Lonely Planet Turkey (Travel Guide)

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While some of the best trails have been mapped by the Culture Routes Society, a non-profit organization raising awareness of culture-focused hiking in Turkey, paths aren’t always well-marked, and it can be difficult to get information about hiking routes in English. To reach smaller towns and villages, you’ll probably have to transfer to a dolmuş or minibus at the nearest otogar (bus station). A dolmuş is most often a minibus, though sometimes a van or sedan, that sets off only once it is full of passengers ( dolmuş means “filled” in Turkish), which can mean long wait times in little-traveled areas. Dolmuşes run on a set route, but passengers have to tell the driver where they want to get off. The vehicles usually have a sign in the window indicating their destination, and in busy cities you might see a tout calling out the routes of the next departing dolmuş. In many places, dolmuş routes are being converted to minibus ones, with scheduled departures and set stops. This hilly walk around the largest of the Princes’ Islands off the coast of Istanbul takes you past stately mansions and a historic monastery complex, through fragrant pine woods and up to viewpoints with sweeping panoramas of the sprawling cityscape.

For a more active way to explore the Turquoise Coast, consider taking on part of the Lycian Way, a long-distance trekking path stretching 540 km (335 mi) from Fethiye to Antalya. Best traversed in spring or fall, the sometimes challenging trail winds along spectacular coastal cliffs, through bucolic villages and beach towns, past ancient ruins and up into the mountains. Lonely Planet’s Turkeyis our most comprehensive guide that extensively covers all the country has to offer, with recommendations for both popular and lesser-known experiences. See the minarets of Istanbul’s Old City, hot-air balloon over Cappadocia, gaze at the magnificent Aya Sofya; all with your trusted travel companion. Covering more than 100,000 acres, this national park in the eastern province of Tunceli is the largest in Turkey – and the most biodiverse. Home to mountain goats, wild boar, foxes, lynx, badgers and even wolves and bears, it also boasts some 1500 plant species. Hiking and rafting are among the options for exploring its mountains, valleys, rivers, springs and mixed forests. The weather can be harsh outside summer months. Altınbeşik Mağarası Milli Parkı Key events: Istanbul Design Biennial (every other year), Republic Day, Cappadocia Ultra-Trail, Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival NovemberAssuming the peak is open, climbing Mt. Ararat requires a guide, who will sort out the permit process and set out a schedule that allows time to acclimate to the altitude en route to the 5137m (16,854ft) summit. During the ascent, there are epic views across a vast landscape stretching into Turkey, Armenia and Iran. Yazıköy–Kanyonüstü–Kent Forest, Yenice Forests

Turkey’s first and best-known long-distance hiking route is a classic. It traverses a vast swath of the Mediterranean shoreline between Fethiye and Antalya, taking in dramatic coastal vistas, secluded beaches and dozens of atmospheric ruins, including the ancient cities of Xanthos, Olympos and Phaselis. While it’s worthwhile splurging on a sunrise hot-air balloon, there’s a chance the weather will prevent the ride. We went on a magical and somewhat challenging guided bike tour from Ürgüp, weaving between the otherworldly fairy chimneys that give Cappadocia its reputation as a place of beauty and Unesco-protected heritage. Things to do in your free time With generally good highways and varied landscapes ranging from sea shores to summits, Turkey is prime road-trip territory. Larger cities have metro and tram systems, while even the smallest villages are generally served by at least one daily dolmuş (shared taxi) or minibus. Domestic flights are operated by national carrier Turkish Airlines, along with its subsidiaries AnadoluJet and Sun Express, and by low-cost carrier Pegasus Airlines. Yedigöller translates to ‘Seven Lakes’ in English, and that’s exactly what you’ll find in this national park in the northern province of Bolu. The namesake lakes were formed by avalanches and today are ringed by mixed forests that burst into brilliant displays of color each fall. The Kapankaya Manzara Seyir Yeri, a scenic overlook, is one of the most popular places in the park to visit.Tulips bloom in parks across Istanbul, as do wildflowers in many parts of the country, making April a wonderful (if occasionally rainy) time of year for hiking on southern routes like the Lycian Way and Carian Trail. Çanakkale draws visitors en masse for Anzac Day, the annual commemoration of Allied soldiers (mostly from Australia and New Zealand) killed on the WWI battlefields of Gallipoli.

Tiny colored cubes of glass, ceramic or stone were used during the Roman era to make amazingly detailed tableaux depicting mythological tales, heroic battles, lavish banquets and other scenes. Splendidly preserved examples of these mosaics, which often decorated the floors of grand palaces and villas, can today be found in numerous museums in Turkey, most notably the Gaziantep Zeugma Mosaic Museum, the Hatay Archaeology Museum and the Haleplibahçe Mosaic Museum in Şanlıurfa. Linger over a leisurely Turkish breakfast Close to the Antalya airport and city center, this nine-mile-long sand beach is lined with all-inclusive resorts that cater to families with kids’ clubs and other activities and entertainment for all ages. The water here is warm, shallow and calm. You can take a banana boat ride or visit Sandland, an open-air display of sand sculptures. Ovabükü Beach Best beach for peace and quietIn the summer and fall, the water levels are high enough to float into Altınbeşik Cave on rubber rafts to explore the cavern’s gigantic underground lake, gliding past stalactites, stalagmites and travertines. The surrounding landscape in the Manavgat Valley of Antalya is a dramatic mix of karst and pine forests. Yedigöller Milli Parkı With its scenic coastlines, rugged mountains, peaceful villages and dramatic natural features, Turkey is a hiker’s dream – if you’re prepared for a bit of an adventure. That evening, we walked uphill through the small village of Şirince, and dined on traditional Turkish ravioli (but smaller) topped with yoghurt sauce in Pervin Teyze. Things to do in your free time Spring and fall are pleasant times of year to be almost anywhere in the country, with temperatures often warm enough for outdoor dining and drinking but not oppressively hot. Istanbul and other big cities usually have a lively calendar of arts and cultural events. In the fall months, it’s still warm enough to swim, especially along the Mediterranean coast, and blissfully relaxed after school holidays end and most tourists return home. Low Season: November to March Best for skiing and for bargains elsewhere Key events: Istanbul Biennial (alternating years), Aspendos Opera and Ballet Festival, Bosphorus Cup Istanbul Regatta October

With beaches heaving with people during the high summer holidays, a blue cruise on a gulet (traditional wooden yacht) around the Aegean or Mediterranean coast is an ideal escape. In Istanbul, catch a breeze on a ferry ride or Bosphorus tour. It’s also prime time to hike the Kaçkar Mountains, which are snowed in for much of the rest of the year. NEW pull-out, passport-size 'Just Landed' card*with wi-fi, ATM and transport info - all you need for a smooth journey from airport to hotel Turkey is not a particularly bike-friendly place, with limited infrastructure and little driver awareness of sharing the road, but bike touring in the Turkish countryside is rewarding for experienced and well-prepared cyclists. Several marked trekking routes, including the Evliya Çelebi Way in western Turkey and the Hittite Trail east of Ankara, are also accessible by cyclists as well as long-distance walkers. Accessible transportation in TurkeyKey events: Istanbul Tulip Festival, Anzac Day, Istanbul Film Festival, Alaçatı Herb Festival, Urla Artichoke Festival May