserved Roman theatre in the world. It was built
in AD155 by the Greek architect Zenon to celebrate the grandeur of Marcus Aurelius’s rule, and went through a host of uses in later years, even being converted into an inn in the 13th century. Today, the amphitheatre, which seats 15,000 people, plays host to various summer events, including the Aspendos International Opera and Ballet Festival (June 1 to September 15). Nearby relics include the crumbling remains of a basilica, an agora and a Roman aqueduct. Trafalgar’s 14-day Best of Turkey tour includes a trip to the Aspendos theatre, from £1,325.
4
PAMUKKALE Bathing in the mineral- rich waters of chalky travertine terraces might
not be anything new for some clients – they are sprinkled across the globe from China to the US – but it’s the location of Pamukkale, below the Roman Byzantine spa city of Hierapolis, that makes it Turkey’s most-visited attraction. Pamukkale, meaning ‘cotton
fortress’ in Turkish, has been a spa destination since the Romans built the spa city of Hierapolis around a sacred hot spring, and the Antique Pool, which the Romans once swam in, remains there to this day for visitors to soak themselves in. Nearby is the little-visited
archaeological site of Aphrodisias, named after the Greek goddess of love, and whose remoteness benefits from a lack of tourist throngs.
5
PERA PALACE HOTEL Step through the doors of the Jumeirah Pera Palace Hotel and you’re
walking in the footsteps of the glamorous guests who stayed here, turning this late-Victorian grand dame into an icon of Istanbul’s artsy heritage. Sumptuous suites are
dedicated to two of its most famous guests: mystery writer Agatha Christie, who is said to have written Murder on the Orient Express here, and Ernest Hemingway, who glugged whiskies in its Orient Bar. Room 101, aka the Ataturk Museum Room, is a homage to Kemal Ataturk, founder of modern-day Turkey, who first stayed here in 1917. The recently renovated hotel is a blend of neoclassical, art nouveau and oriental styles, and exudes a timeless glamour. Clients will enjoy afternoon tea within the marble columns of the Kubbeli Saloon, accompanied by music played on the grand piano. Rates for a Deluxe Pera Side King Room start at £124 a night.
6
TOPKAPI PALACE Once home to silk-robed sultans, this ornate imperial court in Istanbul
was the focus of social and political life for the Ottoman Empire between the 15th and 19th centuries, containing mosques, a hospital, bakery and even a mint. Now a Unesco World Heritage Site, Topkapi Palace gives a fascinating insight into
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