Recently updated on January 15th, 2020 at 08:21 pm
Arriving in Istanbul for our Best of Turkey trip, my wife Marilyn and I settled into the hotel before meeting with our group that evening. The welcome briefing was so comprehensive and our Trafalgar Travel Director, Ozan, was eager and proud to share his great knowledge of his home country with us.
First on our itinerary was Gallipoli, site of the WWI battle where so many Australian and New Zealand soldiers fell. We visited Lone Pine Cemetery, the New Zealand Cemetery, the statue of the Gallipoli hero and then walked along the beach at Anzac Cove.
The next day, a short drive took us to Troy, focus of the legendary war in the Greek epic, ‘Iliad’. We saw the ruins of the ancient city, the highlight being a replica of the Trojan Wooden Horse. Moving on to the ancient Greek city of Pergamon, we visited the Sanctuary of Asclepius, with its healing springs and treatment centre.
In the morning, we were off to Ephesus, stopping on the way to visit the house of the Virgin Mary, where she spent her last years after the death of Jesus. The ancient Greek city of Ephesus (which became a major Roman city) was for many years the second largest city of the Roman Empire, ranking behind Rome. It was famed for the Temple of Artemis – one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Here we visited the Temple of Hadrian, the Great Theatre and the Library of Celsius. A very interesting city!
Another highlight for me was visiting Hierapolis – believed to have been founded by the god Apollo. It is famed for its sacred hot springs and snow-white terraces of pools and cascading water.
For the next two nights we stayed in Antalya at the hotel Divan Antalya Talya, which sits on a cliff overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. We visited a leather factory where coats from sheepskin are made so soft and light, they call it ‘silk leather’; and the Antalya museum with its extensive collection of Greek, Roman and Turkish artefacts. We explored the old town walking through narrow lanes of market stalls down to the picturesque harbour and then back up through laneways of restored Ottoman houses.
We passed through the Roman town of Aspendos, which boasts the best-preserved Roman theatre in Turkey. Still used today, the theatre really allows you to imagine what it was like to attend a performance in Roman times – complete with marble seats!
We then travelled over a very high mountain range to a small Turkish village and experienced authentic Turkish food on a Be My Guest lunch hosted by locals at a 100 year-old traditional Ottoman house.
Next stop Konya, home of the Whirling Dervishes!
Nev from Brisbane, Australia
