We had the opportunity to ride in a hot air balloon over the fairy tale rock chimneys of Cappadocia, to explore historic Istanbul, sleep in a cave hotel, and even visit the natural travertine hot springs of Pamukkale. And the food, yum!

We spent three weeks in Turkey, and I honestly wish it had been a lot more.

We don’t have any definite plans to go back (yet!), but that hasn’t stopped us from writing out a bucket list for visiting Turkey the next time.

Izmir is one of those places we’re adding to the bucket list. Known as Smyrna in antiquity, Izmir is Turkey’s third largest city, and borders the Agean Sea. It’s a little outside of the normal Turkish tourism hot spots, but we often find that we find some real gems when we wander outside the well worn tourist path.

Here are our top 10 bucket list of things to do in Izmir, Turkey.

Visit the Kemeraltı bazaar

It’s supposedly possible to spend an entire day exploring this twisting, convoluted bazaar and still not see it all. The bazaar is home to cafes, shops selling almost anything you could possibly want or imagine, artisans workshops, mosques, tea gardens and synagogues.

Take a day trip to Ephesus

Most tourists visiting Izmir are passing through to see Ephesus, which is thought to be the best preserved ancient temple in the eastern Mediterranean. It contains the Temple of Artemis, considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Check out the windsurfers in Alacati

Alacati is hugely popular with vacationing Turks, who visit to escape the busyness of nearby cities. Traditionally the city was known for architecture, windmills and vineyards, but today it’s one of Turkey’s most popular destinations for windsurfers.

Take in the International Arts Festival

Walking along the promenade and visiting windswept coastal towns isn’t all that Izmir has to offer; come June and July the International Arts Festival lets you explore the deep history of the area, as some of its ancient buildings have been transformed into quirky, charming spaces. The festival also offers classical, traditional and contemporary works in music, ballet, theatre and opera with international and national performances.

Take the boat from Konak to Karşıyaka

Join the locals and take the ferry on the scenic ride across Izmir’s bay. Ferries to Karşıyaka leave from the waterfront at Konak’s Pier to Karşıyaka, a quiet suburb. The ride takes about 20 minutes.

Walk along the Kordon

Izmir’s Kordon (waterfront promenade) is the heart of the city, and probably Izmir’s most recognizable attraction. It’s a leisurely walkway along the heart of the city, with bars and cafes packed with locals at the day’s end.

Check out the İzmir Museum of History & Art

This museum is renowned for its collection of ancient artifacts. The sculptures from ancient Smyrna, Teos, Miletos and Pergamon are supposed to be especially sensational.

Bargain with the locals at the Kızlarağası Han market

Sometimes called the best hidden market in Izmir, this is the place to shop for carpets and jewelry. It’s a traditional market that gives a true taste of Turkey, and is a beautiful wander even if you have no intention of buying anything.

Climb the parachute tower

The unfortunately somewhat unattractive parachute tower offers spectacular views. It’s named for days past, when you could climb to the top and then be dropped by cable to the bottom in a parachute.

Visit Sports International

We’re making a concerted effort these days to stay fit when we travel, and Sports International should definitely help. You can dance, exercise or just unwind with a relaxing yoga class.

What do you think? Have you been to Izmir? Did we miss anything on our Izmir bucket list?

The travertines, with their glowing white natural hot pools terraced along a mountainside, are featured in almost every tourist brochure about Turkey and rightly so.

The pools are perched below the ancient city of Hierapolis (once frequented by Cleopatra and her ilk, and even mentioned in the Bible) and are a UNESCO heritage site. People have bathed in these pools for thousands of years.

The pools are made when naturally occurring hot water bubbles up from under the ground. As it reaches the surface, the water percolates through a layer of limestone, dissolving  calcium into the hot water. By the time the water reaches the surface, it’s chalky white with dissolved calcium, or more technically calcite (CaCO3), from the limestone.

And it’s insanely gorgeous.

Years ago, tourists were free to roam wherever they wanted on the travertines, hotels were built at the top and a roadway was actually created so vehicles could drive up the bank to quickly reach the summit. As you can imagine, this led to some extensive damage.

The Turkish government stepped in to prevent the site from being totally destroyed. The hotels were subsequently torn down and vehicles were stopped from driving on the site.  Tourists are now limited to certain areas, and kept off the most fragile parts of the travertines.

Today, there are a series of controlled shallow pools along the hillside where you can bathe in the hot water. The original naturally occurring basins, like those in the picture below, are off limits to bathers.

You can still see traces of the damage that was done to the travertines before stricter regulations were in place. A section at the top of the hill is closed off, with many of the naturally occurring basins currently empty.

Aside from that one small section, many of the natural travertine terraces remain. We spent the majority of our time playing with the kids on the pathway up, in the pools they formed when the roadway was ripped out.

I expected the pools to be filled with still water, but the entire hillside is covered with a thin layer of rushing warm water and though these particular pools were formed by man, the waters and the minerals have  already claimed them as their own.

You’ll understand why the place is named Cotton Castle as you look up from the pools as you climb the hill. Our kids kept calling it the Cotton Candy hills.

Wherever the water is still, the white calcite deposits start to settle, creating a chalky gloop that’s a lot of fun to squish between your toes and fingers.

Pamukkale Travel Tips

All visitors must go barefoot when walking on the travertines. You’ll be expected to carry your shoes as you walk so a backpack or a string to throw them over your shoulder isn’t a bad idea. Some people just leave their shoes at the top, but if you’re coming from the bottom you’ll want them to explore the Hieropolis when you reach the summit.

The bathing pools aren’t deep. The deepest of them is only a few feet deep, but many of the pools are only deep enough to get your bum wet if you’re sitting. It’s a long, hot hike to the top of the travertines and Hierapolis, especially in summer. Bring along water, sunscreen and a hat.

How fit do I need to be?

A fit adult should be able to hike one way up the hill in about 20 minutes, but that’s without any time stopping to enjoy the pools. Some of the surfaces are quite slippery (especially around the edges of the main pools), so you should take caution.

Some areas where the calcium has already hardened can be a little hard on the feet as well, however there are usually smoother pathways you can find. Expect to get your feet wet regardless and note that the majority of the walk isn’t slippery at all.

We had no trouble the day we went however we did see a few folks slip and fall around the pool edges. We did have to hold our four year old’s hand for some of the slipperier sections and carried her a time or two when she complained her feet were getting sore.

If you’re not fit and healthy, or have limited mobility, you may have a lot of trouble walking up the travertines from the bottom. Entrance from the top at Hierapolis is less strenuous, though some sections are uneven and still relatively steep.

Which entrance should I take?

There are two entrances to the Pamukkale travertines; one at the top at the ancient town of Hierapolis and a less used entrance at the bottom of the travertines in the town of Pamukkale itself. You can buy tickets that give you access to both the travertine pools and the Hieropolis at either gate, but access to the ancient Roman baths at the top is extra.

The top Hierapolis entrance is the one most favored by large tour groups, so you’ll encounter most of your fellow tourists near the top of the travertines and it’s by far the busiest section. Most people who choose the upper Hierapolis entrance only get about halfway down the travertines (at most) before climbing back up. The deepest and busiest  pool is also one of the closest to the top.

All this means is that the bottom of the travertines are quieter than the top. As an added bonus, the rock at the bottom pools is whiter. That said, the view from the top is beautiful so if you have the opportunity, it’s worth the trip in either direction.

How to Get There

By Bus: Several bus lines arrive from almost all parts of Turkey. Most with connections at nearby Denizli town, the closest large regional center to Pamukkale. We took a six hour bus ride from Bodrum, Turkey to Denizli. From Denizli, we took a 20 minute minibus (dolmus) to Pamukkale itself (3 Turkish Lyras a person and kids were free with drop locations all around the town). In general, bus service is reliable, and well used both by Turkish nationals and tourists. The bus terminal in Denizli is huge and on the outskirts of town however there are numerous cafeterias, a nice playground and facilities to kill time if you’re waiting for your bus to arrive.

By Air: Denizli town has a small airport where you can catch flights to and from Istanbul’s Sabiha Gökcen or Atatürk airports. There’s also a direct flight from Ankara or you can fly into Turkey biggest international resort Antalya or Izmir and take a day tour to Pamukkale.

By Train: No trains serve Denizli town (or Pamukkale).

Where to stay: There are numerous budget hotels located in Pamukkale town itself however there aren’t a lot of high end ones. Most are within easy walking distance to the bottom gates and a few have amazing views of the travertines in the morning or at night when the hills seem to glow in the darkness. You can check out the hotel selection (about 40 hotels) for Pamukkale on Hotels Combined.

Look like too much work?

If you’re looking for a tour that will help you navigate Pamukkale and Hierapolis, Viator offers a few highly rated and popular private options.

You can even opt for small group or private tours. Check out details on Viator here.

Where: Pamukkale is in the south west corner of Turkey in the Denizli Province.

Editor’s note: Istanbul remains one of our favorite cities. We were struck by its beauty, the friendliness of the Turkish people, and the wonderful food and views.

However, the political situation in Turkey is constantly changing. Please check with your government’s travel warnings (Canada USA UK), and keep aware of recent news before you visit. Avoid military or security forces. Recently, the government blocked social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, and WhatsApp, and opposition leaders have been arrested. Geraldine from The Everywhereist has a lovely article on her feelings about visiting Turkey again – it’s worth a look.

If you find yourself in Istanbul, with just an afternoon to see the sights, this itinerary should get you to the city’s main attractions with a bit of time to spare.

We usually like to travel slowly, taking the time to discover the character and hidden treasures of a city. Unfortunately, based on a hectic schedule, we found ourselves with only an afternoon to check out Istanbul’s main sights.

After the initial panic subsided, we got busy and set up an itinerary that would let us check out the must see attractions quickly. Luckily, most of Istanbul’s main sights are within easy walking distance in the old city in Sultanhamet.

Blue Mosque

The Blue Mosque is one of Turkey’s most famous landmarks.

Built from 1609 to 1616, and visited by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006, the Blue Mosque’s domes billow upward into Istanbul’s sky. Know by most Westerners as the Blue Mosque, it’s also called the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Sultanahmet Camii in Turkish). It’s outside courtyard is about the size of the interior and shares a lot of the same structural plans. The visitor entry is via a back door on the eastern side (on the opposite side of the Hagia Sofia museum).

Free of charge, the mosque is open daily from 09.00 till dusk. Since it is still a working mosque, the mosque closes for 90 minutes at each prayer time. This time changes daily depending on the earth’s position however mornings are usually the safest time to arrive. As their site says, “Avoid visiting a mosque at pray time (Especially Midday praying on Friday) or within a half hour after the ezan is chanted from the Mosque minarets.” Here’s a link to the changing prayer times.

Women are asked to wear a head covering when entering the Blue Mosque. If you don’t have a scarf, the mosque provides some free for your use. Male or female, if you’re wearing shorts or a short skirt, you’ll be asked to wrap yourself in a piece of cloth, again given by the mosque  for free. Flash photos aren’t allowed inside. Before walking into the Mosque, you’ll be asked to take of off your shoes and place them in a plastic bag (free) that you’ll carry with you as you walk through the Mosque and exit the other side.

Hagia Sofia

I’ve never seen a building as stunning as the Hagia Sofia. The architecture of the Hagia Sofia is especially awe inspiring, considering it was built in 537 with materials taken from all over the empire, including columns from the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus and stone from Egypt and Syria.

Originally the crowning glory of Constantinople (New Rome), the city was eventually conquered and the church was converted into a mosque for nearly 500 years before finally becoming a museum in 1935.

Admission to the Hagia Sofia museum is 25 TL for adults and kids under 12 are free. Visiting hours are from 09.00 – 19.00 (the last ticket sale 18:00), and it is closed Mondays.

Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnıcı)

The Basilica Cistern, built in 542 AD, is the largest of the ancient cisterns underneath the streets of Istanbul. Descending into the cistern feels like you’re visiting a sunken palace. The cistern could hold up to 80,000 cubic metres (2,800,000 cu ft) of water, but today there are around a foot or two at the bottom, and home to some surprisingly large fish swimming among the columns. Make sure you wander all the way to the far left-hand corner of the cistern to see the two Medusa heads.

The Cistern is open from 9:00 am to 18:30 and costs 10 TL for adults, while kids are free. The entrance is across the street from the Hagia Sophia. Signs leading to the Basilica Cistern are named Yerebatan Samici, the cistern’s Turkish name.

Lunch Time!

You should be getting hungry by now. There are a bunch of good restaurants just Southwest of the Basilica on the streets of Yerebatan Caddesi and Divan Yolu Caddesi. We ate at Fuego restaurant and the food was decent. Prices were reasonable for the area, and supper came with a free appetizer of tzatziki, hummus and bread.

Tip: If you’re really in a rush, you can grab an ear of roasted corn on the cob or roasted chestnuts from a vendor when you leave the Basilica. There’s a small park just South of the Basilica where you can rest on the grass and enjoy.

Grand Bazaar

Jammed with literally thousands of stalls, the maze-like Grand Bazaar was originally built in 1455. You can find everything here from food to trinkets to Turkish carpets.

Unfortunately, we spent a little too much time in the Hagia Sofia (and wow, it was worth every second), so we arrived just a bit too late too see the Grand Bazaar in all its splendor, though we were prepared to bargain hard and be constantly bombarded from vendors.

It’s free to enter the Grand Bazaar, which is open 8:30 am to 17:00 (5 pm). Closed Sundays. There are five major gates. If you’re following our itinerary, you’ll want the Örücüler Kapısı gate which leads to the Spice Bazaar.

Egyptian Bazaar (Spice Market)

The Spice Bazaar is home to a few hundred stalls, mostly selling delicious food items, ranging from lokum (Turkish Delight) to spices, dried fruits, honeycomb and nuts. The smell is absolutely heavenly. Built in 1664 with a long tradition of screaming out their wares, we found that vendors were fairly laid back the day we visited, with almost no one in the stalls shouting for our attention.

Free. Open: daily from 08.00 – 19.00. Closed Sunday. Turkish Delight (lokum), nuts, spices, honeycomb, coffee, teas, candies and various wares. Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi sells good coffee beans.

Bonus: Bosphorus Cruise

If you have a bit of time to spare, and you’re traveling from May to September, consider a cruise on the Bosphorus. You can pick up tickets at Eminonu, at the IDO/Şehir Hatları Bosphorus lines sales offices at Bogaz Hatti dock (dock no.3). The short cruise starts 2:30pm (14:30) from the Eminönü pier and takes 2 hours. Check times and dates at the official ferry website here. The cruise is a steal of a deal at 10 TL for adults, 5 TL kids under 12, and electronic guides are sold for 7.5 TL.

Galata Bridge

Make your way across Ragip Gumuspala Cd while being awed at the floating  kitchens docked near the bus stops and use the underground walkways to check out Galata bridge.

Well worth a look, this iconic bridge spans the Golden Horn bay of Istanbul. Fishermen on the upper level line the edges, and cast their lines into the Bosphorus strait below. The lower level is packed with restaurants serving fresh caught fish fried up and served in a sandwich (along with other food).

Transportation

After walking across the Galata Bridge, you have a few transportation options to make your way home.

There’s an efficient tram that runs back into Sutanhamet (and further West) or along the river’s edge close to the Dolma Bahce Palace. Highly recommended, the tram is fast, cheap at 3 TL for adults, and can save you a lot of time by avoiding the ridiculous stop and go traffic of Istanbul.

You can also hail a cab off the street, but be careful of traffic conditions. We ended up sitting in our cab for half an hour, stuck in traffic, as mopeds whizzed by on one side as pedestrians rushed by on the other. There are also numerous buses running along here, but again, you may run into problems with traffic in this area.

Where to stay

We found Istanbul hotel prices to be surprisingly expensive, so we opted to rent an apartment from Airbnb instead. For less than the cost of most hotel rooms, we ended up with a great two bedroom apartment, with a dishwasher, washer and dryer in a funky, authentic Istanbul neighborhood an easy walk to the tram or ferry station. Check out the listings for Istanbul on Airbnb.

Want a discount on your next Airbnb rental? Click on our link to get a $35 USD credit if you sign up with a new email (and we get a credit, too).

Look like too much work?

If you’re looking for a tour that will help you navigate Istanbul in an afternoon, Viator offers a very highly rated and popular private one day tour. You can check out details on Viator here.

The tour includes lunch, and guides you through the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, among other attractions.

If you’re looking for a more comprehensive itinerary, check out the article for a four day Istanbul Itinerary from Melissa of High Heels and a Backpack.

Have you ever been to Istanbul? What are your must see things to see and do?