Turkey is an ancient ruin-lover's paradise. The landscape of modern Turkey has been home to the Hittites, Greeks, Romans, Armenians, Seljuks and Ottomans, amongst others, and these cultures all left their marks in stone. This overwhelming number of ancient sites leaves the traveler wondering, which ruins are most worth visiting?
Adventurous ruin-seekers should travel east to escape the tourist traps. Destinations along the Aegean and Western Mediterranean coasts are beautiful and historically interesting but are often overrun with tourists and touts. Anatolia and the Black Sea offer spectacular ruins without the mobs. Better yet, fellow visitors are less likely to be American, providing the opportunity to meet diverse people and experience local culture.
Cappadocia
There are plenty of opportunities to break off from the crowds in Cappadocia, in Central Anatolia. From Göreme village, one can hike around the breathtaking landscape known for its unique "fairy chimney" rock formations, vivid colors, and traces of history.
Christians used Cappadocia as a refuge before their religion was accepted. They hid in underground cities and carved cave dwellings and churches into the soft rock across the countryside. To see many painted Christian caves at once, head to Göreme's Open Air Museum. However, it is best to go hiking to the more remote churches. Many churches and dwellings are unmarked, giving hikers the rare joy of 'discovering' ancient sites on their own.
Mt Nemrut
Southeastern Anatolia's most memorable destination may just be Mt. Nemrut (Nemrut Dagi). Tours of Mt. Nemrut depart from Malatya and Kahta but travelers can also drive or hike up the mountain. The ruins at the summit are surreal; visitors are dwarfed by the temples, gigantic stone bodies and their decapitated heads that have toppled to the ground. King Antiochus erected the statues, portraits of himself and the gods, in the 1st century BC as a monument to his own grandeur and ego. It is preferable to trek up the mountain at sunrise to take advantage of the views.
Sumela Monastery
The best way to get to Sumela Monastery is from the Black Sea town of Trabzon. Travelers rent a car or hop on a minibus (dolmus) to ascend a winding road into the mountains. The view at the top won't disappoint; cut into the sheer rock face, Sumela Monastery almost appears to be part of nature itself. The monastery is rumored to date back to the late 300's AD and was occupied by Greek Orthodox monks in honor of the Virgin Mary. The monks moved out in 1923, but travelers can imagine what life must have been like in this isolated complex as they admire the frescos.
Ani
Ani sits crumbling across the border from Armenia, overlooking the Akhurian River and a mysterious, desolate landscape. Travelers must go through Kars, one of Turkey's least attractive towns, but the hardship is worth it. Ancient Ani was the Armenian capital and a stop along the Silk Road, comparable at its height to Baghdad or Constantinople. Many walls, towers and churches still survive, most dating to the 10th or 11th centuries. The site is under military control due to border proximity but visitors are relatively unmonitored. Though its remote location keeps many tourists away, Ani is one of Turkey's most impressive ruins.
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