It was a dizzying climb up the massive rock in the middle of the city of Afyon to Afyon Castle (Afyon Kalesi). It wasn’t easy, especially in the freezing cold.
The tiny village of Çavdarhisar, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, holds one of the most unvisited and underappreciated ruins in Turkey – the ancient city of Aizanoi (Αίζανοί). It was originally settled by the Phrygians and later conquered by the Greeks and Romans. You may not have heard of it, but it contains some structures that were unique in the ancient world.
One of the most unexplored and underrated places to visit in Turkey is the Phrygian Valley (Frig Vadisi). The region is named for the Phrygians, an ancient people who were later assimilated into the culture of invaders and other rulers of Anatolia. You may have heard of King Midas or the Gordian Knot. Both are parts of Phrygian history.
Saint Catherine’s Monastery (Μονὴ τῆς Ἁγίας Αἰκατερίνης) is the oldest continuously inhabited Christian monastery in the world. It’s located at the foot of Mount Sinai in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt.
The Bucoleon Palace (Βουκολέων) was one of the Byzantine palaces of Constantinople. The ruins are located in a small park on the Marmara Sea in the Küçük Ayasofya neighborhood. It’s just a short walk east of the Little Hagia Sophia Mosque.
If you want peace and quiet, authentic Turkish hospitality, and gorgeous scenery, make your way Gölyazı. This tiny little town is situated a short ride west of Bursa on a small island in a large lake, Lake Uluabat (Uluabat Gölü).
The Great Palace Mosaics Museum (Büyük Saray Mozaikleri Müzesi) in Istanbul displays mosaics unearthed at the site of the Great Palace of Constantinople. The museum is included in the UNESCO World Heritage listing for the Historic Areas of Istanbul.
The tiny fishing village of Gümüşlük has retained its charm by limiting development. My Turkish friends told me to visit in the afternoon to eat very reasonably priced fish at one of the restaurants up against the harbor. I took my family there when they came to visit one day during their cruise ship stop in Bodrum.
The Asclepeion of Kos, the most important archaeological site on the island, was one of many healing sanctuaries in ancient Greece dedicated to the god Asclepius. The priests at these temples usually prescribed a trip to the baths or a gymnasium for a cure, and sometimes used substances like opium to induce trances in the patients. Non-venomous snakes were also often used in the healing process along with dogs.
The ancient Agora is the largest archaeological site in Kos Town. Construction on the site dates back to the 4th century BC and contains the foundations of many homes and temples. It’s one of the largest agoras excavated in Greece to date.