Photo Gallery
With our third stage of Turkey Journey, we explored the cities of Kütahya, Uşak, Manisa, İzmir, Aydın, Muğla, Isparta, Afyonkarahisar, Burdur and Denizli.
Aydın · UNESCO World Heritage
Founded in the 10th century BC and one of the greatest harbour cities of the ancient world, Ephesus is one of the best-preserved Roman cities to have survived to the present. With its two-storey Library of Celsus, a grand theatre seating 24,000 and a magnificent colonnaded street, it draws visitors deep into the depths of history.
Denizli · UNESCO World Heritage
With its white limestone terraces formed over thousands of years by thermal waters rich in calcium bicarbonate, Pamukkale is both a natural wonder and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Intertwined with the ruins of ancient Hierapolis, we experienced swimming in the hot thermal pools of this unique landscape.
Burdur · Natural Wonder
Known as "Turkey's Maldives" for its turquoise waters and snow-white shores, Salda Lake is one of the world's cleanest lakes. NASA has designated this lake as a research site for its similarity to Mars's Jezero Crater, making Salda a globally renowned scientific point of interest.
İzmir · Historic Landmark
Built in 1901 to mark the 25th anniversary of Sultan Abdülhamid II's accession, the Clock Tower is one of İzmir's most recognisable symbols. This Ottoman masterpiece rising at the very centre of Konak Square still stands today as a living witness to history in the heart of the city.
An unforgettable 7-day journey starting from Kütahya covering Uşak, Manisa, İzmir, Aydın, Muğla, Isparta, Afyonkarahisar, Burdur and Denizli.
We began our Aegean journey from İzmir. We felt the spirit of the city wandering through the corridors of Kemeraltı Bazaar. We took photos in front of the iconic clock at Konak Square. In the afternoon we walked along the seafront Kordon promenade and tasted the local boyoz pastry and mussels to our heart's content.
We walked step by step through Ephesus Ancient City, one of the world's best-preserved ancient cities. At the Library of Celsus, the Grand Theatre and the Marble Road, we heard the whispered breath of history. We then visited the House of the Virgin Mary and offered our prayers in a deeply spiritual atmosphere.
We walked on the snow-white Pamukkale Travertines of this unique natural wonder and cooled our feet in the thermal pools. We then explored the necropolis, nymphaeum and bath structures of Hierapolis Ancient City on the hilltop, tracing the footsteps of two civilisations together.
We swam in the turquoise waters of Salda Lake, known as "Turkey's Maldives". The white sandy shores and crystal-clear waters enchanted everyone. On the way back we examined artefacts from the region's ancient periods at Burdur Museum.
We started the day slowly in Bodrum, the jewel of the Aegean. We visited the Underwater Archaeology Museum inside Bodrum Castle, examining historic artefacts recovered from beneath the sea. In the afternoon we walked along the breezy shore and ended the day at the ruins of the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
