Turkey : The Complete Guide with Ottoman Sites, Ancient Ruins and the Best Beach Resorts

This excerpt, from the Pleasures and Pastimes section, gives you a taste of what Turkey has to offer and the sights and scenes that make it a great place to visit.


Architecture and Ruins

With more than 2,000 archaeological sites and historical monuments spanning more than 10,000 years, Turkey is a repository of much history, from the Stone Age settlements of Çatalhöyük, the ruins of once-thriving Greek cities on the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts, Armenian and Georgian cities and churches that stand in the sparsely populated east, and the troglodyte warrens of Cappadocia, to the architectural splendors of the major cities, with their magnificent Byzantine churches and Ottoman mosques.


Beaches

Turkey's best beaches are on the Mediterranean Coast. From Bodrum, as you head east, top choices include the shores of Sedir Island; Îztuzu Beach near Dalyan, a sweeping strand around a lagoon; the Gemiler Island beaches; the placid, deep blue bay of ölü Deniz; Patara, with its endless stretch of dazzling white sand; the private coves along the Kekova Sound; the strand among the Roman ruins at Phaselis; and Ulas Beach, near Alanya.


Boating and Sailing

Boating the Aegean or Mediterranean coasts opens up otherwise inaccessible sights and bypasses the bumps and bustle of travel by road. You can choose from an array of boats, from sleek, modern yachts, which can be chartered bare or with crew, to traditional wooden boats, called gulets, always with crew and often a knowledgeable guide.


Dining


Cuisine

Turkey is not just a geographic bridge between Europe, Asia, and the Middle East; it's a gastronomic one as well. Its cuisine reflects the long history of a people who emigrated from the borders of China to a land mass known as Asia Minor and built an empire that encompassed Arab, Asian, and European lands.


Turkish cuisine is full of vegetables, grains, fresh fish, and seemingly infinite varieties of lamb. Fish and meat are typically served grilled or roasted, although often with inordinate amounts of yag (oil). The core group of seasonings is garlic, sage, oregano, cumin, mint, dill, lemon, and yogurt, always more yogurt. Turkish yogurt is among the tastiest in the world: Many travelers swear it helps keep their stomachs calm and stable while on the road.


Types of Restaurants

The simplest establishments, Turkey's fast-food joints, are the kebapç, the dönerçi, and the pideç. The first specializes in kebabs -- marinated cubes of meat (generally lamb), usually grilled and cooked with vegetables on a skewer. Dönerçs provide a quick meal of spicy, spit-roasted sliced lamb, served either as a sandwich or with rice.


Lokantas are unpretentious neighborhood spots that make up the vast majority of Turkish restaurants. In smaller cities there may well be three or four in a row, each with simple wooden chairs and tables and paper napkins. In towns, villages, and any city with a harbor, lokantas are often open-air, the better to take advantage of the waterfront and sky, or are surrounded by flower-filled trellises. Often you serve yourself cafeteria style from big display cases full of hot and cold dishes -- a relief if you don't speak Turkish. If there is no menu, it is because the chef only serves what is fresh, and that changes from day to day.


Wine, Beer, and Spirits

Alcohol is readily available and widely consumed, despite Turkey's predominantly Muslim culture. Among the perfectly acceptable, inexpensive local wines, the best are Villa Doluca and Kavaklidere, available in beyaz (white) and krmz (red). The national drink is rak, a relative of the Greek ouzo, made from grapes and aniseed. Usually it's mixed with water or ice, though many connoisseurs insist that it's best drunk neat, with each sip of rak followed immediately by a sip of cold water. People drink it throughout their meal or as an aperitif.


Hiking

Turkey has stunning national parks with sweeping vistas on high grassy plateaus: Uludag, near Bursa; Kovada Gölü, near Isparta, off the E24 toward Konya; Güllük Dag, at Termessos; the many trails throughout Cappadocia; and Yedigöller (Seven Lakes), north of Bolu. Even more exceptional for hikers are Turkey's ancient cities. Ruins lie up and down the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts; some (Termessos, Pergamum) are atop cliffs, some (Patara, Phaselis) along beaches. At many smaller sites, you will find few -- if any -- other visitors. Yellow signs mark archaeological sites, both major and obscure.


Shopping

The bazaars, all brimming with copper and brassware, hand-painted ceramics, carved alabaster and onyx, fabrics, richly colored carpets, and (truth be told) tons of tourist junk, are the main places to shop in Turkey. You won't roam the bazaars too long before someone tries to lure you in with a free glass of çay (tea), whether you're a serious shopper or are just browsing. Remember that bargaining is essential.


Rugs

No matter what you've planned, sooner or later you'll end up in the cool of a carpet shop listening to a sales rap. Regardless of how many cups of tea you drink and how persistent the salesmen may be, do not let yourself be pressured into making a purchase you do not want. Patterns and colors vary by region. The best prices and the best selection are in smaller villages. Salesmen will insist they can't lower the price, but they almost always do.


Other Local Specialties

Made of a light, porous stone found only in Turkey, meerschaum pipes are prized for their cool smoke; look for a centered hole and even walls. You can also buy tiles and porcelain, though modern work doesn't compare with older craftsmanship. Some spices, saffron foremost among them, can be purchased for a fraction of their cost back home. Another good deal is jewelry, because you pay by weight and not for design.



This excerpt, from the Pleasures and Pastimes section, gives you a taste of what The U.S. & British Virgin Islands have to offer and the sights and scenes that make them a great place to visit.


Beaches

With their warm, clear days, unspoiled sandy strands, and beautiful turquoise water, the Virgin Islands are a beach bum's paradise. Even if you're not a connoisseur, a day or two at the beach is central to a complete vacation here.


Your accommodation may border a beach or provide transportation to one nearby, but you have other options. You could spend one day at a lively, touristy beach that has plenty of water-sports facilities and is backed by a bar and another at an isolated cove that offers nothing but seclusion. Of course, these beaches are just jumping-off points to the underwater world.


In the USVI, public access to beach waters is guaranteed but land access to them is not, effectively restricting some areas to resort guests. On St. Thomas, Magens Bay is among the prettiest (but also the liveliest) public beaches, and Hull Bay is the only place to surf. St. Croix's west-end beaches are popular, and the calm waters of Isaac Bay, on the more isolated east end, can give you a stretch all to yourself.


Nowhere in the BVI will you find crowds to match those at the most popular USVI beaches, but Cane Garden Bay on Tortola probably comes the closest. Apple Bay and Josiah's Bay, also on Tortola, are good for surfing, and Long Bay (West) is quieter.


Boating and Sailing

With a sailing fleet of several hundred boats, based mostly on St. Thomas, Tortola, and Virgin Gorda, access to island attractions is remarkably easy -- year-round and from all directions. You can sail independently on a bare-boat charter or aboard a fully crewed boat with an experienced captain and cook. The Virgin...