Pamukkale
My introduction to this cotton castle was through “Tu Jane Na” song from Ajab Prem ki Gazab Kahani movie. It did stand out and I had googled where it was from. The formations are from calcium carbonate sediments coming from hot springs. When the weather is right, you can see blue colored pools in white ponds, making it picture perfect cotton castle
I took a flight from Istanbul to Denizli. You can see red and white colored fields when landing
You can get buses at the airport to take you to city centre in Heirapolis. I walked from there to my hotel
You can book transport option from Denizli airport to Pamukkale hotels here. It costed $6 for the bus and $8 for entry into Pammukale complex
There is a well preserved roman theater and ruins behind Pamukkale in Heirapolis, which is worth a visit
There is a dolmus running at the site which can take you to main bus stop
Where I stayed in Pamukkale, Hierapolis
Bella Maritamo Hotel; There were relatively fewer options for backpackers here in the city compared to other places in Turkey
Ephesus
Ephesus has well preserved Roman ruins with columns, theater and many such artefacts all around the town
You can book transfer from Pammukale to Selcuk here. It costed $6
The walk from Selcuk to Ephesus was about 45 minutes with nice trees and some ruins in the middle. Entry into Ephesus complex costs $45 these days
For lunch, try out vegetarian kebab with rice at Ali Baba & Muhamet Kebab House in Selcuk town. It was really nice and I ending up coming back again for dinner
Kusadasi
Nice beach town with a castle in the sea, about 30 minutes from Selcuk
You can get a dolmus from Selcuk to Kusadasi for $1.5 one way. Kusadasi to Izmir dolmus costed $2
Where I stayed in Selcuk
ANZ guesthouse: Has a Turkish styled portico and good breakfast spread
Izmir
A nice university and seaside city. I came here to catch a flight back to Istanbul after visiting Selcuk
You can try kestane (chestnuts), kumru (sandwich) and gevrek (bagels) from carts near the seafront, they were delicious
Izmir airport is connected to the city by metro which is convenient to head back
Where I stayed in Izmir
Four Points by Sheraton on redemption booking
Cappadocia
A fairytale town with chimney like formations throughout the region, famous for hot air ballooning
I went on Comfort Balloons through Goreme balloons
It included pick up and drop from hotel. The pick up was at 4 AM in the morning with a short stop for breakfast, followed by change of vehicles to reach the take off site. It was a wonderful experience to see fire heating up the balloons just before sunrise
Shortly, we were in air with hundreds of balloons around us. It was the first time on a balloon for me and I was elated! It was worth every penny to see the stunning landscapes below
Post return and breakfast, I went on the Green route to see around Cappadocia with Gorgeous Turkey Tours
There are multiple route options covering different sites, identified by the color of the route. People who had been on other routes before mentioned Green route being the best one if you only have a day
The green route had these stops
- Derinkuyu underground city: Network of underground tunnels used to get respite from wars in ancient times. You can see church with a cross formed by the extensions of tunnels. These tunnels were large enough to house thousands of people
- Selime monastery: On top of a mountain with great rock formations
- Ilhara canyon: Nice canyon with a river and tall trees. There are many cave churches with good paintings
- Pigeon valley viewpoint: For amazing views of the town and fairy chimneys
Where I stayed in Cappadocia
Cappadocia cave rooms offers different types of rooms suiting all budgets in cave style. Breakfast spread was good
You can try the famous clay pot Kebab in may restaurants around
Istanbul
One of my most favorite cities in the world for its people, colors, chaos, sites. I spend 3 days which felt less- there was so much more to do
I went around using public transport which was efficient
Places to see
- Hagia Sophia: The famous mosque with all its grandeur You can see remains of Christian era which was then converted to a mosque
- Blue mosque: Another stunning architecture masterpiece. Women need a scarf to enter
- Topkapi Palace: Lavish palace of ancient times with hundreds of rooms, prayer halls, harems
- Galata tower: For a stunning view of the region from top. Be careful around this area, it is known for touts
- Bosphorous cruise: Travel across the strait that separates Europe and Asia. You can see start difference in the regions that fall in Europe vs. Asia
- Grand bazaar: For the color, chaos and variety of products you can shop- Spices, tea, soaps, lamps, carpets and what not. Believe me, it is tough to resist the urge of shopping here
- Whirling dervish performance: A religious performance where men dressed in white do a revolving dance. You are not supposed to talk or applaud or take photos. Pay respect and treat this as a spiritual show. You can book it here
- Trams: You can see some old trams going around the city. Most photos of Istanbul have this in their top 5 pictures
Where I stayed in Istanbul
AC Hotel Istanbul Macka on redemption booking