Western Anatolia

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Western Anatolia
Why Go?
İznik . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Bursa . . . . . . . . . . . . . .257
Phrygian Valley . . . . .270
Eskişehir . . . . . . . . . . .272
Kütahya . . . . . . . . . . . .274
Afyon
(Afyonkarahisar) . . . .276
Uşak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .279
Pamukkale . . . . . . . . .279
Afrodisias . . . . . . . . . 284
Lake District . . . . . . . .287
Isparta . . . . . . . . . . . . .287
Sagalassos . . . . . . . . .287
Eğirdir . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Best Places to
Stay
» Kitap Evi (p265)
Often overlooked as the crossroads between many of Turkey’s big-ticket items, western Anatolia has its own collection of surprisingly diverse attractions.
Once the beating heart of the thriving Ottoman Empire,
the region features thousands of architectural emblems of
world domination, many of which have been restored to their
original glamour and are now charming boutique digs and
eateries. Also dotting the landscape are sumptuous religious
structures that showcase the area’s trademark tile-work.
But long before mosques and minarets, western Anatolia featured prominently in the pages of classical history
books. Rambling cities were established by a slew of vibrant
ancient civilisations, from the mysterious Phrygians with
their rock-hewn settlements, to the imperial Romans with
their large-scale engineering and trademark colonnades.
Beyond the homages to the progress of man, the region
boasts a memorable patchwork of natural wonders – crater
lakes, rugged mountains and vast dusty plains – that seems
to borrow from each of Turkey’s other regions.
When to Go
Bursa
°C/°F Temp
Rainfall Inches/mm
» Babüssaade Konak
(p273)
40/104
5/125
30/86
4/100
» Ali’s Pension (p291)
20/68
Best Places to Eat
» Arap Şükrü (p266)
» Kebapçi İskender (p266)
» Mavi Boncuk (p269)
3/75
10/50
2/50
0/32
1/25
-10/14
0
-20/-4
J
F
M
January &
February Swish
down the slopes
at Uludağ,
Turkey’s premier
ski hill.
A
M
J
J
A
July & August
Escape the heat
in breezy Eğirdir,
set high in the
Anatolian hills.
S
O
N
D
September Enjoy
Pamukkale’s
crystal travertines without the
crowds.
Sea of Marmara
(Marmara Denizi)
Bandîrma
Kuš E90
Gölü
Yalova
Düzce
Topçular
Îmralî
Adasî
Pamukova
Orhangazi
Îznik
Gemlik Gölü
Mudanya
Geyve
Îznik
Karacabey
Bolu Daÿi
(980m) Abant
Gölü
Akyazî
Çînarcîk Termal
Bolu
E89
253
To Ankara
Mudurnu
Taraklî
Seben
Osmaneli
Bursa
Gölpazarî
Uludaÿ Yenišehir
Çalî
National Park
Bilecik
Înhisar
Uludaÿ
Çaltîlîbük
Înegöl
Cumalîkîzîk
Sarîcakaya
Keles
Bozüyük
Orhaneli
Muttalip
Ulubat
Gölü
Harmancîk
Înönü
Alpu
Mihalîççîk
Eskišehir
Dursunbey
Tavšanlî
Beypazarî
Gökçekaya
Sarîyar
Dam
Dam
Beylikova
E90
Sabuncu
Kütahya
Aizanoi
Kümbet
Emirdaÿ
Îhsaniye
Gazlîgöl
Dumlupînar
Borlu
Kula
Sincanlî
Afyon
r
ve
Ešme
B
Çivril
M
ük
üy
Gümüšsu
eres
end
Haydarlî
Buldan
Buharkent Pamukkale
Yunak
Eber
Gölü
Çay
Akšehir
Sultandaÿî Gölü
Sandîklî
Ri
Sarîgöl
Îscehisar
E96
Sivaslî
Alašehir
Kiraz
Çeltik
E96
UŠAK
E97
To Ankara
(150km)
Altîntaš
Baškomutan
Historical Park
Demirköprü
Dam
Phrygian
Sivrihisar
Valley
Çifteler
Midas
Šehri
Gökbahçe
Seyitgazi
Çavdarhisar
Eski Gediz
Gediz
Sazîlar
Yaylaköy
Bigadiç
Tuzlukçu
Akšehir
Kumdanlî
Ilgîn
Yalvaç
Antiocheia-inPisidia
Argîthanî
Baÿkonak
Doÿanhisar
Gelendost
Šarkikaraaÿaç
Eÿirdir
Dinar
Kaklîk
Keçiborlu
Hieropolis
Maÿarasî Dazkîrî
Sivri Gölü
Laodicea
Bašmakçî
Eÿirdir
Karacasu
Daÿi
E24
Acîgöl
Kaklîk
To
Denizli
Geyre
(1749m)
Zîndan
Sultanhisar
Burdur
Maÿarasî Beyšehir
(12km);
Burdur
Isparta Davras
Kovada
Gölü Gölü
Afrodisias
E87
Aydîn
Gölü
National Park
Beyšehir
Daÿi
Serinhisar
(56km)
Sagalassos
(2653m)
Yešilova
Göktepe
Acîpayam
Aÿlasun
Sütcüler
Çandîr
Nazilli
Antîocheîa
Beyaÿaç
Kîzîlkaya
Çavdîr
Köyceÿiz
Korkuteli
Altînkaya
(Zerk)
0
0
60 km
40 miles
Western Anatolia Highlights
1 Ogle the mammoth
stadium at Afrodisias
(p284), one of Turkey’s most
impressive archaeological
sites
2 Tiptoe gingerly through
the crystal travertines and
bath amid tumbled columns at
Pamukkale (p279)
3 Gorge on succulent
WESTERN ANATOLIA
Susurluk
kebaps and bargain for handwoven silk in Bursa (p257),
the original Ottoman capital
Sagalassos (p287) and snap
your camera at the terraced
Roman streets
4 Fall asleep to the sound
of lapping waves in Eğirdir
(p289), then wander through
the nearby ruins scattered
along the St Paul Trail
6 Hike the haunting rockhewn ruins of the Phrygian
Valley (p270)
5 Run your fingers under
the ancient fountain at
7 Marvel at modern
Eskişehir (p272), a living
allegory to Republic ideals