summer/autumn 2008

turkeyA n c i e n t c i t i e s , m o d e r n l i v i n g

AHOLIDAYInIstAnbuL!the world’s most popular city break. Page 23WIn

IstanbulCapital of Culture, 2010

LIfe&stYLeHip destinationsauthentic foodCool shopping

Chic hotels

Byzantine CHurCHes OttOman mOsques

rOman treasures

trOYtOWn4,000 years of historytrOYtOWn4,000 years of historyADventuresontheturQuOIseCOAstParagliding, sailing, watersports

ADventuresontheturQuOIseCOAstParagliding, sailing, watersports

01 turkey cover.indd 1 7/7/08 09:53:28

4 ISTANBUL Capital of Culture, 20106 A unique, historical city10 Ten sights not to miss12 Restaurants, hotels, clubs14 Day trip: the Princes’ Islands15 TURQUOISE COAST Holiday highlights16 Activity sports18 Lycian rock tombs20 Ancient cities22 Walking tours23 Competition

�www.goturkey.com

The insider’s Turkey

Turkish Airlines (THY) fly three times a day from London Heathrow to Istanbul, and once daily from London Stansted. It takes about three hours, 45 minutes. Pegasus, Easyjet and BA all fly there. Several chartered and low-cost airlines go to Bodrum, Dalaman and Antalya. The famous Orient Express no longer runs, but it is possible to retrace the original route from Paris using four trains. For hotels, see www.turob.org; for travel agents, www.tursab.org.tr

FABULOUS PRIZE!see page 23

Win a brilliant trip for two to Istanbul, one of the world’s most famous cities, and great for sightseeing, food and shopping

Past, present, future: from the ancient ruins (Aphrodisias, right)

and stunning coastline (top) of the southwest to an Istanbul cherry-

seller (left) and ultra-modern restaurants like Topaz (above)

mEdItERRAnEAn

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LONDON

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1,819 mILES

1,751 mILES

1,684 mILES

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�www.goturkey.com

Swimming the BoSphoruS July 20, 10am-1pmAnnual Asia-to-Europe competition, organised by Turkey’s Olympic committee, for swimmers of all ages. It begins in Kanlica, in Asian Istanbul, and ends in Kuruçeþme Cemil Park, on the European side: a distance of 6.5km. hadrian: empire and ConfliCt British museum, london. July 24-october 26This well-preserved marble bust of Hadrian (right)

is an important discovery, made only last summer at Sagalossos, an ancient city in southwestern Turkey, where his cult was worshipped. The

blockbuster exhibition is devoted to the Roman emperor, who reigned 117-138 AD.

portraitS from the empire

pera museum. Sept-Jan

Tate Britain’s current Lure of the East exhibition, depicting Ottoman society from the 18th to 20th centuries, transfers to Istanbul’s landmark museum. pm.org.trdeSign CitieS istanbul modern art museum. till august 10Major history of design, from 1851 until now: 109 works by 64 designers. The exhibition comes to London’s Design Museum on September 5. istanbulmodern.org

events 2008 July - December

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8 1. turkish rugs Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar is best for carpets 2. ancient troy the ruins of the city (with emblematic wooden horse) are a day’s excursion from Istanbul 3. Bosphorus beauty the Strait separating Europe from Asia is lined with desirable houses 4. Kemal atatürk founder of modern Turkey and its first president 5. turkish grand prix part of the F1 circuit since 2005, it’s staged on the new Istanbul Park Circuit 6. old and new The Dolmabahaçe Palace, foreground, in Bes iktas , with five-star Swiss hotel behind 7. orhan Kemal Turkey’s greatest posthumous author is now published in the UK 8. angling, Bosphorus Fishing for istavrit, or mackerel 9. whirling dervishes performances Wed–Mon at the Galata Mevlevihanesi 10. fashion star haute couture by Istanbul-born Rifat Ozbek 11. Young turks the national football team was the surprisesensation of Euro 2008 12. nuri Bilge Çeylan winner of Best Director award at Cannes 2008 for his film Three Monkeys 13. Vintage tram, istiklal Kaddesi runs between Beyog lu and Taksim

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� turkey 2008

No.1 city break

capit

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cult

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2010

Istanbul’s historic areas are already a World Heritage Site. In 2010, when the city becomes a European Capital of Culture, visitors will encounter ancient and modern, in perfect harmony

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04-05 modern turkey.indd 4 4/7/08 10:27:33

There is a small OTTOman graveyard on the corner of one of

Istanbul’s major thoroughfares, Divan Yolu, between the Grand Bazaar and

the Topkapı Palace. It lurks quietly behind walls of ornate stone, largely

overlooked. Whenever I go there, which is often, I am the only visitor.

Sometimes I wonder what the old and ever-vigilant custodians of this little

graveyard think of me. I’ve been coming back to this deserted

place, alone, for so very, very long. I first visited Istanbul in the

mid-1970s, when the city, if not this graveyard, was rather

different. Back then, there were still women around who

had lived in a sultan’s harem. The buses were dirtier, and

European hippies stopped off in Istanbul on their way to

Kathmandu for sex, drugs and enlightenment. Now the city

has tourists, boutique hotels and fine dining. Not that Istanbul

could ever lose its original magic.

I always head straight for the mausoleum at the northeastern corner.

Gravestones in the Ottoman era, which lasted over 600 years (until 1923),

were gender-specific: a stone turban for men, a carved veil for women. This

mausoleum contains the tomb of Turkey’s last absolute Ottoman ruler,

Sultan Abdül Hamid II (1842–1918). Abdül Hamid, pictured above, tried

to hold his foundering empire together while wrestling with an anxiety

The Süleymaniye Mosque: overlooking the Golden Horn

Mysteries of Istanbul

Award-winning crime novelist Barbara nadel on the city that has obsessed her for more than 30 years

�www.goturkey.com

Istanbul

u

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The life and soul

IsTa

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� turkey 2008

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06-09 mysteries_01.indd 6 4/7/08 10:28:24

Istanbul

When I moved to Turkey four years ago, I tried every kind of food, even a pre-emptive hangover cure involving hot bowls of tripe soup spiked with fresh garlic and vinegar. But most days I’d have a sesame-covered simit, an inexpensive snack similar to a bagel that is usually eaten with a cup of black tea, or çay, sold by tea sellers balancing brass trays (pictured below).

Street food is one of the joys of Istanbul, a world away from the inauthentic kebabs that we see in the UK, and the best way to enjoy it is to walk the streets. The other day I strolled to Taksim Square, past the dozens of simit-sellers, and along Istiklal Caddesi to Tünel, a small district full of shops and restaurants.

Canım Cig erim is a famous shish establishment specialising in barbecued lamb and liver pieces, served with a spicy tomato salsa called ezme and air-puffed bread called lavas, which is usually eaten with meze dishes, or

appetisers. With it, I had a yoghurt drink called ayran that combines beautifully with any grilled meat.

After lunch, I took a boat across the Bosphorus to Kadıköy, on the Asian side of Istanbul. As soon as we pulled away, waiters swished around the deck, offering strong, dark çay. Half an hour later, I was treating myself to a barbecued mackerel with red onion sandwich and a bottle of s algam, a refreshing sour, spicy drink made from turnips. Not a pitta bread in sight!

Barney Fisher-Turner works as a food stylist in Istanbul and writes for Forbes magazine

�www.goturkey.com

StreetS aheadBarney Fisher-Turner enjoys local fast food

‘Whenever I go to the Bazaar, I think about the time I was lowered through a hole in the floor of one of the many teahouses’

06-09 mysteries_01.indd 9 4/7/08 09:41:30

disorder so severe that he eventually became

a prisoner in his own palace of Yıldız. In spite of

his errors, I have a soft spot for him. He stands for

so much of what I perceive to be the essence of

Istanbul: clever and witty, looking to the future

but rooted in the past, fabulous yet almost

self-indulgently melancholic. The Istanbul detective

of my own books, Çetin Ikmen, could be described

in just those terms. It is his love of Istanbul that

drives him to protect it.

The old diplomatic quarterAfter the mausoleum, I am drawn back to the

Grand Bazaar, but not to buy things. Whenever I

go, I think about the time I was lowered through

a hole in the fl oor of one of the Bazaar’s many

teahouses. Below was a Byzantine cistern. A pencil

torch in my mouth illuminated row upon row of

perfect 1,000-year-old-arches.

I think, too, about the tiny storerooms and

workshops that cluster around the domes in the

Bazaar’s vast roof. I’ve been up there with a carpet

dealer (unusually, a woman) and with men recently

returned from hair-raising trips to buy carpets in

Afghanistan. For me, the Bazaar has become less

about shopping and more about the possibility of

further adventures in its darker recesses.

I always return to the district of Beyog lu; my liking

is positively an addiction. It lies on the north side

of the Golden Horn, across from the ‘old’ Byzantine

district of Sultanahmet, and stretches from Karaköy

to the hub of Taksim Square. Beyog lu is ‘new’ – that

is to say, from the 19th century – and has a much

more Western feel, at least in parts. It was the

diplomatic quarter when Istanbul was capital of the

Ottoman Empire, and there is much about it that

is louche, faded and distinctly belle époque. People

from the embassies used to shop on the Grand Rue

de Pera, now called Istiklal Caddesi.

Here are churches of almost every possible

denomination, and restaurants

run by the descendants of White

Russian ballerinas. It’s also the

scene of a horrifi c house fi re in my

fi rst Çetin Ikmen book, Belshazzar’s

Daughter. But just because

Beyog lu is comparatively ‘new’

and ‘European’, one should not be

fooled. The alleyways and staircases

that surround its fi sh market are as

labyrinthine as any Arabian souk. Little shops in

blind alleyways offer fancy hats, military medals

and publicity pictures of old Turkish movie stars.

My Inspector knows these serpentine alleyways

well. He chases gangsters and murderesses down

a great many of them. Istanbul is full of such

places, hidden and in shade, which is why its great,

open spaces can overwhelm. On the ferries full of

commuters that ply the Horn and the Bosphorus,

the views are of imperial mosques and fantastical,

waterside palaces, like the vast rococo Dolmabahçe

Palace on the northern shore of the Bosphorus.

The mighty SultanTo the north and east of this lies the green splash

that is Yıldız Park, and in the middle of that is the

palace of Abdül Hamid II. Standing on the deck of

a ferry, one can speculate on how a mighty sultan

lost his grip upon both his mind and his empire.

The day’s research done, I like to make for the

bars and restaurants of Nevizade Sokak in Beyog lu.

As well as the excellent food and drink, there is live

music and fascinating people to watch. I will top

this off with a nargile, or water-pipe, at one of the

many cafés by the Bosphorus at Tophane.

There I close my eyes and dream of what may

happen on my next day in Istanbul. Maybe I

will return to my graveyard and Abdül

Hamid once again? Or maybe I’ll look at

somewhere new for Çetin Ikmen to run

around after bad types? Whatever I choose

to consider, it always makes me smile. <

East-End born Barbara Nadel has written 10 books in her series about Çetin Ikmen, a chain-smoking, hard-drinking detective in Istanbul. They have been translated into several languages, including Turkish.

8 TURKEY 2008

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The life and soul

ALAM

Y

HAMAMSThe famous Turkish bath-houses

are gender-designated – erkekler

(men) and kadinlar (women)

u

KADIKOY

USKUDAR

BESIKTAS

Bosphorus

Sea of MarmaraPRINCES’ ISLANDS

ASIA

ISTANBUL

Golden Horn

BEYOGLU

GALATA

EUROPE

Aya Sofya

Blue Mosque

Topkapi Palace

Grand Bazaar

Sirkeci StationSpice Bazaar

Galata Bridge

BOGAZICI BRIDGE

GALATA BRIDGE

SULTANAHMET

★

06-09 mysteries_01.indd 8 4/7/08 10:29:10

ISTANBUL

11www.goturkey.com

Archaeology Museum and Museum of the Ancient Orient Osman Hamdi Bey Yokus u, Gülhane ParkHome to the imperial palace collections, the Archaeology Museum has finds from Ephesus and Troy, as well as the exquisite Alexander Sarcophagus (right). The Museum of the Ancient Orient has important

Anatolian, Mesopotamian and Egyptian artefactsMuseum of Turkish & Islamic Art Atmeydani Sokak, near the Hippodrome

Once the residence of Süleyman the Magnificent’s Grand

Vizier, the restored palace now has one of the world’s best

collections of Islamic items, particularly antique carpets dating

from the 13th century and significant manuscripts and miniaturesPera Museum Mesrutiyet Caddesi 141, Beyog lu It’s worth veering off the famous promenade of Istiklal Caddesi to visit this privately-endowed museum, notable for ‘Orientalist’ paintings influenced by 19th-century European art, especially Osman Hamdi Bey’s famous The Tortoise Trainer.

Süleymaniye Mosque Professor Siddik Sami Onar Caddesi. Near Istanbul University’s north gateOften held to be the finest of all Ottoman mosque complexes, it was designed by the great 16th-century architect, Mimar Sinan, for Süleyman the Magnificent, and sits atop one of Istanbul’s seven hills. It retains its original soup kitchen (now a restaurant) and functioning hamam (bath-house)

Blue Mosque The Hippodrome, Sultanahmet One of the city’s greatest

architectural attractions

and so-called because of its

beautiful blue-tiled interior,

the mosque was built in

1603–17 on the site of the

Great Palace of Byzantium.

Closed at prayer times

Topkapı Palace Babihumayun CaddesiTurkey’s number-one

tourist attraction. The

official residence of the

Sultans from 1465 to 1853,

it was constructed around

a complex of courtyards,

with grand reception halls.

Its wonders include Islamic

armoury, art and jewellery

Kariye Camii Kariye Camii Sokak, EdirnekapiAKA the St Saviour in

Chora, it’s a 12th-century

church in western Istanbul.

With luminously beautiful

mosaics and frescoes

depicting the life of Christ,

it’s compulsory for all

lovers of Byzantine art

Basilica Cistern Sultanahmet, Yerebatan Caddesi 13 Ghostly battalions of carp

swim alongside as you pass

across the wooden walkway

though this huge Byzantine

cistern, the largest of

several hundred that lie

beneath the city. Its water

supplied Topkapı Palace

Dolmabahçe Palace Dolmabahçe Caddesi, Besiktas After leaving Topkapı, the

Ottoman sultans came to

this 19th-century monolith,

whose ostentatious décor

includes a four-tonne

chandelier presented by

Queen Victoria. Houses the

Museum of Fine Arts

and don’t miss...

Few cities have Istanbul’s long and illustrious history. It grew from a fishing village to become prosperous Byzantium. By AD 330, it was capital of the Roman Empire. In Constantinople, as it was called, charismatic emperors such as Theodosius the Great and Justinian built

grand civic and religious monuments. Finally, in 1453, Christianity gave way to Islam, and the Ottomans began establishing the impressive mosques and palaces we can visit today. By Virginia Maxwell, author of Lonely Planet’s Istanbul City Guide

If time is short, head straight for these architectural glories48hoursin

istanbul

Detail of Medusa head

10-11 culture_01.indd 11 4/7/08 09:42:42

10 cultural highlights

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10 turkey 2008

Archaeology Museum and Museum of the Ancient Orient Osman Hamdi Bey Yokus u, Gülhane ParkHome to the imperial palace collections, the Archaeology Museum has finds from Ephesus and Troy, as well as the exquisite Alexander Sarcophagus (right). The Museum of the Ancient Orient has important

Anatolian, Mesopotamian and Egyptian artefactsMuseum of Turkish & Islamic Art Atmeydani Sokak, near the Hippodrome

Once the residence of Süleyman the Magnificent’s Grand

Vizier, the restored palace now has one of the world’s best

collections of Islamic items, particularly antique carpets dating

from the 13th century and significant manuscripts and miniaturesPera Museum Mesrutiyet Caddesi 141, Beyog lu It’s worth veering off the famous promenade of Istiklal Caddesi to visit this privately-endowed museum, notable for ‘Orientalist’ paintings influenced by 19th-century European art, especially Osman Hamdi Bey’s famous The Tortoise Trainer.

Süleymaniye Mosque Professor Siddik Sami Onar Caddesi. Near Istanbul University’s north gateOften held to be the finest of all Ottoman mosque complexes, it was designed by the great 16th-century architect, Mimar Sinan, for Süleyman the Magnificent, and sits atop one of Istanbul’s seven hills. It retains its original soup kitchen (now a restaurant) and functioning hamam (bath-house)

Blue Mosque The Hippodrome, Sultanahmet One of the city’s greatest

architectural attractions

and so-called because of its

beautiful blue-tiled interior,

the mosque was built in

1603–17 on the site of the

Great Palace of Byzantium.

Closed at prayer times

and don’t miss...

Few cities have Istanbul’s long and illustrious history. It grew from a fishing village to become prosperous Byzantium. By AD 330, it was capital of the Roman Empire. In Constantinople, as it was called, charismatic emperors such as Theodosius the Great and Justinian built

grand civic and religious monuments. Finally, in 1453, Christianity gave way to Islam, and the Ottomans began establishing the impressive mosques and palaces we can visit today. By Virginia Maxwell, author of Lonely Planet’s Istanbul City Guide

If time is short, head straight for these architectural glories

Aya Sofya Museum Sultanahmet district The ‘Church of Holy

Wisdom’, built in

AD 537 and later

converted into a

mosque by Mehmet

the Conqueror,

is considered the

apogee of Byzantine

architecture, with its

soaring dome and

gold mosaics

48hoursLu

is Ca

stan

eda /

tips

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10-11 culture_01.indd 10 4/7/08 10:29:58

ISTANBUL

13www.goturkey.com

HOTELSIstanbul hotels range from the spectacular (and

expensive) Les Ottomans, on the European shore of the

Bosphorus, to the many beautifully converted wooden

pansiyons (guest houses) in the heart of the old

city. Even if you don’t stay there, it is educative just

having a drink in grand establishments with wonderful

waterfront views like the Çiragan Palace. For hotels,

see turob.org; for travel agents, tursab.org.tr

Prices: £££ = £200+; ££ = £70-£150; £ = £70-£100

W Istanbul

Suleyman Seba

Caddesi 22,

Akaretler,

Bes iktas .

whotels.com/

istanbul £££

Currently the coolest hotel in the city, the recently

opened W combines luxury with Ottoman glamour. A

short walk from the Bosphorus and even closer to the

smart shopping district of Nis antas ı.

Ayasofya Mansions

Sogukçesme Sokak, Sultanahmet.

ayasofyapensions.com ££

A reliable and charming pension, occupying nine

restored houses and situated right by Topkapı Palace,

so ideal for sightseeing. Rooms are furnished in

19th-century Turkish style.

Empress Zoe

Adliye Sokak 10,

Sultanahmet.

emzoe.com £

A moderately

priced, restful

B&B in the old

city, with a lovely

little garden and terrace. Built above a 15th-century

bathhouse, rooms are small but perfect.

Pera Palas

Mesrutiyet Cad. 98-100, Beyog lu.

perapalace.com. £££

A very famous 19th-century ‘oteli’, built in the grand

European style to accommodate passengers from

the Orient Express. You cannot fail to be impressed

by all the old-world bling.

IN HIS EXCELLENT DOCUMENTARY, Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul,

Fatih Akin, Turkey’s most famous fi lm

director, focuses on local legend Selim

Sesler playing with Turkish rappers and

grunge rockers. Sesler’s

roots music is a Tuesday

night feature at Araf, a rooftop bar off Istiklal

Caddesi, the long street in

the Beyog lu district, leading

off Taksim Square, where

much of Istanbul’s popular

nightlife is to be found. Rooftop

venues in tall, 19th-century buildings are

a distinctive feature of this area.

At Araf, high above the tiled roofs, you

can perform your own belly dance to the

wails of Sesler’s gypsy clarinet. There is live

‘world music’ almost every night, ranging

from Sephardic canticas to Armenian

virtuosos of the duduk (a traditional reed

instrument) such as Suren Asaduryan. This

is a city where you can hear Madonna’s

Music sung by the operatically-trained

Sertab Erener, winner of the 2003

Eurovision Song Contest, or be swept

away by the ‘Arabesque’ strains of Müslüm

Gürses and Orhan Gencebay. araf.com.tr

Similar diversity is demonstrated at Ghetto,

situated at one end of the Fish Market,

on Kalyoncu Kulluk Caddesi in Beyog lu. It

hosts live gigs from singer-songwriters

and jazz musicians, as well as DJ nights,

in a converted bakery with high, frescoed

ceilings and a stage setting resembling

‘The Phantom of the Opera’. ghettoist.com

A street away is Peyote, an institution

on Istanbul’s alternative rock scene. It has

three fl oors: On the fi rst there are DJs, the

second has live music, and the third is a

rooftop bar with ambient sounds (10,

Kameriye Sokak, Beyog lu. myspace.

com/peyotenevizade).

For more

cosmopolitan tastes,

there is 360, a restaurant

and bar where the

beautiful people hang

out. As its name suggests,

it offers a panorama of

Istanbul from the top of its

19th-century building on Istiklal Avenue.

‘Bomb Baby’ in hand (that’s vodka, fresh

watermelon, mint and cardamom), you

step through its large glass doors and

watch as, far below, great vessels ply the

Bosphorus between Asia and Europe.

360istanbul.com

Also great for views and cocktails is the

seventh-fl oor bar/restaurant Leb-i Derya in

the Tünel district, where drinks include the

exotic ‘Yasak Elma’, a mix of Martini, vodka,

Cointreau and apple juice. The dinner menu

is big on steak. lebiderya.com <

Fulya Ozlem is a Turkish singer-songwriter

and fi lm-maker, whose debut album was

released last May. To listen to Fulya’s songs,

visit: myspace.com/fulyabuzkralicesi

CLUBS BY FULYA OZLEM

Kameriye Sokak, Beyog lu.

and bar where the

beautiful people hang

out. As its name suggests,

it offers a panorama of

Istanbul from the top of its

nightlife is to be found. Rooftop

Prices: £= £10pp; ££= £20pp

Çiya Günes libahçe Sokak 43, Kadıköy.

ciya.com.tr ££

This famous establishment, in the Asian

district of Kadıköy, is devoted to the

cuisine of Southeast Anatolia but remains

highly eclectic. Culinary archaeologist

Musa Dag deviren is the humblest

celebrity chef you will ever meet. Alcohol

isn’t served but there’s a surprising range

of sherbets. Highlights are diyarbakir

guvec (lamb, tomato and aubergine

stew) and kuru sebze domalsi (aubergine

stuffed with rice and lamb).

Adem Baba Satıs Meydanı Sokak 2,

Arnavütköy. adembaba.com £

The day’s catch, accompanied by a

simple salad (no alcohol), is on offer

at this cheap fi sh restaurant, located

in the beautiful Bosphorus village of

Arnavutköy. Customers come back again

and again for its amazing ‘fast-food’ fi sh.

Helvetia Lokanta General Yazgan Sokak

12, Tünel. Tel. +90 212 245 8780 £

Predominantly traditional, vegetarian

cooking at this small but busy corner

restaurant in trendy Asmalımescit. Dishes

are laid out on the bar. Fashion designer

Hussein Chalayan is allegedly a regular.

Mavi Kös e Lokantası (aka Köfteci

Arnavut) Mürsel Pas a Caddesi 155, Balat.

Tel. +90 212 531 6652 £

Istanbul’s best köfte (meatballs), to

my mind, comes from this tiny corner

restaurant in Balat, along the Golden

Horn. Cooked to perfection, served with

fresh tomato slices, bread stacked up

next to it, the tiny meat patties melt in

your mouth. Locals eat them with creamy

yoghurt or white beans in oil.

Refi k Sofyalı Sokak 10, Tünel.

Tel. +90 212 243 2834 ££ (food only)

Meze (especially fi sh dishes), rakı and

live music are characteristic of meyhanes,

Turkey’s traditional bar/restaurants.

Refi k, which opened in 1954, is one of

Istanbul’s best. Signature dishes include

hamsibugulama (fi sh steamed in season)

and kara lahana dolmasi (stuffed cabbage).

Hamdi Tahmis Caddesi. Kalçin Sokak

17 (next to the Spice Bazaar), Eminönü.

Tel. +90 212 528 0390. ££ (food only)

The view over the confl uence of

the Bosphorus and Golden Horn is

spectacular, and the Arab-Kurdish food

isn’t bad, either. Order the içli köfte

(stuffed, fried köfte) and lahmacun (a

tiny, crispy dough base, topped with

minced lamb, parsley and piquant tomato.

Pandeli Misir Carsisi (Spice Bazaar) 1,

Eminönü. Tel. +90 212 527 3909.

Lunch only. ££

An Istanbul institution, and admittedly

a bit touristy, Pandeli must be visited if

only for its wonderful, blue-and-white

tiled rooms, set above the arched

entrance to the Egyptian Bazaar. Its

seabass en papillote is a classic. <

Sharon Croxford is a writer, photographer

and chef who co-founded the Istanbul Food

Workshop, recreating Ottoman recipes

Leb-i Derya: an open terrace offers stunning views of the Bosphorus

12-13 lifestyle_01.indd 13 4/7/08 11:37:26

There is a popular misconception

that Turkish cuisine consists of

nothing more than a döner kebab.

It is so much more. Istanbul’s

cuisine is a rich combination of

rustic Anatolian cooking with the

sophisticated dishes of the Ottoman

Palace and the centuries’ old

kitchens of Istanbul’s elite.

The sheer abundance of produce

from the far reaches of the Ottoman

Empire, together with diverse

recipes learnt from the cooks of

conquered lands, have created a

cuisine that many rate one of the

world’s best. Golden pilaffs and

exotic casseroles of lamb and dried

fruits, spiced with cinnamon, honey

and rosewater helva, represent just

a little of that legacy.

Istanbul is an amazing place for

a foodie, though dining out can be

a little hit-and-miss, particularly

around the busy historical sites.

However, here are seven places that

are highly recommended. <

Life and style

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12 turkey 2008

in his excellenT documenTary, Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul,

Fatih Akin, Turkey’s most famous film

director, focuses on local legend Selim

Sesler playing with Turkish rappers and

grunge rockers. Sesler’s

roots music is a Tuesday

night feature at araf, a rooftop bar off Istiklal

Caddesi, the long street in

the Beyog lu district, leading

off Taksim Square, where

much of Istanbul’s popular

nightlife is to be found. Rooftop

venues in tall, 19th-century buildings are

a distinctive feature of this area.

At Araf, high above the tiled roofs, you

can perform your own belly dance to the

wails of Sesler’s gypsy clarinet. There is live

‘world music’ almost every night, ranging

from Sephardic canticas to Armenian

virtuosos of the duduk (a traditional reed

instrument) such as Suren Asaduryan. This

is a city where you can hear Madonna’s

Music sung by the operatically-trained

Sertab Erener, winner of the 2003

Eurovision Song Contest, or be swept

away by the ‘Arabesque’ strains of Müslüm

Gürses and Orhan Gencebay. araf.com.tr

Similar diversity is demonstrated at Ghetto,

situated at one end of the Fish Market,

on Kalyoncu Kulluk Caddesi in Beyog lu. It

hosts live gigs from singer-songwriters

and jazz musicians, as well as DJ nights,

in a converted bakery with high, frescoed

ceilings and a stage setting resembling

‘The Phantom of the Opera’. ghettoist.com

A street away is peyote, an institution

on Istanbul’s alternative rock scene. It has

three floors: On the first there are DJs, the

second has live music, and the third is a

rooftop bar with ambient sounds (10,

Kameriye Sokak, Beyog lu. myspace.

com/peyotenevizade).

For more

cosmopolitan tastes,

there is 360, a restaurant

and bar where the

beautiful people hang

out. As its name suggests,

it offers a panorama of

Istanbul from the top of its

19th-century building on Istiklal Avenue.

‘Bomb Baby’ in hand (that’s vodka, fresh

watermelon, mint and cardamom), you

step through its large glass doors and

watch as, far below, great vessels ply the

Bosphorus between Asia and Europe.

360istanbul.com

Also great for views and cocktails is the

seventh-floor bar/restaurant leb-i derya in

the Tünel district, where drinks include the

exotic ‘Yasak Elma’, a mix of Martini, vodka,

Cointreau and apple juice. The dinner menu

is big on steak. lebiderya.com <

Fulya Ozlem is a Turkish singer-songwriter

and film-maker, whose debut album was

released last May. To listen to Fulya’s songs,

visit: myspace.com/fulyabuzkralicesi

restaurants by sharon croxford

Prices: £= £10pp; ££= £20pp

Çiya Günes libahçe Sokak 43, Kadıköy.

ciya.com.tr ££

This famous establishment, in the Asian

district of Kadıköy, is devoted to the

cuisine of Southeast Anatolia but remains

highly eclectic. Culinary archaeologist

Musa Dag deviren is the humblest

celebrity chef you will ever meet. Alcohol

isn’t served but there’s a surprising range

of sherbets. Highlights are diyarbakir

guvec (lamb, tomato and aubergine

stew) and kuru sebze domalsi (aubergine

stuffed with rice and lamb).

Adem Baba Satıs Meydanı Sokak 2,

Arnavütköy. adembaba.com £

The day’s catch, accompanied by a

simple salad (no alcohol), is on offer

at this cheap fish restaurant, located

in the beautiful Bosphorus village of

Arnavutköy. Customers come back again

and again for its amazing ‘fast-food’ fish.

Helvetia Lokanta General Yazgan Sokak

12, Tünel. Tel. +90 212 245 8780 £

Predominantly traditional, vegetarian

cooking at this small but busy corner

restaurant in trendy Asmalımescit. Dishes

are laid out on the bar. Fashion designer

Hussein Chalayan is allegedly a regular.

Mavi Kös e Lokantası (aka Köfteci

Arnavut) Mürsel Pas a Caddesi 155, Balat.

Tel. +90 212 531 6652 £

Istanbul’s best köfte (meatballs), to

my mind, comes from this tiny corner

restaurant in Balat, along the Golden

Horn. Cooked to perfection, served with

fresh tomato slices, bread stacked up

next to it, the tiny meat patties melt in

your mouth. Locals eat them with creamy

yoghurt or white beans in oil.

Refik Sofyalı Sokak 10, Tünel.

Tel. +90 212 243 2834 ££ (food only)

Meze (especially fish dishes), rakı and

live music are characteristic of meyhanes,

Turkey’s traditional bar/restaurants.

Refik, which opened in 1954, is one of

Istanbul’s best. Signature dishes include

hamsibugulama (fish steamed in season)

and kara lahana dolmasi (stuffed cabbage).

Hamdi Tahmis Caddesi. Kalçin Sokak

17 (next to the Spice Bazaar), Eminönü.

Tel. +90 212 528 0390. ££ (food only)

The view over the confluence of

the Bosphorus and Golden Horn is

spectacular, and the Arab-Kurdish food

isn’t bad, either. Order the içli köfte

(stuffed, fried köfte) and lahmacun (a

tiny, crispy dough base, topped with

minced lamb, parsley and piquant tomato.

Pandeli Misir Carsisi (Spice Bazaar) 1,

Eminönü. Tel. +90 212 527 3909.

Lunch only. ££

An Istanbul institution, and admittedly

a bit touristy, Pandeli must be visited if

only for its wonderful, blue-and-white

tiled rooms, set above the arched

entrance to the Egyptian Bazaar. Its

seabass en papillote is a classic. <

Sharon Croxford is a writer, photographer

and chef who co-founded the Istanbul Food

Workshop, recreating Ottoman recipes

A typical lokanta: delicious pre-cooked dishes

dominate inexpensive menus

Pandeli: typical Turkish fare on top of the Spice Bazaar

Chri

stop

her

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12-13 lifestyle_01.indd 12 4/7/08 10:30:38

turquoise coast

15www.goturkey.com

Mediterranean eyrie: With pine-covered mountains enclosing deep fjords, the turquoise coast stretches for nearly 1,600km. one of the best ways to appreciate it is to take to the sea by yacht or gulet

Even Trotsky loved the gentle Princes’ Islands. By Lucretia Stewart

Blue voyages

A journey Along the turquoise coast

Tom Brosnahan explores the scenery and civilisations of Turkey’s southern coast, from Bodrum to Antalya u

bodrummarmaris

antalya

fethiye

kaskalkan

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14-15 outside turkey_aegean coas15 15 4/7/08 10:31:59

THE PRINCES’ ISLANDS are an

archipelago of nine small islands in

the Sea of Marmara, between 15

and 30km southeast of Istanbul.

They have a long history of settlement

by Armenian, Greek and Jewish

communities seeking political refuge.

Büyükada is the largest, and also

the most beautiful and

remote. It means, literally,

Big (büyük) Island (ada), and

was once a place of exile for

disgraced patriarchs and

Byzantine princes.

Now it is the prime resort

for city-dwellers escaping

Istanbul’s summer heat,

rather as the Hamptons are

for New Yorkers. It is also a

place of historical pilgrimage:

Leon Trotsky (above) lived

here from 1929 to 1933

and wrote his History of the

Russian Revolution

at 55 Çankaya Caddesi,

one of the many fi ne, wooden mansions

that adorn the island.

Even on weekends, when day trippers

surge off the ferries to spend the

day picnicking in the pine woods or

besieging the restaurants, Büyükada

never really loses its tranquillity. It seems

to have an innocent, Edwardian quality,

partly because there are

no cars, only horse-drawn

faytons and hired bicycles,

although there is now an

Internet café.

Businessmen return home

from a hard, hot day in

Istanbul while their wives

languidly fan themselves

on their balconies and

nursemaids chase after small

children in sailor suits. In the

early evening, couples, old

and young, stroll arm-in-

arm, the free arm holding an

ice-cream cone; and elderly

ladies play cards and gossip

on the terrace of the Splendid Palace

Hotel, built in 1906. The hotel manager,

who has been there for 30 years, calls

them his ‘gold’ ladies.

Calm and car-freeOf the three other inhabited islands,

all served by public ferry, Heybeliada

(‘Saddlebag Island’), is the most

attractive, with decent restaurants open

all-year-round. It’s a place of forests,

hills and fi ne beaches. On the northwest

coast is a good, if expensive, club for

watersports. Walking and cycling are

also popular. There are no cars here,

either, and on the smallest island,

Kinaliada (‘Henna Island’, after the red

cliffs), not even faytons.

Finally, there is Burgazada, which

has some charm, as well as a museum

dedicated to novelist Sait Faik, the

‘Turkish Mark Twain’. However, Büyükada

is the undisputed prince of Princes’. <

Novelist and journalist Lucretia Stewart

spent her childhood summers in Istanbul.

Getting thereLess than two hours by ferry from Sirkeci, pier no.5Where to stay Büyükada: Splendid Palace Hotel (below). splendidhotel.net. The terrace is a great place to meet for a drink. Heybeliada: Merit Halki Palace. merithotels.com. Both hotels closed in winter. For hotels, see turob.org

Prince charming: at weekends, Istanbul’s holidaymakers throng the streets of Büyükada

A day trip from the city

ISTA

NBUL

14 TURKEY 2008

Exiles in paradiseEven Trotsky loved the gentle Princes’ Islands. By Lucretia Stewart

details

ALAM

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★

14-15 outside turkey_aegean coas14 14 4/7/08 11:38:48

High adventure: with its panoramic views, Ölüdeniz beach (top) is one of the best places in the world to paraglide; for those who prefer watersports, there’s whitewater rafting in Köprülü Kanyon, a gulet cruise (far left) or a visit to the lovely Duden Falls, 15km north of Antalya (left). Wildlife is abundant: herons (opposite) can be seen in summerFor hotels, see turob.org; for travel agents, tursab.org.tr

17www.goturkey.com

turquoise coast

16-23 turq coast.indd 17 4/7/08 11:24:57

Turkey’s wesTern MediTerranean

coast may be the ‘new’ destination for holiday

travellers, yet it’s among the oldest civilised

places on the Med; indeed, it’s the birthplace

of the ‘Father of History’, Herodotus.

Along this Turquoise Coast, the marble ruins

of Hellenistic and Roman cities, the churches

of the Byzantines and the castles of the

Crusaders stand amid date palms and liquid-

amber pines, and near to broad beaches of

shingle or sand. Coastal villages and towns

have preserved much of their past because

for so long they were inaccessible. For three

millennia, access was always by sea. Modern

roads were built only in the past few decades.

Now, in one of history’s ironies, easy access

by road has meant a huge increase in visitors;

yet the city-dwellers who arrive by car or bus

then cast off and sail away on ‘Blue Voyages’,

as the Turks call yacht cruises.

On our journey, let’s start at Bodrum, where

yachts cluster beneath the crenellated walls

of the Castle of St Peter, which was occupied

by the Knights of St John of Jerusalem during

the 1400s and early 1500s. Climb a maze of

stone ramps and stairs to the English Tower

to see its banqueting hall bearing the arms

of King Henry IV and graffiti from the English

knights who defended it until 1523, when the

armies of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent

caused their retreat to Malta. Then look out

from the tower parapet at a wonderful view of

Bodrum’s two perfect, small bays, lined with

restaurants and shops.

seventh wonder of the worldStones in the castle walls tell an even older

story. Some were taken from the Mausoleum,

the monumental tomb of King Mausolos of

Caria (377–353 BC) that was ranked among

the Seven Wonders of the World in ancient

times. The tomb that lent

its name to monumental

masonry stood intact for

1,500 years

before being

toppled by an earthquake. Its shaped stones

were later used to strengthen the castle walls,

its marble statues crushed and burned to

make lime for mortar.

Luckily, in 1846, the British ambassador to

the Sublime Porte, Lord Stratford de Redcliffe,

received permission from the Sultan to claim a

portion of Mausoleum frieze portraying battle

between Greeks and Amazons. The Crusader

knights had spared this work and installed

it in the castle. Today, the frieze is preserved

in the British Museum, along with several

fragments of statuary from the Mausoleum,

also removed with imperial permission.

Lunch, swim and a napAs Turkey’s premier riviera resort, Bodrum

today is all about sleek yachts, trendy

bars and restaurants, fancy boutiques and

nightclubs with sound and laser-light systems

of seemingly nuclear power. Those in search

of calmer evenings escape to the little fish

restaurants lining the quiet bay of Gümüslük,

on the western shore of the Bodrum

peninsula, or go farther north, to the small

towns of Yalikavak, Gölköy and Türkbükü.

Ferries connect Bodrum with the

Resadiye Peninsula that extends west from

Marmaris for 100 km, marking the informal

demarcation between the Aegean and

Mediterranean. At the peninsula’s tip stands

ancient Knidos, a rich, Dorian city dating

from around 400 BC. A great cult statue of

Aphrodite by the famed Praxiteles once stood

on the promontory where the winds change

from westerly to northerly, forcing mariners

to spend time in its port – as did St Paul on his

journey to Rome and eventual trial.

Modern mariners come

here on day-cruises from

Marmaris. They drop anchor

in Knidos’s pristine little bay and

have lunch, a swim, a nap in the

sun, a drink beneath the sheltering

awning at the stern, and then a leisurely

ramble through the ruins ashore.

Bodrum ™ Marmaris

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16-23 turq coast.indd 16 4/7/08 10:32:58

through the town, development of new

regional resorts is booming. Most travellers

are on their way to Marmaris, 100km west, or

Fethiye, 58km east, with only a small number

stopping at Göcek, the beautiful little yachting

port just a short drive east of Dalaman.

Gulets, a Turkish delightGöcek, on Fethiye Bay, is at the centre of

‘Blue Voyage’ sailing routes, which carry

tourists along the miles and miles of pine-

clad shoreline from Bodrum to Antalya, past

islands and fi shing villages and ancient ruins.

The prime craft for such a voyage is the

gulet, or traditional coastal boat. Built not

for speed but for comfort, broad-beamed

gulets offer plenty of deck space for lounging,

sunbathing and dining. A spacious saloon

and ample cabins are below decks. They may

include private heads (washrooms) and even

personal showers, air conditioning, standard

electrical points and, of course, all modern

safety and navigation devices.

The town of Fethiye, on the southeast side of

Fethiye Bay, was founded 2,500 years ago as

Telmessos. Today, it has little to show for

19www.goturkey.com

The Turquoise Coast offers many dive packages,

with or without gulet cruises. Water temperature

varies from 18ºC in May to 30ºC in August.

The diving season runs mostly from April to

November, but in Kas , for instance, it goes on

pretty well all-year-round.

Marine life is typical of the Med, so don’t expect

abundant fi sh, but there are octopus, stingray and

morays, as well as sea cucumbers, loggerhead

turtles, caves, wrecks, drop-offs and tunnels

to explore, and a night dive is a supernatural

encounter. Don’t miss, in particular, the submerged

archaeology park off the coast of Kas ; and at

Antalya there’s a wreck of a hospital ship from WWII,

though historical sites are often legally off-limits.

Well-regulated diving schools are in Bodrum,

Kas , Marmaris, Kalkan and Fethiye, catering

both for beginners and for divers on specialist

Advanced and Divemasters courses affl liated

to PADI (Professional Association of Diving

Instructors) and/or CMAS (Confédération

Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques).

Most diving companies own excellently equipped

diving boats. Emergency decompression facilities

are shared. Pack your dive log if you have already

clocked up diving hours. Only Turkish citizens can

dive independently in Turkish waters. Foreigners

can join any of the diving

schools below.

In Kas

Anemone Diving Centre

anemonediving-kas.com

Dragoman Travel

dragoman-turkey.com

Kas Diving kas-diving.com

Mavi Diving mavidiving.com

Naturablue Sporting naturablue.com

Fethiye

European Diving europeandiving.co.uk

Bodrum

Yunus Diving yunusscuba.com

Içmeler/Marmaris

Divers Delight diversdelight.com

Suzanne Swann

Life aboard: some coastal areas can only be reached by sea. Chartering a gulet and taking one of Turkey’s famous ‘Blue Voyages’ means stopping wherever you

want, if only to take a leisurely dip in the warm waters

TURQUOISE COAST

SPLASH OUT ON DIVING LESSONS

u

…and explore the many undersea ruins

JONNY LE FORTUNE / ZEFA / CORBIS

16-23 turq coast.indd 19 4/7/08 09:53:22

Marmaris, a fishing-and-citrus farming

village less than 50 years ago, is now

one of the Turquoise Coast’s most active

resorts. Its splendid natural bay, ringed by

tall palms and resort hotels, was where

Admiral Nelson prepared his fleet for

battle with Napoleon at Abukir, Egypt, in

1798. Today, it’s busy with broad-beamed

gulet yachts on charter, and speedboats

dragging raucous holidaymakers on

inflatable ‘banana’ boats.

Locals know that the place to escape

the crowds is an easy drive to the east,

to the placid town of Köyceg iz, on the

northern shore of the lake bearing that

name. Small hotels and pensions dot the

quiet lakeshore. Motor launches chug

towards the Sultaniye Kaplıcaları, the

thermal spa and mud baths, then down

the rush-lined Dalyan Creek, past cliffs

hewn with Lycian rock tombs, to ancient

Kaunos and the splendid, broad sand

beach at Iztuzu.

Göcek, a beautiful little portDalyan, to the south of the lake, makes its

living by hosting visitors in small inns and

hotels and taking them on river and lake

cruises. Busier than Köyceg iz, with more

restaurants and shops, it’s esteemed by

those wanting less bustle than Marmaris

but more than Köyceg iz.

Southeast along the coast from Dalyan

is Dalaman, a farming town with the

largest airport west of Antalya, which

receives flights from all over Europe.

With so many holidaymakers streaming

through the town, development of new

regional resorts is booming. Most travellers

are on their way to Marmaris, 100km west, or

Fethiye, 58km east, with only a small number

stopping at Göcek, the beautiful little yachting

port just a short drive east of Dalaman.

Gulets, a Turkish delightGöcek, on Fethiye Bay, is at the centre of

‘Blue Voyage’ sailing routes, which carry

tourists along the miles and miles of pine-

clad shoreline from Bodrum to Antalya, past

islands and fishing villages and ancient ruins.

The prime craft for such a voyage is the

gulet, or traditional coastal boat. Built not

for speed but for comfort, broad-beamed

gulets offer plenty of deck space for lounging,

sunbathing and dining. A spacious saloon

and ample cabins are below decks. They may

include private heads (washrooms) and even

personal showers, air conditioning, standard

electrical points and, of course, all modern

safety and navigation devices.

The town of Fethiye, on the southeast side of

Fethiye Bay, was founded 2,500 years ago as

Telmessos. Today, it has little to show for

Marmaris ™ Fethiye

Tomb with a view: the Lycians, the ancient people of Anatolia, cut tombs for their dead in the soft limestone cliffs that line coasts and rivers. There are more than 1,000 still intact. They believed that the souls of their dead would be borne away by winged sirens

‘Motor launches chug down the rush-lined Dalyan Creek, past cliffs hewn with Lycian rock tombs, to ancient Kaunos’

18 turkey 2008

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FABULOUS PRIZE!see page 23Win a trip for two to Istanbul, one of the world’s greatest and most ancient cities and the old, imperial capital of Turkey

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16-23 turq coast.indd 18 4/7/08 10:33:33

The origins of Santa ClausInland, at Saklikent Gorge, a narrow rift

in the mountains, 18km long, ensures

icy-cold waters that flash with fish. Hiking

into the cool gorge, far from the sun’s heat,

and lunching on fresh trout makes for an

excellent excursion.

Driving on, the neighbouring towns

of Kalkan and Kas, at the southernmost

extent of the Tekke Peninsula, mark the

mid-point between the airports of Dalaman

and Antalya. They are a bit more difficult to

get to, which means that fewer people go

– a good reason to make the effort.

Kalkan, a photogenic Ottoman fishing

village, cascading down the mountainside

to a pristine small harbour, is a favourite

with Brits who own or let villas here. You’ll

hear plenty of English spoken at dinner

tables in the many waterfront restaurants.

Kas is larger, with a greater variety

of hotels, inns and pensions, and more

frequent transport. It also has the

ruins of the ancient Lycian town

of Antiphellos and, clearly visible

out to sea, the Greek island of

Kastellorizo (Megisti in Greek,

Meis Adası in Turkish).

Kas also has lots of boats for

day excursions to the sunken

Byzantine ruins of Teimiussa,

at Üçagiz to the east. The

shore of Üçagiz village is marked by the

Lycian pedestal sarcophagi familiar in

Fethiye, while Kaleköy nearby, a hamlet

in the shadow of a hilltop fortress, is the

favoured landing-place for lunch. Cruises

continue on to Kekova (or Tersane) Island

and more Byzantine ruins, unexcavated and

unrestored, and engendering the feeling

that you are the first person in modern

times to look upon them.

A few more kilometres to the east, the

town of Demre has a large Roman theatre

and dramatic Lycian cliff tombs, but its

greater claim to fame is that St Nicholas

lived here and was buried in the church. His

statue (left) stands in the church garden.

Ancient Myra, nearby, takes its name

from myrrh, the aromatic resin whose high

price made its fortune and led to Nicholas

becoming its bishop in the 4th century.

Legend has it that he took pity on young

women too poor to marry and secretly

dropped bags of gold coins down their

chimneys. These ‘gifts from heaven’ may

21www.goturkey.com

turquoise coast

Turkey’s buried Treasures

its antiquity: it was devastated in

1957 by the latest in a long series of

earthquakes that left only its tall, Lycian

sarcophagi still standing, like the Cenotaph

at Whitehall, as memorials to the past.

The Tomb of Amyntas, a temple facade

carved from the cliff above the town,

would seem to symbolise the town’s

stubborn resistance. And yet, most visitors

are coming not for antiquities but for sun,

sea and sand, which they find northeast

of Fethiye at Çalis Beach, a shingle strand

several kilometres long.

Fethiye makes a good base for visits to

the natural and archaeological riches of

the surrounding coast and countryside.

The lovely beach at Ölüdeniz is just over

the hills to the south. Not far beyond it is

Butterfly Valley, a dramatic, fjord-like cove

with its own small beach that’s a popular

anchorage for yachts. And Fethiye is

also the trailhead for the Lycian Way, a

500km waymarked walking route across

the mountains to Antalya that was the

brainchild – and gift to the world – of

Kate Clow, a Briton living in Turkey.

Walkers can also start a morning

ramble in the eerie ghost town of

Kayaköy, further south. Once a thriving

Ottoman Greek town called Levissi, its

2,000 stone houses and several churches

were abandoned in the exchange of

populations following World War I. It

is now preserved as an atmospheric

monument to that time. A footpath

starting here will take you down the

mountainside to Ölüdeniz.

Within an easy drive of Fethiye are the

Greco-Roman remains of Tlos, Pinara,

Sidyma, the Letoon temple, Xanthos and

Patara. Xanthos yielded some of its best

art pieces to British archaeologists in

1842, and they are now preserved in the

British Museum. At Patara, the native town

of St Nicholas (later morphed into Father

Christmas), ancient ruins rise just inland

from what is Turkey’s best beach, some

50 metres wide and 20 kilometres long.

‘Hiking into the cool gorge, far from the sun’s heat, and lunching on fresh trout makes for an excellent excursion’

u

Marmaris: pretty street in the old town of this busy port

16-23 turq coast.indd 21 4/7/08 11:09:41

The origins of Santa ClausInland, at Saklikent Gorge, a narrow rift

in the mountains, 18km long, ensures

icy-cold waters that flash with fish. Hiking

into the cool gorge, far from the sun’s heat,

and lunching on fresh trout makes for an

excellent excursion.

Driving on, the neighbouring towns

of Kalkan and Kas, at the southernmost

extent of the Tekke Peninsula, mark the

mid-point between the airports of Dalaman

and Antalya. They are a bit more difficult to

get to, which means that fewer people go

– a good reason to make the effort.

Kalkan, a photogenic Ottoman fishing

village, cascading down the mountainside

to a pristine small harbour, is a favourite

with Brits who own or let villas here. You’ll

hear plenty of English spoken at dinner

tables in the many waterfront restaurants.

Kas is larger, with a greater variety

of hotels, inns and pensions, and more

frequent transport. It also has the

ruins of the ancient Lycian town

of Antiphellos and, clearly visible

out to sea, the Greek island of

Kastellorizo (Megisti in Greek,

Meis Adası in Turkish).

Kas also has lots of boats for

day excursions to the sunken

Byzantine ruins of Teimiussa,

at Üçagiz to the east. The

shore of Üçagiz village is marked by the

Lycian pedestal sarcophagi familiar in

Fethiye, while Kaleköy nearby, a hamlet

in the shadow of a hilltop fortress, is the

favoured landing-place for lunch. Cruises

continue on to Kekova (or Tersane) Island

and more Byzantine ruins, unexcavated and

unrestored, and engendering the feeling

that you are the first person in modern

times to look upon them.

A few more kilometres to the east, the

town of Demre has a large Roman theatre

and dramatic Lycian cliff tombs, but its

greater claim to fame is that St Nicholas

lived here and was buried in the church. His

statue (left) stands in the church garden.

Ancient Myra, nearby, takes its name

from myrrh, the aromatic resin whose high

price made its fortune and led to Nicholas

becoming its bishop in the 4th century.

Legend has it that he took pity on young

women too poor to marry and secretly

dropped bags of gold coins down their

chimneys. These ‘gifts from heaven’ may

Fethiye ™ Demre

20 turkey 2008

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Turkey has more well-preserved Greek and Roman ruins than Greece and Italy combined. Here are six of the best sites on the west and southern coasts. By Peter Sommer

EPhESuS (EfES) 3km from Selçuk, and near the port of KusadasiThe best-preserved classical city of the

Eastern Mediterranean, Efes was home to

the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven

Wonders of the World. In its Roman

heyday, it had marble streets, a theatre

for 28,000, and a beautiful library

Turkey’s buried Treasures

its antiquity: it was devastated in

1957 by the latest in a long series of

earthquakes that left only its tall, Lycian

sarcophagi still standing, like the Cenotaph

at Whitehall, as memorials to the past.

The Tomb of Amyntas, a temple facade

carved from the cliff above the town,

would seem to symbolise the town’s

stubborn resistance. And yet, most visitors

are coming not for antiquities but for sun,

sea and sand, which they find northeast

of Fethiye at Çalis Beach, a shingle strand

several kilometres long.

Fethiye makes a good base for visits to

the natural and archaeological riches of

the surrounding coast and countryside.

The lovely beach at Ölüdeniz is just over

the hills to the south. Not far beyond it is

Butterfly Valley, a dramatic, fjord-like cove

with its own small beach that’s a popular

anchorage for yachts. And Fethiye is

also the trailhead for the Lycian Way, a

500km waymarked walking route across

the mountains to Antalya that was the

brainchild – and gift to the world – of

Kate Clow, a Briton living in Turkey.

Walkers can also start a morning

ramble in the eerie ghost town of

Kayaköy, further south. Once a thriving

Ottoman Greek town called Levissi, its

2,000 stone houses and several churches

were abandoned in the exchange of

populations following World War I. It

is now preserved as an atmospheric

monument to that time. A footpath

starting here will take you down the

mountainside to Ölüdeniz.

Within an easy drive of Fethiye are the

Greco-Roman remains of Tlos, Pinara,

Sidyma, the Letoon temple, Xanthos and

Patara. Xanthos yielded some of its best

art pieces to British archaeologists in

1842, and they are now preserved in the

British Museum. At Patara, the native town

of St Nicholas (later morphed into Father

Christmas), ancient ruins rise just inland

from what is Turkey’s best beach, some

50 metres wide and 20 kilometres long.

KaunoS 30 minutes by boat from Dalyan; 27km west of Dalaman airportThe boat taking you from Dalyan snakes

through emerald-green waters to the

monumental rock tombs of Kaunos,

hewn from the sheer rock face in the 4th

century BC by ancient Carians. Abundant

wildlife includes flamingoes in winter

aPhroDiSiaS 1.5km from GeyreNamed after Aphrodite, the goddess of

love, to whom a great temple was built

here in the 1st century AD. The Temple,

which became a Christian basilica in the

5th century, has been partially restored.

It has the world’s best-preserved sports

stadium, which held 30,000 people

aryKanDa 1km from arif, on the finike–Elmali roadDubbed the ‘Turkish Delphi’ because of

its breathtaking location on five large

terraces of a mountain slope, this Lycian

city has it all – Roman baths, tombs, a

theatre, stadium and Byzantine mosaics

– without the crowds of its Greek cousin

KniDoS 38km west of DatçaIn antiquity, tourists came to see

Praxiteles’ 4th-century BC statue of

Aphrodite, a lifelike female nude. The

site is hard to reach by land but is

glorious in aspect when approached by

sea. Boats leave regularly from Datça in

season; the round trip takes six hours

aSPEnDoS nr Belkis, 47km from antalyaFollow a track until the massive arches of

a 19km-long aqueduct soar above you:

a stunning feat of engineering. There’s

also a Roman theatre that’s still used in

summer for the International Aspendos

Opera and Ballet Festival. operabale.

kultur.gov.tr/aspendos

u

H

16-23 turq coast.indd 20 4/7/08 12:03:17

23www.goturkey.com

Turkey Summer/Autumn 2008Published by Publicom International on behalf of Turkish Culture and Tourism Office, 29-30 St James’s, London SW1A 1HB, United Kingdom. Tel: +44 (0)20 7839 7778 (information and brochures only) email: info@goturkey.com www.goturkey.com

Editor Michael Watts Art director Nick BrownSub editor Nicky Gyopari Picture editor Karin Mueller

Contributors Barbara NadelTom BrosnahanVirginia MaxwellSharon CroxfordFulya OzlemPeter Sommer Lucretia StewartSuzanne Swan

Cover A view of Ortaköy and the Bosphorus bridge/gototurkey.co.uk

ImagesCorbis/Alamy/gototurkey.co.uk/goturkey.com/ 4CornersImages/Camera Press/Gamma/ Tosfed/Peter Owen Publishers/Getty Images/Christopher Wise/Burdur Museum, Turkey/Hulton Archive/Robert Harding Picture Library Ltd/Spike Pictures/Skysports-turkey.com/SIME/Arco Images GmbH/Tips Images/Imagestate/superstock.com/ Nature Picture Library/Sidali-Djenidi

Repro Keenes LondonPrinters St Ives Direct Limited, Bradford

© Publicom International 2008. While every effort has been made to ensure that the information is correct, the author and publisher cannot be held responsible for any inadvertent inaccuracies or omissions. Hotel prices, restaurant menus and opening times of local attractions can change without notice; it is always advisable to check with the venue or the tourist information office in advance. Views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of Turkish Culture and Tourism Office or Publicom International. Turkey Summer/Autumn 2008 is wholly protected by copyright and nothing may be wholly or partly reprinted without permission. Manuscripts, transparencies and illustrations are submitted on the understanding that no liability is incurred for safe custody. Printed by St Ives Direct Limited, Bradford.

Free holiday in Fabled istanbul!

An unForgettable weekend for two

COMPETITION www.goturkey.com

FreeturkeyA n c i e n t c i t i e s , m o d e r n l i v i n g

#informAtionfor your tripCapital: AnkaraCurrency: 1 Turkish lira = 0.42 GBPTelephone code: 00 90Time: GMT + 2hrsHistory: Earliest known inhabitants: 7,500 BCGeography: 3% in Europe, rest in AsiaClimate: In Istanbul, temperatures average 30º C in July and August; moderate, September to DecemberEtiquette: Always remove shoes before entering a home or stepping on a mosque’s carpets. Don’t point your finger directly at anyoneWords: Hello Merhaba. Yes Evet. No Hayir. Please Lütfen. Thank you Tesekkür ederim. Flat bread Pide. For hotels: See turob.org; for travel agents, tursab.org.tr

To enter the competition, see www.goturkey.com or fill in this form Turkish Culture and Tourism Office, 4th Floor, St James’s Street, London SW1A 1HB, UK

Title Mr Mrs Miss Ms Other.........................................................................

First Name..............................................................................................................Initials.....................................................

Surname.................................................................................................................................................................................

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Postcode.....................................................................................................................DOB.........../.........../...........(dd/mm/yy)

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Here’s your chance to enjoy one of Europe’s biggest, oldest and most dynamic cities

Istanbul has a buzzing nightlife, luxurious shopping and wonderful restaurants. Great antiquities abound. Ancient Troy is only a day’s journey away.

You will stay for three nights in the magnificent Ritz-Carlton hotel (above right), which is within walking distance of the Beyog lu district, with its cultural attractions and designer shops. Breakfast is included. The prize includes a return flight for two to Istanbul on Turkish Airlines, leaving London on a Thursday and coming back on Sunday.

The competition is open from today, July 19, until August 15. The winner can enjoy his/her trip any time between September 1 and December 12. Good luck! Iyi s anslar!

Istanbul, a city that straddles Europe and Asia, has been chosen as European Capital of Culture in 2010. This former Ottoman capital has a wealth of cultural treasures, including the highly picturesque Blue Mosque, the Topkapı Palace, home of sultans down the centuries, and the Grand Bazaar, with its 58 streets and 6,000 shops. Competition winners will be escorted on a tour of these and other major sights.

Terms and conditions The competition is open to all residents of the UK aged 18 and over, except for employees of the Turkish Culture and Tourism Office [TCTO], Turkish Airlines, Publicom International and participating agencies, and the families of any of the above. No entries will be accepted after midnight, August 15, 2008.

Entries are limited to one per household. Incomplete entries will be disqualified. The organisers accept no responsibility for non-receipt or loss of entries. All entries become the absolute property of TCTO. Entrants must allow their name and entry to be published by TCTO on www.goturkey.com and agree to take part in post-competition publicity.Entries can be submitted by post, using the entry slip below, or on the website www.goturkey.com. No other correspondence will be entered into. Prize-winners will be notified by TCTO within three weeks of the winning prize being drawn. The competition prize is not transferable. TCTO reserves the right to amend these rules at any time, without prior notification. The winners will be drawn at random. No cash alternatives will be offered in whole or in part for any prizes offered. TCTO reserves the right to change the prize to one of equal value, should circumstances require it. The prize is subject to date restrictions and availability.

Personal details will not be passed onto third parties or other organisations without prior permission of the entrants, unless the conduct of the competition requires it. PrizeDraw Rules are governed by UK law.

q q q q

16-23 turq coast.indd 23 4/7/08 11:39:42

22 TURKEY 2008

have inspired the Christmas story that Santa

comes down the chimney with presents.

After the town of Finike to the east, the

coastal road heads north to the site of

ancient Olimpos, where Roman ruins hide

among the pines and budget travellers can

lodge in tree-house hostels with all comforts

provided, including cold lager and fast Internet

connections. The shingle beach at Olimpos is

also pleasant and uncrowded, with welcome

shade and basic services close by.

Antalya’s old Ottoman housesAt Çirali, a few kilometres north of Olimpos,

the eternal fl ames of the Chimaera rise from

the earth. Although small and weak today, the

fl ames were a famous beacon to mariners in

ancient times. They are actually methane gas

seeping and self-igniting.

Few travellers detour south to Çavusköy,

which is what gives this little-known village its

appeal. Here, small hotels and pensions line a

pretty bay, and the pace of life is restful. But

north from Olimpos, the infl uence of Antalya,

the largest city on Turkey’s Mediterranean

coast, becomes apparent. The road widens,

traffi c increases, and the last haven of calm

is Phaselis, where the remains of a Roman

city lie scattered on the shores of three idyllic

small bays. A large remnant of aqueduct still

impresses, and signs forbidding picnicking

are largely ignored because it is so obviously

the perfect spot.

Then on to Kemer, a gleaming

white resort town 50km south

of Antalya. It was purpose-

built to accommodate tour

groups and has since grown

and prospered. To its north, at

Beldibi, are several large hotel

complexes that take advantage

of the shingle beach, pine

forests and dramatic views of

the Beydaglari mountains.

Antalya itself grew from a

great Roman port to become

Turkey’s Mediterranean holiday

metropolis. Broad beaches

– Konyaaltı to the west, Lara to

the east – frame the city, and rugged cliffs rise

from its historic Roman harbour. At its centre

stands a statue of King Attalos II of Pergamum,

who founded the city of Attaleia here in 159 BC.

The Antalya Museum houses the archaeological

wealth of the region’s rich history.

Antalya’s old town, situated

within the harbour’s Roman

fortifi cations, is full of Ottoman

houses, legally protected against

modern development. Built

around verdant courtyards,

many are now delightful

boutique hotels.

Antony and Cleopatra’s trystWithin a short drive of Antalya are some of

the Turquoise Coast’s most impressive and

enjoyable sights. My favourite is the mountain

aerie of Termessos, a Hellenistic city with a

great stone theatre, built high in a cirque of

the mountains, north of Antalya’s fertile plain.

Its spectacular views were just a bonus for the

Termessians. The real point was defensive: the

city’s mighty walls and its position, spreading

up the narrow valley for 2km, kept even

Alexander the Great from attempting conquest.

To the east of Antalya, along the coast, are

more ancient cities, grand ruins and long,

soft beaches. They include the Roman city of

Perge, the almost-intact Hellenistic theatre at

Aspendos, and the town of Side (pronounced

See-deh), which shares a beach-

framed peninsula with Roman

ruins and a white, marble temple

to which Antony and Cleopatra

sailed for a tryst. For adventure,

head into the mountains to shoot

the rapids down Köprülü Kanyon,

a wild gorge washed by a fl ooding

green river carrying rubber rafts

crewed by helmeted, life-jacketed

thrill-seekers.

History and derring-do have

always thrived along the Turquoise

Coast. They still do. <

Tom Brosnahan wrote the fi rst

Lonely Planet Turkey. He now writes

turkeytravelplanner.com

Finike ™ Perge

TURQ

UOIS

E COA

ST

The Lycian Way pioneered ‘geo-tourism’

in Turkey, along with its more rugged

relative, the St Paul Trail. The long-distance

footpaths are expertly marked with red-white

paint fl ashes every 100m or less, but only

experienced trekkers should contemplate

walking them alone.

The Lycian Way

snakes for 509km over

the Toros mountain ridge,

from Fethiye to Antalya,

becoming more challenging

towards Antalya. It takes

in seascapes and suggests

detours to ruins not found in

most guidebooks. Be sure to use the book

and maps of Kate Clow, who marked the

Way in 1998-9 and has also adapted maps

for Turkey’s military. lycianwaywalk.com

Best time to walk: Sept to mid-Nov

The St Paul Trail follows the route

walked by St Paul on his fi rst missionary

journey in Asia Minor. It goes from Yalvaç,

northeast of Lake Eg irdir, to Perge, with a

second branch starting at Aspendos, 40km

east of Antalya – about 500km in total. It’s

arduous, and there are no accommodation

or refreshment stops. Mountaineering

equipment is essential, as is a GPS device

– and stamina. stpaultrail.com

Best time to walk: mid-Jun to end Oct

The St Nicholas Trail – 18km of

sand and shallow water – is a gentler,

self-guided walk in the footsteps of St.

Nicholas at Patara, his birthplace. If

walking alone, don’t stray more than two

or three kilometres from the entrance.

The following tour agents are experts

at organising customised treks:

Bougainville Turizm (Kas )

bougainville-turkey.com

Middle Earth Travel (Antalya)

middleearthtravel.com

Mithra Travel (Antalya) mithratravel.com

Özkan Yas ar ozkankas@hotmail.com. Private

eco-guide who helped map the Lycian Way.

In the UK, book with onfootholidays.co.uk

Also visit trekkinginturkey.com

Suzanne Swann

TOP WALKS

Loggerhead TurtlesGiants as long as 3.5 feet are to be found at Iztuzu Beach in Dalyan, earmarked for development until it was found to be one of the last Mediterranean nesting grounds for this endangered species. Restricted visiting times, from May to September, have helped raise numbers. In June and July, females lay up to 100 eggs at night in the soft sand

go see…

towards Antalya. It takes

detours to ruins not found in

u

Turkey Summer/Autumn 2008Published by Publicom International on behalf of Turkish Culture and Tourism Offi ce, 29-30 St James’s, London SW1A 1HB, United Kingdom. Tel: +44 (0)20 7839 7778 (information and brochures only) email: info@goturkey.com www.goturkey.com

Editor Michael Watts Art director Nick BrownSub editor Nicky Gyopari Picture editor Karin Mueller

Contributors Barbara NadelTom BrosnahanVirginia MaxwellSharon CroxfordFulya OzlemPeter Sommer Lucretia StewartSuzanne Swan

Cover A view of Ortaköy and the Bosphorus bridge/gototurkey.co.uk

ImagesCorbis/Alamy/gototurkey.co.uk/goturkey.com/ 4CornersImages/Camera Press/Gamma/ Tosfed/Peter Owen Publishers/Getty Images/Christopher Wise/Burdur Museum, Turkey/Hulton Archive/Robert Harding Picture Library Ltd/Spike Pictures/Skysports-turkey.com/SIME/Arco Images GmbH/Tips Images/Imagestate/superstock.com/ Nature Picture Library/Sidali-Djenidi

Repro Keenes LondonPrinters St Ives Direct Limited, Bradford

© Publicom International 2008. While every effort has been made to ensure that the information is correct, the author and publisher cannot be held responsible for any inadvertent inaccuracies or omissions. Hotel prices, restaurant menus and opening times of local attractions can change without notice; it is always advisable to check with the venue or the tourist information offi ce in advance. Views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of Turkish Culture and Tourism Offi ce or Publicom International. Turkey

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