Other Turkey - Top 10 Non-Tourist Sites
Another Turkey - Top 10 non-touristic places that you definitely need to see
Turkey is not only the familiar Antalya, Istanbul and Marmaris - it is a country with a rich history, the cultural heritage of these lands has been shaped for a thousand years. There is something to see even the most demanding traveler.
And therefore, we have prepared for you the TOP 10 places that you will never hear about from tourist guides, but which are worth visiting to get a complete picture of the country and its culture.
"Greek" Turkey - the island of Junda and Assos
We all know Turkey, as the former Ottoman Empire, as a country with Muslim roots. But to this day, the Aegean coast literally breathes Greek history.
There are two places here, they are located in the neighboring provinces of Canakkale and Balıkesir - this is ancient Greek Assos and Junda Island.
You can’t meet crowds of tourists here, mostly Turks come here. More rarely - Europeans.
The places are really amazing. So in Assos, once philosophy was taught by Aristotle himself, who fled from the neighboring island of Lesbos. Here, to this day, the ruins of the majestic temple of Athena are preserved, and from the ancient city, wherever you look, there is a stunning view of the sea.
Junda is a small island near the town of Ayvalik. Here, wherever you look - ancient Christian churches, and you can walk endlessly along the narrow streets with Greek houses.
And this is the place where the devil left his mark. If you turn down the signpost "Şeytan sofrası" (Sheitan's table), you will find yourself in an incredibly beautiful place. From the top of the mountain offers stunning views of the bay of the Aegean Sea. And on the edge of the cliff is a huge devil's trail.
The Tomb of Antioch - the mysterious Nemrut Dag
In the east of the country there is a mountain where tourists rarely get to. Crowning the mountain are huge stone "heads" - these are the statues of the four gods of Greek mythology: Zeus, Heracles, Apollo, and the goddess Tyche. And between Zeus and Hercules is a statue of Antiochus, whose tomb is located on the other side of the mountain.
Interestingly, the statues in height reach nine meters, except that the heads on the mountain rest separately from the bodies.
By the way, most people come to Nemrut to meet the dawn. True, access to the statues is open only in summer. In winter, you can get caught up in the snow to the waist.
Mysterious monastery on the mountain - Sumela
Imagine a steep rock, in the slope of which a monastery is carved. And on top of that, this monastery is one of the oldest in the world, thousands of pilgrims come here every year, followers of both the Orthodox and Catholic faiths.
And this place is located in Turkey, just 50 kilometers from the city of Trabzon.
The monastery was founded as early as 386 AD, then the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos rested there. In the 20th century, it was taken by the Greeks, but the monastery is still open to pilgrims. And since 2010, Christian services have been held here.
Mardin - a city where time is frozen
In the south-east of Turkey there is a city where time froze in the 16th century. This is the city of Mardin. It is built on a mountain, and small houses made of stone are located directly above each other. Here you can wind all day long through the narrow streets, admiring the wonders of architecture and the incredible work of stonecutters of those times.
By the way, the people here are quite hospitable, and if you suddenly want to go into some house with a 600-year history, you will be happy to invite you for a cup of tea.
Mardin is on the UNESCO list of cultural heritage, protected by the entire city at once. Previously, this status was awarded perhaps only Venice.
Shanylurfa - the city of five prophets
In the south-east of Turkey is located one of the most religious, but at the same time incredibly amazing city - Shanylurfa.
First of all, Shanylfu is known as the city where the prophet Abraham was born, visited Jesus Christ and preached on the road to India the apostle Thomas.
But not a single religion known Shanylurfa. The architecture of this city is unique - the old houses of Ottoman buildings, made of stone, stand very close to each other, and many streets are dead-end.
In Shanylurf there are many ancient majestic mosques (some were built in the 12th century), and next to one of them is the lake where sacred carp are found.
Safranbolu - the city where Saffron grows
200 kilometers from Ankara is located the amazing city of Safranbolu. It is also called the museum of saffron and stone.
This is one of the cities in Turkey where traditional Ottoman architecture is best preserved.
The houses, the lower part of which is made of stone, and on the upper floors on all the windows are entirely wooden shutters. And most importantly, these houses have beautiful roofs, for which the buildings got a name: houses with five facades.
And here, Saffron grows in large numbers - a famous oriental spice.
In general, Safranbolu will be of interest to those who want to dive as deeply as possible into the culture of Turkey.
Fairy Country - Cappadocia
This place in the province of Kayseri is very "promoted", but it is simply impossible not to say about it. Yes, if only because such landscapes like here you will not see anywhere else on the planet.
Something cosmic unearthly is felt in the landscapes of Cappadocia. Just imagine, massive stone "caps" as if balancing on the "legs", resembling huge mushrooms; ancient churches carved right in the rocks; giant underground cities. And at dawn, hundreds of balloons fly over all this magnificence.
Cappadocia can not be seen as a "leap", otherwise it will simply not be understood. Here you have to live a few days to fully enjoy the atmosphere and have time to walk through all the valleys.
Kachkar National Park - Turkey's Miraculous Beauty
Turkey is famous not only for cultural and architectural monuments. There are so many picturesque corners. And one of them is Kachkar National Park, located on the Black Sea coast of Turkey.
The park is located in the mountains on an area of more than 50 thousand hectares, and some mountain peaks rise to 4000 meters.
Lovers of hiking here will be able to see the dense green forests, hundreds of the purest blue mountain lakes, waterfalls and glaciers. And all the highland plains in the spring and summer here are covered with carpets of flowers.
Salda is the cleanest lake in Turkey
One of the most incredible places in Turkey is Salda Lake, located in the province of Burdur. It is also called the Turkish Maldives due to the fact that the water here has a stunning turquoise color, and on the shores of the lake - white sand.
This is the second deepest lake in Turkey, and the cleanest and most transparent. Sada is located at an altitude of 1200 meters above sea level.
White sand on the shores is mineral deposits, and the lake itself is rich in clay, which is used to treat various skin diseases.
Turkish Dead Sea - Van Lake
In eastern Turkey lies the largest lake in the country - Van. As scientists say, this reservoir is already many millions of years old, and its water is similar in composition to that of the Dead Sea.
The water here is almost six times saltier than the water in the Mediterranean, and also contains soda. Therefore, having a swim here, you feel like after a bath.
Rheumatism comes to the lake of Van. Here is incredibly beautiful nature and clean mountain air.
And Van is famous for the local breed of cats - with snow-white fur and eyes of different colors. They say that these cats love to swim.
As you yourself could see, there is something to see in Turkey. And these top 10 sights - only a small fraction of what can be seen in the Southern Republic.
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