This story was created in partnership with: Fez Travel
Turkey has borne witness to some of history’s greatest moments, and the remains of these events still linger today. The land has been home to Alexander the Great, Constantine the Great, and the once-mighty Ottoman Empire. Landmarks have been warred over, once-significant sites levelled, rebuilt and repurposed, and nowadays a walk through a city like Istanbul feels as if you’re exploring one of the world’s most unique open-air museums.
If old-world style and historical diversity stir something special inside you, then it’s time to embrace your inner archaeologist and join a tour that can deliver you to our favourite ancient cities in Turkey.
Keep reading and discover which cities are worth their weight in history books and we promise your trip will transform from something great to something unforgettable.
Istanbul
Let’s get the most obvious pick out of the way first, but definitely, don’t equate this with me dismissing its importance! I recently visited Istanbul and found myself completely swept up in its warm, yet reserved energy — something I think only happens to a city after centuries of diverse development.
You’ll hear lots of people tell you that the city is an intriguing combination of old and new, and it’s true. Stand on one of the city’s three bridges, which straddle the space between Europe and Asia, and you’ll see staggeringly-tall, glassy skyscrapers on one side, and a modest presentation of mosques and wooden buildings on the other.
The city has stood for more than 2,500 years at the centre of conflict between religions, cultures, natural disasters and imperial world powers. But through it all, Istanbul has come back–albeit as a new iteration–over and over again. Despite what works out to be centuries of building and rebuilding, the city’s main historical landmarks have remained mostly preserved in recent times. In a single (but busy) morning, it’s possible to visit some of the country’s most significant landmarks: Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern and of course, the Grand Bazaar.
For the most part, all of these sites are within walking distance of one another: in fact, Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque are more or less directly across from one another. I found myself most impressed by Hagia Sophia, a magnificent cathedral with architectural features that were unlike anything I had seen in all my travels before.
It was originally built as a Christian basilica for the Greek Orthodox Christian Church almost 1,500 years ago. The building was eventually converted into a mosque by the Ottomans (who added spectacularly sized medallions in its four corners) before being designated as a museum in 1935. Nowadays, some Islamic religious leaders in Turkey would like to see Hagia Sophia reopened as a mosque, which is the cause of much debate in the country. Currently, though, it remains open to tourists!
And as I mentioned before, other ancient sites worth your time in Istanbul include:
- The Blue Mosque rests on the former foundations of the Grand Palace, this iconic structure dominates the city’s skyline. It continues to function as a mosque. Time your visit around its specific visiting hours and be sure to respect the rules during your exploration of the grounds (ladies, don your head scarfs and everyone: remove your shoes before entering).
- The Grand Bazaar — one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world — is teeming with trinkets, snacks and tea stalls. Its winding alleys are the perfect place to get lost in! As many as 400,000 people visit the Grand Bazaar daily. If you’re keen to bargain for your souvenirs, consider visiting as soon as it opens. Vendors consider it a sign of good luck to make a sale a fast as possible upon opening so they may be more keen to haggle with you.
- Basilica Cistern is the largest of several hundred ancient underground reservoirs below the city of Istanbul. This famous cistern boasts both ancient Greek and Byzantine architectural features and is capable of storing up to 100,000 tons of fresh water. Two things about the Basilica Cistern are particularly impressive: the sheer size of the underground reservoir and the symmetry of its columns. Despite the water being temporarily drained during our visit, the place still provided a feeling of instant transportation to the past and was particularly enjoyable thanks to its cooler temperature on that hot summer day.
Ephesus
Legend has it that the Ancient City of Ephesus was founded twice. Once by Ionians (AKA ancient Greeks), but the original founders of this marvel were a tribe of Amazon warriors. The city has been inhabited since the end of the Bronze Age and has changed throughout the years in response to the whims of various rulers and peoples.
At one point in time, Ephesus was one of the wealthiest and most important cities in the Mediterranean, and when you visit, you can more or less imagine its significance. Nowadays a visit to this ancient city will allow you to see the ruins of the Temple of Artemis, a sacred site believed to have been built around 550 BCE in dedication to a local form of the Greek goddess Artemis.
You can also visit the impressive ruins of the Celsus Library, built in honour of the Roman Senator Tiberius Julius Celsus Polemaeanus, or the Basilica of St. John and the Church of Mary. However, perhaps one of the most impressive sights to behold is that of the Cave of the Seven Sleepers.
As the legend says, seven men who were being persecuted for their Christian faith retreated to these caves rather than renounce their religion. They supposedly began to pray, and during their prayers fell into a deep sleep that lasted more than a hundred years. When they awoke, the persecution of Christians in the area had ended, and their long slumber was declared a miracle that proved the possibility of resurrection.
Today the site itself is quite impressive and provides an immersive feeling thanks to how well-preserved the shapes are. The large cave, with a ceiling as high as many regular churches, has been lined with brick masonry to form a church. There are arch niches on the sides and a rounded apse in the back. The burial places of the sleepers in the floor are now open, empty holes.
If you are indeed interested in Turkey’s history, Ephesus is more or less one of the most essential cities to visit on your trip.
Hierapolis
People from all over have been flocking to Hierapolis to harness the legendary “healing” waters from its nearby springs since the city was more or less first founded. In fact, at one point in time, the Hierapolis was considered a healing centre by local doctors who used the thermal springs as a treatment for their patients.
Nowadays travellers can explore the ruins of the baths, temples and other Greek monuments for themselves. Perhaps one of the most impressive ruins are the former theatre, so well preserved that it’s still used today! You can also swim in the sacred pools yourself and trust us when we say that swimming in a UNSECO protected site really makes for a memorable experience.
When you consider that there’s also the Temple of Apollo and the Necropolis to visit, it’s surprising that many travellers opt to skip Hierapolis altogether in favour of more famous places. But if you join a tour like this one with Fez Travel, you won’t be required to make any tough decisions because you have the opportunity to see it all!
Konya
Konya is one of Turkey’s oldest inhabited cities and one that has played an important role thanks to its central position along the famous Silk Road trade route. The city was the final home of Rumi, a famous 13th-century Persian poet, faqih, Islamic scholar, theologian, and Sufi mystic whose influence extended far beyond the borders of Konya and even Turkey.
Pay a visit to Mevlana Museum, the tomb of Rumi, which functions partially as a shrine to the poet and a museum about the city as a whole. You’ll have a chance to see artefacts that are more than seven centuries old and gain a detailed understanding of how life used to be in Konya.
Try to see the Whirling Dervishes as performed by the Mevlevi Order — a Sufi order established in 1273 — their mesmerizing live-dance is guaranteed to impress. And before you move on from Konya, be sure to stop by two of the city’s most important religious sites: the Alaeddin and İplikçi Mosques. Not only will you be impressed by their ancient architecture, but you’ll also be exposed to a unique opportunity to experience a moment of local life as devout Muslims gather to practice their faith.
Kaymakli Underground City, Cappadocia
If you’ve only ever seen Turkey in pictures, you’ll likely recognize Cappadocia as the landscape dotted with colourful hot-air balloons. After all, it’s one of the most iconic sites in the entire country! But did you know there’s an entire underground city just waiting to be explored?
These troglodyte cave-cities were excavated as early as Hittite times and expanded over the centuries as various pillaging armies travelled the area in search of treasures worth stealing. There are actually 36 underground cities in Cappadocia but the widest one is Kaymakli Underground City.
Currently, only 4 floors have been made available to the public, but the number of storage rooms in such a small area supports the idea that at least a few thousand people once called this underground city home. There’s even a church inside this vast complex of caves!
Ankara
People commonly mistake Istanbul as the capital of Turkey when it is, in fact, Ankara, the country’s centre for the performing arts, home to both the State Opera and Ballet and the Presidential Symphony Orchestra. It’s unclear exactly when the first iteration of the city was founded, but archaeological evidence tells us that Ankara has served as a home to humans at least since the Stone Age.
While the city is an industrious one that gets distinctly less hype than Istanbul, Ankara remains a worthy stop on your trip thanks to its seamless integration of old and new. Several of Ankara’s museums, which offer a complete panorama of Anatolian history, have been constructed in renovated Ottoman buildings.
The most significant of these is the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, boasting a world-renowned collection of Hittite artefacts, and the Ethnographic Museum dedicated to explaining Turkish history, folklore, and art). The Atatürk Mausoleum contains the Atatürk Museum, which displays many of the former President’s personal belongings and memorabilia.
Are you overwhelmed by the idea of how to safely and easily coordinate a trip that visits all of the cities we’ve mentioned above? You can book the exact tour that delivers you to all these places right now and you’ll enjoy a trip that prioritizes historic explorations and authentic cultural experiences. See the full itinerary now!
