Things to Do in Turkey

For many Australians and New Zealanders visitors, Gallipoli is the focus of their trip to Turkey.

During World War I, the tiny cove on the Dardanelles was the site of a long and entrenched skirmish between Turkish and Allied troops. Horrendous casualties resulted on both sides, and for the Allies the operation was a failure.

These days Gallipoli is synonymous with the incompetence of Britain’s leaders and the sacrifice of the empire’s Commonwealth soldiers. The leader of the Turkish troops was none other than Ataturk, who went on to lead Turkey into the modern era.

The Gallipoli Peninsula is now a national park, with moving memorials to those who died here almost a century ago. Antipodean visitors come here in their thousands to commemorate ANZAC Day on 25 April.

One of Cappadocia’s most famous sites is the Göreme Open Air Museum, a ring shaped collection of churches cut into the soft volcanic cliffs.
 
In the 4th century the area became known as the Land of the Three Saints after the theologians St. Basil the Great, his brother St. Gregory of Nyssa, and St. Gregory of Nazianzus. In the Middle Ages the importance of this area again soared and many monasteries, churches and chapels were dug out of the rock. The best of these still have vivid Byzantine frescoes of religious scenes.
 
Churches include Basil Kilise (St Basil’s Church), Elmali Kilise (Apple Church), and the richly decorated Tokali Kilise (Buckle Church), which is the oldest and lies just outside the gates of the museum. The best-preserved frescoes are in the Karanlık Kilise (Dark Church) which has been restored after being used as a pigeon house until the 1950s. The Göreme Open Air Museum is just a 15-minute walk (1 mile/1.5km) from Göreme or a short drive from Ürgüp.

Sitting atop the ancient city of Telmessos, the most important city of Lycia, whose history dates back to the 5th century BC, modern Fethiye is one of Turkey's most popular tourist destinations, drawing visitors from around the world.

Despite its enormous popularity, however, Fethiye has managed to maintain much of its village charm. Particularly popular with British travelers, Fethiye (along with Ölüdeniz) was chosen as the best tourism center in the world by The Times and The Guardian newspapers in 2007. It’s easy to see why: the marina is excellent, living is inexpensive and there is a bustling nightlife scene during the summer.  Scuba diving, paragliding off mountain peaks and hiking ancient trails are just a few of the activities possible in and around Fethiye.

In Fethiye’s town center you’ll find an antique theater that dates to Roman times, as well as a two-story sarcophagus. A ruined Crusader tower, constructed by the Knights of St. John, stands on a hillside east of the city, while on the cliffs above town there are a number of rock-cut tombs, some dating as far back as the 4th century BC.

Beyond the attraction of the town itself, Fethiye has a number of great options for day trips to the surrounding region. Not only does Fethiye mark the beginning of the Lycian Way, a gorgeous 500-km hiking trail that runs along the Mediterranean coast all the way to Antalya, but it is also the starting point for popular cruises during the summer. These consist of three to six days of utter relaxation and sparkling blue waters aboard a Turkish gület, which will take passengers from Fethiye to Olympos and back, or around to a number of the area’s nearby islands. There's also a day-long 12-island yacht cruise of the bay, with stops at such sites as Gemiler Island, which is full of Byzantine ruins.

Also nearby is Ölüdeniz, also known as the "Blue Lagoon," one of the nicest beaches in Turkey and a center for extreme sports such as paragliding. Butterfly Valley and Kabak are also relatively close; both are isolated canyons bordering the sea to the south of Fethiye, and both feature waterfalls and secluded beachfront campsites.

Located in the city of Bursa, the Green Mosque is part of a larger complex that also includes a madrassah, tomb, kitchen and bath. Commissioned by Sultan Mehmed I Celebi, it was built between 1419 and 1421 in an architectural style that would later become known as “Bursa Style.”  Based on a reverse T-plan, the mosque was made of sandstone and covered with marble panels. Two minarets that could only be accessed through the sultan’s apartments were added later.

The Green Mosque likely got its name from the blue green tiles that once adorned the exteriors of its domes. Similar tiles still embellish the interior walls and ceiling. The imposing entrance features two marble sofas on either side and a variety of inscriptions and arabesques, including a long Arabic inscription in bronze above the door. Underneath the central dome sits white marble fountain with an octagonal pool.

An earthquake damaged the mosque in 1855, after which it underwent extensive renovations. Although many of the original decorations of the mosque’s vaults and walls were not restored, the mosque remains a remarkable site to behold and is a must-see in Bursa.

The medieval Galata Tower adds a fairytale element to the hilly Beyoğlu district, on the north side of the Golden Horn.

Capped with a conical tiled steeple and gold finial, the 67 meter (220 foot) stone tower was built by the Genoese in 1348.

Visit the outdoor observation area at the top for a stunning panorama across to Sultanahmet, have dinner or a snack at the tower-top restaurant, or watch a Turkish belly-dancing show at the nightclub.

The Grand Bazaar, or Kapali Carsi, is the mother of all markets, a treasure trove of gifts, souvenirs, essentials and fripperies. Heading into the cavernous bazaar from the daylight, it takes a minute for your eyes to adjust to this Arabian Nights visual feast of glimmering Turkish lights, brightly colored rugs and flickering candles.

Crammed into more than 60 domed alleys or streets, around 5,000 stallholders hold court in the labyrinthine covered market, parts of which date back to Byzantine days.

Calligraphy, carpets, beaded bracelets, gold and silver jewelry, curly-toed slippers, multicolored lanterns, flower-bedecked ceramics and belly-dancing outfits are just the tip of the iceberg in this shoppers’ cornucopia.

The Green Tomb is a mausoleum of Sultan Mehmed I Celebi that forms part of the Green Mosque complex in Bursa, Turkey.  Perched high on a hill in the Yesil neighborhood, the tomb stands above the rest of the complex. Built shortly after the death of the sultan in 1421, the exterior of the tomb features blue green tiles similar to those you will see at the Green Mosque. However, most were replaced after an earthquake significantly damaged the tomb in 1855.

The interior of the Green Tomb is richly decorated, beginning with carved wooden doors and colorful Iznik tiles that adorn the entry portal.  Inside, blue green tiles cover the lower portion of the walls and floral themes are evident throughout the tomb. One niche features a mosaic depicting a garden of carnations, roses and hyacinths while the tiles on the royal catafalque form additional flower designs.

It’s one of the strangest landscapes you’ll ever see: the cliffs and valleys and fairy chimneys of Göreme National Park in Cappadocia. Wind and water erosion scoured out this land of soft volcanic ash (tufa) leaving this extraordinary place of valleys and pillars, some of which rise to 130 feet (40m).
 
The earliest settlers were Christian exiles in Roman times and they carved churches into the rock, along with houses and tombs. In the Middle Ages Göreme became an important religious center with monasteries, churches and chapels; many of which have impressive Byzantine religious wall paintings. Some of the most important are Basil Kilise (St Basil’s Church), Elmali Kilise (Apple Church), and the richly decorated Tokali Kilise (Buckle Church), which is the oldest. The best-preserved and recently restored frescoes can be found in the Karanlık Kilise (Dark Church).
 
The town of Göreme itself is the center of this UNESCO World Heritage site and only a 15 minute walk from the Göreme Open Air Museum (1 mile/1.5 km), which is open every day but it’s wise to go early during summer months, before the heat hits. Some people in Göreme still live in cave houses and many have been turned into hotels.