Top 5 Sites Not to Visit in Turkey
When we first looked at a map of Turkey, we did not think that it looked all that big, especially after living in Canada for so many years. However, after circumnavigating the entire country of Turkey I can assure you that it is vast, and although we spent three months in Turkey, we could easily have spent longer. Because Turkey is such a vast country, and has an incredible amount of history, you have to prioritise what you want to see. With that in mind, we put together the following list of places that we would recommend you skip, so that you can free up time to visit more interesting, and authentic places in Turkey.
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1. The Ancient Port City of Ephesus
The ancient site of Ephesus seems to receive a huge amount of attention, and is almost always listed as a must see place in Turkey. This huge site was of great historical importance for centuries, until it was abandoned in the 15th century after the harbour silted up, and earthquakes destroyed much of the town. This unfortunately means that there are very few intact structures left, and all the famous buildings that are associated with Ephesus, such as the library, are reconstructions made with a mix of existing, and new material. It quickly became evident that outside of the main core of the site there is essentially no preservation work taking place. This is especially noticeable when you follow the road that used to lead to the harbour, and see the Byzantine church ruins that are slowly being taken over by weeds. If you pay close attention as you drive towards Ephesus you will also see lots of ancient building blocks, and even pieces of columns strewn about on farmers fields on the side of the road.
Overall we were not impressed by the site, and genuinely feel that there are other sites in Turkey that have retained more of their true character, and have not been recreated for the sake of tourism. With that being said the terrace houses were quite fascinating to walk around, with their impressive murals and elaborate mosaic floors, and are almost worth a visit on their own.
2. Letoon Sanctuary Place
For millennia this site, and the spring that it is built on was considered to be special, and sacred. The Romans built several temples, and later in the age of Christianity several churches were built on the site as well. Although it was interesting to see the coliseum still being excavated, and the very well preserved coliseum entrance, Letoon was ultimately a let down. The area is now surrounded by greenhouses, and intensive farming, with only a small section of the ancient site cordoned off for tourists.
We found it a shame that this site which had been worshipped, and considered sacred for thousands of years, was now a shell of its former glory, and worst of all any positive or sacred energy that must have existed at Letoon, is now completely gone. With that being said, the oranges we plucked from the trees growing on the site were absolutely delicious, so perhaps there is still a vestige of positive energy left in the spring.
3. The Town of Halfeti, on the Euphrates River
The main, or I should say only, attraction in Halfeti is taking a boat tour along the Euphrates river to view the sunken mosque, and seeing the huge castle ruins on the shore line. If you like crowds, and ear meltingly loud music, then this might very well be the best activity you do in Turkey, but for us it was not appealing. The whole journey takes about 1.5 hours, but 30 minutes of that is spent at the sunken town, where the boat will dock at one of several floating restaurants. You do not have to get out of the boat, but you might as well enjoy a cup of warm çay, especially if like us you do this boat trip in the winter.
Upon returning to Halfeti, the boat will dock at another floating restaurant instead of the harbour. If you are so inclined, you can stay and eat there, but you will definitely be paying a premium for being on the water. If you want to eat elsewhere, you can just keep walking through the restaurant, although you can use their bathrooms on the way out, which is always a benefit. If you do want to grab a bite to eat, then I would recommend waiting until you have gone back up the hill, and are in the newer part of Halfeti town. There you will find plenty of little kebap, and pide shops that will happily serve you better food, and not make you pay tourist prices.
4. The Mountain Village of Şirince
The village of Şirince is situated on a hillside close to the ancient site of Ephesus, and took on its present shape in the 19th century. Nowadays the village exists purely for tourists, both local and international. The majority of the wine that you will see being sold or offered for tasting is not real fruit wine, and in many cases is not even wine. There are very few shops left that actually sell Turkish wine from the region. One way you can tell if a bottle of wine is legitimate, is to see whether or not it has a tax label over the top of the bottle. This label is required by Turkish law, and shows that the alcohol tax has been paid for that bottle.
There is a chapel, and a church in the village, both of which were abandoned after the population exchange. The chapel is in a state of disrepair, with seemingly no efforts at preservation, whilst the church has had some preservation work carried out. The views from the church over the valley are quite pretty, and the church terrace is therefore the selfie spot in town. Very few people still live full time in Şirince today, with the entire town essentially existing for the sake of tourists. As a result almost every single street is lined with stalls, and shops, trying to sell you souvenirs or wine. If you have a rental car, then your only real cost to visit the town is the parking fee, but unless you have an unlimited amount of time in Turkey, we would recommend skipping Şirince.
5. The UNESCO Heritage City of Safranbolu
Safranbolu is a UNESCO heritage city located in the north west of Turkey that originally developed as an important trading station along the caravan trading route. Its claim to fame lies in its unique architecture, and street layout which evolved in a similar manner to European towns of the same time with no central planning. The most famous buildings in Safranbolu are the 13th century mosque, and bath house, both of which were closed during our visit. Beyond its architecture, the town is also known for being a hub of saffron production, and you will see the spice incorporated into the local turkish delights, as well as brewed into a tea. This description sounds great on paper, and there is no doubting that Safranbolu was an influential town in its prime. Unfortunately, the old town has turned into another tourist trap.
We visited in the winter so the majority of shops and restaurants were closed, and although it was great to avoid the crowds, it is further proof that the old town only exists for the benefit of tourists. If you are driving through the area, then Safranbolu is a good spot to stretch your legs, and admire some of the architecture, but we would not recommend going out of your way to see Safranbolu.
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