Globetrotter Travel Pack Turkey

TURKEY

TURKEY

Vital tips for visitors

Best places to stay, eat and shop

Star-rated top attractions

Detailed regional profiles

Essential area and transport maps

Best tours and excursions

Practical, informative and user-friendly, the Globetrotter Travel Guide to Turkey

highlights the major places of interest, describing their principal attractions and offering sound suggestions

on where to tour, stay, eat, shop and relax.

THE AUTHOR

John Mandeville has an intimate knowledge of Turkey, having travelled extensively throughout the country

on many occasions. He has worked as a freelance travel writer for over 20 years and has written

numerous magazine and newspaper articles on Turkey.

7TH Ed TRAVEL GUIDE

TRAVEL GUIDE TU

RK

EY Published and distributed byNew Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd London

Distributed in Africa byMap Studio

Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban

Distributed in the USA byThe Globe Pequot Press

Connecticut

I S BN 978-1-78009-438-0

9 7 8 1 7 8 0 0 9 4 3 8 0

Black Sea

Mediterranean Sea

Izmir˙

Istanbul˙Ankara

ROMANIA

BULGARIA

SYRIA

JORDAN

SAUDI ARABIAEGYPTLIBYA

RUSSIAUKRAINE

IRAQ

IRAN

GEORGIA

GREECETURKEY

ISRAEL

ARMENIA

LEBANONCYPRUS

N E WH O L L A N D

1. Introducing Turkey

2. Istanbul

3. Around the Sea of Marmara

4. The Aegean Coast

5. The Mediterranean Coast

6. The Heart of Anatolia

7. The Black Sea Coast

8. Eastern Turkey

CONTENTS

The Land

History in Brief Government and Economy

The People

Sightseeing in the Old CityThe Golden Horn • The Bosphorus

Shopping and NightlifeOutside the City Centre

Edirne • Gallipoli PeninsulaMarmara Islands

Bursa • Iznik

Northern Aegean CoastPergamon • IzmirÇe†me PeninsulaSardis • Ephesus

Southern Aegean CoastAphrodisias • Bodrum • Mu§la

Marmaris • Turquoise CoastAntalya • Around Antalya • Cilicia

Ankara • Hittite SitesCappadocia • Kayseri • Konya

Safranbolu • Sinop Samsun • Amasya • Giresun

Trabzon • Sumela

Kars • Mount Ararat • Lake VanThe South • Hatay

FREE MAP PDF FOR YOUR PHONE

FREE MAP PDF FREE MAP PDF

1. Introducing Turkey 5The Land 6History in Brief 11Government and

Economy 18The People 23

2. Istanbul 31Sightseeing in the

Old City 32The Golden Horn 40The Bosphorus 42Shopping and

Nightlife 43Outside the

City Centre 45

3. Around the Sea of Marmara 49Edirne 50Gallipoli Peninsula 52Marmara Islands 54Bursa 55Iznik 57

4. The Aegean Coast 61Northern Aegean Coast 62Pergamon 64Izmir 67Çe†me Peninsula, Sardis

and Ephesus 69Southern Aegean Coast 71Aphrodisias 73Bodrum 74Mu§la 75

5. The Mediterranean Coast 79Marmaris 80Turquoise Coast 82Antalya 85Around Antalya 86Cilicia 87

6. The Heart of Anatolia 91Ankara 92Hittite Sites 95Cappadocia 96Kayseri 98Konya 98

7. The Black Sea Coast 101Safranbolu 102Sinop 102Samsun 103Amasya 104Giresun 105Trabzon 106Sumela 108

8. Eastern Turkey 111Kars 113Mount Ararat 114Lake Van 115The South 116Hatay 118

Travel Tips 122

Index 127

CONTENTS

TURKEY Title & Contents 2/27/13 9:27 AM Page 3

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Technically, Istanbul lies divided, its European sideseparated from its Asian outskirts by the Bosphorus

channel – vital waterlink between the Black Sea and theoceans of the world. Yet, as soon as you set foot in thecity, there’s no mistaking that you’re in the East. It’s notjust the profusion of magnificent mosques, or the exoticbustle of the bazaars. The music is different, so are thepeople, and though the writing on the shopfronts maybe in the European alphabet, it certainly looks strange.

The Old City of Istanbul (Stamboul), from where thesultans once ruled an empire that stretched from theGates of Vienna to the Indian Ocean, stands on a hill-side overlooking water on three sides. To the north liesthe inlet known as the Golden Horn, to the south theblue waters of the enclosed Sea of Marmara, and to theeast the mighty Bosphorus, which is now spanned bytwo modern suspension bridges, the Bo§azici (Bos-phorus) Bridge and the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge.There are few sights to match a crescent moon risingabove the domes and minarets of Istanbul, its reflectionmelting into the dark waters below. The best place towatch the spectacular Istanbul sunsets is from chicBebek, or else from a café in upbeat Ortaköy.

If you feel the need to take a break from the commo-tion of Istanbul, you can take a ferry to the Princes’Islands (see page 45) or go for a picnic in the BelgradeForest. Best of all, go out to Polonezköy. All these arewithin the Istanbul municipal area but far enough away to be refreshing.

2Istanbul

Black Sea

Mediterranean Sea

TURKEY

BULGARIA

CYPRUS

GREECE

Ankara

Konya

Adana

Izmir˙

Istanbul˙

� Opposite: The domes andminarets of Istanbul capturethe mystery of the East.

★★★ Topkapı Palace: from herethe sultans ruled their empire.Home of the dazzlingSpoonmaker’s diamond.★★★ Aya Sofya: for almost 1000 years the most famouschurch in Christendom, calledthe Eye of the Universe.★★★ The Blue Mosque: one ofthe great mosques of Istanbul.★★★ The Dolmabahçe Palace:the 19th-century sultans’homage to excess.★ The City Walls: wallswhich once guarded theancient Byzantium.

D ON’T MISS

TURK-CH 2-ISTANBUL 30-45 3/1/13 12:33 PM Page 31

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SIG HTSEEING IN THE OL D CITY The streets of Istanbul reflect a rather haphazard blend ofancient and modern. Car horns compete with transistorradios and mobile telephones. Old men, ceaselessly fingering long strings of worry beads, share a hookahpipe at the café, while their sons sit glued to the TVscreens watching football. Strictly dressed fundamentalistyoung women mingle with their ‘jeans generation’ peers.

In high summer the combined heat and clamour ofthe streets can become oppressive. An element ofculture shock is inevitable: but it needn’t prove to beoverwhelming. Take it easy to begin with. Visit the sitesearly in the morning, or late in the afternoon, and stop offat the cafés for a refreshing bulb glass of tea.

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1. Ahmet III Çesmesi 2. Atatürk Kız Lisesi 3. Atatürk Kültür Merkezi 4. Aya Sofya Camii 5. Beyazıt Camii 6. Botanik Enstitüsü 7. Dolmabahçe Sarayı (Dolmabahçe Palace) 8. Fatih Mehmet Camii 9. Galatasaray Lisesi (School)10. Gotlar Sütunu (Goth's Column)11. Hippodrome12. Istanbul Üniversitesi13. Kapalı Çarsı (Grand Bazaar)14. Lâleli Camii15. Mısır Çarsısı (Egyptian Bazaar)16. Mosaic Museum17. Saat Kulesi18. Sahaflar Çarsısı19. Sehzade Camii20. St Irene's Church21. Statue of Atatürk22. Süleymaniye Camii23. Sultan Ahmet Camii (Blue Mosque)24. Topkapı Sarayı (Topkapı Palace)25. Türk-Islam Eserleri Müzesi (Museum of Turkish Islamic Art)26. Galata Tower27. Archaeological Museum28. Museum of the Ancient Orient and Museum of Turkish Porcelain29. Mozaik Restaurant30. Balicki Restaurant

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The Topkapı is open 09:00–17:00 (to 19:00 in summer),closed Tue; www.topkapisarayi.gov.tr There are sepa-rate tickets and an additionalfee for the Harem, which canonly be visited on a guidedtour. Queues build up fast, so get a timed ticket from theticket office near the Harementrance and visit the rest ofthe palace while waiting.

V ISITING TOP K AP ı


SIGHTSEEING IN THE OLD CITY

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Istanbul offers a host of sights, great and small, mostly in the Old City. The following attractions are listed so that you can visit them in an easy successionfrom east to west across the Old City.

Topkapı P alace ★★★

The grounds of the Topkapı Palace occupy the elevatedeastern end of the Old City, the Seraglio Point. It’s a superb site, dominating the entrance to the GoldenHorn, with wonderful views across the Bosphorustowards the Asian shore.

This is the palace from which the Ottoman Empire wasruled for over 400 years, frequently by its eunuchs, haremladies and the fearsome Janissary Corps. Surprisingly, it isnot an overwhelmingly grand palace, such as Versaillesor Buckingham. In fact it’s an unexpectedly homelyplace, with shady interleading courtyards, and all its com-ponents in suitable proportion. It’s easy to imagine howpleasant it could have been to live here.

The Topkapı Palace was built inthe mid-15th century, just a fewyears after the Turks had conqueredthe city and made it the capital oftheir new empire. Over the centuriesmany elaborate additions were com-missioned, resulting in the pleasantlyunsymmetrical complex of buildingsand courtyards which remains today.

You enter the main section of thepalace through Ortakapı (the MiddleGate), which leads into the largeSecond Court. The buildings locatedin the top left-hand corner of thiscourtyard are the celebrated harem,where visitors are required to bookfor guided tours. The building is nowdevoid of its former inhabitants, butthe walls still exude the intrigue andoppression which was part of thisunusual modus vivendi.

� Below: Baghdad Kö†kü inthe Topkapı Palace, long-timehome to the sultans.

Sultan Ibrahim the Madbelieved in living up to hisname. When he suspectedone of his wives of beingunfaithful to him, he flew intosuch a jealous rage that heordered his entire harem to besewn into sacks and drownedin the Bosphorus. After havingbeen thrown overboard, onlyone of his wives managed toclaw her way free, was rescued by a passing Frenchship, and managed to makeher escape to France.

THE ONE W HO G OT AW AY


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Contrary to popular belief, the Harem was not justwhere the sultan kept his wives and concubines, it was also the headquarters from which he ruled hisentire empire. This meant that there had to be sufficientaccommodation for the various ministers, visiting generals, advisers and the like. Understandably, thesequarters were strictly segregated from the Harem proper,and anyone who took the wrong turning in the maze ofhalls and wings would not only encounter a fierceeunuch, but was liable to become one himself.

There are many other sights at Topkapı which shouldnot be missed. These include the fabulous decor of the

Throne Room, in the ThirdCourt. This courtyard alsocontains Ahmet III’s superbLibrary, as well as theTreasury, which occupiesthe upper righthand cornerand contains many price-less relics, including thehuge Topkapı Diamond(sometimes known as the‘Spoonmaker’s diamond’).

The Treasury also housesthe enchanting Mehmet IIPavilion, whose cool, pil-lared terrace has one of themost romantic views of theBosphorus. Beyond this isthe Fourth and last Court,which looks out over theGolden Horn. This courtcontains the pool whereIbrahim the Mad wouldcavort with his harem, aswell as the charming littlepavilion known as theBaghdad Kö†kü (the latterword is the origin of ourword ‘kiosk’).

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Aya Sofya has been sackedseveral times during its longhistory, but the worst indig-nity was inflicted in 1204,when Crusaders capturedByzantium and ravaged the city. The victoriousCrusaders celebrated by getting drunk and installing a prostitute on the emperor’sthrone in the Aya Sofya.

THE D ESECR ATIONOF AY A SOF Y A



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Aya Sofya ★★★

The name of this mas-sive domed red churchmeans ‘divine wisdom’in Greek. It stands onSultanahmet Square,just across from the BlueMosque, in the heart ofthe Old City.

Aya Sofya was builtaround AD535 by theRoman Emperor Jus-tinian. By this time theEmpire had converted to Christianity and its capital hadmoved here, to the glorious purpose-built city ofConstantinople. The construction of Aya Sofya was sovast and ambitious a project that it is said to have taken10,000 men almost six years to achieve, and all but bank-rupted the Roman Empire. Building material used in itsconstruction was looted from as far afield as Ephesus (inAegean Turkey) and Baalbek (in modern-day Lebanon).

Inside its gloomy darkness, one is immediately over-whelmed by the huge, chilly inner spaces, topped by atruly awesome dome and often slashed by dramatic raysof sunlight. For over a thousand years this was the largestenclosed space in the world. The enormous centraldome spans over 30m (100ft) and receives no supportexcept from the massive buttresses at its rim, an amazingarchitectural feat at the time. In the northern aisle youcan see the famous ‘Weeping Column’. Poke your fingerinto the well-worn hole of this pillar and make a wish.

Although Aya Sofya was sacked several times during its long history, its marvellous treasures looted or destroyed, many of the fine mosaics of saints andemperors have survived to this day. The finest are inthe gallery above.

After the fall of the city to the Turks in 1453, AyaSofya became a mosque, until Atatürk had it classifiedas a museum in 1936. Open Tue–Sun Apr–Oct 09:00–19:00, Nov–Mar 09:00–16:30.

� Above: Four minarets surround the central dome of Istanbul’s Aya Sofya.

c1200BC Mycenaen settlement established.c600BC City is founded byGreek colonists under theirleader Byzas, after whom thecity is named Byzantium.c500BC Byzantium besiegedby invading Persian army.c300BC City taken by Philipof Macedon (father ofAlexander the Great).c100 Byzantium sacked byEmperor Septimus Severus.c300 Emperor Constantinemoves capital of RomanEmpire to Byzantium andrenames it Constantinople.1204 Constantinople sacked by Crusaders.1453 Constantinople overrun by Ottoman Turksand renamed Islamboul.1920 Atatürk relocatesTurkey’s capital to Ankara.1930 City’s name officiallychanged to Istanbul.

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The Blue Mosq ue ★★★

Known by the Turks as the SultanAhmet Camii, this is the magnifi-cent mosque across the squarefrom Aya Sofya, which dominatesthe Old City skyline, overlookingthe Sea of Marmara, the GoldenHorn and the Bosphorus. It wasbuilt in the early 17th century.

As you approach from thenortheast you see the complexmultidomed structure rising to the

central dome, overlooked by six slender minarets, eachwith three circular balconies. These few slim towerscaused great consternation when they were built, for itmeant that the Blue Mosque now had as many minaretsas the chief mosque at Mecca. Rather than destroy thepleasing symmetry of the Blue Mosque, the sultan over-came this problem by having a seventh minaret built atIslam’s holiest mosque at Mecca.

Inside, the walls are covered with over 20,000 blueIznik tiles, and the arches are inscribed with decorativeArabic calligraphy. The domes are supported by massive‘Elephant’s Foot’ pillars, and the high enclosed spaceilluminated by stained-glass windows. It is important toremember that, when entering any mosque in Turkey,you must always remove your shoes. Women shouldcover their heads and their arms, and not wear revealingdresses or shorts. The Blue Mosque is open daily from09:00–19:00, except during prayer times (visit early inthe morning).

The Hippodrome ★★

This ancient Roman arena, which once seated up to100,000 spectators, stands in the shadow of the BlueMosque. The track which ran around its edges was over1000m (1100yd) long, and was used for chariot races,which were immensely popular in ancient Byzantium.Important events attracted attendances as large as thoseat major modern football matches.

� Above: The magnificentdomed interior ceiling of the Blue Mosque.� Opposite: The Grand Bazaar consists of several different atmospheric markets or districts.

Nowadays, Iznik (see page57) is just a small lakesidetown southeast of Istanbul.During the 15th century,Mehmet I brought some 500captured potters from Persiato Iznik, who introduced thesecrets of their art intoTurkey. The result was aflourishing trade in exquisitelyhand-decorated tiles, many ofwhich contained a copperblue which had hitherto beenunobtainable outside Persia.At its height, over 300 kilnsproduced ceramics and tileshere, which were transportedthroughout the OttomanEmpire to decorate mosquesand other buildings.

IZ NIK TIL ES



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The Hippodrome was originally laid out in the 3rd cen-tury. Today, little remains of its former glory, except thecolumns in the centre of the track. No one knows the ori-gins of the Column of Constantine VII Porphryogenitus,whose bronze plates were taken to Venice by Crusaders in1204. The Serpent Column was made in the 5th centuryBC from the melted-down shields of the defeated Persianarmy and stood in Delphi. The Egyptian Obelisk was cre-ated in the 15th century BC during the reign of PharaohThutmose III. It was pillaged in the 4th century AD duringthe reign of Emperor Theodosius I and was broken in tran-sit, but the hieroglyphs remain clearly visible.

The Sunken P alace ★★

The magical Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarayı) inSultanahmet Square was the water source for theTopkapı Palace and the Grand Palace of the Byzantines.A vast palacial cavern of Byzantine arches held up byancient columns, it is open 09:00–17:30 daily (longer insummer); www.yerebatan.com

The G rand Baz aar ★★★

Known in Turkish as the Kapalı Çar†ı, it is thelargest covered bazaar in the world. AfterMehmet the Conqueror took Constantinoplefrom the Christian Byzantines in 1453, he setabout transforming the city into the capital of hisnew Islamic empire. To entice traders back intothe deserted city and stimulate its stagnant econ-omy, priority was given to the building of thisbazaar, and it was completed well before theTopkapı Palace and the city’s first new mosque.

Over the centuries the Grand Bazaar suf-fered many catastrophes. It burnt down severaltimes, and was reduced to a huge field of rubbleafter an earthquake. The bazaar may at firstappear to be a maze-like jumble of alleyways,but is in fact laid out on a clear grid pattern.This layout divides the bazaar into separatedistricts, which specialize in different goods.

The crowds at the Hippo-drome chariot races werenotorious for their partisan-ship. Each race featured twocontestants, one wearing ablue, the other a greenemblem. The crowd’s loyaltywas divided between theBLUES and the GREENS, givingfanatical support to their chosen colour. Frequent riots erupted between theopposing factions, whichsometimes brought the entirecity to a standstill. On oneoccasion, fighting was so pro-longed and violent that muchof the city was razed to theground and the main churchwas reduced to a mass ofcharred rubble. This was thesite chosen for Aya Sofya.

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The central Iç Bedesten (the Old Market) specializes inantiques, silverware and copper items. South of here,along Keseciler Caddesi, are the bag shops. To the westof Iç Bedesten is Takkecilar Sokak, where you can findyet more antiques and silverware. The oldest part of theBazaar is Sahaflar Çar†ısı, a corner of which has beendevoted to selling ancient books since Byzantine times.Other streets used to be named after the trade whichwas practised in them: Sword-makers’ Street, Jewellers’Alley and so forth. Nowadays many of these tradeshave moved elsewhere.

The Bazaar can get hot and crowded, and pick-pockets know every trick. But you’re never far from acold-drink stand or fountain. Many of the stallholdersare genuinely friendly and enjoy bargaining with youover a cup of Turkish tea. And for your part, there areall kinds of bargains to be had – from excellent leatheraccessories to carpets and gold and silver jewellery.Open 09:00–19:00, Monday–Saturday.

Sü leymaniye Mosq ue ★★

This mosque is in the northwestern sector of the OldCity, looking down over the Fatih Sultan Mehmet (for-merly Galata) Bridge across the Golden Horn.

Many architectural historians consider this to be the finestmosque to be built by Mimar Sinan, the greatest Turkisharchitect. He designed it in the mid-16th century, at the peakof the Ottoman Empire, for Süleyman the Magnificent. Over5000 excellent workmen were employed in its construction.The superb stained-glass windows were made by Ibrahim the

Drunkard. The external proportions of themosque are equally exquisite. Its dome andminaret stand out above the western skylineof Istanbul at sunset, when seen from thefamous viewing point on the quay beside thenortheastern end of Fatih Sultan MehmetBridge. The interior was restored in the 19thcentury by two Swiss architects, the Fossatibrothers. They saw fit to accentuate its purityof line with various Baroque flourishes, a

In the 15th century, when theplague reached Istanbul, theGrand Bazaar was rapidlyclosed to prevent the spread of this dreaded disease. SultanMehmet II’s guard enforcedthis decree by surrounding thebazaar, scimitars drawn. It wasseveral months before thebazaar was reopened, only toreveal that the entire quartershad been looted of all theirmerchandise. As punishmentfor the inefficient protection,the sultan ordered that hisguard be decimated, and onein every 10 was beheaded.

THE SU L TAN’S W R ATH

With a city this ancient andrich in history and culture,and a book this small, wecannot hope to provide adefinitive guide in one chap-ter, although we’ve done ourbest to cram in the manyhighlights. For more detailedinformation, consult theGlobetrotter Guide toIstanbul or websites such ashttp://english.istanbul.com orwww.theguideistanbul.com

MOR E ISTANBU L



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desecration which has reduced manyarchitectural critics to stunned silence.

The mosque’s graveyard containsSüleyman’s tomb. Beside him is buriedhis much-feared wife Roxelana, whoexercised an ever-increasing influenceover him – finally persuading him tomurder the heir to the throne, so thather own son could succeed instead.Open daily except at prayer times.

At the corner of the nearby streetwhich is named after Mimar Sinan, youcan see the great architect’s burialplace in a tomb which he designed for himself.

The Old City W alls ★

The site was originally chosen by the Greeks around 3000years ago, because of its superbly defensible position. Theearliest city stood on the high promontory now occupiedby the grounds of Topkapı Palace. The only defence theninstalled was a short land wall crossing from the GoldenHorn to the Marmara shore. As the city grew, expandingup the peninsula, the fortifications gradually moved furtherwest. Roman defensive walls ran by the Hippodrome.

The massive walls which still dominate the westernapproaches to the Old City were erected by the EmperorTheodosius II in the 5th century. Even today, with gaps atthe gates widened to allow modern roads to pass through,these walls make a forbidding sight. It was over 500 yearsbefore the walls gave way to an enemy. In the 13th centuryCrusaders sailed up the Golden Horn, ran their ships along-side, and scaled the walls with ladders. Two hundred yearslater, they were more decisively breached by Mehmet II.

You can drive along the full 6km (4-mile) length of thesewalls. Only two towers remain standing of Ayvan Saray, thecastle which guarded the northern end of the wall. The lastByzantine emperor, Constantine XI, rode out from this castlein 1453 to surrender Constantinople to Sultan Mehmet II,who completed the fortress at the other end of the wall a fewyears after the fall of Constantinople. It is called Yedikule

� Above: This section of the Old City wall guarded the European approaches to the city.� Opposite: SüleymaniyeMosque, floodlit at night.

One of the most colourfulevents of the Istanbul year is the Tulip Festival, whichtakes place annually fromlate April until early May inthe northern garden suburbof Emirgan on the westernshore of the Bosphorus,halfway between the twobridges. Sultan Ahmed IIIused to hold tulip festivalsin the Topkapı palace onmoonlit nights, among a pro-fusion of tulip-filled vasesand caged canaries. Tulipsoriginated in Mongolia, andcame to Europe via theOttoman Empire. Here theyacquired the name tulabend,which means ‘turban’. Ourname for the flower is a corruption of this word.

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(Castle of the Seven Towers), venue of thesultans’ torture chamber, part of whichwas known as ‘The Well of Blood’.

Museums ★★★

Among the finest museums in Istanbul areundoubtedly those in the Topkapı Palace.Also not to be missed is the Museum ofTurkish Islamic Art, housed in the 16th-century palace of Ibrahim Pa†a on thenorthwest side of the Hippodrome, whichcontains a superb collection of ancientTurkish carpets and many exhibits illustrat-

ing how ordinary people lived in Turkey from the nomadicMongol era to the present. Near the Blue Mosque is theMuseum of Kilims and Carpets, where you can admire thissupreme Turkish art at its finest. Further along is the MosaicMuseum, which contains the only surviving remnants ofJustinian’s imperial palace, a giant 6th-century mosaic.

The Archaeological Museum ★★★

Just outside Topkapı’s exit, this museum houses over60,000 Graeco-Roman and Middle Eastern antiquities andartefacts – it is a gem not to be missed. The same ticketgets you into the neighbouring Museum of TurkishPorcelain and Museum of the Ancient Orient, a superbcollection including, among other treasures, the city gatesof Babylon. Open Tue–Sun Apr–Oct 09:00–19:00,Nov–Mar 09:00–16:30 (www.istanbularkeoloji.gov.tr/main_page). Nearby, the Panorama 1453 History Museum(Topkapı ° ehir Parkı; open daily 08:30–17:30) offers a360º AV experience of the Ottoman conquest of Istanbul,while the Museum of Islamic Sciences and TechnologyHistory (Gülhane Park; open 09:00–16:30, closed Tue)provides a fascinating insight into the historic role ofIslamic scientists.

THE G OL D EN HOR N From Eminönü, below Topkapı, the Galata Bridge crosses theGolden Horn, linking old (Roman and Byzantine) and new

� Above: The BosphorusBridge is visible from Ortaköy,a trendy waterfront village onthe European side.

For centuries after Theodosiushad ordered the constructionof the massive city defences,the walls of Byzantium (nowIstanbul) were consideredimpregnable. Ironically, thefirst breach in these walls wasnot caused by an invadingarmy. During the freak winterof 753 it became so cold that the Bosphorus froze over. When the ice melted inspring, huge ice floes camecrashing and careering downthe Bosphorus on the releasedtide, some as tall as the city walls themselves. Theysmashed into the man-madedefences, tearing open gapingholes in the process.

A D ANG ER OU S SEASON


THE GOLDEN HORN

41

(14th century onwards) Istanbul. This fabled fjord was once aprincely park and now cleaned up is regaining its playgroundstatus, with museums, parks, restaurants and walks.

K ariye ( Chora) Museum ★★★

Some of the world’s finest Byzantine mosaics are to be foundjust outside the Edirne Gate of the old city in the KariyeCamii, formerly known as the Monastery of St Saviour in Chora. Built in the 12th century by Maria Dukaina, themother-in-law of Emperor Alexi I Comnene, on the site of a5th-century chapel, most of the magnificent mosaics and frescoes date to the early 14th century. Open Thu–Tue09:30–19:00 summer, to 17:00 winter (last admission 30minutes earlier; www.choramuseum.com).

Eyü p Sultan ★★

After Mecca and Medina,Eyüp Mosque, on the west-ern reaches of the GoldenHorn, is considered one ofthe holiest in Islam. It wasbuilt in the 15th century tocommemorate the death ofone of the Prophet Mo-hammed’s standard bearers,and houses his tomb. It is asacred place for Muslimsand respectful dress is oblig-atory. A cable car swingsover the cemetery up thesteep hill to Pierre Loti’sCafé, which was the housewhere he conducted hisclandestine relationship witha Turkish woman, Aziyadé.From this romantic vantagepoint, his motives seem justi-fied. No alcohol is served atthe ko†k (pavillion), as it isnear the Mosque.

Alibey Brj.

MARMARA DENIZI(SEA OF MARMARA)

. .

KARA DENIZ (BLACK SEA).

Topkapı Palace

DolmabahçePalace

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Ferry to Trabzon

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Airport

Kariye Camii Sok(Chora Monastery)

Eyüp SultanCamii

Belgrade Forest

Ferry to Venice, Izmir˙

Ayasofya CamiiSultan Ahmet Camii

SAMAHANH

KüçükçekmeceÜsküdar

Beykoz

Sariyer

Alibeyköy

MahmutbeyBeylerbeyi

Erenköy

Maltepe

Kartal

Bakırköy

EyüpÇengelköy

Kinali Ada

Heybeli Ada

Büyük Ada

Balıçkı Ad.

Sedef Adası

Burgaz AdaSivri Ada

Yassı Ada

Princes' Islands

ÇiftalanKısırkaya Kumköy

Rumelifeneri

Anadolufeneri

Alibahadir

Cemke

KemerburgazPirinççi

Bolluca

Kısırmandıra

Zeytinburnu

Istinye. Polonezköy

Bogazköy˘

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¸Mahmut

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Bosph

orus

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Zekeriyaköy

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The temperature in Istanbulseldom rises much above30°C (86°F), even at theheight of the summer.However, the crowded andnoisy streets make it seemmuch hotter than this.Autumn is milder, but itoften rains. In the winter it’scold, and frequently wet.Spring is by far the best timeto visit Istanbul.

CL IMATE


TURKEY

TURKEY

Vital tips for visitors

Best places to stay, eat and shop

Star-rated top attractions

Detailed regional profiles

Essential area and transport maps

Best tours and excursions

Practical, informative and user-friendly, the Globetrotter Travel Guide to Turkey

highlights the major places of interest, describing their principal attractions and offering sound suggestions

on where to tour, stay, eat, shop and relax.

THE AUTHOR

John Mandeville has an intimate knowledge of Turkey, having travelled extensively throughout the country

on many occasions. He has worked as a freelance travel writer for over 20 years and has written

numerous magazine and newspaper articles on Turkey.

7TH Ed TRAVEL GUIDE

TRAVEL GUIDE TU

RK

EY

Published and distributed byNew Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd London

Distributed in Africa byMap Studio

Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban

Distributed in the USA byThe Globe Pequot Press

Connecticut

I S BN 978-1-78009-438-0

9 7 8 1 7 8 0 0 9 4 3 8 0

Black Sea

Mediterranean Sea

Izmir˙

Istanbul˙Ankara

ROMANIA

BULGARIA

SYRIA

JORDAN

SAUDI ARABIAEGYPTLIBYA

RUSSIAUKRAINE

IRAQ

IRAN

GEORGIA

GREECETURKEY

ISRAEL

ARMENIA

LEBANONCYPRUS

N E WH O L L A N D

1. Introducing Turkey

2. Istanbul

3. Around the Sea of Marmara

4. The Aegean Coast

5. The Mediterranean Coast

6. The Heart of Anatolia

7. The Black Sea Coast

8. Eastern Turkey

CONTENTS

The Land

History in Brief Government and Economy

The People

Sightseeing in the Old CityThe Golden Horn • The Bosphorus

Shopping and NightlifeOutside the City Centre

Edirne • Gallipoli PeninsulaMarmara Islands

Bursa • Iznik

Northern Aegean CoastPergamon • IzmirÇe†me PeninsulaSardis • Ephesus

Southern Aegean CoastAphrodisias • Bodrum • Mu§la

Marmaris • Turquoise CoastAntalya • Around Antalya • Cilicia

Ankara • Hittite SitesCappadocia • Kayseri • Konya

Safranbolu • Sinop Samsun • Amasya • Giresun

Trabzon • Sumela

Kars • Mount Ararat • Lake VanThe South • Hatay

FREE MAP PDF FOR YOUR PHONE

Globetrotter Travel Pack Turkey

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Transcript of Globetrotter Travel Pack Turkey