Incredible Turkey … the place at the intersection between East and West influences. Ayasuluk Fortress sits on the hill high above Selçuk. This hilltop site has been settled since the Neolithic period, but the fortress dates from the Byzantine era and the fortifications were extended by the Seljuks. The mighty enclosure wall had 15 rectangular towers. Within the walls are several remnants of houses and a small Seljuk mosque. The views over town and the surrounding countryside are wonderful from the hilltop, making a trip here well worth the uphill walk. Archaeologists are still excavating the site, so it is sometimes closed to visitors.
The ruins of Ephesus are a popular tourist attraction on the west coast. The city of Ephesus was once famed for the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, which was destroyed by a mob led by the archbishop of Constantinople in 401 AD. Some of the structures can still be seen however including the Great Theater and the Library of Celsus. The library was built around 125 AD to store 12,000 scrolls and to serve as a monumental tomb for Celsus, the governor of Asia. The facade was carefully reconstructed in the 1970s to its present splendid state from the original pieces.
Turkey has an abundance of Greco-Roman ruins, but none can be so romantically placed as ancient Pergamum in modern-day Bergama. Once home to one of the ancient world’s most important libraries, Pergamum’s remaining temple remnants now preside dramatically on a hilltop. It’s an incredibly atmospheric place to explore, with an Acropolis area and a theater cut into the hillside with sweeping panoramic views from its top seating tiers. This is a great place to visit if you want to get a real feel for life in the Roman era.
One of Turkey’s most famous tourist attractions, the story of Troy has had everything from Homer’s ancient yarns to the full Hollywood stylings. Yet to truly get a feel for this legendary city you need to explore its walls and take a stroll around its streets, homes and theatres. Did the famed events described by Homer take place here? There’s simply no definitive answer, but as your mind wanders while you stroll through this timeless place you might just find yourself happily believing the legends…
Any tours of Ephesus will take you to this extraordinary archaeological paradise go back to see how the ancient Roman world lived and worked for many years during the Hellenistic Age and The Roman Age. Ephesus is one of many Ancient cities in Turkey that borders the town of Selcuk, south of Izmir and 15 minutes from the coastal town of Kusadasi. Ephesus excursions or any private Ephesus tours will show you one of the seven wonders of the world including the Temple of Artemis which was built in Alexander the Great’s time after the old temple was destroyed by fire by Herostratus and much more. Read more about Ephesus private tours.
Luxurious, plush and beautiful are just some of the adjectives used to describe the Dolmabahce Palace, which has been compared to the Palace of Versailles. Built in the 19th century using 14 tons of gold leaf, Turkey’s most glamorous palace blends traditional Ottoman architecture with the European styles of Neoclassical, Baroque and Rococo. Home to six sultans from 1856 to 1924, it also is home to the world’s largest Bohemian crystal chandelier, a gift from Queen Victoria. The Dolmabahce Palace’s setting is stunning: It was built along the Bosphorus coastline.
