If you want to get into the essence of the country, then do a road trip across its west. It’s quite easy to rent a car here, and the roads are good with many signposts. There are lots of restaurants where you can stop over for a meal during your trip to visit various tourist spots.
Places to Stop During Road Trips When Sightseeing the Western Part of Turkey
Prior to booking a car rental check the car’s condition especially the tires because they should not be too worn out. If the car’s tires are weak and you drive fast on a hot road, the tires can burst, so look out for this.
Make a booking on Pegasus to arrive in Istanbul and then commence your journey into the eastern part of the country, which is unrivaled in natural beauty. Here are the places to stop over on a road trip:
- A drive to Hierapolis, an ancient city from the Greco-Roman era, can be quite exciting, as you can see extensive ruins. At one point in time, it was famous for its mineral springs, but now they have formed into travertine limestone terraces. Now it is a famous landmark and heritage site that is filled with tourists during the holidays.
- After exploring Hierapolis, you need to discover Pamukkale, which is known for its terraces made from travertine. You can find out more about its heritage in its museum, where you can find unusual artifacts. Interestingly, this place is called a cotton castle because its landscape resembles the cotton plantations in the country.
- Make a visit to the lovely Lake Bafa, which used to open into the Aegean Sea, but over a period of time, this opening was closed by soil brought by the Buyuk Menderes River. The specialty here is the bird sanctuary, where you can see some really exotic bird species and also take a lot of bird trips. It’s the perfect place to take scenic photos and enjoy strolling.
- The beautiful village of Kapikiri, now a protected cultural site, is nestled close to La Bafa and has a lot of heritage sites that you can stop over at. It is indeed quite entrancing to see centuries-old settlements and take photos of them. There are plenty of beautiful orchards that you can visit, where you can enjoy strolling and taking in the fresh air.
- Şirince is a beautiful village that has a lovely climate, greenery, and lush surroundings complimented by beautiful architecture. All over the place, you can see cobbled streets, and there are so many places to have cocktails, coffee and cream cakes, ice cream, and delicious local wines. Visit any of its vineyards or orchards where you can see apples, peaches, and olives being grown.
- When you visit Selcuk town, you will be quite surprised at how traditional it is to this day. The entire place is dominated by Ayasuluk Hill, on whose slopes there are many historical buildings. It is visited by my tourists as they stop over here before getting into Ephesus. It is also known for its camel resting and oil wrestling festivals, as well as the Efes Festival.
- Ephesus is a beautiful city that is filled with greenery and many ancient ruins. It is considered to be the place where the Gospel of John was written and to have served as a trading hub between the East and West. It was also known in ancient Greece as the Temple of Artemis. Excavations that were done here reveal its many influences, ranging from the classical Greek to the Roman Empire.
- Pergamon is a city filled with stunning ancient ruins that are fabulous to explore. It is well-known for its library and also for its Zeus Altar. It is one of the well-planned cities belonging to the Hellenistic age. There are many temples here dedicated to ancient Greek gods such as the Demeter Sanctuary, Asclepius Sanctuary, Athena Temple etc.
The Aegean coastline of Turkey offers stunning places for tourists where they can experience natural beauty, ancient ruins, lovely restaurants, and scenic locations that are fantastic for photographing. Opt for Pegasus to arrive in Turkey for a fantastic sightseeing tour that takes you into the undiscovered areas across the Aegean coastline in the western part of Turkey.