Aegean Region

A vibrant resort area with the buzzy town of Bodrum at its heart, and picturesque smaller resorts and villages strung out along the adjoining peninsula.

Crewed gulets ply Turkey’s beautiful Lycian coast, offering a deliciously barefoot experience with swimming, lazing on deck and fine local food.

A natural phenomenon of extraordinary beauty, Pamukkale’s cotton-white travertines, created by carbonated springs, dazzle alongside the evocative Roman-era ruins of Hierapolis.

Turkey’s top ancient site combines intact colonnaded streets, painstakingly restored facades and stunningly painted villa interiors to evoke Roman-era life in unparalleled richness.

An ancient and evocative Roman spa city dating back to AD 80 with a fabulous inland setting, above the famed calcite travertine pools of Pamukkale.

Riverboat trips offering swimming, sunning, mud-wallowing, visits to ancient ruins and beautiful scenery, along with the chance to spend time on beautiful Iztuzu Beach.

The hamam, or Turkish Bath, is the most civilised of rituals – a deeply restorative sweat-out, skin cleanse, relaxation and massage rolled into one. A quintessential Turkey experience.

A beautiful town of exceptional Ottoman merchants’ houses and cobbled lanes, set amidst vineyards in the hills above Ephesus. If you can, visit first thing in the morning or at the end of the day, to avoid the busloads of tourists.

A former hippie hangout, now a mindfulness and yoga mecca, Kabak occupies a lovely beach at the end of the road east of Oludeniz. Campsites and simple bungalows close to the Lycian Way.

One of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the mausoleum was originally built in 350 BC and reached 45 metres high. There’s little left of it now, but it’s worth visiting for those with an interest in archaeology.