Q&A: Turkey for a Cultural and Exotic Destination

By RUSHA HALJUCI

Q.

Last year, my wife and I followed The Times’s suggestion and went to Morocco for two weeks with my family (we have two daughters, ages 12 and 10). We had the best vacation ever. For our vacation in July, we would really like to replicate our Morocco experience, which was cultural, adventurous and exotic. Any suggestions for us?

Kevin, Ridgewood, N.J.

A.

Turkey, a dynamic nation that straddles Europe and Asia, East and West, ancient and modern, is one country that fits the bill. Fly into Istanbul, and explore the city’s rich culture and history. In response to my May 20, 2010 Q & A, “Seven Days Enough for Exploring Istanbul?,” several readers recommended staying here at least a week and offered helpful suggestions. Visit the Old City, where many landmarks and must-see sites are clustered, including the Hagia Sophia, the Hippodrome, Topkapi Palace and Blue Mosque (above). A scenic cruise down the Bosporus, the strait that bisects the city, can provide a nice break from the bustle of the city. Also, check out Jennifer Conlin’s “36 Hours in Istanbul” (Feb. 7, 2010) for more sightseeing and dining options.

Beyond Istanbul, you can visit the archaeological site of Ephesus on the country’s southwestern coast, or the eye-catching land formations of Cappadocia, farther east in central Turkey. If you’re ambitious, you can do both, though the cost to get from one place to the next can add up. Susanne Fowler, a contributor to the Travel section’s In Transit blog who has reported from Turkey, wrote in an e-mail that both destinations are worthwhile, and your choice depends — assuming you have to choose — on your interests. Aside from great ruins and biblical sites in Ephesus, including the Temple of Artemis, St. John’s Basilica and the House of the Virgin Mary, it is also close to the Aegean Sea, which can be a welcome respite from the July heat.

From Istanbul, fly to Izmir, and base yourself in Selcuk; taxis, buses and minibuses (dolmuses) are available for trips to the sites. If you rent a car, you can drive to the nearby winemaking village of Sirince and, about two hours west, to the Cesme peninsula, for a day or more at the beach. Cappadocia, on the other hand, is “like no other place on earth,” Ms. Fowler wrote, with caves that have been turned into hotels, amazing mosaics and plenty of hiking opportunities. From Istanbul take a flight to Kayseri and then travel by bus or minibus, or rent a car for travel to and between the villages in Cappadocia.

Suggest other destinations that combine the exotic and the cultural here.

via Q&A: Turkey for a Cultural and Exotic Destination – NYTimes.com.