Turkey Guide
The central and southern Aegean
The Turkish central and southern Aegeancoast and its hinterland have seen foreign tourism longer than any other part of the country. The territory between modern İzmir and Marmaris corresponds to the bulk of ancient Ionia, and just about all of old Caria, and contains a concentration of Classical Greek, Hellenistic and Roman antiquities unrivalled in Turkey. Ephesus is usually first on everyone's list of dutiful pilgrimages, but the understated charms of exquisitely positioned sites such as Priene has at least as much appeal, if not more.
The landscape can be compelling, most memorably at the geographical marvel of Pamakkule.
Highlights
1 Altınkum, Çeşme Altınkum's remote, sunbaked coves conceal arguably some of the best beaches on the Aegean coast.
2 Birgi Amble through the evocative streets of a sleepy mountain-village.
3 Selçuk This small town is an increasingly popular base from which to explore the famous surrounding historical sights, including Ephesus.
4 Priene Scramble over the ruins of one of the country's best-preserved Hellenistic towns and gaze out over the Meander basin.
5 Heracleia ad Latmos Former monastic village on Lake Bafa, which has had a compelling hold on the imaginations of modern travellers and the Romantic poets alike.
6 Bodrum Spend a few days sampling the nightlife at Turkey's most fashionable and sophisticated beach-resort.
7 Aphrodisias Ongoing excavations at this beautifully sited Roman city are revealing a site to rival Ephesus in grandeur and importance.
8 Pamukkale Visit the geological oddity that has found its way onto every Turkish tourism poster.