Destination: Turkey

LONELY PLANET'S OFFICIAL ITINERARY INFORMATION

Itinerary: Golden Horn to the Sacred Way

Tick off Istanbul’s A-list sights, the Gallipoli battlefields, and the ruins of Troy and Ephesus in one action-packed week, a journey of 1450km.



Hold tight for a week-long whiz through the triumphs, glories and tragedies of empires. Begin in Istanbul, once the glittering heart of the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires. Start with the Topkapi Palace, one-time home of Ottoman sultans, obelisk-hop the ancient Hippodrome, and steam away any first-day aches with a massage at Çemberlitas Hamami. Late evening, do as the locals do and head to Istiklal Caddesi, heart of modern Turkey, and a hellova great place for people-watching.

The buzzing meyhanes (taverns) behind Çiçek Pasaji are a must. If you needed an excuse to dip into a glass or three of Istanbullus beloved raki (aniseed-flavoured grape brandy), you’ll find plenty of peer pressure here. On day two start with the Blue Mosque , then the magnificent Aya Sofya . Afterwards head underground at the atmospheric Basilica Cistern and take a charged credit card and plenty of stamina to the labyrinthine Grand Bazaar. Weather permitting, on day three you could take it down a notch on a cruise along the Bosphorus, peering over to the Black Sea after you’ve hiked off your delish’ fish lunch at Anadolu Kav.

Come day four you’ll need to rise early and head down to Çanakkale, so you can be touring the Gallipoli battlefields by early afternoon. The devastation witnessed by this lonely peninsula during WWI needs no introduction. Next morning head to famous Troy, worth a visit even without Brad Pitt. You’ll need another early start to bus down to Selçuk, the best base for visiting the ruins of Ephesus, the best preserved classical city in the eastern Mediterranean, and once the Roman capital of Asia Minor.

Travelling to Turkey?
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