Turkey is without a doubt one of those destinations stuffed with beautiful beaches, and archaeological sites. As the Turkish summer is very hot, autumn and winter months may be the best time to explore the historical sites, as they’re far less busy and temperatures are more comfortable. Check our list of places where to travel in Turkey off season.
Antalya
Antalya, the largest Turkish city on the Mediterranean coast, is one of the world’s leading tourist destinations. Antalya is Turkey’s second most-visited city in 2019. The temperatures in Antalya allow swimming until December (av. 24°C in October and 21°C in November).
Antalya region may be the perfect choice for your vacation if you have a passion for golf. There are different types of courses available in Turkey, all designed by either famous golf designers or design companies.
Cappadocia
Cappadocia is best known for its unique moon-like landscape, underground cities, cave churches, and houses carved in the rocks.
Ancient Greek Cities
Here are some stunning ancient sites in Turkey. Some of them you already know, and some you’ve (probably) never heard of.
Göbekli Tepe
There are substantial grounds to claim the most significant archaeological discovery of the 21st century. It is the first Temple of the World and approximately 8 thousand years older than the pyramids. The archaeological discovery of Göbekli Tepe changed human history.
Göbekli Tepe was inscribed to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2018.
Aphrodisias
The ancient Greek city of Aphrodisias took its much-deserved place on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2017 but continues to remain quite unknown to travelers.
The City of Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, is about two hours east of Ephesus and 2.5 hours west of Pamukkale.
Hierapolis
Once a significant destination for its healing hot springs near Pamukkale travertine pools, it’s still possible to swim in the hot mineral waters.
Hattusha
Located 150km east of Ankara, Hattusha, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, covers an area of 2.1 by 1.3km. Its ruins are all that remains of what once was a large and powerful Hittite Empire, which vanished from history around 1200 BC.
Ephesus
Ephesus is the most important ancient city in Turkey, and one of the best-preserved and restored. It is one of the largest Roman archaeological sites in the Mediterranean.
Ephesus is a center of religious pilgrimage as well. The House of the Virgin Mary, where the mother of Jesus supposedly spent the last years, is located nearby.
