At the attractive entrance to this ancient gymnasium, sculpted columns bear the effigies of divinities, satyrs and the face of a smiling faun. Built by the Romans, its purpose was more than just for sporting activities, as witnessed by the baths that..

This peninsula, covered with scrubland, olive trees and herds of goats, is a pastoral and agricultural landscape that has jealously maintained its typical appearance of bare mountains reflecting the sunlight, and deserted creeks and beaches. Access t..

An elegantly laid-out museum displaying an extraordinary collection, the archaeological museum in Selçuk brings together the most recent finds from Ephesus – its exhibits, which include famous items such as the effigy of the god Priapus, a statue of ..

A sacred way leading towards the Temple of Artemis, Curetes Street illustrates the paradoxes and refinement of life in the Ancient world. A stroll along it will leave you perplexed, admiring and amused all at the same time, as you come across public ..

If you leave Selçuk to the east, towards Aphrodisias and Pamukkale, you’ll have a long trip ahead of you in the company of lorries and buses: here the national road crosses the vast Buyuk Menderes fertile plain. Why not break your journey halfway at ..

Hot water springs saturated with limestone have modelled this strange landscape. Basins and pools overlap and stand one on top of the other like an opencast mine, cascading along the cliff and dotted with strikingly white stalactites like something o..

The road to Priene wends its way between fields of cotton and copses of oleander, with the occasional agricultural hamlet dotted here and there. Delightfully secluded, Priene is tucked away on the eroded flank of Mount Mykale, appearing spectacularly..

At a time when the sea came right up to its ramparts, Miletus (Milet in Turkish), was one of the most powerful cities in Asia Minor. Considered a centre of intellectualism and innovation, it was built according to an octagonal plan, which was later t..

Nowadays, shops and bistros encircle this once secluded temple (c 330 BC), whose oracle attracted crowds keen to receive prophecies. The temple was built by the order of Alexander the Great. The columns that remain give an indication of its huge size..

This region is a delight for nature lovers, from the gentle banks of Lake Bafa to the hills carpeted in olive groves and the area’s lunar landscapes, comprising of a mass of sandstone rocks. Dotted around the heart of the village of Kapiri, the ruins..

In the evening, when it is bathed in gold and silver light, the castle rises likes a mirage over the peninsula. It was built in 1402 by the Knights of St John of Jerusalem, who made use of the ruins from a neighbouring mausoleum, as witnessed by the ..

Located 25km from the coast, this unique natural site is well and truly off the beaten track. The retreat of the Mediterranean has left in its wake sandy lagoons, a delightful lake (popular with fishermen who come here to catch bass and blue crabs), ..

Boats heading to Kaunos continue their journey to the river estuary, a marshy delta enclosed by a huge sand bank. Iztuzu beach is a delight: a white desert-like strip of sand 7km long dotted with the occasional wooden hut built by Turkish summer visi..

Rafting and hiking enthusiasts flock to the Saklikent gorges, an impressive canyon carved out by a tempestuous river, where rope bridges, fords and climbing sites provide plenty of opportunity for some energetic activity, followed by a restorative pa..

Located at the foot of the Baba Dagi mountain, hidden deep in the Gulf of Belcekiz, this lagoon of turquoise water surrounded by pine trees is separated from the sea by a bank of white sand. Olüdeniz Bay (“Dead Sea”) is a protected site of stunning b..

The island of St Nicholas (Gemile) is a small rocky outcrop barely 1km long that juts out of the sea. It is criss-crossed by steep footpaths which wend their way through the mass of boulders, bushes and ruins that cover the surface of the island. Thr..

The huge Lycian city of Pinara was at its most prosperous during the 5C BC. Covered with maquis and criss-crossed by numerous footpaths, the hilly terrain makes a visit here quite a challenge, although the effort is more than compensated by the magni..

The site of Xanthos fully deserves its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with its remarkable Lycian funerary monuments, tombs and sarcophagi, a well-preserved theatre, and a 4m-tall obelisk adorned with archaic inscriptions. In 167 BC, after ma..

The sea has receded here, forming a huge alluvial plain which is often covered by water and which is crossed by the slow-flowing River Esen Cayi. A visit to Letoon, the pilgrimage site dedicated to the goddess Leto, is often accompanied by a chorus o..

Patara’s main attraction for holidaymakers is its beautiful white sandy beach which – unusually for the Mediterranean – has waves. Why not enjoy the sea when the sun is at its hottest and then explore the ruins of this beautiful site once the tempera..