Turkey: 5 must-see places
With its history and landscapes, Turkey is still a popular destination for tourists from all over the world. Among the places not to be missed under any pretext:
The Pamukkale Basins
The Turkish name of this exceptional site means "cotton castle". And for good reason: the limestone salts contained in the warm waters that gush out of this place have covered everything with a thick white film, transforming the place into a true natural monument. This immaculate character gives the place an enchanting atmosphere. It is also possible to bathe in the pools, which adds to the charm of the visit.
The ruins of the ancient Hieropolis are also located here. The theatre is certainly the highlight of the discovery. The city already exploited the hot springs of Pamukkale: it was a Roman spa town founded in the 2nd century BC.
⋙ Discovery of an underground city in Turkey that would have been home to the first Christians
The fairy chimneys of Cappadocia
The place is a major tourist attraction in Turkey, but a must-see for those who love the beauty of natural creations. The result of erosion, the chimneys rise up in a semi-arid landscape where the changing light during the day helps to amaze the visitor, as the colour of the rock, the result of an ancient volcanic eruption, takes on different reflections. Troglodyte dwellings make the most of this unique landscape, especially between Kayseri and Göreme.
To admire the fairy chimneys from a completely different angle, it is possible to take a hot air balloon ride. The light of the early morning will then sublimate the landscape.
Lake Van
A stop at Lake Van is reserved for travellers who love wild landscapes. Surrounded by mountains, it offers arid shores that give the place a rather desolate character, but in the heart of nature. It is the largest lake in Turkey.
In 2017, archaeologists discovered an ancient fortress under the surface of the lake, estimated to be nearly 3,000 years old, during the Uratu civilisation. The waters of the lake would have risen since the Iron Age, gradually covering the fortress, whose presence now adds to the mysterious charm of this immense expanse of deep blue water.
⋙ The bronze belt of an Urartian warrior found in the ancient city of Satala in Turkey
The ruins of ancient Ephesus
Ephesus and its surroundings are full of iconic buildings and sites, starting with the Temple of Artemis, which was once one of the 7 Wonders of the World. The remains of the theatre are also impressive.
The library of Celsus was one of the three most important in the ancient world. It contained no less than 12,000 scrolls. Since it was burnt down by the Goths in 263, only the façade can be admired. The city of Ephesus is a former busy port on the Aegean Sea, whose waters have gradually receded, and is pleasantly surrounded by hills.
The turquoise waters of Lake Bafa
A turquoise pearl in the middle of a green landscape, Lake Bafa is one of Turkey's hiking paradises. Numerous bird species inhabit the site and offer fabulous encounters: pink flamingo, curly pelican, golden plover, geese...
The banks of the lake are also populated by the ruins of the ancient city of Heraclea, which add to the charm of a walk in a natural environment the pleasure of historical discovery. Dominated by Mount Latmos, where a shepherd lived who seduced the goddess of the moon, it is also home to an isolated Byzantine monastery on an island.