Many of Turkey's visitors come here for a relaxing, sunny break against the backdrop of the Mediterranean, the Aegean or the Black Sea. Turkey is a great sun, sea and sand package holiday destination but it's a whole lot more besides. Turkey oozes with this region's most dramatic history and is richly decorated with the treasures of Rome, the Byzantines, the Ottomans and a dozen other colonisers and visitors. Some of the ancient world's greatest sites and cities are now some of the best places to stay in Turkey. Whether you are looking for a cheap and cheerful guesthouse or an upscale luxury hotel, our recommendations are full of gems which are bound to delight!
Turkey's landscapes are also a reason to visit. The alpine crags of the north east border near Georgia and Armenia, the lush valleys of the Bosphorous, Turkey's drier south which was once Mesopotamia, and of course the magically bright turquoise coastlines with their peninsulas and rocky promontories covered in olive groves and pine outcrops. These are all spectacular settings in which to walk, ride or sail.
Where to stay?
Istanbul is an obvious place to start. Ancient and rich with cultural and historic treasures, this is the only city in the world which straddles two continents. It is truly one of the world's greatest cities. It's not just all old treasures though, as well as the bazaars and the Bosphorus, you can also cruise the most modern of bars and clubs.
Cappadocia is another well known Turkish highlight, the wondrously lunar looking landscape with the villages of caves carved into the basalt. The rich volcanic soil was much competed over and the Christian inhabitants burrowed around 30 cities protectively underground, cutting into the rock and hollowing out their houses and around a thousand churches. This created a landscape of ‘fairly chimney’ pillars of eroded stone and cliffs crenelated like honeycomb. Ürgüp is one of Cappadocia's largest towns and its upmarket hotels and fine restaurants have given it the reputation for being one of the best places to stay in Turkey. It is also a good spot to explore this whole region from as you're right near Ortahisar where there's a castle, a monastery and a folk museum. Or there’s Göreme, so beautiful that it really does defy description. It's not entirely unspoilt, as a destination this beautiful is bound to attract visitors, but it somehow manages to retain the feeling of being a traditional village.
Then there’s the spectacular Turkish Aegean Coastline. Gathered prettily around its harbour, Bodrum is just one popular beach town. Here the preferred method of travel is by sailboat or yacht and the most popular meals are made with the freshest bounty of the sea - served in the city’s nicest restaurants which line the coast. Bodrum gets more than a million visitors a year but retains a bougainvillea-shaded charm.
Fethiye is another beach favourite. On a broad bay dotted with pretty islands, Fethiye has one of the most beautiful natural harbours on the Turkish Mediterranean coast. It's also within a short drive of two of Turkey's most beautiful beaches - Çal Beach and Ölüdeniz.
For many people, Ephesus near Kusadasi, is the main reason to visit Turkey. This isn't just the best preserved classical city in the eastern Mediterranean, it's also a gladiator graveyard and home to some of the ancient world's most beautiful treasures. It is within a local bus journey of gorgeous Patara Beach, Kalkan has some gorgeous beaches of its own, including Kaputas Beach, plus it has more restaurants per square mile than anywhere else in Turkey. The area is well known and loved by divers and water sports enthusiasts. While you're down there you might want to consider strolling part of the Lycian Way, which stretches 500kms from Antalya to Fethiye.
What not to Miss
- Historic Turkey is all around you, but this is especially apparent in Istanbul. The centre is littered with ancient relics. Fom Roman catacombs to Byzantine battlements to Ottoman palaces (many of which have been converted to hotels) and the graceful domes of mosques and Orthodox churches.
- The world famous Blue Mosque is a great starting point for exploring this rich heritage. The Hagia Sophia is an incredible museum that is a must for anyone interested in the city's history. And if you only see one or two of Istanbul’s palaces it should be Topkapi and/or Dolmabahçe.
- The labyrinthine Grand Bazaar encapsulates Istanbul's manic market life. Also look out for the wondrous Spice Bazaar.
- The Basilica of Saint John in Selcuk, close to Epheses, was built in the 4th-century and is the burial place of Saint John the Divine. Designed in the shape of a cross with six domes, it's a wonderful spot that's made all the better by a visit with a tour guide.
- If you're looking for opportunities to explore the interior, Saklikent Gorge is a great hiking spot close to Fethiye which is also the start of the Lycian Way.
- Fethiye is probably the only town in the world where you'll find sarcophagus in the streets that are beautifully lit up at night. These Lycian relics, like the wonderful tombs cut into the cliffs above the town, give Fethiye a totally unique look and feel.
- The Dalayan Delta also has some incredible rock tombs and it’s a day trip out of Dalaman. As is the sunken city of Simena at Kekova.
- Take to the air over Ölüdeniz, and maybe over Cappadocia too? Cappadocia’s landscape is even more breathtaking from the air, when you're looking down on the 'fairy chimneys' - eroding volcanic pillars rising out of the land - and peach coloured gorges. The colours at sunset are really something special.
- Göreme ’s Open Air Museum is also deserving of your attention.
With so many different aspects to this fascinating country there should not be a problem finding accommodation in the best places to stay in Turkey. The problem will be where to start.