An Archaeological Expert’s Top 5 Lesser-Known Destinations In Turkey

Turkey is reveling in a tourism boom at the moment as travelers seek out flavors that pack a punch in Istanbul, the Instagram ideal of a hot air ballon ride over Cappadocia, and seaside luxury on the glittering coast of Bodrum.

But while these destinations are soaring in popularity, many of Turkey’s archaeological treasures remain under-the-radar.

Archaeologist and travel company founder Peter Sommer—who has trekked 2,000 miles across Turkey retracing Alexander the Great’s route—shares five sites that offer tourists millennia-old history, unblemished landscapes, and intrepid hikes – all without the crowds.

Sail To A Magnificent Fortification On The Carian Coast

Perched right on the Carian coast, about halfway between the modern towns of Bodrum and Göcek, stands one of the best preserved fortifications from the ancient Greek world, more than 2,300 years old.

“Loryma hasn’t been excavated, reconstructed or restored, it’s just there, testimony to the skill of its military architects and the massive slabs of stone that have endured wind, sun, rain and repeated seismic shaking for over 23 centuries,” says Sommer.

The site is only accessible by hiking along the Carian trail or arriving into the bay below by boat. Sommer recommends the later, more relaxing option, to “cruise beneath the ramparts gazing up in wonder at the mighty walls studded with towers.” The defensive walls were likely built to protect the great port city of Rhodes and deny the best nearby harbor to any potential enemy.

“There are no signboards at the site and it hardly registers a mention in most guidebooks, but this stunning structure, so rich in history, is definitely worth the journey,” Sommer adds.

Explore The Ruined City Of Kyaenai Like Indiana Jones

On a rocky ridge high above a rustic valley, east of the resort town of Kaş, are the ruins of Kyaenai. “Look up as you’re driving and you’ll see a tomb with a Greek temple façade carved into the cliff face, the first indication that there are antiquities in this seemingly remote spot,” says Sommer.

He recommends heading into the little village of Yavu at its base and asking one of the hospitable locals to escort you up to this remarkable archaeological site. Your path, an hour’s climb, will mainly be on a roughly 2,400-year-old road gouged out of the bedrock, winding its way through a seemingly endless series of sarcophagi.

Finally, on high, with mountain and sea views in all directions, you’ll face the city walls, with Corinthian columns and decorative arches lying asunder in the undergrowth. “You’ll need a guide, for Kyaenai has the spirit of Indiana Jones,” Sommer adds.

Breaching the fortifications, you’ll find the city’s interior, once replete with temples, then churches, Roman baths, public squares filled with altars and statues, now completely engulfed by trees and vegetation.

On the slopes outside the city center is its ancient theater, shattered by earthquakes. Climb to the top, gaze around in wonder and the eons will dissolve as you are transported into the past. “Getting to Kyaenai isn’t easy, but I couldn’t recommend it high enough—it’s a true archaeological adventure,” says Sommer.

Discover Underfloor-Heated Bathhouses In Arykanda

Heading inland from the Lycian coast at Finike, up a river valley into the mountains, you’ll discover Arykanda. “There won’t be many other people there, which means you’ll have one of the prettiest historic spots practically to yourself, terrace after terrace of the most picturesque and splendid ancient Greek and Roman buildings marching their way higher and higher up the hillside,” says Sommer.

Turkish archaeologists have spent decades removing vast amounts of debris from landslides to reveal a stadium, a theater with a magnificent vista, grand bathhouses with underfloor heating systems, Byzantine churches floored with mosaics and monumental tombs adorned with sculptures and gouged out with ancient graffiti.

“Birds of prey circle the peaks above, the river flows fast far below and the air is full of the prayers of the past—to the pantheon of Olympian deities that were once worshipped here,” Sommers says.

Stroll An Ancient City Beneath Pine Trees In Priene

While Ephesus receives millions of visitors each year, just an hour’s drive to the south is the little-visited ancient city of Priene. Priene is considered one of the best preserved truly Greek cities, where you can walk on paved stone streets through ancient fortifications and admire temples, gymnasia and houses from around the time of Alexander the Great, some 2,300-plus years ago.

Devastated by earthquakes long ago, archaeologists have been uncovering Priene’s once grand architecture for centuries. They have kept it as a place of natural beauty, so you stroll by council houses, agoras and steep-stepped streets under shady pine trees with a soundtrack of cicadas.

One highlight is the temple of Athena bearing an impressive dedicatory inscription from Augustus, first of the Roman emperors. In the almost perfectly preserved theater, you can take a seat in one of the magnificently carved VIP thrones swathed with icons of Dionysius.

After the cultural riches, Sommer suggests taking a short drive west to meet the Mediterranean at the hamlet of Karine, where you can eat at one of the rustic fish restaurants and paddle in the sea.

Cruise Into The Ancient Harbor Of Knidos

Knidos, on Turkey’s turquoise coast, is one of the few places where you can cruise into an ancient city’s harbor, drop anchor and tie up in the very same place ancients did well over 2,000 years ago. As you sail in on a traditional wooden gulet, the whole Greek-Roman city surrounds you with tombs, temples, colonnades, and theaters.

With a double harbor set at the tip of a long and sinewy peninsula on a highly strategic coastline, Knidos grew rich from its favorable natural position and from trading wine, olive oil and vast quantities of amphorae.